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

I don't see anywhere in that article that says the drug report nullified the the case. Piss poor reading comprehension there BRR . :)

 Oh , by the way Gators.....interview Tyler Walker about drug testing. See what he thinks. I hear he is in the news again today too.

There is a reason I chose certain guys for this project. Plus, I talk to these guys enough off the record that they would tell me if they weren't in favor of it. You have to remember, Schatz, Lasoski, Madsen — they have all been tested, so it doesn't bother them. There has been many things that I have been told on the side that I haven't used. 

     How would everybody's views change, if marijuana use was not included on the no-no list?

here is the deal, you shouldn't be impaired on anything when driving, officiating, or operating anything at a track or on the road. I wouldnt put anyone in my car if i thought they are under the influence of anything.  but something someone did 2 thursdays ago doesn't constitute impairment today.  some of the harshest drugs are out of your system the fastest.   At a lot of 2 day shows there are some that like to tie on a damn good one.   the next day hung over smelling like booze. that aint safe either.  your not gonna tell me they are at their best feeling like shit.  Personally i have taken enought tests at work i don't feel the need to take one to field a car and work on it and i damn sure aint paying for it.  I have seen a guy test positive and was cleared by a blood draw but it took three days for the lab results to come back and by then he had been through the rumor mill in the workplace and around town. wasnt all that good for his wife and kids at school.  I just don't like the idea of not having a scientific test offered right away.  Its guilt till the proof of innocence.  I used to think it was all great too until I witnessed that about 6 yrs ago and i realized it aint worth giving up ur right to privacy to keep the money ball rolling for insurance companies, gov. and big pharma.  I sold out cuz i got 3 mouths to feed. I havent heard one answer on 1. who is going to pay for it  2. is there a clinic on hand for everytrack for the testee to go to right away  3. who is going to pay for the gas,purse,points if the testee is clean after a false positive 4. is the person administering the test a professional or just some joe who assumes the duties that particular evening.  you keep letting insurance companies, gov, etc.... get more involved local racing will take a hit.  There is a reason business packed up and left this country.  all the laws, rules, taxes, regulations, etc... has ruined the ability to produce. They aren't protecting you or making you safer they are squeezing you for that last little bit you got left they didnt get in one of your other pockets. gps, cameras watching you in your truck, logging what you did every hour, making the wrong statement can get your fired,  looking at your junk while you piss. All while we are being told to like it. sad thing is most do. we have become a society of sheep giving away our rights and labor.   "he who knows not he is a slave cannot be freed. 

Well stated.

Thank you for proving my point, you have no clue, that article clearly says it was thrown out because they didn't have enough evidence to convict Tony Stewart, then bashes a dead kid for Marijuana use. BRR or Jackhammer (that's the screen name you switch to when you get your panties in a wad) no wonder you your wrong all the time, you can't comprehend what you read or hear, LOL, nice try, now be a man and admit you were wrong about why the Stewart case was thrown out, oops, nevermind your not a man.

+1

If you knew Tyler Walker was under the influence why didn't you do something about it? Shame on you letting drivers be put in harms way and standing by and doing and doing nothing.

First time poster, many years reader of this forum. And Yes my Name is Sid Walters , I'm from Mechanicsburg, PA and attend Williamsgrove weekly.

Never before has a thread ever tempted me to join in on bickering....until this thread.

Just an observation: Staggerlee, chance2195 and Henry Chinski

Regardless of which side of the fence you are on in this discussion how do you expect anyone to take your views seriously when in almost every reply you 3 beyond any shadow of a doubt are losing your cool and continually feel the need for adolescent name calling to anyone that does not agree with your post?

If you guys truly are for not testing and are pro-drugs, a more calm and professional reply and discussion would help your case more than you realize. By making the comments and replies and name calling all you are doing is reinforcing the view of what drug use will do. Whether it does or not, it is fuel for the anti- drug camp.

I believe that any entry level drug can be the gateway to harder drugs. Ask any drug counselor and they will tell you that research has proven that the vast majority of the clients started with pot.  

