Racial Joke Leads to Dismissals

NASCAR stars Terry Labonte and Derrike Cope fired two employees for a racial prank in which one of their workers wore a sheet over his head like a Klansman and confronted a black colleague.

Witnesses characterized the July 8 episode at the New Hampshire International Speedway as a joke by two white motorcoach drivers that went too far.

“It just needs to be understood that there is a line that cannot be crossed, joking or otherwise,” said Kevin Triplett, NASCAR’s director of operations.

Since the two motorcoach drivers were not employed by NASCAR, the sanctioning body could only suspend their licenses, which is the most severe punishment within its power. That means the two men cannot enter any area of a track over which NASCAR has jurisdiction.

NASCAR did not announce the suspensions until its investigation was complete.

Labonte and Cope said the two motorcoach drivers had confronted a coachman for another NASCAR driver, Jeremy Mayfield.

Cope’s driver was identified by team and NASCAR sources as Mike “Grumpy” Culberson, and Labonte’s as Ray Labbe. Spokesmen for the teams said neither former coachman planned any comment.

The black coachman, David Scott, also would not comment, according to a spokesman for Mayfield’s team.

One of the two men wore the sheet over his head and the other accompanied him when they confronted Scott three days before the Jiffy Lube 300, according to NASCAR and team sources who spoke on condition they not be identified.

“Behavior like this simply cannot be tolerated in today’s society,” Cope said in a statement. “This was an example of grievous behavior that I do not condone.”

Coach drivers are employed by most of the circuit’s top racers who stay at the tracks during events.