February 9, 2009
By Matthew Pizzolato
Matthew Pizzolato
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On the eve of a new season in NASCAR with the Daytona 500 less than a week away, one of the issues that has flown under the radar is the new drug policy and the test results. After the mandatory test, all of the drivers in NASCAR’s top three series have passed, but several crew members failed.
Now that the first round of mandatory testing is over, random testing will begin every weekend with 12 – 14 crew members being tested and two drivers per series. A failed test by a driver will be made public, but not tests failed by crew members.
The new policy was instituted after former driver Truck Series driver Aaron Fike admitted to using heroin and competing while under the influence. A public outcry arose, led most staunchly by Kevin Harvick, who instituted a stricter testing policy at Kevin Harvick Inc. even before NASCAR.
Interestingly enough, it was Harvick who announced that two pit crew members for his Truck team failed the recent test. The two crew members were released and Harvick didn’t have any sympathy for them.
“The pit crew guys have known this stuff was coming," Harvick was quoted as saying in a David Newton article for espn.com. “I don't have any tolerance for that stuff.”
There never has been large scale drug abuse in NASCAR as there have been in other sports because there really is no reason for it. Drug abuse in sports such as football and baseball is mostly limited to steroids and other performance enhancers. But there is no need for the athletes in NASCAR to use steroids; its not like drugs will make their cars drive faster.
However, NASCAR officials admitted the policy wasn’t instituted because they believed there was a problem, but to ensure that there was a thorough policy in place. The policy is intended to catch people who abuse illegal drugs that impair their abilities on the track and endanger the lives of the other competitors.
Although the experience of being subjected to a drug test seemed a little odd for most drivers, Jimmie Johnson believes that the new policy is necessary for the future.
“We need to separate ourselves from other sports,” Jimmie Johnson said in the Newton article. “We need to be on top of this stuff, especially with the issues that have popped up through the years with the illegal drugs. We absolutely need a policy and I'm glad it's in place.”
The current policy replaces NASCAR’s previous “head in the sand” policy where drivers weren’t tested unless there was “reasonable suspicion.” It’s about time NASCAR stepped up and delivered a new drug testing policy, but as the old saying goes, better late than never.
The fact that none of the drivers failed the test proves that there is no major problem with drug abuse in NASCAR. However, drivers can rest a little easier knowing that while they are racing at speeds reaching 200 mph, none of their competitors are driving under the influence of any illegal substances.
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