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“I make my livelihood by racing in NASCAR events. Racing is my life and career. However, I am not willing to put my life at risk driving a racecar on a NASCAR track with drivers testing positive for drugs that diminish their capacity to drive a racecar.
“If drivers are on the track in violation of NASCAR’s substance abuse policy, it presents serious questions as to whether or not it makes sense to put my life at risk.”
Jeff Gordon said this in an affidavit signed May 29, 2009. It was part of NASCAR’s case that Sprint Cup driver Jeremy Mayfield, at the time suspended indefinitely for violating the sport’s substance-abuse policy, should not be allowed back on the track.
On Wednesday, a federal judge in Charlotte, N.C., issued a temporary injunction lifting the suspension. He did it because, according to his statement, the harm to Mayfield significantly outweighed the harm to NASCAR. ESPN
“The situation that we had, when somebody tests positive, is something to be seriously considered, and there’s a lot of responsibility that goes along with that,” driver Ryan Newman said. “People make mistakes. I hope the judge didn’t make one.”
“Everybody out here wants to race, and they want to race hard and race with people that are in the same state of mind that you’re in,” former teammate Kasey Kahne said. “If people are into other things, they should go do those things by themselves and not be on a race track going 200 mph with other racers.”
That decision shocked many in the sport.
“Either Jeremy or NASCAR is wrong, and I don’t know which one, but whichever one is wrong is really hurting the other,” said veteran Mark Martin, adding that his biggest concern is that NASCAR doesn’t have the final say in who can and can’t drive.
Three-time defending Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson was simply baffled by the whole mess.
“I don’t even know where to start because you hear one rumor that it’s one way and another that it’s another way,” Johnson said. “Now, next thing you know, there’s a chance for him to come back to the racetrack and makes you believe maybe there’s something wrong with the system and then you hear the rumors. It’s just a confusing mess right now. I look forward to the day that it’s all laid out plain and simple.”
For some it already is.
“If he’s out there on the race track with me, it doesn’t bother me,” Kyle Busch said. “Normally, we’re ahead of him anyway.” The Associated Press
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