Long Island Motorsports News - Don Runkle's West Coast Racing

Woman Suing NASCAR has Questionable Past

August 8, Chico, CA--- Former NASCAR Official Mauricia Grant, who has accused NASCAR of racial discrimination and sexual harassment, has had a restraining order filed against her by an ex-boyfriend and she was also arrested for a DUI, according to the Associated Press.

Grant, who filed a $225 Million lawsuit against NASCAR, was also charged with driving with a suspended license when she still was an employee of NASCAR as a technical inspector in the Nationwide series.

Grants attorney said that his client is not refuting anything that is in her past and that her pervious actions have no bearing on the suit that she filed against NASCAR in June.

"Ms. Grant's alleged prior actions are totally irrelevant to this suit," attorney Benedict P. Morelli said in a statement. "NASCAR must obey the law and should focus its full attention on improving the discriminatory and hostile work environment to which employees are subject."

NASCAR has stated that her past actions are a direct reflection on Ms.Grant’s character, and will continue to fight the claims she has made against the racing series.

"Clearly, these revelations show that there are always at least two sides to every story," NASCAR said in a statement to the AP. "We are confident that over the course of this process even more facts will come to light and justice will be served."

Court documents show that Grant has had legal issues as far back as 2002 when a restraining order was filed against her by an her ex-boyfriend..

The Los Angeles Superior Court, alleging Grant threatened his life and harassed him with repeated phone calls at home and at work, granted Willie Lowery a temporary restraining order.

"She has made many threats on my life and job. She called my job ... up to six times attempting to slander my name and have me fired," Lowery wrote in his complaint. “She has been spotted in front of my home on several occasions. She has contacted all of my family and friends attempting to make threats and slander my name. She has also contacted my current girlfriend and I feel she is in jeopardy as well."

Grant also was jailed for two days in July 2004, for driving under the influence in Los Angeles. She pleaded no contest a month later, but failed to meet the terms of her probation and a bench warrant was issued for her arrest in January 2005.

A spokesman for firm representing Morelli and Grant in this suit said the case was never settled because Grant began working for NASCAR and was busy traveling for her new job.

Grant also was charged with driving with a suspended license in Atlanta last October while working for NASCAR. She was fired later that month, and NASCAR has declined to say why Grant was terminated.

Grant, who is black, claims in her suit she was fired for complaining about how she was treated by fellow officials during her employment. The suit alleges she was referred to as "Nappy Headed Mo" and "Queen Sheba," by co-workers, was often told she worked on "colored people time." She also claimed she was frightened by one official who routinely made references to the Ku Klux Klan.

Grants attorney said that NASCAR actions are father proof that her claims are indeed valid.

"Despite this apparent smear campaign against Mauricia Grant, NASCAR has not refuted one single claim Ms. Grant has made about the discrimination and harassment she endured," Morelli said. "Instead, NASCAR suspended two officials in the course of its interminable internal investigation, and had previously fired an employee later named in the suit for an undisclosed reason."

NASCAR’s Own “Ringer”

August 7, Chico, CA--- This weekend at Watkins Glen the media starts to talk about drivers that get forgotten about most of the year, just because NASCAR Sprint Cup series goes to 1 of only 2 road courses this season. The driver I am talking about is Robby Gordon and this year he has been all but invisible, except for NASCAR picking on the little guy at Daytona, where Gillett Evernham gave him the wrong nose for his car and NASCAR tried to take some points and money away.

The only story there was the fact that Robby wouldn’t lie down and take it. He fought back and appealed his unfounded penalty and won. Even at Infineon, also a road course, not much was said, just the fact that he didn’t have a sponsor for the race until the very last minute. Gordon is very well the most entertaining driver in NASCAR at times, and described by Tony Stewart as “the best all-around driver out there” (remember how earlier this year he ran a solid second at Eldora in his first-ever dirt track race?) But never-the-less he is almost non-existent in the eyes of many that follow NASCAR racing.

Many of the issues he faces are of his own doing, one of the few driver/owner in NASCAR, although he relies heavily on Gillett Evernham for equipment, he made the switch from Ford to Dodge very late at the beginning of the season, just weeks before the Daytona 500. Plus since he is a satellite team of the Gillett Evernham team, I’m sure he is forth in line for any technical advice from the team, behind Kasey Kahne, Elliott Sadler, and Patrick Carpentier.

With the way sponsorships are going for Robby, he also is not the fastest car out there, and the instability within the race team itself, which has seen 2 crew chiefs since last November, it is clear that a win for Gordon at Watkins Glen is a long shot. Then again that’s what Robby Gordon has always been, a long shot.

Robby should give serious thought to dropping NASCAR after 2008 and focus his move to IRL. With the margining of the open wheel series, he would most likely get the much needed TV time and the sponsors that he would need to be a success. With all the talk of the open wheel drivers going to NASCAR, could we really see a NASCAR driver go to the IRL?

He has the skill needed to not just be fast but to win in an open wheel environment, with both ovals and road courses. The cost would be less, about a third of what a NASCAR team spends to be a top team, and he would be a welcome rush of personality in the open wheel ranks. Plus can’t you see Robby and Danica dueling it out?

This weekend at Watkins Glen could be a huge boast for Robby, a top 5 would be great but a win, that’s what he really needs, anything else and he needs to look elsewhere. Is it really better to be at the bottom in NASCAR then near the top at IRL?

Don Runkle has worked for Causey Motorsports in Hampton, Va. for 4 years, was a part-time Crew Chief for Rette Causey, driver of #33 INEX/Legends car in 2005 at Langley Speedway in Virginia, as well as being a crew member for Brad Causey in Grand Stock division at Langley Speedway. He's currently the webmaster of CauseyRacing.com.

Runkle has been racing "online" for about 5 years, served in the US Navy as a Gunners Mate in the Navy Seabees and is currently living in Chico, Ca. in the beautiful North Valley of California, with his even more beautiful wife, Kristina. God Bless all of the troops serving around the world!

For any question, comments, complaints, or just to say “Hi” feel free to email him at DRunkle@LongIslandMotorsports.com.

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