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

I was told last night that Australia requires drug testing for all sports and is administered via the "Australian Sports Drugs Agency (ASDA)".

so I would venture a guess that stoners have nothing worry about here as long as Sprint Car Racing is viewed as a dangerous hobby and not a real sport...unless of course something tragic occurs and the insurance companies get the sh!ts on with the litigation that results from carry over teeenage habits.

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

You have officially crossed the line into crazed fanatic.   The amount of people saved by DUI laws are staggering.   The amount of people killed even with the DUI laws are even more staggering.   To say that DUI laws are a form of intrusion only proves that you are out of touch with the rest of country.

while we are talking hypotheticals we might as well test promotors, flagmen, cornerworkers, pushtrucks and random fans on there way out the gate. what if the flagman makes a poor call which causes an accident which leads to a part coming off and hurts a driver or fan? what if the push truck driver backs in to a car or dont get lined up correctly and breaks a part on the car which costs the car owner money or ruptures the fuel cell and he burns up?  what if the corner worker is daydreaming and throw the yellow a few seconds late which causes an accident?  what if the guy running the wrecker picks up a car in a spot that breaks an expensive part or the cable breaks pulling it through the pits and the car rolls and hits someone?  what if a fan was served to many beers and kills a family on the way home?  maybe the engine builder drank a few when it was being assembled and neglected something and it blows up and it causes an accident? maybe everyone who shows up should fill out a form of their whereabout and activities for the previous 30 days to make sure no alcohol or drugs of any kind were consumed.  maybe drivers and officials over 45 should have a documented physical on hand so the younger guys know they dont have a health problem that would lead to an accident that could hurt a driver or fan.  maybe anyone who has had a heart condition or anything similiar should be banned from strapping in. where does it start and where does it end?

You can not be serious in thinking that NO on track incident was the result of drug use....THEY DON'T TEST SO WE WILL NEVER KNOW...........

As a guy that has driven sprint cars I cant come up with a reason NOT to test people. 

Cost? These are sprint cars, there is always cost involved. Can you honestly tell me a guy who spends $6000 (scraping the bottom of the barrel) to put a motor together cant come up with a few extra bucks to make sure everyone is safe? also a guy that spends $50,000 on a nice new crisp affordable ASCS motor cant come up with a few extra bucks? Come on!

Privacy? You want to race sprint cars and do drugs? Pick one or the other... if you do both you should get outed and people should know. 

The constitution? The privately run organizations can make what ever rules they want. However maybe they should make seperate classes for guys that are ok with testing and guys that are not. It would be interesting to see who is in which class. 

Wasted time? Again, these are sprint cars... if you are going to put in the time to race sprint cars, put an extra couple minutes in to be safe. If you cant afford that time, no one is holding a gun to anyones head forcing them on the race track. Be safe or dont race. 

Create criminals out of otherwise law abiding citizens? Is that a serious excuse? If you dont want to get in trouble for something that is against the law (even if you think the law is not right) you have a few choices... 1. DONT DO IT! 2. Dont do it if the effect of what you are doing may endanger the lives of others, 3. Do it and if you get caught accept the fact something negative may happen to you. 

Setting precedences on other recreational activities? Kind of like, dont drink and drive motorcycles, dont smoke and ride your 4wheeler, dont snort cocaine and drive your sand rail car in the dunes, dont shoot heroin and do chores on your skidloader, dont smoke meth and drive your car the freeway... those all seem like no brainers of things that you shouldnt do.

If you strap in to a 950HP sprint car, or any race car you owe it to your competitiors, crew, other crews, and fans to prove that you yourself are clean and can accept the task of racing.  

just a bit of humor for everyones day also. If anyone could make this a link that would be great. 

http://youtu.be/QR465HoCWFQ

A+

StaggerLee,

So where do you work??  For the WoO, this is the drivers OCCUPATION, not a hobby.

Every business where I live does mandatory pre-screen drug testing (before you can get a job) and then does random drug tests for those already empoyed.

Plenty of innocent people that have done nothing wrong are subject to this EVERY DAY by their employer.

IF (and it's an IF) the WoO, All-Stars, Renegades, NSL, PA, Knoxville, etc. decide that they are going to drug test, it's their BUSINESS that is on the line if they don't and someone under the influence kills another driver, spectator, track worker, etc..  They will do what they HAVE TO in order to protect their business (and you'd do the same if you were in their shoes I'm sure).

Now, to answer the questions.

Am I in favor of drug testing?  Yes, if for no other reason than to make sure the media can't use the "they have no policies in place" when they report on a tragedy (because they don't report on anything else).  Unfortunately, it's a necesarry evil in today's litigious society as well (someday some first time spectator will get hurt and sue the track, sanctioning body and driver (and if driver was under the influence of drugs or alcohol, $hit will hit the fan.)

