Chris Gabehart has fired a pointed shot at his former employer Joe Gibbs Racing as the legal battle surrounding his move to Spire Motorsports continues to escalate. JGR recently filed a fresh claim alleging that Gabehart and Spire violated restrictions imposed by the court on his new role. Amid the latest development, Gabehart appeared to take a subtle swipe at Joe Gibbs and Co. while congratulating a young driver connected to Spire.
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“Very happy for that young man and his accomplishments thus far. He is a heck of a talent at such a young age. Surely my former employer thinks I am at least allowed to say that?” Chris Gabehart’s comment on X appeared harmless at first, but the final sentence carried a sarcastic edge given the circumstances surrounding his departure from Joe Gibbs Racing.
He was congratulating Tristan McKee on his latest achievement, yet the reference to his “former employer” came as JGR continues to challenge what Gabehart can do in his new role with Spire Motorsports.
Gabehart was responding to Jordan Bianchi, who noted that McKee had become the youngest driver to ever score a top-five finish in NASCAR’s national series history, according to NASCAR. The teenager has enjoyed a breakthrough 2026 campaign, becoming the ARCA Menards Series East champion at just 16.
However, it’s McKee’s connection to Spire is what gives Gabehart’s comment its added significance. Spire announced him as the first driver signed to its driver development program in January 2025.
He made his NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series debut at Richmond last month, finishing eighth in Spire’s No. 77 Chevrolet Silverado RST. He is scheduled to make two more starts for the organization this season, at Phoenix Raceway on October 16 and Martinsville Speedway on October 30.
Against that backdrop, Gabehart’s question about whether he was “at least allowed” to congratulate McKee reads as a pointed reference to the latest legal action from JGR. The organization has already obtained a partial injunction restricting Gabehart from performing duties at Spire that overlap with his former responsibilities at JGR. Now, the team is seeking further action, alleging that those boundaries have been violated.
Bob Pockrass reported that JGR has filed a motion seeking to have Gabehart and Spire held in contempt for allegedly violating the court’s order. Among the evidence cited are comments Gabehart reportedly made during competition meetings involving tire pressures and setups. The organization had made similar allegations in court earlier this year, which they eventually withdrew. That makes his sarcastic remark particularly timely, as the latest filing places increased scrutiny on the work he performs for his current employer.
The original lawsuit began in February 2026 after Gabehart left JGR to become Chief Motorsports Officer at Spire. JGR alleged that the former competition director at the organization photographed sensitive information from his company laptop. He then transferred proprietary material to a personal Google Drive folder labeled “Spire.” The organization also stated that it removed Gabehart for cause in February this year, which enforced an 18-month non-compete.
Gabehart and Spire both have disputed the enforceability of that JGR restriction. They state that the non-compete became moot as a result of JGR stopping the payment of Gabehart’s regular wages in November 2025. Gabehart’s career with JGR had begun in 2012, when he initially joined as an engineer.
He moved up the ranks and eventually became Denny Hamlin’s crew chief on the No. 11. He finally moved into the competition director role and took on broader responsibilities at JGR.
His current position at Spire also comes with a substantial compensation package. According to Gabehart’s deposition testimony, he receives a $3 million annual base salary, with additional bonus potential.
That history explains why the final line of Gabehart’s message stands out. His comment was not an explicit legal argument or direct accusation against JGR, but the timing allowed him to poke fun at the restrictions now surrounding his work.
The legal battle is far from over, with the federal jury trial scheduled to begin on February 1, 2027, at the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina. Until then, the latest contempt claim adds another chapter to the increasingly complex dispute between JGR, Gabehart, and Spire.