Full Throttle

NASCAR does not anticipate suspending any drivers who took their preseason drug tests last week in North Carolina, sanctioning body spokesman Ramsey Poston said today.

“We are proud of how the process worked so far,” Poston said in a statement. “All drivers, crew members and officials will have passed the substance-abuse test going into the season.”

WAIT, “will have passed?” That seems to suggest all the results aren’t back from the lab as yet. Or am I seeing something not there? (Could be, like Filmore, the sixties weren’t good for me either - ed.)

“We will continue to randomly test throughout the season,” Poston said, “and our reasonable suspicion remains in place, making NASCAR’s substance abuse policy one of the most comprehensive in sports.”

Ah, but you see Poston, this is where you and I - and apparently Ryan Newman agrees with me - have a difference of opinion.

The entirety of NASCAR Nation effected by the policy knew before hand when the test was to be conducted, there was nothing random about it, plenty of time was available “to study.”

Newman also points out a flaw I railed about in September when the amended policy came out, the policy cites 38 drugs and thresholds (i.e. the amount ingested) for those drugs in the crewmen tests, it doesn’t cite similar specifics for drivers.

Newman claims to be not worried about the problem, but he damn sure should be. As related at the time, and still valid “a driver or crew member taking Motrin, Bayer Select Pain Relief Formula or Excedrin can pop a false positive for Marijuana. Nyquil, Contact, Sudafed, Allerest and Dimetapp can all turn up as Ecstacy or Amphetamine usage.”

Something tells me Newman’s lack of concern might indicate a lack of knowledge on the subject matter.

If that’s the case NASCAR gets another failing grade from me based on the experience gained as a semi-professional Pee-Pee/Tally-Whacker observer obtained during my Naval career.