Fault Lines in the Spire–Joe Gibbs Racing Trade-Secrets Fight
What began as a personnel dispute over a car chief has become a federal case marked by a contested Google Drive folder, deleted allegations, missing texts, and more than $8 million at stake.
JGR Allegedly Reneged on a $100,000 Handshake Deal Over Robert "Cheddar" Smith
In early 2025, Joe Gibbs Racing recruited Spire Motorsports car chief Robert "Cheddar" Smith to bolster Ty Gibbs' Cup operation. Smith held a non-compete with Spire, so the two teams struck a deal: Spire would release Smith from his contractual obligations in exchange for either a willing, competition-level employee from JGR's roster during the 2025 season or a flat $100,000 payment. Smith started at JGR in April 2025. That June, Spire asked JGR to release crew chief Tyler Allen, who had previously led Gibbs' team. JGR refused. In fall 2025, Spire requested car chief Ryan Towles, a role the filing describes as comparable to Smith's. JGR refused again and, according to Spire, also declined to pay the $100,000 alternative. Spire's countersuit states plainly that it upheld its end of the bargain and JGR did not.
A Google Drive Folder Labeled "Spire" With a "Past Setups" Subfolder Is Central to JGR's Trade-Secrets Claim
JGR's February 2026 lawsuit alleges that Chris Gabehart, the team's former competition director, synced proprietary files to a personal Google Drive before his departure. A forensic examination of his devices reportedly uncovered a folder titled "Spire" containing a subfolder called "Past Setups." The files allegedly include race setup documents, analytics reports, simulation results, driver compensation figures, and sponsorship revenue data. JGR contends Gabehart photographed sensitive material from his company laptop on November 7, 2025, capturing more than a dozen screen images of confidential files. The team further alleges Gabehart conducted Google searches and online research about Spire during October and November 2025. These claims form the backbone of JGR's federal Defend Trade Secrets Act and North Carolina trade-secret law filings, which seek compensatory damages exceeding $8 million plus potential doubled or trebled enhanced damages and attorneys' fees.
JGR's COO Left for a Direct Competitor Without a Whiff of Litigation
Gabehart's defense leans heavily on what his filing calls selective enforcement. The argument is straightforward: lateral personnel movement between NASCAR teams is routine, and JGR has historically raised no objection when employees depart for Toyota-aligned rivals. The most striking example is Michael Guttilla, who served as JGR's Chief Operating Officer before leaving to become President of Legacy Motor Club. JGR did not file suit against Guttilla. It did not seek injunctive relief. It did not demand forensic examinations of his devices. Yet JGR moved aggressively to block Gabehart from working at Spire, a Chevrolet-aligned team that does not share the same manufacturer relationship as JGR. Gabehart's filing argues this double standard reveals the lawsuit's true nature: retaliation for daring to leave, not protection of legitimate business interests.
JGR Conceded It Lacked Nonprivileged Information to Support Key Allegations Against Gabehart
In the course of litigation, Rodriguez ordered JGR to remove a paragraph from its second amended complaint that had claimed Gabehart was participating in competition strategy and decision-making at Spire in violation of his non-compete clause. The removed paragraph also alleged that Spire employees had been instructed not to discuss Gabehart's involvement with anyone outside the organization. JGR conceded it did not possess nonprivileged information sufficient to support those allegations. The concession matters because it shows how far JGR's case has narrowed: the forensic expert JGR itself retained examined Gabehart's laptop, cell phone, and personal Google Drive, along with allegations of screen captures and file syncing, yet found nothing to substantiate the claims. Without that evidentiary foundation, JGR was forced to strip the accusations from its complaint. Gabehart is Spire's chief motorsports officer. JGR originally filed suit in February 2026, and the case is set for trial February 1, 2027, before Rodriguez in the Western District of North Carolina.
Rodriguez Partially Granted JGR's Preliminary Injunction in April 2026
JGR sought an 18-month non-compete order against Gabehart. In April 2026, Rodriguez partially granted JGR's preliminary injunction: Gabehart was restricted from using or disclosing JGR trade secrets, but Spire itself was not restricted. Gabehart remained employed as the team's chief motorsports officer throughout. The partial grant meant JGR showed enough to secure some protection for its trade secrets, but not enough to sideline Gabehart from his role at a competing Chevrolet-aligned organization. The ruling drew a line between protecting specific confidential information and preventing Gabehart from working in the sport altogether. Rodriguez's decision to leave Spire unrestricted signaled the court was not persuaded the team itself had acted improperly. The scope of that April ruling now frames what remedies JGR can pursue at trial, where the organization will have to demonstrate its non-compete and confidentiality agreements are enforceable under North Carolina law and that Gabehart's conduct crossed the line from routine personnel movement into misappropriation.
Spire's Filing Paints Ty Gibbs' Team as Struggling and Frames JGR as a Fair-Weather Litigant
Spire's countersuit characterizes JGR as an organization that sues only when talent flows away from it. The filing describes Ty Gibbs' Toyota team as struggling and frames JGR's recruitment of car chief Robert "Cheddar" Smith as an attempt to shore up a weak operation. Spire claims it agreed to forgo its contractual rights over Smith—who was under a non-compete—in exchange for its pick of a willing, competition-level employee from JGR during the 2025 season or a $100,000 payment. Smith began working at JGR in April 2025. Spire alleges JGR then refused to release crew chief Tyler Allen or car chief Ryan Towles and refused to pay the $100,000. "When talent, sponsors, and victories flow in JGR's direction, JGR has done no wrong. But when talent, sponsors, and victories flow anywhere else, JGR sues and complains," the countersuit states. Gabehart's separate counterclaim alleges unlawful wage withholding, invasive demands, and manufactured legal pretexts.
JGR Seeks Injunctive Relief and Attorneys' Fees as the Case Heads Toward Trial
JGR's lawsuit requests attorneys' fees and injunctive relief permanently barring Gabehart from using or disclosing any JGR information. The organization has pointed to Spire's improved on-track performance as circumstantial evidence that Gabehart's involvement has had a tangible competitive impact. In a May 2026 filing, JGR stated there was a reason the lawsuit existed, linking Spire's results to Gabehart's presence. Spire recruited Gabehart after he left JGR, and he joined the team in April 2025 as chief motorsports officer. The full scope of damages and relief JGR may recover will not be determined until a jury renders its verdict. If JGR prevails, the court could award monetary damages, permanent restrictions on Gabehart's future employment, and reimbursement for the organization's legal costs — outcomes that would reshape the boundaries of non-compete enforcement across NASCAR's competitive landscape.