When Aaron Fike, former Craftsman Truck Series driver who was arrested for heroin possession last year admitted last week that he had used heroin on race day, members of the NASCAR community were in complete shock. Many respected members of the media were in the same boat, unable to comprehend how someone would be able to inject heroin into their blood stream and then strap into a race truck and compete competitively. Discussion filled the airwaves and internet on mandatory drug testing for NASCAR.
If I may change hats for a moment, from NASCAR blogger to career paramedic (which is what pays my bills), I will say I was not in the least bit surprised to hear the news. For the last twenty years, I have dealt with patients who have both severe drug and alcohol addictions and the one thing that amazes me is just how well some of them function while under the influence. Not only do they function well, but they work very hard to hide their problems, and only when they make a mistake does someone catch on. No, I was not surprised at all, and when Aaron Fike mentioned that there may be others out there with the same problems, I believe him.
Unlike other sports, the majority of drivers have been very supportive of the adoption of random drug testing in NASCAR. They all too well understand the safety impact of racing with someone who is under the influence while doing 190 mph in a 4300 pound racecar can have.
What is odd is the attitude NASCAR has taken about this situation. They have given the drivers the safest car to date, the HANS device, the safest seat possible, and the SAFER barriers installed on most spots of all tracks. The Michael McDowell crash last week in Texas highlighted just how well everything works to keep a driver in one piece. Yet, despite the millions of dollars spent on ‘uncompromised safety’, there is still the possibility that any one of the 43 drivers who was on the track last night in Phoenix could have been under the influence.
It’s time for NASCAR to institute mandatory, random drug testing. Not next season, but now. The drivers want it, the fans want it, and common sense dictates it. Let’s stop sticking our heads in the sand and start dealing with the issue.
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5 comments:
Well said, I couldn't have said it better myself.
Oh wait - I did.
After I took Hunter an his lunacy apart in that post I see Brian France is all over the news wires this weekend blubbering the same Trash of Denial.
I am not trying to be "that guy" (or the crazy monkeeysfan), but NASCAR condones an atmosphere of revelry and intoxication...Let me explain before anyone crosses up-Beer sponsors on cars, drug companies on cars, a sponsored restart called the "Claritin Clear to Drive Restart!" Anyone know the side-effects of Claritin? A massive amount of TV and sponsorship dollars come from drug companies, and yes, alcohol is indeed a drug, classified as a controlled substance by the govn't. I wonder how many fans sit in the stands for hours (pre-race) and slam as many pints as they can, before driving home? All that I am saying is that it should start on the smallest levels and work it's way up-not on the top and working it's way down. We all know just how far trickle down goes...Not sure if I am right or not, would love some rebuttal?! Anyone care to speculate or look up how many other racing series have stringent drug policies? The answer would surprise those of you whom covet NASCAR's leadership.
An aside- Not trying to threadjack, just want to get the convo going, maybe we can all input, and come to a consensus!
I think you bring up some reasonable points about the double standard that exists. We demand drug testing, yet our drivers drive around in the Bud car, the Miller Lite car and so on. But that is the nature of the beast when it comes to racing, without those coveted sponsorship dollars, teams die and die quickly. Look at the new 'part time' schedule now being run by BAM Racing, the struggles that Yates & Wood Brothers have had, and the hiatus of Morgan-McLure Motorsports. Of course, to decry alcohol sponsorships implies that alcohol in and of itself is bad, the true issue is if its abused versus used in moderation. The Aaron Fike situation is unique mainly because he admitted to using on race day; one could argue that if he used heroin 'in moderation', say only occasionally when he was out to dinner and not scheduled to race within a certain time, then in and of itself it wouldn't be that big a deal. Notice I am merely substituting the drug for the alcohol here, the truth is I have yet to find a heroin user/addict who only uses 'in moderation'.
Starting from the bottom is an interesting concept, what are you proposing? Turning away alcohol sponsors and thus losing 5 (if I'm counting correctly - Bud, Miller, Jack Daniels, Jim Beam and Crown Royal) major sponsors? With the number of unsponsored cars running already, I'm not sure that would solve anything, especially since the majority of fans know how to drink responsibly. Starting at the top - meaning assuring that all the drivers are clean - is the most logical step, as I don't believe that there is a correlation between in garage drug use and alcohol/pharmaceutical sponsorships.
http://jetdryer.blogspot.com/
I should have stated what I meant better; by starting at the bottom and going up, I was attempting to refer to also testing series officials, crew members and such, as well as drivers. At the race in Texas, a police officer spent the day working security, as well as drinking. He was found passed out in his take home patrol car on his way home. You're right, the whole sponsorship thing is not correlative to drug use, and banning such sponsors would hurt more than help-I was just trying to point out the duality that seems to exist in many of these type of situations.
Onto another topic; How do you feel about a lot of teams that have been in the sport for so long, going bottom up so to speak? Are we looking at having field fillers in the future?
I think the state of some of these older, more tradiotional teams that helped buld NASCAR, such as Petty Enterprises, Wood Brothers, and Morgan McLure Motorsports, is indeed sad. Unfortunately, you are probably correct in that they will (if havent already) become field fillers. I dont know if anyone could blame General Mills for trying to get more bang for their buck by moving to the new RCR team, nor would anyone blame Bobby Labonte is he did the same. Racing nowadays is a multi billion dolar industry, and those participating want to get the most bang for their buck and be successful... and success translates into success on the track. Sponsors arent satisfied with 'Top 30' finishes anymore, and they wont stand for failing to make the field like Kyle Petty has failed to do the last few weeks.
Despite how sad it is, I have no real clue what NASCAR is able to do about it; perhaps its just nature taking its course... for every Joe Montana that gets old and retires, there is a new up and coming Tom Brady; and for every 'dynasty' team such as the San Francisco 49ers, there is a New England Patriots.
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