Mayfield suspended, UPDATES, Yeley to drive, NASCAR disputes claim

Jeremy Mayfield, crew members suspended for violating drug policy:

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DARLINGTON, S.C. -- For the first time, a Sprint Cup driver has been busted for violating NASCAR's new random drug-testing policy.

Jeremy Mayfield, a five-time winner on NASCAR's premier series currently driving for his own team, has been suspended indefinitely for an undisclosed substance abuse violation, series vice president Jim Hunter said Saturday at Darlington Raceway. Mayfield, 39, failed to qualify for the Southern 500.

Also suspended indefinitely were Tony Martin, a crewman on the No. 34 Sprint Cup car of Front Row Motorsports, whose entry was driven Saturday night by Tony Raines; and Ben Williams, a crew member with the No. 16 Nationwide Series team of Roush Fenway Racing, which won Friday night's event with Matt Kenseth. Hunter would not specify what substances were taken, but did say the violations were for more than merely alcohol use.

"NASCAR has one of the toughest substance abuse policies in all of sports," Hunter said. "It's all about safety and competition. And a positive result means an indefinite suspension from all competition. The implementation of the random testing aspect of this program has been welcomed and supported by the drivers, owners, and other competitors in the sport."

The violations were discovered as a result of testing last week at Richmond, Hunter said. NASCAR tests between four and eight drivers each week, usually on the first day of the race weekend, the participants being pulled from a random computer-generated database of license numbers. If a first sample tests positive, participants can request a second sample.

In this case, Hunter said, both tests were positive, and the final results came in at about noon Saturday. NASCAR's drug policy is overseen by Dr. Black, a forensic toxicologist whose Nashville-based lab, Aegis Sciences Corp., also consults with various other college and professional sports organizations.

Although NASCAR has historically tested its competitors for drug use, most tests were the result of probable cause. That changed this season, when NASCAR implemented a random testing policy. All Sprint Cup drivers were tested prior to the season, and Hunter said that all have since been tested randomly at least once.

"We have a zero-tolerance approach in our substance abuse policy, and we've made it very clear we're going to stick with that," Hunter said. "A path to come back into racing is up to the individuals. If they choose to meet with Dr. David Black, he will lay out a path for them to return for possible reinstatement. But overall, I think the random testing program is working, and I think you will find that it is heartily endorsed by everyone in the garage. There's just no place for substance abuse in our sport."

Mayfield released a statement Saturday evening:

"As both a team owner and a driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, I have immense respect for the enforcement policies NASCAR has in place. In my case, I believe that the combination of a prescribed medicine and an over the counter medicine reacted together and resulted in a positive drug test. My doctor and I are working with both Dr. Black and NASCAR to resolve this matter."

The offenses, Hunter said, are not up for appeal. In Mayfield's case, the ban affects him as both a driver and an owner. If his No. 41 car is to attempt to qualify for the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway in two weeks, it would have to be listed under an owner different from Mayfield.

"He is suspended as an owner and a driver," Hunter said. "His team could be operated by somebody else, but Jeremy will not be allowed to participate."

Mayfield said through his statement that his team will continue to attempt to qualifying for races under the terms of the suspension.

"Mayfield Motorsports remains committed to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and the organization will announce an interim owner and a temporary replacement driver early next week. Those roles will commence immediately beginning with next week's Sprint Open and continuing through Charlotte and beyond."

~NASCAR.com~

NASCAR says no-way to allergy claim

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NASCAR driver Jeremy Mayfield's assertion that use of two allergy medicines led him to run afoul of the series' drug policy is not plausible, the person charged with running the program told USA TODAY.
"What we have is a clear violation of policy," said David Black, whose Tennessee-based Aegis Labs conducts NASCAR's random testing program. "In my many years of experience, I have never seen a violation like this due to the combination of over-the-counter or prescription products."

Black, citing NASCAR policy, declined to specify what caused Mayfield to test positive, saying it was "a drug of concern." NASCAR announced before Saturday's race at Darlington Raceway that Mayfield — the first driver tagged under the series' first-year mandatory testing program — had been suspended indefinitely.

"As both a team owner and a driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, I have immense respect for the enforcement policies NASCAR has in place," Mayfield said in a statement Saturday. "In my case, I believe that the combination of a prescribed medicine and an over-the-counter medicine reacted together and resulted in a positive drug test."

Mayfield couldn't be reached for comment Sunday. His agent, Bobby Wooten, said Mayfield was taking allergy medicine when the urine samples were collected at Richmond International Raceway a week ago.

NASCAR also suspended two crewmembers for failed tests at Richmond.

The series doesn't have a set list of banned substances, although drivers were warned before the start of the season that they would be screened for steroids, amphetamines and recreational drugs. Black said "there's no way a driver would be in violation" for using common cold and allergy medications as directed.

"It's very unfortunate for the sport, for Jeremy, for everybody, because it definitely puts a black eye on (the sport)," four-time Cup champ Jeff Gordon said.

Mayfield must complete a treatment program before he's allowed to return to racing. "If that program is successfully completed, then the competitor may attempt to seek reinstatement," NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said in an e-mail.

One of Mayfield's crewmembers, Paul Chodora, was the first violator of NASCAR's testing program in February. Mayfield said in a statement at the time that his team endorsed NASCAR's "policing efforts as it makes the sport stronger overall." Wooten said Chodora is no longer with the team.

~USA Today~

Yeley will be substitute driver; interim owner to be named soon

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Who will replace the suspended Jeremy Mayfield?