Do I think there is a need fo it?  No, I'd say 99% of the drivers are clean, but that 1% is all that it takes (1 bad apple can ruin the bunch).  Crew members on the other hand, I wouldn't be surprised if it's in the 60%+ range tht use regularly.

Penalty?  1st Offense - mandatory testing every race night for the next 6 months (driver pays for each test) following 2 week suspension from racing (all groups have to be on board for this to work to ensure they can't just go from a WoO race to a local race); 

2nd Offense - 2 month suspension from racing, mandatory testing for 12 months (driver pays for each test) following driver completing a drug/alcohol rehab program (must be approved by sanctioning body, but not dicated as to where you have to go); 

3rd offense - 1 year suspension from racing, mandatory testing for 24 months (driver pays for each test) following driving completing drug/alcohol rehab program (same approvals as 2nd offense)

4th offense -- 5 year suspension from racing, mandatory testing for 24 months (driver pays for each test) following driving completing drug/alcohol rehab program (same approvals as 2nd offense)

5th offense - lifetime ban (if they don't learn by the 2nd time, odds are they never will)

I highly doubt anything will happen within the next 2-3 years o this subject.

You jackwads who think people who smoke cannabis are nothing but burned out lazy stoners are so damn clueless. We are your friendly neighbors, lawyers, doctors, teachers, engineers, scientists, librarians, race car drivers, military veterans, construction workers, college students, etc, etc. Get with the times man. Anyone with even a half functioning brain knows that the prohibition of cannabis has been orchestrated not as a public safety mechanism but rather one to oppress peoples rights. Cannabis has long been proven safe, contrary to what the government endorsed and wholly falsified studies have stated. Why are you so hell bent on disinfranchising a large percentage of race car drivers who choose to relax after the races in a harmless way? I suppose they should just get drunk then beat their wife and kids instead so they can pass a stupid unnecessary drug test.

Cheers!

Hey Spicoli ( aka..Staggerlee ) & Stoner Buddy ( aka.. Henry Chinaski ) I think I just heard the home room bell ring for you 2 to get to class at Ridgemont High :) 

I don't want my lawyer or doctor doing anything that could impair judgement (because my LIFE may be in their hands).

Same goes for engineers and scientists (the people who DESIGN the vehicles we drive, and items we use) - they mess something up becaue they are under the infuence or their judgement is impaired, they could potentially kill someome because what they design while impaired has a flaw they may have caught (or not overlooked) had they been sober.

Construction workers, no different than an engineer, under the influence they can omit important safety features when they are building a building (or foget to hook them up (like water supply to emergency fire hoses) which COSTS us all $$$$ (especially on public projects).

Teachers - I don't want someone teaching my kid that thinks breaking the law is ok (which using is against the law where I live so far).

If my neighbors, librarian, or military veteran want to smoke dope (in their own home and not get behind the wheel of a car), that's fine because unless they go ape-$hit crazy and decide to shoot up the neighborhood, grocery store or my place of empoyment, odds are they won't affect me in any way.

Henry makes the most sense and this comes from a non-smoker, hell I have never even had a puff of a cigarette.  In my 65 years on this planet I have known many, many tokers and they are much more level headed for the most part than the drunks I kicked out of the bar I owned for almost a decade.  I grew up in the 60's so I am not totally innocent but I survived and I think sprint car racing will also, whether they test or not.  I also believe you will discover more racers smoke on a random basis then you thought but I doubt it's anything to worry about come raceday.....

Most of you are STILL forgetting the biggest, most glaring fact......IT IS ILLEGAL........Making a poor call is not illegal, a push truck 'accident' is not illegal unless the driver is intoxicated legally.  A daydreaming corner worker is not illegal, Drinking is not illegal unless you get behind the wheel.  You get the point.  Illicit drugs are illegal...Against the law.  I choose to be a truck driver, therefore I accept the testing that goes with it.  Someone said earlier, you have a choice, you can drive, or you can do drugs.  That does not seem to powerfully out of bounds to me.  ILLEGAL.......

testing in the workplace is nothing new...required for construction fields and ding ding ding...professional drivers (ever hear of CDL?)

Wait it a second...didn't a driver recently get pulled over with vertigo or whatever while in the motor home and not on the track?

taking what you do in your basement and dropping it into a 900hp race car is the issue that the drivers are concerned about...not armchair "civil liberties" experts who refuse to accept the drugs that are being discussed here are still ILLEGAL! 

you might not have been to my neighborhood yet, but my neighbors are not druggies...but my old hood was...ask Nelligan, I took him for an ice and he hit the automatic lock button!

