Leafsfan1967
Bench Warmer
Logano, Earnhardt Jr. take some focus off lawsuit
By Scott Serrano
PA SportsTicker Auto Racing Editor
(C) 2008 PA SPORTSTICKER, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
NASCAR can thank Joey Logano and Dale Earnhardt Jr. for doing their best to shift attention back to racing after a tumultuous week off the track.
Mauricia Grant, a former NASCAR official, filed a $225 million lawsuit against the organization Tuesday, alleging sexual discrimination, sexual harassment and wrongful termination.
Grant, who is African-American, worked as a technical inspector in the NASCAR Busch Series - now the Nationwide Series - from January 2005 until she was fired this past October.
In a 40-page document, the 32-year-old Grant alleges that she was terminated for complaining about her treatment, which included NASCAR officials referring to her as “nappy headed Mo,” “Mohammed” and “Al Qaeda.”
Grant also claimed that she was subjected to sexual advances and graphic and lewd jokes from male co-workers, two of whom allegedly exposed themselves to her.
As a result, two officials named in the lawsuit were placed on administrative leave for violating company policy. The officials, who were not immediately identified, were sent home from Kentucky Speedway on Friday evening.
Not a good week for NASCAR at all.
But the weekend’s actual racing gave NASCAR some positive press.
On Saturday, phenom Logano became the youngest driver to win a race on the Nationwide circuit when he took the checkered flag in just his third series start at Kentucky Speedway.
After collecting his second pole in just his third career NASCAR race earlier in the day, the 18-year-old Middletown, Connecticut native led for a total of 76 laps to surpass Casey Atwood by nine months as the youngest racer to earn a trip into Victory Lane.
It appears all the buzz about Logano, dubbed the “Real Deal” by Mark Martin when he was 15, is justified. Now it’s being reported that he will be running a few Sprint Cup races before the year is over, perhaps in preparation for a full-time ride in 2008 - possibly as Tony Stewart’s replacement should Smoke bolt from Joe Gibbs Racing as is rumored.
Logano got the PR heading in the right direction for NASCAR, and what did it get for an encore on Sunday?
How about the circuit’s most popular driver finally finding his way to Victory Lane.
Earnhardt, winless for 76 points races, dating to May 2006 at Richmond, barely held on to cross the start/finish line on fumes to win the LifeLock 400 at Michigan.
Making the victory all the more sentimental, besides appeasing the millions in Junior Nation, it also had a feel-good aspect to it because it happened on Father’s Day. Dale Jr. lost his father on the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500, and his win Sunday would have undoubtedly made his daddy proud.
“I know I can’t tell my father Happy Father’s Day,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “But I get to wish it upon all the other fathers out there. And I genuinely mean it when I say that. It’s what the day is all about.”
But while Logano and Earnhardt did their part to keep NASCAR’s actual racing aspect healthy, its off track image is going to need a lot more work - and probably a very large check with many, many zeroes on it.
TOO CLOSE TO CALL: The Craftsman Truck Series also did its part to get people talking about NASCAR in a positive light around the water coolers.
Erik Darnell earned his second career series victory by edging Johnny Benson’s Toyota by just five one-thousandths of a second at the start/finish line at Michigan.
It took NASCAR several seconds afterward to announce the winner.
Benson appeared to have the lead by mere inches as the two exited the fourth turn of the final lap, but Darnell barely slipped past him on the high side at the stripe.
“I could say I was a close second,” Benson said. “I thought I had a good enough run on him, but he got by.”
GET OUT OF MY WAY: Matt Kenseth lost a chance to win at Michigan after a mishap in the pits during his last stop.
A NASCAR official thought Kenseth was going to take four tires, instead of two, and walked in front of the No. 17 Ford just as the former series champion started out of his pit. Kenseth braked hard and didn’t hit the official, but the hesitation cost him valuable seconds.
“I was hoping for some kind of break (from NASCAR),” Kenseth said. “The official walked in front of the car as I was ready to go. It was either I run him down or wait for him to move. The car just came up short because of circumstances and strategy.”
Despite the miscue, Kenseth earned his fifth consecutive top 10 and now sits a mere 14 points out of the 12th and final spot for the Chase for the Championship.
EARNHARDT JR. VS. KYLE BUSCH: Dale Earnhardt Jr. basically replaced Kyle Busch at Hendrick Motorsports. Here is how the two are faring so far this year:
Earnhardt broke a 76-win winless streak by taking the checkered flag on fumes at Michigan. Remains third in the standings and has 11 top-10s and seven top-fives.
Busch finished 13th at Michigan, and his lead in the standings is now 32 points. He has nine top-fives and 10 top-10s this year, including four wins. Leads Earnhardt by 84 points.
Edge through 15 races: Busch, by just over a car length.
SAY WHAT?: “I don’t knock any other driver, but I will tell you what, that kid has just about done wore me out. I don’t know if I have to give up this championship to teach him a lesson, I hope I don’t hurt him, because if Joe Gibbs lets him do this, I am ashamed for them. I tried to talk to him as a friend. He is just out there, I don’t know what it is. I guess it is an ego trip and if he is going to wreck me every week, I guess we are going to have to do it back to him.” - Ron Hornaday Jr. after being spun out by Kyle Busch late in Saturday’s Craftsman Truck race at Michigan.
GREEN-WHITE-CHECKERED FINISH: Kasey Kahne continued his recent red-hot streak, finishing second at Michigan - his third top-two finish in the past four races. … NASCAR president Mike Helton called a closed door meeting with drivers and owners on Friday to basically say “shut up and race.” Apparently Helton feels complaints about the new car and the quality of racing may be affecting ticket sales. … Greg Biffle suffered more late-race bad luck, running over an air hose on his final pit stop, costing him another potential great finish.
