In assist of the (beneath) argument in assist of expedited reality discovery in opposition to Chris Gabehart and Spire Motorsports crew house owners Dan Towriss and Jeff Dickerson, Joe Gibbs Racing filed authorized paperwork that exposed their hiring of a personal investigator that adopted them defendants after the Cup Sequence season had ended.
Moreover, JGR filed reveals within the type of declarations from crew competitors director Wally Brown, driver Denny Hamlin, Toyota’s Andy Graves and rival crew proprietor Bob Jenkins to assist why it’s so necessary to uncover as quickly as attainable whether or not or not Spire acquired proprietary competitors information upon hiring Gaebhart.
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In Exhibit C, filed in a single day on Friday into Saturday, Joe Gibbs revealed it had bought the providers of a North Carolina licensed personal investigator named Ryan Simpson from Barefoot Non-public Investigations.
Simpson declared by his authorized submitting the next timeline and photographic proof of interactions between Gabehart and Dickerson:
On December 2, 2025, I witnessed Gabehart drive his automobile to the Spire Motorsports (“Spire”) facility at 11:54 AM. At 12:02 PM, Spire proprietor Jeff Dickerson (“Dickerson”) entered Gabehart’s automobile. Beneath is a nonetheless {photograph} from video captured of Dickerson coming into Gabehart’s automobile.
Gabehart then drove to a close-by restaurant, which they entered at 12:22 PM. From 12:22 PM to 1:47 PM, Gabehart and Dickerson remained collectively on the restaurant. Beneath is a nonetheless {photograph} from video captured of Gabehart and Dickerson sitting collectively on the restaurant.
Gabehart and Dickerson departed the restaurant at 1 :47 PM and arrived again at Spire’s facility at 2:00 PM. Beneath is a nonetheless {photograph} from video captured of Dickerson departing Gabehart’s automobile.
The Alpern declaration
There was additionally declaration written by Joe Gibbs Racing president Dave Alpern that detailed the timeline which he and Gabehart met to debate a separation settlement in early December. On this change, Gabehart instructed Alpern that he had not mentioned employment with Spire. Alpern additionally wished to know what Jennifer Gabehart flew to the Phoenix race in November on the Spire airplane.
“On December 3, 2025 at 8:05 PM, Defendant Christopher Gabehart (“Gabehart”) despatched me a textual content message stating “Good night, Dave. Wouldn’t it do us any good to have a dialogue about what must occur from right here? Absolutely nobody actually needs to do the opposite any hurt? I do know I don’t.” I responded, “Hello Chris [i]n settlement we don’t wish to do hurt we simply wish to do what’s proper. I’m comfortable to have a dialogue tomorrow.””
“On December 4, 2025 at 11:19 AM, I known as Gabehart and spoke to him by telephone. Throughout that decision, I suggested him that if he didn’t wish to hurt JGR then he needs to be trustworthy about his plans for employment. I particularly requested about employment with Spire Motorsports (“Spire”). Gabehart acknowledged that he had not too long ago had lunch with Spire proprietor JeffDickerson (“Dickerson”) and that his partner had flown on Dickerson’s airplane to attend the NASCAR Cup Sequence Championship race at Phoenix in November 2025. Gabehart then defined that he and Dickerson have been buddies and nothing past that, and that that they had not mentioned employment.
On the conclusion of our name, Gabehart instructed me that his fourteen years of working for JGR ought to rely for one thing and that I ought to belief him.”
Alpern says they haven’t talked since December 4.
Hamlin and Jenkins declarations
As an example the significance of the data Gabehart might have probably saved and/or shared to Spire, Joe Gibbs Racing used the voices of Hamlin and Jenkins to underscore what proprietary information might imply for Spire.
Hamlin and Gabehart have been paired on the JGR No. 11 crew from 2019-to-2024 as driver and crew chief however in a distinct capability in 2025 when the latter was promoted to competitors director. Hamlin says Gabehart has entry to the ‘crown jewels’ of JGR info.
“I’ve reviewed the outline of the supplies Gabehart apparently retained on his private mobile phone and private Google Drive account as described within the Walter Brown declaration. This info represents the crown jewels of our racing operation. …
“The supplies Gabehart took—together with automobile setups, simulation recordsdata, post-race analytics, tire administration methods, gas mileage calculations, and pit crew efficiency information— symbolize a long time of JGR’s analysis, growth, and innovation particularly designed to optimize pace and win races. These supplies present a complete roadmap for JGR’s aggressive methods and are the precise set of proprietary and confidential info any of JGR’s opponents would need to be able to perceive JGR’s processes, technological capabilities, and fee constructions which have led to JGR’s overwhelming success.”
To wit, Jenkins of Entrance Row Racing lent his voice to the argument about what he might do with JGR’s proprietary info and why he believes such information shouldn’t be taken with an worker when she or he leaves a crew.
“The secrecy of NASCAR racing groups’ race automobile setups and techniques have develop into significantly necessary in recent times given the implementation of NextGen race vehicles in 2022, which standardized race vehicles throughout NASCAR groups. Groups might make restricted modifications to the race automobile setups or components-making even very slight modifications to the setup or compilation of a race automobile essential to the competitors.
“As a result of this info is so essential to every crew’s race efficiency and total technique, it’s paramount that workers abide by their confidentiality obligations and chorus from taking any groups’ confidential info with them in the event that they select to depart employment with one crew for an additional. It’s crossing over the road of truthful competitors within the trade to take confidential and strategic info from one NASCAR race crew to a competitor NASCAR race crew.”
Sponsorship overtures
Joe Gibbs Racing additionally posted two declarations from sponsors SAIA and Zep about efforts from Spire Motorsports to probably change their crew affiliations.
From SAIA’s Invoice Lealos:
“The week of February 23, 2026, I obtained a direct message on LinkedIn from Cameron of Spire Motorsports. Sieradzan’s Linkedln headline states: “Partnerships at Spire Motorsports | NASCAR Cup Sequence.” I’ve by no means met Sieradzan or anybody at Spire Motorsports.
“Within the direct message, Sieradzan requested a gathering to debate the racing trade. I declined the request. Sieradzan subsequently requested whether or not I wish to meet if he discovered a spot close to the lodge I used to be staying at in Austin, Texas for the NASCAR Cup race weekend. I likewise declined the second request.”
From Zep’s Greg Heyer:
“On February 27, 2026 at 9:38 a.m., I obtained a textual content message from Stephen D’Hondt, Chief Working Officer of Spire Motorsports. D’Hondt invited me to an occasion on March 7, 2026 hosted by Spire Motorsports to be held in Phoenix, Arizona throughout the NASCAR race weekend that includes many music artists, together with Diplo.
“Previous to receiving D’Hondt’s textual content message, I had not seen D’Hondt in particular person in over a yr. My final communication with D’Hondt was a textual content message I despatched to him on January 19, 2026 letting him know Zep was sponsoring JGR for the 2026 NASCAR Cup season.”
The implication right here is that this overture occurred after its conceptually attainable that Gabehart might have shared JGR’s sponsorship worth information with Spire. That might even be a motive that Joe Gibbs Racing believes that Spire and Gabehart could possibly be harming them from a authorized customary.
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