Former official sues NASCAR over harrassment claims
The 32-year-old Grant, who is black, worked as a technical inspector responsible for certifying cars in NASCAR’s second-tier Nationwide Series from January 2005 until her termination. In the lawsuit, she alleged she was referred to as “Nappy Headed Mo” and “Queen Sheba,” by co-workers, was often told she worked on “colored people time,” and was frightened by one official who routinely made references to the Ku Klux Klan.
On one occasion, Grant said Nationwide Series director Joe Balash, her immediate supervisor, was dismissive of her complaints, explaining her co-workers were “former military guys” with a rough sense of humor. “You just have to deal with it,” she says Balash told her.
On another occasion, she alleged Balash participated in the harassment. “Does your workout include an urban obstacle course with a flat-screen TV on your back?” she claimed Balash asked her during the week of July 28, 2007 while working in Indianapolis.
The lawsuit details a series of those alleged incidents:
— Grant was forced to work outside more often than the white male officials because her supervisors believed she couldn’t sunburn because she was black.
— While riding in the backseat of her car pool at Talladega Superspeedway, co-workers told her to duck as they passed race fans. “I don’t want to start a riot when these fans see a black woman in my car,” she claims one official said.
— When packing up a dark garage at Texas Motor Speedway an official told Grant: “Keep smiling and pop your eyes out ‘cause we can’t see you.”
On one occasion, Grant said Nationwide Series director Joe Balash, her immediate supervisor, was dismissive of her complaints, explaining her co-workers were “former military guys” with a rough sense of humor. “You just have to deal with it,” she says Balash told her.
On another occasion, she alleged Balash participated in the harassment. “Does your workout include an urban obstacle course with a flat-screen TV on your back?” she claimed Balash asked her during the week of July 28, 2007 while working in Indianapolis.
The lawsuit details a series of those alleged incidents:
— Grant was forced to work outside more often than the white male officials because her supervisors believed she couldn’t sunburn because she was black.
— While riding in the backseat of her car pool at Talladega Superspeedway, co-workers told her to duck as they passed race fans. “I don’t want to start a riot when these fans see a black woman in my car,” she claims one official said.
— When packing up a dark garage at Texas Motor Speedway an official told Grant: “Keep smiling and pop your eyes out ‘cause we can’t see you.”