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

Drug testing Part 6: According to attorney, racetracks would be within their rights to test Sprint Car personnel

Tony isnt going to jail.

Enough with the drug testing bullshit.

In a moment of irony...Tony could become the first track owner to require drug testing...the new infield care center surely has a urinal.

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

It's just a matter of time until the insurance carriers that cover racing facilities mandate drug and alcohol testing as part of their requirements to provide coverage to the tracks.

The only ones that have a problem pissing in a jar, are the ones who have something to hide.
Sorry,  Thats my take,

You gotta take a piss test to get a janitor job anymore  Nevermind folks in 150mph race cars.

Completely on the money.

The testing is legalized racketeering.  If you don’t pay the testing companies they and their minions will force you out of business in the name of safety. 

It appears the author for the articles has an ulterior motivation.  The minions pushing the testing don’t understand how the testing works and don’t appear to have read the articles.  All they know is how to repeat the standard propaganda.

Tax evasion is a crime.  Maybe IRS investigators should be at all races observing purchases and racer’s inventory.  If you are not cheating on taxes you shouldn’t worry about an audit.  We need to keep tax evaders away from the fans in the name of safety and security.  What if a child looks up to a tax evader?  IRS audits are for the children.  If you don't want all racers audited you hate children.

I might agree with you if there was actually a problem with drivers being under the influence, I mean what evidence would the insurance companies base their mandatory testing on? Other that Tyler Walker ( who was not on a track)and Kevin Ward jr. Where is the list of drivers who have been caught or even suspected of racing under the influence? Why are we trying to fix a problem that does not exist?

Oh where are you BIG BROTHER. Can you shake it for me 3 times why I screw the lid on the bottle. Then tell me what to or not to do next. Enough already.

We need more sprint car racing at our home track.

just imagine a driver enters the pits hot or hits someone in the infileld  and severely injures them, and the cops come in and make the driver immediatly get a drug test (like in stewarts case) and the driver tests positive. 

the resulting  lawsuits could bankrupt the driver, carowner , and the facility all for NOT testing

If you need testing corporations and insurance corporations to keep your life in line, you volunteer to test.  If you need police to oversee racing, you need to buy a track.  Just imagine not turning short track racing into a police state. Time for you to overcome your Stockholm syndrome.

I have no agenda with the series. It's an issue that I researched and wrote about. I'm not getting paid by a testing facility or anyone else other than PennLive and The Harrisburg Patriot-News. In fact, my opinion didn't appear in any story until the last one.

To think that it (drug use) doesn't go on is naive. I guess racing, Sprint Car racing specifically, is the only sport in the world where there are no drugs. That it is totally clean.

The tax evation analogy is a little weird to me. Not sure how tax evasion ever caused an accident, injured anyone. But, Okay. Plain and simple, drug testing doesn't mean you have a police state. Or Big Brother, or anything else. The NFL isn't a police state. Guys that get caught for drugs through the testing process don't go to jail. They get suspended. It's not turned over to the authorities (Josh Gordon is a perfect example).

Again, I appreciate your thoughts, but I need to reiterate that I don't have an agenda. I was simply doing research on a subject that has come up over the last couple years or so.

So wait a minute, what your saying is this whole testing debate you stirred up is all in the name of preventing accidents and injury to people? Shit man you better get your pen handy and start the next series about testosterone. There is a real need to regulate and test for it. I can guarantee that on any given weekend during race season drivers are intentionally wrecked and injured all due to some meat head asshole with anger issues using his car as a weapon. The same type of jackwad who goes home and beats on his wife and kids. This DOES happen and is actually of bigger concern to me than the off chance some peaceful pothead smoked a joint last night. How many Swindell type stories do we have to retell about him losing his shit and going after another racer before you see the real scourge in motorsports? Drivers with anger issues are a real and constant threat to life and limb yet we haven't seen a multipart series on that serious issue. Let face it we ALL have stories we can tell about some out of control asshole in a racecar intentionally wrecking someone. My advice is for you to sit on the porch and light up a big hooter then rethink this whole do gooder save them from themselves mission you're on.  Hell drink a fifth of whiskey too for all I care but just give this drug testing bullshit a rest.

Cheers!

actually since nfl changed its threshold for the plant, he would not have failed with the new guidlines.  there will be a time in the not so distant future that sports wont be testing for plants.  only drugs. I know you can't comprehend this fact but it will happnen.  the box is already open and it isn't getting closed ever again.  you can take that to the bank.  and all those professional teams have a unions, lawyers and collective barganing.  certain things they have to fail more than once before its even known outside of himself and the testing company.  as of right now your comparing apples to oranges.  and they have to mess up numerouse times before the suspensions even get serious.  you can't mandate your opinions on every racer, fan, car owner, and small dirt track in the country.  Probly ought to stay out of their business and let them handle it themsleves.

