Gabehart, Spire file response to JGR's expedited trial request

Chris Gabehart and Spire Motorsports are pushing back against what they are calling an aggressive and unrealistic litigation timeline in the lawsuit filed by Joe Gibbs Racing.

Gibbs has proposed a November 16, 2026, trial date in its request with the Western District of North Carolina for an expedited trial. The organization is suing Gabehart, its former competition director, and Spire Motorsports for alleged trade secret theft.

But in countering the proposed timeline, Gabehart and Spire have proposed a trial date of May 3, 2027, “approximately fifteen months from the filing of the Complaint – that would resolve this matter expeditiously while affording all parties adequate time to conduct discovery, file dispositive motions, and prepare for trial.”

The timing Gibbs has proposed to go through the litigation process is the issue for Gabehart and Spire. It would prevent Gabehart from defending himself, as he and Spire Motorsports have not yet answered the lawsuit or offered any counterclaims. Plus, additional forensic analysis of Gabehart’s electronic devices has not yet been completed.

Additionally, the response filed by Gabehart on Monday stated, “JGR’s Proposed Schedule would compress fact discovery, expert discovery, dispositive motions, and trial preparation into a mere seven months, and would require the parties to begin discovery before the forensic examination has defined the scope of the alleged trade secrets. This is unrealistic and unworkable for a case of this complexity.”

Gabehart is currently working under a temporary restraining order issued by Judge Susan Rodriguez. It is meant to keep Gabehart from sharing the alleged secrets and from working in the same capacity for Spire Motorsports that he did at Gibbs. Spire hired him as the chief motorsports officer in February. The lawsuit was filed on February 19.

In its proposed timeline, Gibbs would like fact discovery to close on July 16, expert discovery on August 20, and the trial on November 16.

Gabehart and Spire are proposing that formal discovery begin in June, fact discovery close in October, expert discovery close in December, and the trial begin in May 2027.

“To be clear,” the Spire Motorsports response filed Monday stated, “this is a large, complex case, and the discovery process will be burdensome even under ideal circumstances – with ample time and with discovery commencing only after the forensic examination has defined the universe of trade secrets at issue.”

The forensic examination of Gabehart’s devices was proposed to be completed by the end of May.

Gabehart and Spire Motorsports also continue to contend that no information has been shared and that Joe Gibbs Racing has yet to prove otherwise.