Lawsuit Update: Gabehart Calls JGR Competition Team “Dysfunctional,” Ty Gibbs “Not Accountable”
What’s Happening? Former Joe Gibbs Racing Crew Chief and Competition Director Chris Gabehart has filed a new response slamming JGR as…
The Daily Downforce crew is on the ground at SEMA and AAPEX 2024 this week, and they’re showing off all the industry excitement from the biggest automotive business summit.
The Daily Downforce’s own Matt Smith, better known to fans as Dogleg Media, is on hand to meet with some of the industry reps at this year’s show.
E-XTEQ is a global company specializing in the design, development, manufacturing, and distribution of advanced battery diagnostic equipment and solutions for both 12V and electric vehicle (EV) applications.
AIRCAT Pneumatic Tools is a leading manufacturer of high-performance pneumatic tools, renowned for their innovative designs that deliver powerful performance with reduced noise levels. Their product lineup includes impact wrenches, ratchets, grinders, sanders, and cutting tools, all engineered to provide superior power and durability.
Mayhew Tools, on hand this year with a patriotic-themed booth, is America’s oldest manufacturer of punches and chisels, celebrated for producing high-quality hand tools designed to meet the demands of professionals across automotive, construction, and industrial sectors.
Portacool has an eye-catching display this year featuring their powerful, portable evaporative coolers that keep spaces cool, from garages to large industrial areas. Their units are a practical alternative where traditional air conditioning isn’t feasible, providing refreshing airflow wherever it’s needed.
It’s not all business on the show floor! Fans on the ground in Vegas this week will be treated to this late 60s Mustang Fastback. Sorry, no test drives.
The gang from Mo-Clamp is on display this year with some of their products to check out. Mo-Clamp provides reliable, heavy-duty tools for collision repair, like clamps and pulling accessories used in body shops. Their gear is built to handle demanding repair jobs, making it a staple in the auto repair industry for professionals.
Anest Iwata is on hand to show off some of their beautiful work on these classic cars. Anest Iwata specializes in high-quality painting equipment and air compressors, widely used in automotive and industrial applications. They’re a trusted name in the industry for those who need dependable painting tools.
You can find more amazing paint jobs on display over at Spray Max’s exhibit. Spray Max produces professional-grade aerosol paint products designed for automotive and industrial applications. Spray Max is popular for touch-ups and repairs, offering convenience and reliability in a spray can.
Induction Innovations is no stranger to NASCAR fans, as they’ve been seen on Out of the Groove, the Daily Downforce, and even putting in laps at this year’s Groovy Hollow! Induction Innovations creates induction heating tools designed for safe, flameless heating in automotive and industrial applications. Their tools are especially useful for removing stuck or rusted parts, like bolts and fasteners, without the risks associated with an open flame.
OEM1Stop’s crew is in Vegas this year with their own impressive setup. OEM1Stop is an online resource that provides repair information and technical service bulletins directly from original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). It’s designed to help collision repair professionals access accurate, up-to-date repair procedures to ensure vehicles are fixed to OEM standards.
Revolt Auto Paint offers high-quality automotive paint products designed for durability and vibrant finishes, which are on perfect display here with this amazing bike paint scheme. Known for their wide range of colors and easy application, their paints are popular among DIY enthusiasts and professionals alike.
Not to be outdone, Fujispray Auto is also showing off some of their amazing paint schemes at SEMA this year.
Maxi-Miser shows off some of the more unique uses for their paint products. Designed for minimal overspray and maximum control, their products are popular among auto painters and hobbyists for achieving professional-quality finishes – and from the looks of that Storm Trooper helmet, you can see why!
Badass Workbench shows off some of their gear in Vegas this year. Badass Workbench makes heavy-duty workbenches built for demanding environments like garages, workshops, and industrial settings.
From “badass” to “big ass,” we’re greeted by the great folks at Big Ass Fans. Big Ass Fans designs and manufactures large, energy-efficient fans for industrial, commercial, and residential spaces.
There’s no end to the love for NASCAR on the floor of SEMA this year, and here we met up with the guys from Fanttik, of course showing off their beautiful paint schemes.
Super Duty Fans is here this year with a Super Duty display, catching everyone’s eyes on the floor. Super Duty Fans specializes in heavy-duty industrial fans designed to provide powerful airflow in large, demanding environments.
