Former NASCAR official happy with settlement

The former official who filed a $225 million racial discrimination and sexual harassment lawsuit against NASCAR is very pleased with her settlement and looking forward to moving on, her attorney said Friday.

Mauricia Grant reached a confidential settlement with NASCAR following 12 hours of mediation earlier this month in New York. The session was suggested by U.S. District Court Judge Deborah A. Batts after the first court appearance in what was expected to be a yearlong battle between the two sides.

"She'd been out of work a long time. We thought it was in the best interest of our client not to drag this out two to three years," said Benedict P. Morelli of New York-based Morelli Ratner PC.

"She needed closure. She's a young woman, and when you make the sort of allegations she did, it's difficult to move forward and get on with your life."

Settlement terms were confidential, and neither side admitted liability or wrongdoing.

"She's very, very happy with the resolution," Morelli said. "And I don't think NASCAR wanted to leave it out there. They wanted to put this behind them, as well."

Well of course she is happy. She's now probably a multimillionaire, something she never would have been had she pursued any other career. We predicted this one would never go to court and it did not. NASCAR wanted to sweep this controversy under the table as quickly as possible.