Overview
- JGR filed the case Feb. 19 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina, and Gabehart is required to respond within 21 days.
- According to the suit, Gabehart synced a personal Google Drive to his JGR laptop, kept folders labeled “Spire” and “Past Setups,” and on Nov. 7, 2025 took at least 20 photos of proprietary files.
- The filing details a timeline from a Nov. 6 meeting where his request for broader authority was denied to an alleged Spire offer on Nov. 13 and a Dec. 2 meeting with co-owner Jeff Dickerson.
- JGR seeks monetary relief believed to exceed $8 million plus injunctive remedies, asserting claims under the Defend Trade Secrets Act, state trade‑secret law, unfair trade practices statutes, and breach of contract.
- The suit says JGR learned Feb. 11 that Gabehart planned to become Spire’s chief motorsports officer and alleges he solicited JGR employees, noting at least one departure; Spire had not announced a hire and the filing did not ask the court to bar his employment.