Former employee
Mauricia Grant
has filed a suit against NASCAR for $225 million, alleging racial and sexual discrimination, sexual harassment, and wrongful termination.
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 October 2007. In the lawsuit, she alleged she was referred to as "Nappy Headed Mo" and "Queen Sheba" by coworkers, often was told she worked on "colored people time," and was frightened by one official who routinely made references to the Ku Klux Klan.
The lawsuit, filed yesterday in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, lists 23 specific incidents of alleged sexual harassment and 34 specific incidents of alleged racial and gender discrimination beginning when she was hired in January 2005 through her October 2007 firing.
NASCAR spokesman
Ramsey Poston
said that the organization had not yet reviewed the suit and added that NASCAR has a zero-tolerance policy on harassment.
Michael Strahan
said he wanted to leave on his own terms, and finishing with a Super Bowl title didn't hurt.
"At some point you have to realize that you've done all you can do, all you need to do," the New York Giants defensive end said at his farewell news conference. "It's over."
Strahan went to seven Pro Bowls and recorded the fifth most sacks in NFL history. On Monday, the 36-year-old star told the Giants he was retiring four months after helping them win the Super Bowl.
Convicted steroids dealer
David Jacobs
said before his death last week that he supplied Tennessee Titans linebacker
Ryan Fowler
with performance-enhancing drugs before and after the 2006 season, the Dallas Morning News reported. Fowler is under investigation by the NFL in an apparent steroids case.
Peter Ginsberg
, Fowler's attorney, denied Fowler took steroids.
Elsewhere:
The Soul released fullback
John Peaua
and defensive back
Nick Ward
.
Marc Crawford
was fired as coach of the Los Angeles Kings after his team finished with the fewest points in the Western Conference.
Elsewhere: Mike Babcock
and the Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings agreed to a three-year contract, the Associated Press reported. . . .
Ron Wilson
was introduced as the new coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, less than a month after he was fired by the San Jose Sharks. The 53-year-old Wilson succeeded
Paul Maurice
, who was fired by Toronto last month. . . . The Minnesota Wild acquired defenseman
Marc-Andre Bergeron
from the Anaheim Ducks for a third-round pick in the June 20 draft. . . . The Colorado Avalanche acquired forward
Marty Sertich
from the Dallas Stars, giving up a conditional pick in the 2009 NHL draft. . . . The Chicago Wolves won the AHL's Calder Cup, beating the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, 5-2, last night in Game 6 in Chicago.
British welterweight
Ricky Hatton
rejected an approach for a September bout against
Oscar De La Hoya
. Hatton beat
Juan Lazcano
on May 24 to retain his International Boxing Organization light-welterweight title and is not expected to fight until November.
Elsewhere:
La Salle senior
Sean Quigley
has been named the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Mid-Atlantic Student-Athlete of the Year for the second year in a row. . . . UCLA's
Josh Shipp
has withdrawn from the NBA draft and will return to the Bruins for his senior season.