Jeremy Mayfield, who drives the #41 All Sport Toyota Camry in the Sprint Cup Series, was suspended indefinitely on May 9 for failing a random drug test.
Driver Jeremy Mayfield was suspended indefinitely for failing a random drug test. He joined LA Dodgers OF Manny Ramirez as another sports figure hit with a suspension over illegal drug use this week.
Jeremy Mayfield thus became the first NASCAR driver to be snared by a toughened new policy that went into effect this season. NASCAR did not indicate which drug Mayfield tested positive for. The positive test occurred at last week's NASCAR race at Richmond International Raceway.
Statement from Jeremy Mayfield on Saturday's suspension:
"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.
"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."
Jeremy Mayfield, Tony Martin and Ben Williams have been indefinitely suspended from NASCAR for violating the sanctioning body’s substance abuse policy.
All three were found to have violated Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and 7-5 (violation of the NASCAR substance abuse policy) of the 2009 NASCAR rule book.
So much for Mayfield being an owner/driver. He’s out indefinitely as the driver and the #41 car will have to be sold, or at least listed under a different name, if and when it returns to the Sprint Cup Series.
As for Ben Williams it’s a case of going from the penthouse to the out house. He’s is, or was a crew member of the #16 team that won the Diamond Hill Plywood 200 Friday night.
Tony Martin was a member of the #34 team driven by Tony Raines in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
Good riddance, one and all.
From the Irony Department: One of Mayfield’s crew members, Paul Chodora, became the first person suspended for failing a drug test under the new policy instituted this season. Chodora was summarily escorted out of Daytona International Speedway in February and suspended indefinitely.
According to NASCAR race officials, Mayfield failed a test that was administered last weekend at Richmond International Raceway. Spokesman Jim Hunter would not reveal the name of the banned substance but said it was not an alcohol related offense. He offered, “There is no place for substance abuse in our sport.”
Mayfield released the following statement: “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. David Black and NASCAR to resolve the matter.”
The 39 year old driver has had 5 Cup victories in 433 career starts. His last win was in 2005 in Michigan. The #41 Toyota will have an interim car owner and replacement driver for the duration of Mayfield’s suspension, as required under racing rules.
Mayfield is the first Sprint Cup driver to be sanctioned since the tougher new drug policy went into effect at the beginning of the 2009 racing season. Under the new rules, all drivers and crew members are tested before the beginning of the race season and four drivers are tested each weekend, with their names being selected by an automated computer program.
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