Joe Gibbs Racing’s lawsuit against Chris Gabehart and Spire Motorsports returned to a North Carolina courtroom Tuesday, as the judge weighed contempt claims and move to expand existing injunction.

JGR alleges Gabehart misused team trade secrets and shared them with Spire. A prior order bars him from using or disclosing strategy, engineering data, financials, or performance models kept on personal devices.

JGR wants Spire covered by the same limits, citing technical shifts since Gabehart joined, including underbody approaches and gearbox cooling. Depositions suggest Spire adopted JGR practices; Spire insists these methods are industry standard.

Judge Susan C. Rodriguez made no ruling and questioned enforceability of any expansion, leaving the status quo intact while the parties dispute what qualifies as a trade secret.

Spire’s counsel Joshua D. Davey said performance gains reflect investment and driver changes, not borrowed data. He cited fewer crashes and the Coca-Cola 600 win after a bold call with Daniel Suarez.

JGR’s attorney Thomas M. Melsheimer alleged Gabehart planned to share JGR know‑how. Central to that claim is a “CG Master” spreadsheet, which JGR says mirrors its “CC Audit.”

Gabehart’s counsel countered it compiles public data and was created independently. The judge noted even public information can be protectable when curated, combined, or modeled in distinctive ways. A recent filing broadened JGR’s allegations.

Gabehart remains on administrative leave at Spire, and his lawyers said the team can function without him. The judge warned even limited meeting participation could breach the order.

JGR argues any input after the injunction is forbidden, while Spire says his involvement reflects normal executive duties. Spire suspended Gabehart following the allegations.

The court also discussed Gabehart’s appearance at a Late Model event while on leave, which prompted questions about whether stricter, longer suspensions should apply during the case.

JGR seeks tight restrictions to remain in place until trial on February 1.

If extended to Spire, an injunction could freeze elements of setup development, data workflows, and strategy modeling. Enforcement, however, remains the practical obstacle highlighted by the court.

The dispute unfolds alongside separate litigation involving Spire, adding operational distraction during a competitive upswing. That background frames how rivals and officials view any competitive advantage.

For now, Judge Rodriguez defers decisions on contempt and any injunction expansion. The February trial will test whether Gabehart misused JGR secrets and whether Spire derived a measurable benefit.

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John Martinez

John Martinez delivers real-time NASCAR Cup Series and Truck Series news, from live race updates to pit-lane strategy analysis. A graduate of the University of Northwestern Ohio’s Motorsports Technology program, he breaks down rule changes, driver tactics, and championship points with crystal-clear reporting.