Sprint Cup drivers question ruling in Jeremy Mayfield case

[Schwartz Fan]

Originally Posted by klemmabyna a couple of comments: i still believe in innocent until proven guilty. and i believe jeff burton (no surprise here) has the best grasp of the situation. NASCAR's procedure, from chain of custody, to a referee sample that is to be made available for testing at a second lab of the driver's choice,... well let's just say they did it wrong. background: i'm very familiar with the concept. and when you are dealing with someone's livelyhood, you better dot all the "i"'s and cross all the "t"'s. do i think jeremy's innocent? doesn't really matter. and i think that is what the judge said today. my opinion is the judge's ruling only said that no penalty should be in force until the governing body proved that they had followed their own procedures, and that those procedures were foolproof enough to not only protect the interests of the other competitors, but also the rights of anyone that may have been brought into question. last call: this has been ugly. first a positive test. then the questionable credentials of an "expert" witness. then nascar's failure to provide a referee sample. let alone a list of prohibitive substances. regardless of how this turns out, the one with egg on it's face has to be nascar. how can an organization this large, both financially, and publicly, bungle something this badly, especially considering that most of the groundwork in this area had already been done. parting shot: jeff burton, once again, proves he is far more than a racecar driver. jmo.

good post Klem...

[Scooters]

Originally Posted by klemmabyna a couple of comments: i still believe in innocent until proven guilty.

I believe in innocent until proven guilty but this situation is not in a court of law. Jeremy was not placed under arrest so that 'chain of evidence' is just a smoke screen.

If Mr. Mayfield was so damned concerned about clearing his name, why didn't he get a follicle test done immediately by a lab of his choosing? That's what I would have done.

Every other business has the right to suspend employees who come back positive ...... and racecar drivers are not even employees. They are independent contractors who participate at the pleasure of the sanctioning body. Independent contractors do not enjoy the same protections that company employees do as far as a job umbrella. To understand the process better, think about when you bring a plumber or an electrician or roofer, etc., into your home to do specific work. They are not your employee - you hired them as an independent contractor and you can boot them at anytime without having to jump through hoops.

Yes, NASCAR did have some huge loopholes but it appears that they are closing them up but for those who think NASCAR was wrong -- nope. They have to consider the safety of EVERYBODY ----- not just on the track but in the garages and pits as well.

As the sanctioning body they have every right (and responsibility) to say "Here's our rules, like it or lump it - there are a number of other racing organizations out there that you can go to. But if you want to race in NASCAR you WILL follow our rules.

I'm glad the other drivers are chiming in on this. Their concern for themselves and their fellow competitors should have been a factor in the judge's decision.

And none of them seem to have an issue with being tested on any basis.

[Blakr]

Jeff Gordon's opinion about the Jeremy issue...

When asked how he felt about a judge’s July 1 ruling overturning Mayfield’s suspension for violating NASCAR’s drug policy, Gordon said he supports NASCAR’s current drug policy.

“I have no idea – I am so confused right now at the whole thing that I am going to let it all play out,” he said. “I’ll be honest, I haven’t been following it enough to know what’s going on.

“Leave me out. I support NASCAR in what they’re wanting to do and what they’re trying to do with the drug policy. I think it’s the right thing to do and I support that 100 percent.”

A reporter then asked Gordon if the Mayfield vs. NASCAR court case was hurting the sport.

“I know I’m a driver and I get asked a lot of questions, I appreciate that – you’re asking the wrong guy,” Gordon said, reiterating his stance that he supports NASCAR’s current policy “100 percent.”

Gordon said he wouldn’t have a problem being on the race track with Mayfield.

“I didn’t have any issues with Jeremy on the track [before] … and I don’t think that would change if he was out on the track any time soon,” he said.

Hendrick Motorsports' Jeff Gordon: Let’s talk racing, not drug testing - Sprint Cup Series | NASCAR Racing News - SceneDaily.com


I think it's the smart thing that if you really don't know the details about the Jeremy case, then you shouldn't be condemning Jeremy, like some drivers have been doing.

[Scooters]

Sorry, to me it sounds like waffling.

He wasn't asked about whether or not he thought Jeremy was on drugs, he was asked his opinion on the events that have been surrounding the case. One would think that issues of that importance to one's chosen career would be of great interest... great enough to want to stay up on what was going on.

Betcha Rick reset the chips again.

[Blakr]

Which drivers know the details of the Mayfield case?

I've seen drives talking about they don't like that the injunction was overturned, but that doesn't mean they have a clue what the facts are, does it?

I saw where Kasey Kahne said he hasn't really been folowing the case, but...
Then went on to rag on Mayfield.

What do you call that?

[Pete]

I am totally surprised at the number of people who would convict a person with out any substantial unbiased evidence. For a lot of you Jeremy is guilty because
1. nascar said so
2. you don't like him

I will say i hope your day comes when the police are at your door ( erroneously) and all your neighbors make your life hell for it.

[24n48fan]

Originally Posted by Pete I will say i hope your day comes when the police are at your door ( erroneously) and all your neighbors make your life hell for it.

Fortunately for me I'm not a law breaker and so I don't have to worry about that.

[revvinjim]

Originally Posted by 24n48fan Fortunately for me I'm not a law breaker and so I don't have to worry about that.

That wouldn't help you if you were accused of something you didn't do, or even questioned by the police for something in which you had no involvement.

[Scooters]

Originally Posted by Blakr Which drivers know the details of the Mayfield case? I've seen drives talking about they don't like that the injunction was overturned, but that doesn't mean they have a clue what the facts are, does it? I saw where Kasey Kahne said he hasn't really been folowing the case, but... Then went on to rag on Mayfield. What do you call that?

I call it ragging on Mayfield and if Kahne wasn't following the case he's just as -- I don't know what word to use here. If there was a major court case that could affect my chosen career, you could bet that I'd be sponging up every bit of information, conjecture and fact that came out.

But (if this post was addressed to me in response to my post) you will please note that I put in not one word about Jeff commenting on Mayfield, per se. Just the events surrounding it. Perhaps I wasn't clear. I meant things like the judge's decision and whether or not he thought the case was hurting the sport. Lawsy, one doesn't have to dig through all of the little bitty bits, just the screaming headlines should bring that to one's attention.

Maybe not commenting on the judge's decision was a wise thing - but an opinion about whether all of the publicity was hurting the sport....

[Scooters]

Originally Posted by Pete I am totally surprised at the number of people who would convict a person with out any substantial unbiased evidence. For a lot of you Jeremy is guilty because 1. nascar said so 2. you don't like him I will say i hope your day comes when the police are at your door ( erroneously) and all your neighbors make your life hell for it.

Like I said before, if I were in Jeremy's shoes, I would have had an independent follicle test done and that would have settled things one way or another.

He has already said he is on ADD medication which, chemically, is speed. The follicle test would have shown how much over how long a period of time. Even a perfectly legal prescription, though, can be abused. Had that happen in my own family so I know.

Lets not overlook the Claritin-D (also admitted to). Look up the side effects on that particular OTC -- I wouldn't want to be in a supermarket parking lot with someone who had taken Claritin-D, let alone a race track.

Yes, I know... in theory one does not have to prove one's innocence. Yet in fact, one does.