Much ado about nothing. Has the author ever walked through the pit area of a sprint car race? It's not a rock a concert and there aren't many places to hide. I highly doubt this is an issue. Now do some drivers and crew members partake in drug use in their free time? Percentages tells us yes most likely since what, (about 40%) of the population partake at least occasionally. I don't think it's a problem in the pita area though. That's probably one of the most sober places in America. Now walk through the parking lot and it may be another story. LOL

A

That's a great idea.  A few years ago I was in the infield taking photos and a B Mod driver got spun into the infield.  He was PO'd that he got forced off the track and high on testosterone so he went into a series of 360's with so much dust flying that we couldn't see the car.  All of a sudden out of this cloud of dust flys a big rock about 4" across and hits me square in my right shin.  I hobbled around for the rest of the night and could barely walk by the next morning.  The tenderness where it hit me lasted for about six months.  If they had administered testosterone testing perhaps I wouldn't have had to endure all that discomfort. 

On a serious note if that rock had gotten a bit more altitude and hit me in the head I might not be laughing about it.  I've seen that play out many times at the races and as someone who spends a lot of time in the pits and infield those fits of anger are one of my pet peeves.  I've seen drivers come off the track hot into the pits and knowing the individuals involved I am confident drugs were not a factor.  Actually looking back in the Ward incident in spite of the positive test I still attribute what happened more to testosterone and youthful bravado than the previous week's weed.

I'm not a Sprint Car driver so I don't have a stake in this discussion from that standpoint but I have never seen any evidence of drug use in the pits.  Yeah, I've smelled funny smells in the campground after some of the big events but I just went about my business.  Fact is that one of our local tracks had a problem with drunks taking their pickups out on the track at 4am.  In one incident some drunk was tearing around in the campground in the middle of the night and damn near ran over a tent full of little kids. 

Maybe drugs are a problem some places but four wheelers, testosterone, beer, whiskey and jello shots have been the biggest threats I am aware of.

Stan Meissner

Jeremy, I dont think anyone is trying to say that drug use does not go on in Sprintcar racing, what we are trying to say is what evidence do you have that drivers are on the track under the influence putting other drivers at risk?  If a driver was impaired and managed to sneak it past his crew and all the other folks in the pit, wouldnt you be able to tell by his inabilty to drive the car? I would think that if they were high or drunk it would be apparent right away when they couldnt control the car, is that a fair statement?  It takes super human focus and concentration and split second decision making to drive one of these beasts, how could anyone possibly do it under the influence? Or are you saying that these drivers are so good that they can get high and still drive? Bottom line there is no evidence that this is an issue and your basing your need to test on " it must be happening because it happens in every other sport" thats a pretty weak basis for testing isnt it?  I like most everything you write, but this 6 part propaganda piece isnt worth the paper you printed it on. I dont think you have an agenda but you are pretty transparent in the fact that you are pro testing, and I would really like to know why. Why do you think this is such an important topic that it needed all this coverage. I wonder if you would have written this had poor Kevin ward Jr not had the demon weed in his blood stream at the time of his demise, because that is the only on track drug incedent in recorded Sprint car history, and oddly enough the drugs had nothing to do with his death. Please help me understand why this topic needed this coverage now.

PS, should clarify that the funny smells were coming from fan's campsites.

Stan Meissner

Henry makes a valid point here... Throw in adderall or any of the dozens of other drugs designed to create super humans.  Increased focus and mental alertness with many and increased stamina with other types of "legal" drugs.  Would any of us be pissed if we found out someone won The Knoxville Nationals while under the influence of performing enhancing drugs?  If we are really trying to make this argument in the name of safety, I would encourage each of us to spend a little time researching our medicine cabinets.  A very real danger is the damage and side effects from the drugs the pharmaceutical industry sells us everyday, especially when you compare it to weed.  A vast majority of legal drugs list "death" as one of the possible side effects.  Think about that one for a little bit.

It doesn't seem like this topic is generated from anything other than to give some shock value for the writer and his editors.  If this was a true investigative story worth 6 installments, someone should have asked the question about PED's.  Take a look around... the NFL and other sports have actually RAISED THE POSITIVE TEST THRESHOLD for marijuana (meaning you can have more in your system and pass the test).  The reason for this is that even the stodgy, old and corporate NFL is facing the facts that cannabis is one of the worlds greatest healers and has proven effective in helping with people with a broad array of diagnosis'.

If we really want to go down this testing road, then we have to do it all the way.  Prescribed, unprescribed, legal or illegal - it all would have to be included.  Imagine your favorite driver having a cold... popping some cold meds to get ready for that weekends race.  Guess what?  They test him that week and he is busted as a violator of the policy.  Pure comedic drama ensues.

Regardless of our backgrounds and beliefs, I have nothing but respect for all of us as fans of strint car racing.

part 6? why do you have a hard on to give sprint car racing a bad name? is this the only way you can get hits on your articles? click bait, opinion based b.s is all it is

where does this stop? just the drivers? what about the rig drivers? how about the guys who drive the mule or 4 wheelers? what about the push truck drivers? flag men? rescue personel? all have a part to play in the safety of drivers and fans...

better question, what is more of a safety hazard, a driver/crew member who smokes some dope or a metal bridge that covers the track and is only a few feet off the racing surface?