Dude, where’s…half their car? The crew from ADAS brought one of the most interesting displays we’ve seen on the floor so far!
Did we mention they love racing at SEMA?
Another instantly recognizable name to NASCAR fans, Alsco Uniforms has done everything in the sport, from sponsoring races to designing paint schemes for Kyle Busch to, of course, providing team uniforms. We met up with the gang from Alsco to check out everything else they’re up to around the industry.
Alsco won’t be the last NASCAR partner we’ll see here in Vegas, as our next stop was with the guys from Fusor, an official partner of Hendrick Motorsports.
Atturo Tires is out this year with a huge variety of their tires to check out. Atturo Tires makes high-quality, affordable tires designed for performance on and off the road.
The coolness factor of this year’s SEMA displays are over 9000!
Is it retro or futuristic? Who cares, it’s awesome!
If you’ve ever been down pit road at a race, you’ve likely seen these guys before! Pitboxes.com provides custom-built pit boxes, cabinets, and tool storage solutions designed for professional racing teams and mechanics.
It’s a car show, of course there’s a Delorean!
Say, now there’s a familiar car number!
And we have another familiar face, this time the folks at Superformance. We last saw them speeding around Atlanta on Kyle Weatherman’s paint scheme. And just check out the beauties Superformance brought to SEMA with them!
Performance Plus has a monster of a display this year! Performance Plus Oil offers premium motor oils and lubricants engineered for high performance and protection in demanding conditions.
Another familiar face to fans of Out of the Groove is Opti-Coat, and they sure brought out the shine for Vegas! Opti-Coat makes ceramic coatings that give cars a strong, shiny layer of protection against scratches, sun damage, and grime. Their coatings keep your car looking great and make it super easy to wash.
ASWF brings the old school flair to SEMA this year with this bootlegger-era beauty. ASWF makes window films for cars, homes, and businesses that help reduce heat, block UV rays, and add a bit of privacy. Their films make spaces cooler and more comfortable while protecting interiors from sun damage.
Rhino USA is sporting a more rugged look for SEMA this year. Rhino USA makes heavy-duty gear for outdoor adventures, like tow straps, ratchet tie-downs, and recovery equipment. Rhino USA is all about helping people stay safe and prepared when they’re out exploring.
We will continue to update this page throughout the week as the Daily Downforce crew makes their way through the hundreds of booths and exhibits on display this year at SEMA and AAPEX.
An email sent by former Joe Gibbs Racing Competition Director Chris Gabehart claims that resentment towards him from members of the Gibbs family made him feel that the future of JGR was a “no-win situation.”
Last week, Joe Gibbs Racing filed a lawsuit against former Crew Chief and Competition Director Chris Gabehart, claiming that the former Daytona 500 Champion had schemed to steal vital information from the team in the lead-up to his departure from JGR for Spire Motorsports.
Not even ten days since JGR filed this lawsuit, the two have continued to trade barbs and accusations back and forth through the court system.
In a filing earlier this week, Gabehart accused the team of misleading him in his duties as competition director in 2025, and specifically calling out JGR’s No. 54 team, driven by Joe Gibbs’ grandson Ty, alleging that the team received “differential treatment.”
Friday, an email sent to JGR CFO Tim Carmichael by Gabehart in November 2025 (released as part of this lawsuit) showed just how uncomfortable he had grown working at JGR during his tenure as Competition Director, with the industry veteran stating that Ty Gibbs and his mother, Heather, held “resentment” towards Gabehart.
The now former Competition Director went on to say in this email that, as the two were the future bosses of JGR, “I’m afraid that leaves me in a no-win situation.”
These exchanges, including the claims made by Gibbs in his filing earlier this week, have swept fans into a whirlwind of sorts, with the two sides even meeting in court today for the lawsuit’s first official hearing.
Of course, Gabehart’s claims about the state of operations at JGR pale in comparison to the accusations made by the Gibbs team in their initial lawsuit.
On Tuesday, the team even added Spire Motorsports, Gabehart’s current employer, as a co-defendant, and requested the court force Gabehart to sit out at least the 18 months since his termination before doing any work in NASCAR similar to his role at JGR.
