The Toyota bandwagon has had a mixed start to 2026, filled with wins and controversies. On one side, Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing brought home three consecutive wins in the NASCAR Cup Series. But on the other side, Joe Gibbs Racing has been embroiled in a feisty lawsuit with one of its former employees. And while Ty Gibbs was focused on extending the Toyota streak in Phoenix, he could not help but indirectly allude to the dilemma.
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Ty Gibbs sends a sharp message
Joe Gibbs’ grandson and driver of the No. 54 Toyota spoke of having a three-word asset – a “very loyal bunch.” He continued in the interview after the Straight Talk 500 race, “We’re working with the right people. That’s what makes a difference.”
Ty Gibbs, while preparing for the Straight Talk 500 race at Phoenix Raceway, also had to deal with an accusation. JGR’s former competition director, Chris Gabehart, flung claims of nepotism at the 23-year-old driver. Gabehart said that “the No. 54 driver was not held to the same meeting attendance standards as others on the team.”
“I’m with great people that all believe in me, and they’re all really loyal people.” – @TyGibbs gives some insight as to what is clicking for the No. 54 team that has led to two races in a row where he has finished in the top five.
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This claim came amidst the ongoing lawsuit between JGR and Chris Gabehart, as the latter was accused of stealing confidential information and trade secrets. Gabehart left JGR’s fold in December 2025 and aimed to take up the Chief Motorsports Officer role at Spire Motorsports. Currently, however, Gabehart cannot execute his full duties after JGR filed for a restraining order that forbids him from working for 18 months.
Ty Gibbs, however, brushed off Chris Gabehart’s accusations after a good race at Phoenix Raceway. Starting outside the top ten, the young driver quietly wove his way into the top five by the last stage. After Richard Childress Racing’s tire failures brought out a caution on lap 289, Gibbs took the lead on the restart. He maintained it into the final laps, posing a big challenge to Ryan Blaney, before the latter finally took over.
“Very happy with my team, all the guys. We’re with, I’m with the right guys, and that makes a difference, so you know I’m running good because of that; it shows,” Ty Gibbs said after finishing 4th. “So, really happy with my team; everybody’s done a great job. Everybody believes me. We all believe in each other. Happy with that.” Chris Gabehart served as the crew chief for the 54 team for nine races last year.
The tension brews between Ty Gibbs and his former colleague. And it does not stop with the 54 team, as the 11 team also engaged in the legal battle.
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Confirming the allegation
“I have reviewed the description of the materials Gabehart apparently retained on his personal cell phone and personal Google Drive account, as described in the Walter Brown declaration,” Denny Hamlin stated. “This information represents the crown jewels of our racing operation.”
Denny Hamlin, driver of the No. 11 JGR Toyota, was probably the closest colleague that Chris Gabehart had. Gabehart was the No. 11 crew chief for six years, and during that tenure, he won 22 Cup race trophies alongside Hamlin. However, the latest lawsuit has planted tensions between the two, as Hamlin’s testimony showed. The driver agreed that Gabehart’s actions compromised years of JGR’s research.
“The materials Gabehart took—including car setups, simulation files, post-race analytics, tire management strategies, fuel mileage calculations, and pit crew performance data—represent decades of JGR’s research, development, and innovation specifically designed to optimize speed and win races. These materials provide a comprehensive roadmap for JGR’s competitive strategies and are the exact set of proprietary and confidential information any of JGR’s competitors would want.”
The animated atmosphere within Joe Gibbs Racing is hard to miss right now. Let’s see how the lawsuit progresses in the near future.
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