Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
Moderators: dirtonly  /  dmantx  /  hosehead

I'm writing a five-part series on drug testing in Sprint Car racing that will roll out in a couple weeks. Hoping for the week after Thanksgiving. I wanted to include some thoughts from fans, so I figured this was the best place to put the questions:

Are you in favor of drug testing in Sprint Car racing? Why/Why not?

Do you think there is a need for it in Sprint Car racing? Meaning, do you think there is a problem?

What do you think the penalty should be for someone that comes back with a positive test?

Thanks for your input. Appreciate it.

Not in Favor of Drug Testing (with out Just Cause)

Drugs are a problem in the United Staes Period! And I'm sure some of it filters into Sprint Car Racing. I like to think or hope there is not a problem with it.

Penalty! Like I said on the 1st answer, I guess if there is just cause! I mean if it is Obvious a driver is jacked up on drugs or alcohol then it should be dealt with first by the Law.

I personally don't think don't believe there is enough there to Justify it. I'm sure I am thought to be wrong by many though...lol

And no I do not do Drugs, but I'll drink a Beer if it comes my way on occasion.

In favor?  Yes. I would hate for something like another incident to occur where somebody gets hurt or killed.  The sport is dangerous enough. 

Think there is a need?  Yes.  If one fatality/major injury occurs due to somebody being high is too many.  The sport doesn't need the black eye.  It's one thing if it's a true accident, another if said person is high.  

Could it be implemented sensibly and in a cost effective manner?  I have no idea. I know not a single thing about drug testing other than it tests for drugs.

Penalty.  30 day suspension for the first infraction  Season long ban for the second time.  Third time perminant ban.  

With money being tight for promoters, track owners and a lot of race teams perhaps a good question would be .... Who is going to pay for the testing if it is done? Labs do not do blood or pee tests for free. It is easy to say testing is needed but someone needs to figure out where the money to do it is going to come from first.

How much would it cost Knoxville Raceway to test 80 drivers? 

Or say all drivers must bring a clean test with them to be allowed to race? Then how do you know no cheating was done? NFL players have used masking agents to pass blood tests. 

Before I could say yes it should be done I would need to know how it would be done. Random? Every driver x# of times per season? Just WoO drivers or all that race with them? All drivers at the major sprint car tracks and series? Draw blood or take a pee sample at the track? Drivers required to have it done on their own by a doctor and lab chosen by the track or sanctioning body?

Once you say sprint car racers need to be drug tested there are a whole lot of other questions to be answered too! I sure hope your 5 part series covers some of the other issues involed here than just should it be done, is it needed and how to penalize those that fail a drug test.

The trouble is that hard drugs like meth & cocaine leave the body quickly but marijuana stays in the cells for up to a month. Therefore people who may have smoked a joint weeks ago get in trouble but the real abusers slide.

Nobody should drive a sprint car high on anything

Not in favor of testing

People are hurt and killed every day by drivers that are drunk or on drugs on the highways of our country! Shoud we all be drug tested regularly in order to have a drivers license?

ditto what oswald said.....

I'm in favor of mandatory drug testing in sprint car racing.  Most, if not all of the WoO drivers, want it and think it is time.  

the penalty could be from 1 race to months Depending on the policy set up.  An example....First offense, weekly testing and as long as the numbers continue to decrease (working itself out of the system), all is ok.  Seek a drug counciler for help, short suspension.  Second offense, longer suspension, more drug counciling.  Third offense, longer suspension, if not permanent.  Kind of like a three strike policy similar to NASCAR.

It doesn't cost as much as one might think. It cost $28.00 to test for all street drugs and synthetic drugs.  You don't have to test everyone every night.  What one could do is test 4-6-8 people each night of racing.  Maybe 3 drivers and three crew members...or three local drivers and three WoO (replace organization name here) each night.  That way it minimizes cost to the track/organization and deters every driver from taking drugs on the chance they might be tested.  Cost each night would be anywhere from $125.00 to $$250.00 each night of racing, depending on how many people you would want to test.  Now, I'm aware some things may need to be tweaked but this plan could/would work at minimal expense to the track/organization.

This is just one possibility.....My 2 cents worth.  

www.ibracn.com
#PaulsToTheWall
GO SAMMY!

http://www.americanscreeningcorp.com/Discover-12-Panel-Drug-Test-Card-Ea-P5011C152.aspx

how many kits would you have to buy to spend MORE than a lwasuit that might well close your track?

 sure would suck to have a local track closed down because they thought a policy would be more expensive...

