Jeremy Mayfield: 'I Was Worth More ... As A Failed Drug Test'

Posted Oct 23, 2009 12:45PM By Holly Cain (RSS feed)

In his first national one-on-one television interview, suspended NASCAR driver Jeremy Mayfield continued to deny drug use and accused NASCAR of using him as a "a good pawn who wasn't going to cost them any money at all.''

Mayfield, who was suspended indefinitely by NASCAR for testing positive in a pair of drug tests this May, made the assertions on ESPN's Outside the Lines show, which will air Sunday at 9 a.m., hours before the green flag drops for the Sprint Cup Series race at Martinsville, Va.

It's been widely reported that the positive test revealed use of methamphetamine, something Mayfield has denied. He claims the tests were a "false positive," the result of his use of Adderall, a prescription drug for attention-hyperactivity disorder, combined with the common allergy medication, Claritin-D.

"You use me as an example to let everybody know who may have already tested positive for marijuana, cocaine, or whatever, that they haven't got anybody for, and it puts the fear of God in everybody in the whole sport,'' Mayfield said in a brief transcript released Friday by ESPN.

"I was worth more to them as a failed drug test then I am as a driver, owner for my own team.''

NASCAR's Managing Director of Corporate Communications, Ramsey Poston said Friday that the sanctioning body had no comment yet and would wait to view the entire interview.

Mayfield, the first Sprint Cup driver to be suspended under a new NASCAR drug testing policy, has tested positive for drugs four times according to NASCAR. The latter two came in July, the same week he was briefly reinstated by an appeals court. Mayfield never raced after his initial suspension May 9 and has sold his team's equipment to help finance his ongoing court battle with NASCAR.

The latest two positive tests allegedly revealed methamphetamine levels consistent with that of a chronic user and Mayfield's stepmother has said she has witnessed the driver use the drug dozens of times in the past 10 years. He says she is lying and has since filed a wrongful death lawsuit against her in the 2007 death of his father.

In the program segment, ESPN asked an expert whether Mayfield's explanation for the false positive was plausible.

"No, they could never be confused for methamphetamine in a confirmation,'' said Dr. Anthony Butch, whose laboratory performs drug testing for U.S. Olympic athletes.

As for his career, Mayfield acknowledges in in the interview that he is finished in NASCAR -- except to be the fall-guy for other marquee drivers, who he says use illegal recreational drugs.

"I wish I could sit here and say, 'No, it's not over,' but realistically, I would have to have a sponsor, or my own team, or find a ride, and all of those are virtually impossible with the baggage that comes along with me now,'' he said.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

10-23-2009 @ 1:42PM

WHERE IS OLD BUBBA said...

OH YES,HE IS RIGHT; JEREMY METHFIELD IS WORTH more than a drug test.
He is worth as much as a spoiled DOSE OF METHS and his nascar career is worth even less.GEE,
old bubba is taking too long to reply because his meds have not resumed the benefit cycle yet,LMAO.
anna wonders.....

10-23-2009 @ 4:18PM

obamaizadope said...

This guy is in a deeper state of denial than even that dope Obama..Get some help Jeremy, you're still a young man.

10-29-2009 @ 2:15PM

bluerange308 said...

What the hell does this have to do with Obama??? Go kiss your sister ya redneck.

10-23-2009 @ 7:58PM

Kim said...

I have tried to give Mayfield the benefit of the doubt, but four failed drug tests and an expert in the field, not affiliated with NASCAR stating it isn't possible for Jeremy's explanation for a false positive, lead me to the conclusion that he may have a serious problem. If so, he needs help! He needs treatment. If NASCAR was truly a stand-up organization, they might consider paying for or helping Jeremy through a treatment program then bringing him back as a success story to possibly talk to young folks who are up and coming drivers about the dangers drugs have on your life and career. Just a thought.

At the end of the day, I wish Jeremy well and hope if he does have a problem, he will receive the help he needs.

Kim

10-23-2009 @ 9:02PM

Tony said...

Not sure where you got your numbers but there are only two failed drug tests and neither one has been corroborated by an independent agency. Jeremy has Mark Geragos representing him now. Definitely time to play hardball.

10-23-2009 @ 10:15PM

Brad said...

Kim there are only two failed(CLAIMS)tests on the Nascar side and an equal amount of Clean tests from Mayfields camp, and experts will be purchased when the time comes to prove that you can get a false positive just as Nazcar has purchased an expert to claim otherwise.

10-23-2009 @ 10:24PM

Tony,

It was stated in the article. Did you read the article? There were two tests in May and then two more tests were done in late June and early July.

"Mayfield, the first Sprint Cup driver to be suspended under a new NASCAR drug testing policy, has tested positive for drugs four times according to NASCAR"

Kim

10-27-2009 @ 4:37PM

pnut166 said...

I like Mayfield as much as anybody. I met him at Talladega several years ago in the garage and (still) have a framed pic in my den shaking hands before the race. BUT, anyone who buys his story obviously doesn`t know anything about chemistry. Reagents used in testing for home-cooked meth WILL NOT react with pharmaceutical-grade medicines. Spectrographs WILL NOT light up Sudafed and / or Adderall. Extensive testing also verifies co-contaminants like ammonia and phosphorus. He apparently showed signs of these by the indication of "chronic use". He is guilty, plain and simple, no matter how much he or anyone wants to believe otherwise.

