Seven months after Joe Gibbs Racing filed a lawsuit accusing former employee Chris Gabehart of taking sensitive team information and using it to benefit his new employer, Spire Motorsports, the dispute has now moved into a new phase, with both sides arguing over what evidence should be turned over. JGR is seeking a range of documents that Spire is pushing back against. Meanwhile, Hendrick Motorsports has stepped into this dispute, trying to protect their interests connected to the Chevy-team alliance.

Technical alliances are common in NASCAR. Team Penske has one with Wood Brothers Racing, while JGR has its own with 23XI Racing. For Hendrick, that partnership is with Spire, meaning the two teams exchange crucial information related to race strategies, data, and technical matters. These are the kinds of documents JGR now wants to see as part of the lawsuit.

As a result, Hendrick Motorsports will reportedly send its own team of lawyers to court to “protect its interests,” as journalist Matt Weaver revealed on Thursday, September 24.

JGR’s former Competition Director, Chris Gabehart, was accused of photographing confidential information from his work laptop and saving files on his personal device in a drive named “Spire.” The information allegedly included race-car setups, data analytics, underbody vacuum-testing procedures, and transaxle lubrication specifications.

In February 2026, JGR terminated Gabehart “for cause,” triggering an 18-month non-compete clause in his contract. Later that month, JGR filed a lawsuit after Gabehart joined Spire Motorsports as its Chief Motorsports Officer, alleging that his new role violated the non-compete agreement.

The court ruled that Gabehart could continue working at Spire, albeit in a limited role. He was not allowed to take on a technical position similar to the one he held at JGR. Earlier this month, JGR alleged that both Gabehart and Spire had violated that restriction and asked the court to hold them in contempt.

JGR is also asking Spire to hand over its race setups from 2025 and 2026, along with documents showing how the team developed them. The idea is to compare Spire’s work with the JGR trade secrets at the center of the case. This includes methods for sealing airboxes and ductwork, vacuum-testing underbodies, and handling transaxle lubrication.

The organization also wants to see proof of internal communications, including text messages and correspondence between Gabehart and Spire executives. The team claims some of these messages may have been improperly deleted.

Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson has repeatedly insisted that Gabehart didn’t share any sensitive data from JGR with his team. In March, he also claimed that they didn’t need to, since they already pay for and get technical information and help from Hendrick Motorsports, one of the biggest organizations in the garage.

“To be clear, Spire never asked for, did not want or need, and does not want or need any information from Mr. Gabehart that was the property of JGR. Spire has its own technical alliance with Hendrick Motorsports, who holds the Cup Series record for wins at 320 and 15 championships, and otherwise has no need for JGR’s information,” he said via a filing.

Hendrick Motorsports has now told the court that its lawyers will attend the October 1 hearing to raise its concerns about the case. The team is worried because JGR is seeking documents containing proprietary information that Hendrick developed and shared with Spire through their technical alliance. C. Bailey King Jr. of Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP will reportedly represent Hendrick in court.

The lawsuit is still ongoing, with the October 1 hearing likely to bring more developments. What started as a fight between JGR, Gabehart, and Spire has now involved Hendrick Motorsports too, as the team looks to protect its own information. For now, everyone is waiting to see what evidence is handed over, while the full trial is scheduled to begin on February 1, 2027.