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France: Facts Will 'Catch Up' To Claims In Lawsuit
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Published: July 5, 2008
DAYTONA BEACH - DAYTONA BEACH - NASCAR has nearly completed its investigation of the allegations made by former Nationwide Series inspector Mauricia Grant in a $225 million discrimination lawsuit, CEO Brian France said in his annual midseason question-and-answer session Friday.
Grant, who is black, is alleging racial and sexual discrimination, sexual harassment and wrongful termination in a lawsuit filed last month. She discussed her accusations in detail on ESPN this week.
France reiterated that NASCAR will vigorously defend itself in court, but he didn't discuss any specifics of the case.
"My own experience with lawsuits over many years is, by the time the facts ultimately catch up to the actual lawsuit, they're usually a whole lot different than the claims that are made on the front end when you're after a lot of money," France said.
Grant, a NASCAR employee from January 2005 through October 2007, has alleged 23 incidents of sexual harassment and 34 incidents of racial and gender discrimination.
She told ESPN she worked in a "hostile environment" in which she "walked around with a bull's-eye for people to ask rude and ignorant questions about my race and about my appearance."
Since the suit was filed, NASCAR has placed officials Tim Knox and Bud Moore on administrative paid leave. Grant accused them and a third man, David Duke, of exposing themselves to her. Duke was fired this spring for reasons not related to the lawsuit, NASCAR said.
France wouldn't say much about what NASCAR's investigation has revealed.
"But I will tell you that we've been ... very thorough," he said. "We've talked to, I don't know, 25 or 30 people, and I mean really talked and really reviewed and really investigated. So we have a pretty good handle on what we think the claims are and some of the conduct of Ms. Grant and others, and that's really all we can say."
DEI DOMINATES QUALIFYING: A day after NASCAR officials confiscated Martin Truex Jr.'s car after it failed inspection, Dale Earnhardt Inc. rebounded by taking the pole and three of the top 10 spots in Friday's qualifying for tonight's Coke Zero 400.
Paul Menard earned his first career pole, turning a lap at 185.916 mph, and Mark Martin took the outside pole. Rookie Regan Smith qualified eighth. Truex, driving a backup car, qualified 37th.
Joe Gibbs Racing's Toyotas were the fastest cars in the Daytona 500 in February, but they weren't particularly stout in Friday's qualifying. Points leader Kyle Busch took the ninth starting spot, Denny Hamlin the 11th and two-time 400 winner Tony Stewart the 17th.
"Who has the speed today is not necessarily who's going to have the handling tomorrow," Busch said. "We think our Toyota Camry is pretty good in race trim, and hopefully we'll be able to prove that running up front."
Zephyrhills' David Reutimann, who finished 18th in the Daytona 500 in February, qualified 36th.
STEWART MUM: Although ESPN is reporting that Stewart has a deal with Office Depot to sponsor a car if he becomes an owner of Haas CNC Racing, Stewart said he isn't ready to discuss his future.
Asked by ESPN's Angelique Chengelis if he has a timetable for an announcement, Stewart cracked, "Honey, I've just got coffee tables at home."
Tony Fabrizio
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