You can tell it's a slow day in sports when I decide to write something about NASCAR racing. With the All-Star break eliminating baseball storylines and fairly slow NBA and NFL offseason weeks, I have no choice. In all seriousness, though, I actually have a strong opinion regarding this topic. Jeremy Mayfield, a veteran racer in the NASCAR circuit, has had me chuckling the last few weeks with his antics surrounding a drug scandal. Mayfield hasn't won a race since 2005 and has taken home the checkered flag only 5 times in his career, but he has been a mainstay in the news lately because of a drug suspension. Mayfield was handed an indefinite suspension back in May for violating NASCAR's substance abuse policy. In the wake of that suspension, Mayfield cited a possible improper mix of a few medications as the reason for the positive drug test...okay, entirely possible. But then the news came out that the positive test was actually for methamphetamines. Mayfield vehemently denied the claims and even threatened legal action against NASCAR. So now I'm thinking to myself, "hmm, maybe something got messed up if he is so adamant that he hasn't taken the drug."
Not long after his innocent claims, his indefinite suspension was lifted by a judge because there was "a high possibility for a false positive test." At this time, it appeared his innocence was a distinct possibility. Mayfield was temporarily reinstated and was available to race, however he couldn't find the necessary sponsorship or support to compete. The positive drug test scared potential sponsors away...and it turns out they made the right choice.
The crushing blow came today when it was revealed that Mayfield had tested positive for methamphetamine a second time on July 6th, just 5 days after his reinstatement! Now, I'm thinking whatever cover, support, or reasoning he had behind him was out the window. You can't test positive for methamphetamine twice and then expect to be able to explain yourself. But wait, there's more...if the positive tests weren't enough, then let's hear what his stepmother had to say. Mayfield's stepmother, Lisa, confessed that she'd seen Jeremy use methamphetamine at least 30 times in the 7 years that she was around him. In fact, she said the first time she saw him use the drug was in 1998. And she went on to cite a specific weekend in 1999 where she saw him use the drug the same week of the race at Darlington.
Thanks to her testimony, it is now alleged that Mayfield has been using the drug frequently over the last 10 years, which is lightyears away from his claims. The allegations from his stepmother brought out the best in him when he reacted to her comments by calling her a lying b***h. He was clearly angered with her for "outing" him and the fact that he still denies use of the drug after multiple angles of accusations just baffles me...Hypothetically, say the stepmother is crazy and fabricated the stories (doesn't seem to me that she did), NASCAR could still hinge their case on two positive drug tests. They even did further examination to make sure the positive test result was not because of the mixing of two perfectly legal medications.
Look, Mayfield doesn't want to face the facts and his choices are making him look like a complete idiot. It's in his best interest to stop fighting with NASCAR administration, doctors, and legal personnel because the evidence has him cornered. The more and more he denies the allegations, the likelihood of him racing again in NASCAR or any other major racing circuit will drastically decrease. He needs to "take his medicine" as they say (not methamphetamine of course), and accept the fact that his drug addiction has no place in any racing circuit.
Methamphetamine is often referred to as "speed." And with the inherent dangers of the sport of NASCAR racing, the last thing it needs is more of it.
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