Mayfield’s Suspension And Drug Use – The What, Who, And Why

If you have been following the goings-on of NASCAR, then by now you have heard about Jeremy Mayfield’s suspension. The suspension made NASCAR news headlines after it was made known in the Darlington Raceway. Two other crew members from different teams were also suspended. Today, many question what drug Mayfield was supposedly using.

Not long before the Darlington announcement, Mayfield had also tested positive for drug use. Even so, he was allowed to qualify for the Darlingon race. Those in the know say officials allowed it while waiting for the results of Mayfield’s B drug test. Suspension was not Mayfield’s only penalty; his ownership of Mayfield motorsports was also invalidated.

Mayfield maintains the only substances that could have caused him to fail the test were over-the-counter medicines for colds and allergies. At present, Mayfield’s case is awaiting further ruling from NASCAR officials. While Mayfield cannot race, J.J Yeley will be racing in his stead. In the meantime, Shana, Mayfield’s wife is now listed as the owner of the team.

The Mayfield case generated plenty of attention and inquiries. Verily, people wanted to know the specific drugs Mayfield got suspended for. For example, Ryan Newman, a 2002 NASCAR rookie, and one of Mayfield’s former team members, states “The first thing is, there should not be a mystery out. This should be public knowledge”.

Newman kept mum about what he thought of Mayfield’s suspension. “I don’t know the whole story for what’s happened. Knowing what the penalty is, knowing what caused the situation is extremely important,” he points out “I don’t know the whole story for what’s happened. Knowing what the penalty is, knowing what caused the situation is extremely important,” he adds.

Similarly, Kurt Busch, a 2004 champion also had concerns about the lack of detailed information about which legal and illegal substances will cause a failed drug test. “When I go into a drug testing scenario, we don’t know what the outcome can be because we don’t know what they’re testing for. It’s very open-endedI like it (the drug testing policy), and I don’t like it at the same time,” Busch says.

Other racers like Brian Vickers worry that the vagueness of information will become a thorny issue later on. In particular, “I am afraid to take my multi-vitaminBecause you call them (NASCAR) and ask them ‘is this multi-vitamin ok?’ And their response is ‘well, I think it is, but if it tests positive, there’s nothing we can do about it’,” he shares.

It’s worth noting that NASCAR drivers are pros at driving and racing. Making them hesitate over something as simple as taking multi-vitamins is unnecessary and unfair. NASCAR should reveal the specifics relating to the case, such as the drugs Mayfield was suspended for and the drugs that NASCAR considers illegal. Then, and only then, will all the doubts, speculations, and controversies caused by this NASCAR news be put to an end.

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