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

 Sorry but yes your right to privacy does apply until you get arrested or someone has probable cause to investigate you for a illegal activity. Correct me if Im wrong, I dont know of any driver who has arrested for driving under the influence in a race car? Pot does stay in your system for up to 30 days, thats not crap, thats a scientific fact sir, so yes it is possible to be sober but also test positive for pot, fact.

BRR comparing drug testing to run down race tracks is stupid at best, but then again you said it. What should we do to a sober crew member who forgets to tighten a wheel cover? This is not a matter of waiting for someone to die until we start drug testing, Dirt track racing is 70+ years old and I cant recall one arrest for a driver under the influence of drugs, but you think we should just start testing these men and woman in the name of saftey because someone MIGHT be under the influance, thats not a good enough reason to infringe on a persons right to privacy. Again, if somone is clearly impaired of course they should not be allowed to race that night, but a guy who drank some beers and smoked a joint wed. night at the shop should not have to worry about being tested on a Sat. night when he is stone cold sober ready to race.

Everyone says that we need to test to keep racing safe. Again, name me a driver who has been hurt or killed because another driver was under the influance of drugs. This has very little to do with saftey and more to do with peoples own agendas toward drug use in general.  I know its hard to believe but it is possible to use certain illicit drugs on a recreational basis and not have it destroy your life or your ability to work and be a productive part of society, but then again your the same folks that believe everything your TV tells you.  This is a Non issue that some folks are going out of their way to make into an issue. Like i said before, be careful what you wish for.

It does have its challenges...racing can have whatever standard they set up.  We split sample every one of our tests and seal up the bottles then send them via FedEx to Tennessee for testing.  The governoring body (WoO, Knoxville, All-Stars) set the standards (I know it would be an act of God for all of the groups to agree on one standard but one can dream) and enforce them.  I do think that without one organization that controls all of sprint car racing (like NASCAR controls all facets of their organization) it would make it harder to have a set standard across the board of sprint car racing....but could be done.

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Who said its ok to race under the influence? Certainly not me.  I would like to believe that anyone getting behind the wheel of a 700 to 900 hp monster would be smart enough to not be under the influence.  As for the outdated venues, when the racers and fans stop showing up the venues will fix up YOUR saftey concerns.  Its funny that the people who are worried about drugs and outdated venues are everyone but the drivers themselves, hmmmm. 

I wasnt really worried about the bad light on our sport, I was thinking about a dead teenage boy and his family and everyone else who was hurt in the ordeal, sorry I didnt give much thought to the bad light or sponsors, but hey Im glad thats what your concerned about.

A saliva test would only test positve if they have taken drugs in the last 24 hours. It really is the way to go to without an invasion of privacy!

Really? what time did Kevin Ward smoke? If he was under the influence of pot at that race then I dont blame him for being high because he was doing a masterful job of driving and giving Tony Stewart everything he could handle. Can you imagine how good he would have done had he not been impaired on the demon weed.

A non issue huh?? Every news headline in the US reading Ward had pot in his system ( enough to impair judgement ) isnt a big enough issue for you? The whole sport being painted in a bad color on national TV wasnt a big enough issue?

Its my Saliva, its my mouth, its my privacy. If i have done nothing to make someone believe that Im under the influence and you want to test my spit you are invading my privacy. go test a cop or a politician, Im more worried about those guys being under the influence while making decisions that effect me and my family, leave the sprint car drivers alone.

So freaking what if he had Pot in his system, big deal.  The NFL MLB and every other sport have survived drug headlines, Im pretty sure everyone except for you forgot about that shocking headline. Kevin Ward died of stupidity not marijuana, if you truley believe the same thing wouldnt have happened if Kevin did not have marijauna is his system you are truly living in a vacuum. Why do you think it was never brought up again. It would be the first time in recorded history that marijuana made someone agressive to the point of putting themselves in harms way, thats what alcohol does. Your TV should have taught you that everyone who smokes pot is a lazy lethargic passive slacker. If Kevin was so High he would have stayed in his car and ordered a snack and took a nap not attacked a moving sprint car.

You just don't get it.  If you choose to be in an industry that DOES test, then you have to give up that privacy.  If you don't like it, go race, drive, play somewhere that does not care enough about safety.  Truck drivers know that they will get tested.  Either randomly or after ANY accident.  If they don't want to be tested, they cannot drive a truck unless it is at some law breaking workplace that somehow skirts around testing.  I have seen that done and I was not there long, because I WAS worried about the other guys.  I have some integrity.