I am a small business owner ( manufacturing )with 22 employess. I random drug test at my business including myself ( twice this year ) so that my employees at least see i'm in it with them. I don't care what they do on their time, I do care how they come prepared to work. Lunch is from 12;00-1:00 at my business. They are not paid for that hour so technically that is their time. But if they do drugs on their lunch break,  they come back to work affected on my time. Is there a perfect solution for this problem.... NO, but it's the best we have now so we have to work with it until the system is improved. If you think there are no people out there doing drugs on "their" lunch break then you will never get it.

About a year ago I believe, 60 Minutes did an undercover story and had on video tape I believe 4 employees of Chrysler Corp. smoking pot and drinking on their break and then heading back to work. When confronted they scattered like rats. Why hide ? It was  "their time" correct ? Do you guys really feel that was ok ? 

anyway.... a more civil adult discussion will better your case for not drug testing.... food for thought

Sid   

great post!

Same thing was happening at the Maytag factory in Newton, IA for years and years that was happening at Chrysler.

I do have a couple questions for you (since you are a small business owner). 

Did your insurance company force you into having drug testing? 

If insurance didn't ask you to do it, why do you?

Have you had to fire anyone because they failed a drug test?  and if so, did they end up getting help and their life back on track or did they continue down that path and ruin their life (or others life) -- being a small business owner, even 1 person is 5% of your workforce, so I'm guessing they are more like family then employees to you.

I have one screen name...been the same since I signed up when it started, so keep hammering away at your own image, you are pretty much out of control on every thread you post, like the other fellas said above.

Jeremy and the race radio shows began discussing drugs a year ago ( walker) and then again this year (ward) And asked several drivers on air for their thoughts. This issue is NOT be pressed by fans...it is a fact in every driving occupation and fact in every major sport. even some hobby sports test these days...hIgh schools in more division each year it seems.

Even promoter Alan Keritezer was invited on Jeremys radio show that focused precisely on the drug / toxicology that the case brought to light.

Drug test had not been on the radar in week prior to that...oamd only mentioned from time to time in reference to Tyler Walkers court appearances.

proving again...fiddling around with drugs is all fun and games until you find your sorry ass in court.

TS lawyers had all the ammunition they needed to get that case thrown out sitting right there in the toxicology report, maybe that is who you are referring too as bashing a dead teenage MJ user?...and perhaps that is why those same lawyers say civil suit will fail.

Sometime in August...I received a call after the sheriff mentioned toxicology at the press conference and the caller speculated the case will be thrown out on the blood work alone. I thought no way...no way can they blame the guy who got run over for the incident...then it happened and IMO the family was victimized yet again...maybe they knew the kid was doing stuff...maybe not. Parents can't be everywhere at once.

I have never been a TS fan, and supported the Ward family position thru the process...matter of fact Bent Tenter who posted above jumped in on those threads and bashed me on here for taking an anti TS position...as though the betterment of racing was hinging on the public image of TS.

Believe what you want, every article I read on the grand jury proceeding at the time mentioned drugs in the same paragraph or same sentence as "no charges".

I just read the toxicology report of the kid that was shot in Ferguson...it was on the NYT web page...entered into evidence and reviewed by the grand jury. it was evidence to MBs state of mind at the time of the incident and alol put in front of the grand jury.

wait...you must have spaced out on the very simple question I asked you...can you name ONE driver who would not enter a WoO event if a testing policy was put in place?

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

Vande77,

I have State Farm as our business and workers compensation insurer.  We have been with them for probably 8 years or so. Never have they requested or even suggested that I need to drug test for better rates or as a requirement to obtain coverage. Not sure where that myth started .

I choose to drug test on my own for 2 reasons A. I don't do drugs, never have and choose not to be around it. And B. On advice from my business Attorney. 

Our insurer has no exposure or liability if an employee would show up high, make a mistake and injure himself or other employees. Insurance covers an accident, act of God (tornado, hail etc) equipment malfunction and such. Immediately after an accident the insurer would request the drug test if they feel the accident was an employee mistake and not equipment failure. If the employee failed the test the insurer would have grounds to deny any claim on the basis that it wasn't an accident. The employee knowingly and willing chose to do drugs hence it will be denied. They would advise me or anyone else to pursue legal action against the employee. 

