Overview
- U.S. District Judge Susan C. Rodriguez, following Thursday’s hearing in Charlotte, took the preliminary injunction request under advisement and kept a temporary order in place that restricts Chris Gabehart from doing duties that match his former Joe Gibbs Racing role until April 9.
- Joe Gibbs Racing alleges its ex-competition director took trade secrets and asks the court to enforce an 18‑month non‑compete, while Gabehart admits photographing internal material but denies sharing it and Spire says there is no evidence it received JGR data.
- Spire and Gabehart argue JGR stopped paying him or terminated him without cause, a claim that could undercut the non‑compete’s enforceability, and court filings note JGR last issued regular pay on November 10 before a later bonus payment.
- JGR points to photographed files, folders labeled “Spire” and “Past Setups,” and deleted texts with Spire co-owner Jeff Dickerson as red flags, but the judge pressed for hard, verifiable proof that any JGR information was transferred or used.
- Preliminary injunctions require a high showing of likely success and irreparable harm, so the judge has limited discovery to Gabehart’s materials and allowed him to stay employed at Spire under narrow restrictions, a balance that preserves his paycheck while the court assesses the evidence.