Racing News Digest

I have been reading quite a bit about this whole Jeremy Mayfield positive drug test topic and I think I have been educated a little.

The thing that sticks out the most in my head is why in the hell doesn’t NASCAR have a banned list of drugs drivers? This seems absolutely absurd to me. Basically NASCAR is saying that they will determine if an individual is a abusing a particular substance.

They no idea if the are allowed to take Motrin, Asprin or Claritin. Heck with no list drivers don’t even know if they are allowed to take meth, cocaine or light up a big fat doobie before a race.

In my mind what NASCAR is able to do is determine who they want in the sport and who they don’t. Supposedly some experts are saying that this leaves more room for flexibility on NASCAR’s part. Well in my opinion that flexibility is what is wrong. Will someone get in trouble if their Motrin levels are to high, but some else won’t get in trouble because their Asprin levels to high?

I know that those examples are little off the wall, but NASCAR really needs to have a banned substance list. They are going to get the butts sued off.

Jeremy Mayfield has actually become the smaller irrelevant story here. NASCAR is setting themselves up for one big headache. Mayfield claims that he popped hot due to a combination of allergy medicine and subscription medication. That may very well be. I think that it is being speculated that Mayfield was taking Claritin D which contains pseudoephedrine, a substance banned by most sports.

Take a look at Marc’s article at Full Throttle. He points out that –

For example someone taking Motrin, Bayer Select Pain Relief Formula or Excedrin can pop a false positive for Marijuana. Nyquil, Contact, Sudafed, Allerest and Dimetapp can all turn up as Ecstacy or Amphetamine usage.

I believe that typically these items would be on a banned substance list or at least a list letting drivers know about the danger. Regardless, a banned substance is needed.

And then we get to the part about Jeremy Mayfields results. JENNA FRYER writes how Mayfields results should be public.

Why should they be public? It’s no one’s business except for Jeremy Mayfield’s, NASCAR’s and the testing agencies.

Here are some of her comments.

It is relevant to know if Mayfield was driving a car high on a recreational drug.

It is relevant to know what dangers the 42 other drivers were exposed to with Mayfield on the track.

Why is it relevant if Mayfield was on recreational drugs? It is in the past and has no bearing on the present or the future. Even if Mayfield is reinstated one day, what does it matter?

Not to mention that it is really a whole privacy issue. NASCAR said that it was not alcohol related when they were pressed about it. So they did a relatively good job of keeping their mouths shut. With the exception of the fact that I don’t think they should have even said that it was not alcohol related. They should have kept that to themselves as well.

JENNA FRYER –

It is relevant to Mayfield, who blames the positive test from Richmond International Speedway on the combination of a prescribed medicine and an over the counter medicine.

I have a feeling that Mayfield does know by now what he popped hot for. That would be really awful to be indefinitely suspended and not even know what for.

Now, if Mayfield is proven innocent then I think Mayfield should come out and say how he popped positive with a little more detail than he already has. Just as a heads up to the other drivers.

NASCAR should follow with a list of banned substances and a list of medications and or combinations that can lead to a false positive.

I think everyone that knows what Mayfield tested positive for should keep thier mouths shut. It is no ones business. If Mayfields claims are correct that a mixture of “legal” drugs created a false positive, then it doesn’t really matter except to drag him through the mud.

If Jeremy Mayfield is guilty, then – see later, nice to know ya! Hopefully he can recover and kick whatever habit he may or may not have.

To some degree, I hope Mayfield does sue the pants off of NASCAR. Maybe then NASCAR can tighten the reigns on there drug testing policy.