10-23-2009 @ 9:47PM

boderekisa5now said...

It's not as if he was ever a factor in racing anyhow.

10-23-2009 @ 10:37PM

Kim it was an A and B sample from each test is how they came up with four but Mayfield also has tested at a private facility (of his choosing) and those tests came up negative. Who knows (other than himself) if he is lying or not but one thing is for sure, his career is shot.

10-23-2009 @ 11:51PM

nzcr14 said...

YES BRAD YOU, are right about the private test at a facility of his own chosing, but NOBODY was supervising him when he went in the cup. Private docs offices cannot invade your privacy, nascar can as a sponsoring body. SO, HE COULD VERY WELL CHEATED. 2or4tests WILL NOT MAKE MUCH OF A DEFFERENCE.A&B will not either.Nazcar has to play though to discourage others from doing the same.
YOU SAID IT;J METHF. CAREER IS OVER.

AND BORDER OF GHIZA( i think that's in egypt where the ghiza pyramids are), it does not matter if J.METHFIELD was a factor or not.The point is he
violated safety rules ENDANGERING HIMSELF AND THE LIFE OF OTHER DRIVERS,MANY CREWS AND NAZCAR GESTAPOS ON SPIT ROW AND EVEN FANS.He needed to be terminated plain and simple.

10-23-2009 @ 11:37PM

DWAYNE said...

Well either Mayfield is innocent & standing his ground or he is guilty and just plain stupid! Either way i agree his career is over in nascar. The only thing i say is IF he did meth as bad as nascar test supposedly show and as much as his step mother said, IT would show in his appearance and everyone looking at him can tell he does'nt have the normal meth addict face and rotten teeth. There is no way around that for users.

10-27-2009 @ 4:43PM

Uh, yes there is. The "meth look" comes from most addicts not having enough money for things like, say, food and dental care. Most methheads also just don`t give a shlt. But when you have a 7 figure job you have to keep up, you tend to remember to brush your teeth and eat. You think Hollywood isn`t full of meth addicts??? Wall Street ???

10-24-2009 @ 12:02AM

WRONG DWIGHT, NOT ALL METH USERS GET ROTTEN TEETH AND HOLES ON THEIR FACES and whatever other misfiguration.Even THE DOC said so and i do not intend THE DOC we all know on these pages.
A real doc.JEREMY METHFIELD HAS BEEN TRYING TO GO OUT OF NAZCAR THE WEALTHY WAY, HE is not stupis, not standing his grounds.Heis looking out for himself financially.

10-24-2009 @ 4:22AM

racings12a said...

I'm a firm believer Nascar needs to test every driver before every race. There are too many lives on the line for them to allow anyone under the influence on the track and with random testing it's possible that's happening every week! And when they do test, post what showed up in the test.

10-25-2009 @ 7:18AM

Bonnie Ann said...

I don't realy care if he used Meth or not, I am glad that he is off the track. I don't think ANY ONE with an attention problem needs to be driving 200 mph around 42 other drivers, all the pit crew guys and the officials. What if he forgets to take his meds and his attention goes to the wrong thing during a race? I don't care who the driver is, JJ, JG, Dale Jr., MM who ever. If you have an attention disorder STAY OFF THE TRACK!!!!!

10-25-2009 @ 6:24PM

Going 200mph will hold your attention on the meds or not and I don't believe JM has ever been accused of not paying attention on the track ( possibly but I've never heard it said ). I think you should be more concerned with the thousands of people who suffer from ADD that don't take meds that are driving right next to you everyday on roads all across America and that doesn't even include the meth users drunks or whatever there on fools who choose to get behind the wheel and put others lives at risk without a second thought.

10-27-2009 @ 3:11PM

uttley123 said...

Jeremy Mayfield is gone from NASCAR, and gone for good. While he did show signs of brilliance, at times, and even qualified for the Chase twice, he was never a major factor in the Sport as a whole.
He failed a drug test, was given a chance to redeem himself a second time, and failed that test too!
While I don't agree with everything NASCAR does, I do agree with how they handled this aspect of it.
I also agree with racings12a, and NASCAR needs to check EVERY driver before EVERY race for EVERY substance. This will put an end to any recreational use of any drug or misuse of prescribed drugs. Of course, I also believe that in order to receive public monies, like food stamps or unemployment, you should also have to pass random drug tests, including peeing in a cup and using hair samples.

11-06-2009 @ 7:21AM

Wayne Howell said...

I say a 26 year old meth user and maker. This person had a great home and family. Very wealthy folks. New all the things to do to stay healthy. he loved his met more. Just about all his teenth fell out. His complexion changed,looked bad. Well his is not with us anymore. Meth did him in.

Folks if Jeremy was a meth user like nascar had said, there would be no queston. There is a lot more going on in nascar.We should all cheer for Mayfield and give him support.