By Scott Serrano
PA SportsTicker Auto Racing Editor
(C) 2008 PA SPORTSTICKER, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
NASCAR can thank Joey Logano and Dale Earnhardt Jr. for doing their best to shift attention back to racing after a tumultuous week off the track.
Mauricia Grant, a former NASCAR official, filed a $225 million lawsuit against the organization Tuesday, alleging sexual discrimination, sexual harassment and wrongful termination.
Grant, who is African-American, worked as a technical inspector in the NASCAR Busch Series - now the Nationwide Series - from January 2005 until she was fired this past October.
In a 40-page document, the 32-year-old Grant alleges that she was terminated for complaining about her treatment, which included NASCAR officials referring to her as “nappy headed Mo,” “Mohammed” and “Al Qaeda.”
Grant also claimed that she was subjected to sexual advances and graphic and lewd jokes from male co-workers, two of whom allegedly exposed themselves to her.
As a result, two officials named in the lawsuit were placed on administrative leave for violating company policy. The officials, who were not immediately identified, were sent home from Kentucky Speedway on Friday evening.
Not a good week for NASCAR at all.
But the weekend’s actual racing gave NASCAR some positive press.
On Saturday, phenom Logano became the youngest driver to win a race on the Nationwide circuit when he took the checkered flag in just his third series start at Kentucky Speedway.
After collecting his second pole in just his third career NASCAR race earlier in the day, the 18-year-old Middletown, Connecticut native led for a total of 76 laps to surpass Casey Atwood by nine months as the youngest racer to earn a trip into Victory Lane.
It appears all the buzz about Logano, dubbed the “Real Deal” by Mark Martin when he was 15, is justified. Now it’s being reported that he will be running a few Sprint Cup races before the year is over, perhaps in preparation for a full-time ride in 2008 - possibly as Tony Stewart’s replacement should Smoke bolt from Joe Gibbs Racing as is rumored.
Logano got the PR heading in the right direction for NASCAR, and what did it get for an encore on Sunday?
How about the circuit’s most popular driver finally finding his way to Victory Lane.
Earnhardt, winless for 76 points races, dating to May 2006 at Richmond, barely held on to cross the start/finish line on fumes to win the LifeLock 400 at Michigan.
Making the victory all the more sentimental, besides appeasing the millions in Junior Nation, it also had a feel-good aspect to it because it happened on Father’s Day. Dale Jr. lost his father on the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500, and his win Sunday would have undoubtedly made his daddy proud.
“I know I can’t tell my father Happy Father’s Day,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “But I get to wish it upon all the other fathers out there. And I genuinely mean it when I say that. It’s what the day is all about.”
But while Logano and Earnhardt did their part to keep NASCAR’s actual racing aspect healthy, its off track image is going to need a lot more work - and probably a very large check with many, many zeroes on it.
TOO CLOSE TO CALL: The Craftsman Truck Series also did its part to get people talking about NASCAR in a positive light around the water coolers.
Erik Darnell earned his second career series victory by edging Johnny Benson’s Toyota by just five one-thousandths of a second at the start/finish line at Michigan.
It took NASCAR several seconds afterward to announce the winner.
Benson appeared to have the lead by mere inches as the two exited the fourth turn of the final lap, but Darnell barely slipped past him on the high side at the stripe.
“I could say I was a close second,” Benson said. “I thought I had a good enough run on him, but he got by.”
GET OUT OF MY WAY: Matt Kenseth lost a chance to win at Michigan after a mishap in the pits during his last stop.
A NASCAR official thought Kenseth was going to take four tires, instead of two, and walked in front of the No. 17 Ford just as the former series champion started out of his pit. Kenseth braked hard and didn’t hit the official, but the hesitation cost him valuable seconds.
“I was hoping for some kind of break (from NASCAR),” Kenseth said. “The official walked in front of the car as I was ready to go. It was either I run him down or wait for him to move. The car just came up short because of circumstances and strategy.”
Despite the miscue, Kenseth earned his fifth consecutive top 10 and now sits a mere 14 points out of the 12th and final spot for the Chase for the Championship.
EARNHARDT JR. VS. KYLE BUSCH: Dale Earnhardt Jr. basically replaced Kyle Busch at Hendrick Motorsports. Here is how the two are faring so far this year:
Earnhardt broke a 76-win winless streak by taking the checkered flag on fumes at Michigan. Remains third in the standings and has 11 top-10s and seven top-fives.
Busch finished 13th at Michigan, and his lead in the standings is now 32 points. He has nine top-fives and 10 top-10s this year, including four wins. Leads Earnhardt by 84 points.
Edge through 15 races: Busch, by just over a car length.
SAY WHAT?: “I don’t knock any other driver, but I will tell you what, that kid has just about done wore me out. I don’t know if I have to give up this championship to teach him a lesson, I hope I don’t hurt him, because if Joe Gibbs lets him do this, I am ashamed for them. I tried to talk to him as a friend. He is just out there, I don’t know what it is. I guess it is an ego trip and if he is going to wreck me every week, I guess we are going to have to do it back to him.” - Ron Hornaday Jr. after being spun out by Kyle Busch late in Saturday’s Craftsman Truck race at Michigan.
GREEN-WHITE-CHECKERED FINISH: Kasey Kahne continued his recent red-hot streak, finishing second at Michigan - his third top-two finish in the past four races. … NASCAR president Mike Helton called a closed door meeting with drivers and owners on Friday to basically say “shut up and race.” Apparently Helton feels complaints about the new car and the quality of racing may be affecting ticket sales. … Greg Biffle suffered more late-race bad luck, running over an air hose on his final pit stop, costing him another potential great finish.
