|
8/25/04
Lawsuits in the News
 Every
once in a while I hear a rumor that is so outlandish that
even I have to stop and wonder how anyone could actually
believe it or repeat it. The most recent example is yet
one more rumor about the Pro Stock Truck Owners lawsuit
against NHRA. This one is like some kind of urban drag racing
legend.
Anyway, the latest iteration of this legend was whispered
into my ear at Memphis. "They've settled the lawsuit."
The source then whispered under her breath, "They're
under a gag order but my source tells me that NHRA has made
an offer to give each of the truck owners named as plaintiffs
in the suit $1,000,000, plus as a group they would get ownership
of the Columbus track!"
I had to stifle a guffaw. But in drag racing, especially
drag racing, one never knows, so I asked one of the DRO
staff to get online, access the public records of Maricopa
County, Arizona where the case is being tried, and check
it out. They found that (at least as of a couple of days
ago) the case is still listed as active and still is scheduled
to start on the sixth of January 2006!
I then went to an NHRA official and repeated the rumor
and asked if there were any truth to it. His eyebrows shot
up and he stated that to his knowledge NHRA hadn't made
any offer to the truck owners and that if they (NHRA) were
going to do that it wouldn't happen until they had at least
begun adjudicating the case.
Now just because I was told by an NHRA official that there
was nothing to the rumor doesn't mean there isn't. It wouldn't
be the first time an NHRA official has avoided telling me
the facts, but I'll say this about the silly rumor. If the
truck guys did take Columbus they didn't get a good deal
even if they got a million bucks to boot. NEXT!
The Larry Morgan, Bob Glidden, Don Schumacher fiasco/lawsuit
keeps getting stranger and stranger, with Schumacher until
just recently using the press to make his point, and Larry
Morgan and his crew sticking to a "No comment!"
Here is what I believe to be the facts.
1. Larry Morgan never signed any paperwork to sell the team
to Don Schumacher. They had a handshake agreement but Schumacher
never sent Morgan any money.
2. Morgan found out that he wasn't part of the long term
plans (read driver) for the team and decided that it didn't
make sense for him to sell his team and get fired shortly
thereafter.
3. Morgan has lost the Mopar sponsorship, can't get any
more parts from the factory and, in a bush league move on
Mopar's part, was notified of that fact not by Mopar execs
but instead by Schumacher and Glidden. Morgan had to call
Mopar officials to verify the fact.
4. Morgan isn't going to sell his team to Schumacher; he
has a sponsor waiting in the wings to replace Mopar.
5. Bob Glidden is apparently now working full time for Schumacher.
6. Schumacher lost the battle in court to keep Morgan from
racing at NHRA events through the use of temporary restraining
orders, so Morgan will finish the season.
The only question I have is whom did anyone think taking
all of this mess public would benefit? Schumacher? Nope,
he comes off looking like a bully. Bob Glidden? Nope! Drag
racing? Nope, the whole deal makes drag racing look bush
league. Mopar? Nope, they perhaps suffered the most damaging
PR by treating a guy that has carried their banner faithfully
like crap. Larry Morgan? Nope, he just shouldn't have shook
hands.
At this point the only solution that makes any sense to
me is for everyone to shut up. Then someone at Mopar ought
to apologize to Larry Morgan. Don Schumacher ought to buy
Glidden a shop, a couple of cars, hire drivers he likes
and get back to racing and taking care of his sponsors.
Let's all get back to the track and stay out of the courts.
Puhleeeze! 
|