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

so madog u are saying a pushtruck driver who has had a beer is not liable for his actions? or any other official making judgement call during a race?  i have seen guys drink beer in my time. safety goes a lot further than just the driver. i cant participate in drugs as my job like yours wont allow it. i am on the personal liberty end of the argument. just because u watch fox news and dont mind licking the government boot doesnt mean ur opinion or beliefs matter more than the next guys and niether do mine. my point is alcohol is just as dangerous as drugs or a plant that legal for medicinal purposes in 20 some odd states and legal recreational in 4 or 5 now. and i got news for u its not gonna be long before its legal everywhere. when the feds quit fighting it the rest of the states will fall in line because all of the programs fighting it will be defunded.  then what?  we have talked about rehab for a failed test? and the reprocussions? kidding me  lets say we test 2 officials 2 pit guys and 2 drivers from each class radomley each night  4 classes = 8 drivers  so we are looking at 12 tests at 30$   so we are at $360 a night minimum plus a professional who administers them  i doubt u get anyone taking them from some joe blow when a reputation is on the line.  now something needs to be in place when the test is challanged because it will be as those cheap tests have up to a 5% false positive rate.  now we are talking a 3rd party organization this needs to be sent off to.   u dont think there would be a lawsuit if someone flunks a test then has a blood draw sent in and it comes back clean? after everyone and their dog knows why his car didnt leave the pit? u would never regain your reputation back.  this is a hobby for 99% of the guys who race across the country ur making a mountain out of a molehill.  racing will be fine without it tommorow just like it was yesterday without it  

I'm a finance manager at a multi million dollar company, thanks for asking, I don't drink or do drugs. You sheeple have been brainwashed, DUI laws make our police departments and courts millions of dollars every year, thas why they have DUI laws. The same governing bodies that make it legal to drive to a bar, legal to drink at the bar, also mark your tire in the parking lot and pull you over for driving home from the bar and charge you 5k for driving under the influence. If they really want to make folks stop drinking and driving, make alcohol illegal to manufacture period then no one could drink at all. Oh that's right we already tried that in the 1920's with prohibition, FAIL. If you believe DUI laws are for your safety, your the one who's high and out of touch. Lives saved is the justification for making someone pay 5k for drinking and driving. I still believe in the American people, I believe that the vast majority of us learn from our mistakes and wont drink and drive, some people no amount of fines will stop them from drinking and driving. I also believe in the men,and woman who strap into a 950hp car, I believe they would no better then to drive those monsters high or drunk on anything. Im for personal responsibility, and if someone gets caught I think they should be punished to the fullear extent of the law. I simply do not believe forcing otherwise innocent drivers to be drug tested because someon might be dumb enough to be intoxicated while driving a sprintcar. I'm not convinced the perceived safety is worth infringing on a guys right to privacy. Pretty simple, if you dont agree fine, your welcome to let someone else police your life, your work, your hobby in the name of saftey. America the land of the free as long as you agree to random searches, drug testing, and whatever else the powers that be decide you need to do to comply with their version of freedom. I will stop now because aparently my wild, open minded take on this issue is to much for the close minded, sheeple  who need someone else to tell them how to live, and protect them from all the scary stuff in the big bad world. The day I'm worried about a sprintcar driver killing me at the track because he's under the influence, is the day I stop going to the races. Enjoy the races, and keep obeying your TV.

Prescription drugs are illegal????  Wow.  You know your stuff.  Your ideal society will ruin short track racing just like NASCAR has been ruined.  Are all driver criminals that can't be trusted?  Drug testing assumes you are guilty without cause. Why do all politicians refuse to take drug tests if they are so accurate and honest?

I am forced to test for my job.  I find it offensive.  I always pee on the floor and the toilet.  I refuse to let them search my body.  They can ask me, but they cannot force me.

You will probably be the first in line to turn your fire arms into the corporation too.  The Germans just announced they can grow spines from stem cells.  Maybe they can help you.

Good one douche bag, so I was right, you are a bit dim. We are having an adult discussion with big words onehunglow, go find a thread about ford vs Chevy that's more your speed.

What about alcohol still in your system from the night before, is that illegal? You do realize legal drugs like alcohol kill way more people than all illicit drugs combined. The demon killer weed that has accounted foe exactly no deaths......ever that's what we should worry about because it's Illegal and my TV says it's bad, they just never say what's so bad about it. It's legal to smoke a cigarette and get wasted drunk but dont you dare smoke a joint cuz it's baaaad!!!!! Hypocrisy at its finest, but it's ok because it's illegal.

+1

I would love to know how you get through life never breaking a law.  Some of the greatest teachers in history regularly use (d) weed.  You would fire a teacher for not paying sales tax on an internet purchase.  The law has been broken.

Maybe IQ testing is a better plan than drug testing.  A person of low intellect will make poor decisions no matter the state of mind.

Several drivers have had grabbers and crashed the car.  Should all drivers get an EKG before racing? 

There was a man with a final solution for society's problems.  All of his SS members signed oaths of sobriety.  It didn't work all that well.