NASCAR Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin (right) stands with his now-former crew chief Chris Gabehart (left). Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Chris Gabehart responds to Joe Gibbs Racing allegations, lawsuit

By Samuel Stubbs | Last updated Feb 20, 2026 7:32 PM ET

Former Joe Gibbs Racing crew chief and competition director Chris Gabehart was thrust into the spotlight on Thursday when Joe Gibbs Racing filed a lawsuit alleging that Gabehart stole sensitive information from the organization and attempted to pass it to Spire Motorsports, the team where Gabehart was rumored to be taking a job in 2026.

Gabehart's departure from JGR became public in early December.

On Friday evening, Gabehart issued a statement on social media in response to the lawsuit.

Chris Gabehart's response

"Yesterday afternoon, Joe Gibbs Racing filed a lawsuit claiming - falsely — that I shared JGR confidential information with Spire Motorsports and/or other unnamed third parties," Gabehart said. "I feel compelled to speak out today and forcefully and emphatically deny these frivolous and retaliatory claims.

pic.twitter.com/lLXyqLy8c0
— Chris Gabehart (@CG1751) February 20, 2026

"I look forward to the opportunity to demonstrate to the Court that I have not shared JGR’s confidential information with anyone. In fact, I have already demonstrated that to JGR. A third-party forensic expert retained by JGR recently examined my laptop, cell phone and personal Google Drive and found no evidence to support the baseless allegations in JGR’s lawsuit. We even offered JGR the opportunity to do a similar review of Spire’s systems. JGR refused that offer and filed the spiteful lawsuit instead.

"Stay tuned. We will have much more to say in the legal response we will be filing in the coming days.”

Gabehart began his NASCAR career with JGR in 2012, serving as Denny Hamlin's crew chief from 2019-24 and as the organization's competition director in 2025 before leaving the team.

Wally Brown now serves as the competition director at Joe Gibbs Racing.

Samuel Stubbs

Hailing from the same neck of the woods as NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin, Samuel has been covering NASCAR for Yardbarker since February 2024. He has been a member of the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) since October of 2024. When he’s not writing about racing, Samuel covers Arkansas Razorback basketball for Yardbarker

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