Now here is where B kicks in : lets say the same scenario except another employee was injured also. That employee would hire an attorney who would then sue the business for failure to maintain a safe workplace / workforce for his client and would win if we did not drug test and turned a blind eye. As a business owner I have a legal duty to maintain a safe work environment within known and accepted practices. By drug testing I have met that burden.

When the injured employee gets hurt he has a few options. Sue the employee that caused his injuries or sue the business for failure to maintain a safe work place. The first advice he will get from his attorney is sue the business. 1. Because the employee probably has minimal assests at best and 2. The business maybe willing to settle to avoid attorney costs and bad PR and 3. Who's got deeper pockets ?

I have had to let 3 employees go for failed tests. All 3 failed within 6 months of their start date. Coincidence? I think not. After being hired and taking their initial drug test they probably felt they were home free or plain and simple just didn't have the nerve or will power to just say NO. I have employees that range from a couple years to almost 20 years tenure that have never failed and never complain when their name is drawn.  I'll interpret that as they to enjoy a safe , drug free work environment.  And for the record if an employee fails the pee test they are summoned back for a blood test or hair folicale sample, their choice. All 3 failed again. 

I have no idea what become of them as their short time employed by me there was no time to build a meaningful relationship. The employees that are with me are like family, I know their wife and children by name. I regularly ask how things are going for them and is there anything I can do to help if someone is in need of help. I ask how the kids are doing at school, in their sports etc. Not as a courtesy,  but because I appreciate their hard work and care about them

Sid

Most if not all drug abusers have read the bible and aattended religious ceremonies.  Using your logic religion is a gateway to drug abuse.

I'm being a smart ass Sid.  Our company has spent over $500000.00 since 2000 on the DFWP.  16 positive tests.  One person made it through the reinstatement process.  That's a lot of money.  The reinstatement cost the employee $30000.00.  That's a lot of money.  The point is the money not the safety.  I work in heavy highway construction.  BWC is hard on us.  They are hard on the injured.  The 10% discount is always offset by rate increases even without lost time injuries.  You can't be blind or immune to that.  Insurance is not the friend of the employer or employee.  I don't like sending employees or going myself.  Even the three owners are forced to go and they hate it too.

sid you seem like a straight shooter and sound like a good guy to work for.  to have only 3 guys show up on the clock impaired or hung over or have dui related problems in 20+ years is a good track record.  I have worked construction and factory work in the past.  So you must be a good judge in character when hiring.  An employee should respect the time he is on the clock as the empoyer should respect the employees time off it.  But I have yet to hear any ideas how the whole process would be handled.  grass roots racing is one of the few things left that isn't dictated by the gov or state.  if they had testing in the 70's and 80's most would be telling their kids back in the day there was a race car called a sprint car....There is a lot of serious details that would need to be hammered out amongst tracks, series, car owners. Its not just as easy as saying we will have drug testing and thats it.  Like i said earlier i would never put someone in a car impaired or would want them out there with someone impaired.  but i don't give a shit what they do on their time.  thats a mutual respect a driver/owner, employee/employer should have anyways.  either way its good debate, never know may change a mind one way or another.  good luck to you on your business ventures

What you refuse to realize is that some of the peope you fired may have smoked a joint 3 weeks ago & be perfectly safe & efficient at work. Some other guy mat come i with hangovers all the time & pass drug test with flying colors

Half the lies they tell about me aren't true. 

Sorry if I get frustrated and upset when trying to make a point with close minded people. Case and point, BRR quotes an article that clearly states the charges were dropped because there was not enough evidence to convict TS and yet he us still trying to twist and spin it so it supports his point, utterly rediculous. Sounds like only 3 people are against testing sprintcar drivers, so have at it. Cmon America let's drug test our way to saftey!!!!! Hopefully they can start testing in 2015 so I can feel safe again when attending a race, thanks for looking out for me and the drivers at my local track, I'm gonna check and see if I can get alcohol banned from the track for even more saftey, and no tailgating before the race in the parking lot, could be a saftey issue. If that sounded sarcastic and like I'm losing my cool, you are correct.

Oh, that's right, he was full of the demon weed and didn't know any better and just stumbled into the path of a moving sprintcar, my bad.