NASCAR's Zero Tolerance Is Only Option

As comforting as it is to see NASCAR's new drug policy work, it makes you wonder what was going on before the stricter enforcement.

This weekend Jeremy Mayfield became the first Sprint Cup Series driver suspended indefinitely under the tougher random drug testing policy instituted this year. Two other crew members from other teams also tested positive, bringing the total to five suspensions in the first four months of the season.

Unlike the "wink-wink" slaps on the wrist NASCAR gives its drivers for in-race offenses, stock car's sanctioning body is proving itself serious about its new drug testing policy.

And it should be.

The incident seems out of character for Mayfield, a well-liked, five-time Cup winner who drove for some of the most respected team owners in the sport -- Cale Yarborough, Roger Penske and Ray Evernham -- before starting up his own team this year.

In fact, Mayfield fired one of his crew members, Paul Chodora, in February when Chodora became the first person suspended under the new testing policy.

NASCAR Vice President Jim Hunter said Saturday that Mayfield failed the test he was administered last weekend at Richmond, Va. And then after being informed of the results this week, Mayfield asked for his backup sample to be tested and that also failed.

There are no appeals on this matter and the only way for someone to be reinstated is to successfully complete a lengthy program under the guidance of Dr. David Black, who is overseeing NASCAR's drug testing policy.

Hunter would not reveal what substance Mayfield tested positive for, but said it was not alcohol-related.

There have been reports it was an allergy drug, possibly Claritin-D -- which is ironically a NASCAR team sponsor.

And Mayfield, who hasn't spoken with reporters yet, alluded to that in a statement he issued Saturday.

"In my case, I believe that the combination of a prescribed medicine and an over-the-counter medicine reacted together and resulted in a positive drug test," Mayfield said.

Even so, Black told ESPN that Claritin-D is on the list of banned substances. So while it isn't illegal, it is banned. There is no excuse. And there hasn't been much sympathy.

"I don't know much about it," three-time defending Cup champion Jimmie Johnson said following a runner-up effort at Darlington, S.C., Saturday night.

"I have no clue what [the substance] was, but the policy is in place and it's there for a reason. If you use something that's illegal per that substance abuse policy, you get in trouble. It is what it is."

Clearly this is a mixed bag for NASCAR. While proud of having "one of the toughest substance abuse policies in all of sports" as Hunter said Saturday, it has been disheartening to catch people violating it. Especially someone like Mayfield, who has competed at the sport's top level even if he isn't of superstar wattage.

NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston told FanHouse in March that these tests prove how clean the sport really is.

"When you put it into perspective and look at the thousands of people we've tested, this confirms the sport is extremely clean in terms of substance abuse and we're very proud of that," Poston said.

Using a computer-generated selection process, NASCAR tests about a dozen people -- including drivers -- in the Cup Series each week and the same number in its other two primary series. All the Cup drivers were tested prior to the season-opening Daytona 500, and Hunter believes they have all been tested under the random drawing at this point in the season as well -- some, multiple times.

Four-time Cup champion Jeff Gordon didn't sound surprised that the policy is netting violators, but he was adamant that the actions of a few don't represent the character of the sport.

"There are just too many guys out there and you know somebody is going to make a mistake somewhere along the way," Gordon said following Saturday's race. "I think it's just very unfortunate for the sport and for Jeremy and for everybody because it definitely puts a black eye on it, and we'll just kind of take the blows and move on.

"I thought it was an amazing race tonight and I don't think anybody let what happened before the race affect what we were doing out there."

More details and explanations are forthcoming concerning Mayfield's case, and he's already committed to having someone else run his team in the meantime. But clearly zero tolerance is the only policy in auto racing.

This isn't Manny Ramirez or Barry Bonds pounding 800-foot home runs. This is 200 miles an hour with lives on the line.