The team is also asking that any information procured by Spire from Gabehart be returned, though the CEO of TWG Motorsports, which owns Spire, Dan Towriss, told Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports Friday that “Spire doesn’t want data from Joe Gibbs Racing. It doesn’t have data from Joe Gibbs Racing. No point in time has it had data from Joe Gibbs Racing.”
Alongside Spire, Gabehart adamantly denied any wrongdoing in a post to social media last week, saying, “I feel compelled to speak out today and forcefully and emphatically deny these frivolous and retaliatory claims.”
What’s Happening? Former Joe Gibbs Racing Crew Chief and Competition Director Chris Gabehart has filed a new response slamming JGR as…
What do you think about this? Let us know your opinion on Discord or X. Don’t forget that you can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
A few years ago, I looked at the racetracks preserved on iRacing that no longer exist in real life. After digging deeper, I expected to find one common reason they all shut down. Instead, each one tells a completely different story — from booming cities and land value spikes to ownership changes, broken promises, and even mysteries that still don’t have clear answers.
Some tracks were pushed out by urban development. Some lost the one person fighting to keep them alive. Others faded due to declining support — or were never meant to last forever in the first place. No two closures are the same, and that’s what makes this deep dive so fascinating.
Watch Also:
NASCAR’s documentary series “Full Speed,” which used to live on Netflix, had its first two seasons look back at entire playoff runs. But now, NASCAR is shifting the series to Amazon Prime Video for its third season, and the scope of the series will also shift to new storylines.
Dropping on March 5, the new season is aimed at zooming in on one event: the 2026 Daytona 500. Instead of a multi-episode run, this time it’s a single-episode documentary that goes all in on one race.
The film will follow big names and storylines from the Daytona 500. It will spotlight the winner, Tyler Reddick, and lean into driver storylines around the weekend. That includes Kyle Busch trying to get his groove back, Brad Keselowski clawing his way back after a broken leg, Connor Zilisch being pushed as the next big thing, and Noah Gragson bringing chaos wherever he goes.
Some fans might question the move away from Netflix, especially after Season 1 pulled in 3.4 million views in the first half of 2024. Then in 2025, the docuseries clocked 900,000 views after its early May release and added another 200,000 between July and December.
But with Prime Video stepping in as one of NASCAR’s broadcast partners, moving the series lines up with a bigger play to keep content under one roof.
Amazon has already dipped into NASCAR storytelling with projects like the docuseries Earnhardt about Dale Earnhardt. Moving Full Speed to Prime follows the same playbook. And for fans who still haven’t seen previous installments, the first two seasons are also heading over to Prime Video.
However, Reddit fans are divided in their opinions about the decision. Some fans actually get why NASCAR changed the format and platform, while a chunk of fans think leaving Netflix is risky because Netflix is where casual viewers stumble into shows. Others push back, pointing out that Prime actually has a massive reach in the U.S. and strong marketing muscle.
While one fan commented, “Makes sense. I highly doubt they were gonna make a new season around a points format they don’t use anymore,” another stated, “Idk the semantics and numbers and everything behind it so I’m probably talking out of my ass….buttttttt….at what point does nascar take the less money for the exposure. You need to be on Netflix, people watch Netflix. People don’t watch Amazon video as much. Who’s gonna watch this that isn’t a nascar fan already. You have a higher chance of getting people lost on Netflix than lost on Amazon Prime Video.”
One fan commented on the news, saying, “100%. I have Amazon Prime and Netflix. AP is a train wreck for videos especially now with their ad program with videos. I steer clear because Netflix is still ad free.” Another fan supported NASCAR’s move, saying, “Prime actually has slightly more subscribers in the USA and in my opinion is better at marketing. It’s a lateral move.”
Another backed NASCAR, stating, “Most NASCAR fans will find some way to be on prime in the month of June. I think they are counting on people watching it then if they have not already seen it. Similar to the Earnhardt documentary that dropped in June last year.”
Another fan comment implied something less glamorous yet very real, pointing out that the Netflix seasons didn’t see a surge in viewership. The first season did okay, but later numbers dipped: “Netflix didn’t seem to work that well for the 2 playoff seasons.”
Will you be watching on Prime Video? Let us know your opinion on Discord or X. Don’t forget that you can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.