Jerry Bonkowski: Jeremy Mayfield Receives First Step Towards Vindication

Jeremy Mayfield on Wednesday received the first step towards what he hopes will be full vindication.

Mayfield, who has been suspended for nearly two months for allegedly violating NASCAR’s substance abuse policy, was awarded a temporary injunction that will allow him to return to race and compete in Sprint Cup events, effective immediately, after his attorney, Bill Diehl, convinced a federal court judge that Mayfield deserves a chance to earn a living while the case is being prepared for a likely eventual trial (pending any out-of-court settlement that might occur beforehand).

While there remains a logistical question of whether Mayfield will be able to drive in Saturday night’s Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway – whether he can get his own team and car ready or be forced to become a driver for hire with another team – that he’ll at least be able to compete once again has to have lifted a major burden off Mayfield’s shoulders.

NASCAR, which confirmed Wednesday prior to the issuance of the temporary injunction that Mayfield tested positive for methamphetamines in his system, has decided for now not to appeal the judge’s ruling and apparently will allow Mayfield to race at Daytona this weekend, Chicago next weekend and Indianapolis in three weeks.

Yet, I can’t help but wonder if, given that he’s been reinstated, will Mayfield be subject to another drug test.

And then what happens?

Given all the questions that remain unanswered over the original incident, I don’t even want to begin to think of what might happen as a result of this latest turn of events.

I just know one thing: I wouldn’t want to be in either Mayfield’s nor NASCAR’s shoes this weekend and going forward.