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Mayfield drama goes on

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By TONY FABRIZIO

afabrizio@tampatrib.com

Published: July 3, 2009

DAYTONA BEACH - It's juicy stuff: a race driver testing positive for methamphetamines and vehemently denying guilt; a federal judge usurping NASCAR's authority to suspend him; and driver safety being caught in the crosshairs.

The drama overshadowed the early preparations for Saturday night's Coke Zero 400 on Thursday.

Jeremy Mayfield, suspended after failing a random drug test in early May, won an emergency injunction Thursday allowing him to enter this weekend's race. But he failed to show Thursday, thereby missing a deadline to file paperwork.

His only chance to race Saturday night is as a relief driver, and that's subject to NASCAR approval.

"I guess it wasn't that much of an emergency," NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said of Mayfield's failure to enter his No. 41 Mayfield Motorsports Toyota or secure a ride with another team.

Mayfield sued NASCAR over the suspension, claiming the testing system is flawed, and NASCAR countersued. On Thursday, U.S. District Court Judge Graham Mullen lifted the suspension, ruling the "likelihood of a false positive in this case is quite substantial."

Jeff Burton and Ryan Newman, drivers who've taken strong positions advocating random drug testing, disagreed with at least part of the judge's conclusion.

Burton said driver safety should take precedence over the harm the suspension was doing to Mayfield's career, and Newman inferred the ruling could have an impact on drug testing in other sports.

"Some people don't understand motor sports and sports in general." Newman said. "The situation we had of someone testing positive is something to be seriously considered, and there's a lot of responsibility that goes with that.

"As a federal judge, when you release somebody to go back without clarifying everything, that's not cool. People make mistakes; I just hope the judge didn't make one."

Mayfield has blamed the positive test on a combination of Adderall, prescribed for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and Claritin-D, for allergies. NASCAR says the test showed "massive amounts" of methamphetamines in Mayfield's system.

NASCAR has not decided whether to appeal the judge's ruling but plans to press forward with its case.

"Our responsibility is to do everything we can to make sure that the environment is safe," Poston said. "The drivers asked for a tougher policy, and we instituted a tougher and better policy."

Several drivers said they wouldn't have reservations racing with Mayfield if he was being tested, but a few were less certain. Jeff Gordon said he would "wonder about the first lap" if he was starting next to Mayfield. Kyle Busch said it wasn't much of an issue because, "normally, we're ahead of him anyway."

Mark Martin said NASCAR should have the authority to decide who races.

About the case, Martin said, "I think somebody is wrong. Either Jeremy or NASCAR is wrong. I don't know which one, but whichever one is wrong is really hurting the other."

Reporter Tony Fabrizio can be reached at (813) 259-7994.

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