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Former NASCAR inspector complains of discrimination

“I said to him, ‘I ought to cut you.’ I don’t carry no blades or nothing like that. It basically came out in the heat of the moment. We got into each other’s faces but nothing happened.”

— Dean Duckett, former NASCAR technical inspector

A black former technical inspector filed a complaint against NASCAR with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, alleging racial discrimination, a hostile work environment and wrongful termination.

Dean Duckett said discrimination started in May 2001 and lasted until NASCAR fired him from his job in the Sprint Cup series last Nov. 14.

Duckett told reporters on Saturday that he would consider a lawsuit if NASCAR didn’t offer him his old job back.

“If they wasn’t going to offer me my job back, I’m shooting for a lawsuit,” he said.

Duckett said his problems started last Nov. 10 when he got into a heated argument with another official the night before the Phoenix race.

“I said to him, ‘I ought to cut you.’ I don’t carry no blades or nothing like that,” Duckett said. “It basically came out in the heat of the moment. We got into each other’s faces but nothing happened. My roommate pulled me away and said, ‘C’mon guys leave it alone,’ and we left.”

Duckett said he apologized, made up with the official and thought the incident was squashed. Instead, he said he was called the next day to NASCAR’s at-track office and was sent home. Duckett said he was fired by Cup Series director John Darby and human resources director Star George.

“They took my life away,” he said. “I loved my job. I put everything into my job. I feel they took away from my family.”

NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said on Saturday the he was aware of the complaint.

Duckett was named in Mauricia Grant’s US$250 million lawsuit against NASCAR, alleging racial and sexual discrimination, sexual harassment and wrongful termination. Her lawsuit claimed Duckett was reprimanded and ultimately fired last November for using “aggressive language toward a white coworker.”

Duckett denied harassing Grant, though he acknowledged NASCAR suspended him with pay for two weeks. Duckett was accused by Grant of dumping water on another female official to simulate a wet T-shirt contest.

“She lied about that part,” Duckett said. “NASCAR suspended me for that and I still don’t even know why they did that.”

Duckett, who said he now works two jobs and is falling behind in bills, said Grant was mostly telling the truth.

“I believe some of the stuff that was said,” he said. “It’s kind of funny that the stuff she said, I said already.”
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