Joe Gibbs Racing says payment settles Smith dispute with Spire Motorsports
NXTbets Pro | Published On: November 10, 2026
JGR payment
JGR paid Spire $108,087.67 to settle part of the fight over Robert “Cheddar” Smith’s move, with the figure breaking down into $100,000 plus $8,087.67 in simple interest. That payment gives JGR a specific number to point to as it presses its position in court. The team said the payment was made to resolve a payment issue tied to Smith’s move to the No. 54 Toyota team. JGR also asked a court to dismiss Spire’s counterclaim over Smith, turning the payment into a legal step as well as a financial one. The move narrows one piece of a larger dispute, but it does not end the case. JGR says the payment covers any amount Spire could recover, making the transfer central to the money side of the fight.
Smith move
The dispute centered on how Smith ended up on the No. 54 car with Ty Gibbs. That is the issue that drew the payment into the larger legal fight. JGR’s view is straightforward: the payment should resolve the financial claim Spire has pressed. The team used the payment to support its request that the court dismiss Spire’s counterclaim, keeping the issue in front of the judge instead of letting the transfer stand on its own. Smith’s move created the opening, and the payment became the latest response. That makes the transaction more than a simple check. It is part of the argument over what the move was worth, who owed what and whether one side can still press for more.
Broader lawsuit
The payment does not resolve the broader lawsuit involving the two teams and former competition director Chris Gabehart. That remains the larger legal battle, with a path to trial. The court still has to deal with the rest of the case, including the unresolved claims that keep the parties in litigation. For now, the payment stands as a partial settlement of the Smith dispute, not an end point for the legal fight. It gives JGR a concrete response to one demand but leaves the broader case intact and moving toward trial.
