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Nascar and Racing

Jeremy Mayfield Drama Is Sad Subplot

Jeremy Mayfield Meth NASCAR Sprint CupIt started with The Look.

Two weeks ago, while covering the NASCAR races at Daytona International Speedway I walked around the garage asking Sprint Cup Series drivers, team owners, crew members, former drivers if perhaps Jeremy Mayfield deserved any "benefit of the doubt."

One by one they shot me The Look: raised eyebrows, incredulous expression.

"What doubt?" they asked.

Only a couple days earlier, a U.S. court had reinstated Mayfield's NASCAR eligibility despite the fact he tested positive for methamphetamine, despite sworn statements from fellow competitors that they were concerned for their safety should Mayfield return to the track.

And now this week, the 39-year old driver has tested positive again for methamphetamine and again issued strong denials he has ever used the drug.

This is where my eternal optimism clashes with facts and science. Where my hope this sordid affair would resolve itself is at odds with the probability it is only going to get messier.

Allegations from Mayfield's estranged step-mother this week that she's seen him snort meth on numerous occasions and his expletive-filled denials are turning this into exactly the kind of Jerry Springer special that NASCAR has so successfully worked to veer its image away from.

And worst of all, it's taken away from one of the better seasons of NASCAR racing: a 50-year old owning the win column, a gritty owner-driver leading the championship, a three-time champion positioning himself for a historic fourth straight. Richard Petty in victory circle.

Beyond the inference and opinions, here's what we know:

Mayfield's positive test won't be explained away like a cocaine-kiss from a stranger in a dark nightclub (see tennis player Richard Gasquet).

According to court documents filed by NASCAR, the large levels of the drug in Mayfield's specimens have been consistent with a "chronic methamphetamine" user.

Latest NASCAR Images

    LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 15: ***EXCLUSIVE*** NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon and actress Olivia Wilde backstage during the 2009 ESPY Awards held at Nokia Theatre LA Live on July 15, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. The 17th annual ESPYs will air on Sunday, July 19 at 9PM ET on ESPN. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images for ESPY) *** Local Caption *** Jeff Gordon;Olivia Wilde

    Getty Images for ESPY

    LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 15: ***EXCLUSIVE*** (L-R) Ingrid Vandebosch, NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon and host Samuel L. Jackson backstage during the 2009 ESPY Awards held at Nokia Theatre LA Live on July 15, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. The 17th annual ESPYs will air on Sunday, July 19 at 9PM ET on ESPN. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images for ESPY) *** Local Caption *** Ingrid Vandebosch;Jeff Gordon;Samuel L. Jackson

    Getty Images for ESPY

    NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon and actress Olivia Wilde present an award onstage during the 17th annual ESPY Awards held at Nokia Theatre LA Live on July 15, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. The 17th annual ESPYs will air on Sunday, July 19 at 9PM ET on ESPN. 17th Annual ESPY Awards - Show Nokia Theatre LA Live Los Angeles, California United States July 15, 2009 Photo by Michael Caulfield/WireImage.com To license this image (57910003), contact WireImage.com

    Michael Caulfield/WireImage.com

    NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon and actress Olivia Wilde present an award onstage during the 17th annual ESPY Awards held at Nokia Theatre LA Live on July 15, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. The 17th annual ESPYs will air on Sunday, July 19 at 9PM ET on ESPN. 17th Annual ESPY Awards - Show Nokia Theatre LA Live Los Angeles, California United States July 15, 2009 Photo by Michael Caulfield/WireImage.com To license this image (57910000), contact WireImage.com

    Michael Caulfield/WireImage.com

    LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 15: NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon (L) and actress Olivia Wilde walk onstage during the 2009 ESPY Awards held at Nokia Theatre LA Live on July 15, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. The 17th annual ESPYs will air on Sunday, July 19 at 9PM ET on ESPN. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jeff Gordon;Olivia Wilde

    Getty Images

    LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 15: NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon (L) and actress Olivia Wilde speak onstage during the 2009 ESPY Awards held at Nokia Theatre LA Live on July 15, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. The 17th annual ESPYs will air on Sunday, July 19 at 9PM ET on ESPN. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jeff Gordon;Olivia Wilde

    Getty Images

    LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 15: NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon (L) and actress Olivia Wilde speak onstage during the 2009 ESPY Awards held at Nokia Theatre LA Live on July 15, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. The 17th annual ESPYs will air on Sunday, July 19 at 9PM ET on ESPN. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jeff Gordon;Olivia Wilde

    Getty Images

    NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon and actress Olivia Wilde present the Best Moment award at the taping of the 2009 ESPY Awards in Los Angeles July 15, 2009. The awards show will be telecast on ESPN July 19. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni (UNITED STATES ENTERTAINMENT SPORT)

    Reuters

    LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 15: (L-R) NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon and actress Olivia Wilde present swimmer Michael Phelps the Best Moment award for US Wins Olympic Swimming Relay onstage during the 2009 ESPY Awards held at Nokia Theatre LA Live on July 15, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. The 17th annual ESPYs will air on Sunday, July 19 at 9PM ET on ESPN. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jeff Gordon;Olivia Wilde;Michael Phelps

    Getty Images

    LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 15: NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon (L) and actress Olivia Wilde speak onstage during the 2009 ESPY Awards held at Nokia Theatre LA Live on July 15, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. The 17th annual ESPYs will air on Sunday, July 19 at 9PM ET on ESPN. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jeff Gordon;Olivia Wilde

    Getty Images


While Mayfield and his attorneys have statements from experts at the World Anti-Doping Agency and U.S. Anti-Doping Agency questioning aspects of NASCAR's newly-revamped Substance Abuse Policy, the procedures used by NASCAR's lab, Aegis Sciences Corporation, are consistent with those used by both of those agencies and the NFL, NHL and Major League Baseball.

While the samples tested by NASCAR have come up positive now three times (his original A and B sample back in May plus one more this week) Mayfield told Sirius Radio late Wednesday night that he's voluntarily given another 15 samples in the past few weeks that have come up clean in independent testing - although no proof of that has been offered yet.

With no driver union to offer counsel, Mayfield is on his own to fight the NASCAR aristocracy. And his defense has raised legitimate questions.

However, NASCAR filed a motion this week asking the U.S. District Court to reinstate Mayfield's suspension, noting that part of the reason Mayfield asked for immediate reinstatement was that racing was his livelihood. Yet, he hasn't tried to compete at either of the two races since having the ban lifted.

This week, the lone remaining member of the race team he owned resigned.

It became clear as I spoke with my longtime contacts in the garage at Daytona - people that have worked closely with Mayfield in the past - that they seem less surprised by all of this than I have been. Mayfield has always been professional, friendly and engaging whenever I've dealt with him during the past 15 years - an unlikely pick for this fate.

But I keep going back again to something NASCAR Chairman Brian France told reporters in Daytona Beach.

What motive does NASCAR have to single out a driver and destroy his career? It doesn't help the sport's image to wildly accuse a driver in its premier series of using hard drugs.

Why would NASCAR want to ruin Jeremy Mayfield's life, as he feels it has done?

If the science holds up here, maybe it's not that NASCAR has ruined Mayfield's life, but instead saved it.

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