IMO: the NBA is the only sport that holds a position that drugs make the sport better

Lincoln 1845 ft/.35 mile T1=118MPH 
Eldora 2287 ft/.43mile T3=135MPH
Port 2716 ft/.51 mile T3=TBD
Grove 2792 ft/.53 mile T3=135MPH
Selinsgrove 2847 ft/.54 mile T1=136MPH
"I didn't move to PA from El Paso in search of better 
weather." Van May

Ill go on record to say its a bad idea. Furthermore, im alarmed and intruiged that anyone would consider it a viable concept and push for the idea. As racing is a hobby for most competitors, not many will stand for such a nuisance and take their racing to a venue which is less intrusive on their personal lives.

Theres already too much damn regulation in this world. No need for more.

Big Right Rear:

You said: "IMO: the NBA is the only sport that holds a position that drugs make the sport better"

What the hell is that supposed to mean?

Playing the devil's advocate....How would you enforce it in states with medical marijuana laws? Or drivers/crew members who are residents of Washington or Colorado?

Member of this message board since 1997

I like the idea of drug testing.  But make no mistake it will reduce car counts.  I myself am in favor.  To reduce the cost to promoters random test.  Maybe 5 to 10% of the drivers each week.  I would also be in favor of alcohol blood level testing at sign in.  Results are fast.  If a driver is under the influence then he don't race.  I remember in the day alcohol was a big problem on the local dirt tracks.  As we know drugs and alcohol are a problem on the roads.  But whats amazing is texting and cell phones have caught up to drunk drivers.   They scare me worse.  With alcohol it occurs in the evenings and early hours.  With texting it's 24/7.  So we have to eliminate texting while racing as well

agreed^

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it means exactly what it means..."tolerable" ridiculous behavior is contantly being redefined by the NBA...many active players have exceeded Tyler Walker's standard of wrecklessness and the league turns a blind eye.

Lincoln 1845 ft/.35 mile T1=118MPH 
Eldora 2287 ft/.43mile T3=135MPH
Port 2716 ft/.51 mile T3=TBD
Grove 2792 ft/.53 mile T3=135MPH
Selinsgrove 2847 ft/.54 mile T1=136MPH
"I didn't move to PA from El Paso in search of better 
weather." Van May

easy the same way you police CDL drivers who live in those states. You wanna race do it drug free. You wanna be high you won't race or find a ride. 

I don't aim to please.
I aim to hit the target.

Oh really? Name one NBA player who led cops on a multi-state high speed chase

Australia already does it on a weekly basis. It's not big of a deal and is cheap. A lot cheaper than a lawsuit when someone does damage under the influence of drugs

Testing 3 drivers per night you would not test all the drivers at Knoxville in 1 season. You may end up testing all but the 1 that is using! And if a driver should test positive he will get a lawyer and the track/sanction will have to prove his sample was not contaminated or mixed up with anouther between the track and the lab. More expense for the track/sanction. 

I can give you a clean sample then turn and go into my truck/trailer and snort a line of coke. So with your testing you still have a guy racing who is high!!

But the biggest problem is .... unless you can get the test results BEFORE the races start the guy who's sample is positive for drugs will race that night and may cause the fatality we all dread! Bang, anouther big lawsuit! The biggest effect of drug testing sprint car racers will be to make some lawyers a lot of money.

How are you going to test all the entries for the Knoville Nationals in time to get the results back before they race?

Lot and lots of problems trying to do this. The NFL has a lot of problems and has had lawsuits over their testing and they are a much more confined group with signed contracts and personal conduct policies in place. Nascar only has a certain number of drivers to contend with. With out a national policy enforced equaly at all tracks this would just be a huge can of worms. And the WoO has not shown a desire to lead and make decisions or policy so who will put the effort together nationaly!

The threat of the random test deters the participants from using.  You don't have to test all of them but the threat that it could be done will deter most (probably not all) from using.  You test before, during, and after the night of racing.  The unpredictability of he test keeps the deterrent effective all night long.  There are ways around every rule/policy but having no policy make drug use in auto racing to easy.

www.ibracn.com
#PaulsToTheWall
GO SAMMY!