Joe Gibbs Racing asks the Western District of North Carolina to continue contempt proceedings against Spire Motorsports and Chris Gabehart, centering on deleted text messages.

JGR also seeks an adverse inference instruction, allowing jurors to assume the deletions concealed damaging evidence relevant to alleged trade secret misuse.

The focus is a seven-message thread between Gabehart and Spire co-owner Jeffrey Dickerson, deleted on November 15, 2025. Dickerson used a 30‑day auto‑delete setting for storage management.

JGR alleges Gabehart leveraged JGR materials during his move to Chief Motorsports Officer at Spire. It has not offered clear proof Spire or Dickerson exploited those materials.

Defense counsel Cary Davis argues there is no evidence Gabehart shared proprietary data with Spire. Both Gabehart and Dickerson have testified to that position.

A forensic review confirmed Gabehart photographed sensitive JGR materials and transferred files to personal drives in November. The scope and definition of “trade secrets” remain disputed.

Gabehart says any misappropriated items were returned or deleted once identified. JGR counters that he should have preserved data once litigation was foreseeable.

The defense asks the court to defer any adverse inference ruling until trial, allowing cross‑examination and a complete record to guide jury instructions.

Spire says it had no role in the deletions, pointing to Dickerson’s auto‑delete policy as the cause. It warns an early inference would unfairly prejudice claims against the team.

JGR maintains the deletions, plus file transfers, justify sanctions. Its position aligns with recent arguments filed in the case.

Spire notes Gabehart joined the team months after the messages were deleted and references its detailed lawsuit response outlining that timeline.

The broader JGR–Spire lawsuit has already prompted operational changes, including when Spire suspended Gabehart during the investigation.

Trial is scheduled for February. The court is expected to refine jury instructions, including any adverse inference guidance, closer to that date.

This dispute highlights how data governance, messaging policies, and IP controls intersect with competition management in modern NASCAR operations.

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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.