Overview
- A federal judge issued a scheduling order this Thursday that sets a nine-day jury trial to begin February 1, 2027, in the Joe Gibbs Racing suit against former competition director Chris Gabehart and Spire Motorsports.
- Judge Susan C. Rodriguez found as a factual matter that Gabehart misappropriated data when he left JGR, an issue the upcoming discovery period must now illuminate further.
- JGR alleges Gabehart took confidential information and seeks up to $8 million in damages while also adding Spire and saying co-owner Jeff Dickerson may hold portions of JGR material.
- Gabehart and Spire deny misuse, have filed counterclaims contending JGR cannot show any document or message proving transmission or use, and Gabehart remains employed at Spire with role limits set by an earlier ruling.
- The order imposes an expedited pretrial calendar with Rule 26 disclosures due July 27, major document production by August 17, fact discovery complete August 31, expert exchanges in September and October, and dispositive motions by October 30, making discovery the key phase that will shape the February trial and possible impacts on the Daytona 500 schedule.