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NASCAR Suspends 2 Officials In Lawsuit Probe

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The Associated Press

Published: June 14, 2008

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Two officials named in a $225 million racial discrimination and sexual harassment lawsuit against NASCAR have been placed on administrative leave for violating company policy, The Associated Press has learned.

The officials, who were not immediately identified, were sent home from Kentucky Speedway on Friday evening, a person familiar with the NASCAR investigation told the AP. The person requested anonymity because NASCAR's investigation is ongoing.

Mauricia Grant filed her suit Tuesday, alleging 23 specific incidents of sexual harassment and 34 specific incidents of racial and gender discrimination during her time as a technical inspector for NASCAR's second-tier Nationwide Series.

Grant, who is black, claims her October 2007 firing was retaliation for complaining about the way she was treated on the job from her January 2005 hiring through her October 2007 firing.
NASCAR chairman Brian France has not addressed the validity of Grant's claims, but said the former official never made a formal complaint or followed NASCAR policy in reporting harassment.
NASCAR sent a team of investigators from its human resources and legal offices to Kentucky this weekend to interview those named in the suit. Of 27 interviews conducted away from the track Thursday and Friday, two officials were found to have engaged in behavior that violated NASCAR policy.

Their leave is indefinite.

In addition, investigators failed to uncover a single instance in which Grant complained to her supervisors or other NASCAR employees about the way she was treated, the person familiar with the investigation told AP.

Michigan Rainout Gives Kyle Busch Pole

BROOKLYN, Mich. - Kyle Busch will start from the pole Sunday in the Lifelock 400, thanks to rain that washed away qualifying at Michigan International Speedway.

The rain began pelting after 11 of 45 drivers had completed qualifying attempts on the 2-mile oval and NASCAR was forced to fill the race field by points, giving series leader Busch his third pole start of the season. He will be joined on the front row by Jeff Burton.

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