That's the question on everybody's mind after Tony Furr, crew chief of the No. 41 Jeremy Mayfield Motorsports entry, rescinded earlier comments to FOXSports.com that J.J. Yeley was tabbed for the position.

Speaking on behalf of the team, Shana Mayfield said no decision has been made but Yeley is on the short list.

Mayfield was suspended indefinitely from NASCAR on Saturday after violating the sanctioning body's substance abuse policy.

The team is expected to name an owner of record shortly, as Mayfield is not allowed to be owner of record during his suspension.

Apparently, they are still determining who they want.

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UPDATE: Who will replace the suspended Jeremy Mayfield? That's the question on everybody's mind after Tony Furr, crew chief of the #41 Jeremy Mayfield Motorsports entry, rescinded earlier comments to FOXSports.com that J.J. Yeley was tabbed for the position. Speaking on behalf of the team, Shana Mayfield said no decision has been made but Yeley is on the short list. Mayfield was suspended indefinitely from NASCAR on Saturday after violating the sanctioning body's substance abuse policy. The team is expected to name an owner of record shortly, as Mayfield is not allowed to be owner of record during his suspension.(FoxSports)(5-11-2009)
UPDATE 2: also hearing that Todd Bodine and Mike Wallace are other candidates to drive the #41 Toyota.(5-11-2009) Comment here

It will be Yeley, and Shana Mayfield will be listed as owner

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Mayfield Motorsports will field a No. 41 Toyota for J.J. Yeley in this weekend's Sprint Showdown, the 40-lap qualifying race for the Sprint All-Star Race at Lowe's Motor Speedway, with Shana Mayfield the owner of record following last weekend's indefinite suspension of her husband, owner/driver Jeremy Mayfield, for a violation of NASCAR's substance abuse policy.

The Mayfields plan to file her owner's paperwork with NASCAR Competition on Tuesday morning, followed by the driver change. Crew chief Tony Furr and team manager Bobby Wooten along with their crew members compiled a "short list" of candidates Monday morning and when the Mayfields arrived, they met with the team and then, Yeley, before making their final decision.

The new owner said Yeley also would drive the car in the following weekend's Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's -- where Yeley finished a career-best second in 2007 -- and for what she and her husband hope will be a brief interlude as they resolve Jeremy Mayfield's positive drug test.

"We didn't want to be switching drivers every week," Shana Mayfield said. "The thing about J.J. that we really liked is he lives close to the shop and he came over [Monday] while we were there. He told the guys it wasn't about money -- he just wanted to race, he wanted another chance like Jeremy did when he started the team.

"That's kind of what that team's built on, that heart and soul of wanting to race, wanting second chances and wanting to do good. That's all we really care about. It's not about the fame, the glory and the money; it's just a good group of guys that want to race and J.J. really has that attitude.

"Like Tony said, you walk in our shop and there's not a lot there. Yeley's been at [Joe] Gibbs and some big places, but he said he didn't care as long as there was a race car there, a seat and a suit that he could get in and go race. That meant a lot because a lot of people think they're too good to get in a car that's not running too great, but [Yeley] believes in Jeremy and supports him and I think more than anything it was his willingness to be at the shop and help the guys, to be that person that we need to step in there every day."

Mayfield formed his team with Big Red executive Gary Smith just days before the season-opening Speedweeks 2009 and qualified for the Daytona 500. Since then the road's been rougher and the team has qualified for five of the first 11 races.

Yeley competed full time in the Cup Series in 2008 for Hall of Fame Racing, a Joe Gibbs Racing ally, but the team ended up outside the top 35 in the owners' standings, joined Yates Racing for 2009 and released Yeley. In NASCAR's top three series this season, Yeley's raced once in the Camping World Truck Series, starting 25th and finishing 16th for owner Ron Crosby.

Shana Mayfield said her team is intact since Mayfield got the news of a positive result for "a drug of concern" in a random test given on Friday of the Richmond race weekend, followed by his "B sample," on Mayfield's request, also testing positive. Mayfield issued a statement this past Saturday at Darlington saying he believed the positive result came from a combination of a prescription drug and an over-the-counter allergy medication.

Dr. David Black, a forensic toxicologist with Aegis Sciences Corp., the Nashville, Tenn., firm that administers NASCAR's drug screening program, has said because of the high speeds involved in NASCAR competition, "It's a big, expanded profile of drugs, and also the testing is done at very low testing limits because of a safety concern."

Mayfield said the team is staunchly backing her husband, who has raced in the Cup Series since 1993, as he attempts reinstatement.

"Everybody's been real supportive, but the mood's kind of somber, too, because Jeremy's been the leader, he's been the guy that's created this deal and he's the heart and soul of this team," Shana said after spending the better part of Monday afternoon at the team's shop. "I think a lot of people now are more determined to do a good job and to make him proud -- to step up and take a little more responsibility and fill that void while Jeremy's not there."

~NASCAR.com~

Mayfield allowed to drive after positive result: A day after learning #41-Jeremy Mayfield failed a drug test for something other than a performance-enhancer, NASCAR allowed him to drive a race car at Darlington Raceway at speeds up to 173 mph. A person familiar with the test results told The Associated Press on Thursday that Mayfield's positive test was not for a performance-enhancing drug. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because NASCAR won't reveal what banned substance was found in the random test, which ultimately resulted in Mayfield's indefinite suspension. Because Mayfield challenged the initial positive finding, as allowed under NASCAR's drug policy, the series did not take disciplinary action until his backup "B" sample also tested positive. That's why Mayfield wasn't barred from participating in two practice sessions and a qualifying session May 8 at Darlington. See the full Associated Press article at ESPN.com.(5-14-2009)

-Jayski