I have not read one good reason to drug test Sprint car drivers in this thread. Could someone please point out what the pro's of testing drivers would be. I'll list the cons

1. cost

2. privacy

3. the constitution

4. wasted time

5. create criminals out of otherwise law abiding positive members of society

6. setting a precedent for other hobbies/recreational activities to be forced into drug testing

Oh I get it, your comparing driving a truck for a living to racing a sprint car, which is silly. Hundreds to thousands of truck drivers have been involved in crashes while under the influence, the trucking companies dont drug test because they give a shit about public saftey, they do it for insurance savings because an impaired driver is more likley to be in a wreck which ultimatley costs the trucking company hundreds of thousands of dollars. Using saftey as a platform for drug testing is much easier for the public to swallow than, we are trying to save money. If it didnt save the trucking companies millions they woudnt test just so they had safe sober drivers on the road, if you believe otherwise then we have nothig else to talk about because you are in denial.

Drug testing only takes money out of racing and puts in the hands of the testing and rehab companies.  The tests are easily beaten and only show past use.  The war on drugs has killed millions and only serves to keep prices high for the dealers benefit.  Keep drug testing out of racing.  Racers will take care of the situation on their own.  Someone on Xanax, phenobarbitol and oxycotin will pass the test as long as they have prescriptions.  Are they safer than a driver that smoked pot 45 days ago and will fail the test?

Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.  Ben Franklin.

Spineless whimps support testing.  They want a corporation to save them from evil drivers the inject and snort the pots.  Do a little research, rather than repeating propaganda.  No understanding of federal cut off levels or what they mean.

So, you contradict yourself then?  People were hurt because he chose to be under the influence. Pot effects in different ways, they never said it was traces from months prior, they said it was enough to impair judgement 

The federal cut off level for marijuana impairment is very low and based on NO research.  ONDCP just assigned a number.  I still have not seen what Ward's levels were.  15ng/mL is small and dilute.  The same test screens water based and lipid based substances.  Two very different chemicals that effect people differently and have different half-lifes.

The prosecutor demonized the evil pots, but did not mention any prescription medications.  You're making uninformed statements based on distortion of facts.

If a car goes through a poorly maintained fence will the track owner have the pee in the cup?  If a part fails and causes a wreck should the supplier and designer be tested?  If the track conditions a poor should the track cres be tested?

What r u talking about? I'm not sure it's worth saying this because I don't think your smart enough to understand. It could have been the day before, I don't care if it was 4 hours before the race, Marijuana did not make this young man attack a moving sprintcar, Marijuana had nothing to do with that incedent, of course you believe your TV because it told you he was impaired, how did he race a sprintcar if he was impaired? He was fighting for position with one of the best that ever drove a race car, but you believe that he was so impaired that it caused him to try to jump on a moving sprint car. If he was that fucked up, how could he possibly do somthing that takes super human balls and focus like driving a fire breathing sprint car, Go ask your TV if it can answer that.

Are you in favor of drug testing in Sprint Car racing? Why/Why not? Yes - ultimately the driver isn't the only one at risk here, someone with a drug problem could endanger other workers and fans. 

Do you think there is a need for it in Sprint Car racing? Meaning, do you think there is a problem? Does it matter if there is a problem.  Even if it is a few isolated incidents, than why should those not using care.

What do you think the penalty should be for someone that comes back with a positive test? Maybe something along the lines of baseball.  1st offense, 2nd offense sort of thing.  Although I do support the legalization of marijuana and dont want to impose on what someone does in their private life, the racetrack does not count as your private life as your are representing the sport and sponsors as a spokesperson while at the racetrack.

+1

I know....Personally I really don't care either way about testing. There are drug users in every walk of life and every occupation and testing won't change that. Would it make the sport safer? I doubt it....I look at it from all angles and just try to clear some of the inaccuracies I've seen on this thread. I've worked in aviation for well over 20 years and I've been pissing in a cup, giving saliva and even an inpromptu "hair cut" over the years, so I am just providing clarification as I know it as a former Union Steward where I had to represent workers who failed random drug and alcohol tests and as a manager who has had to have the tests administered randomly or after a workplace injury. 

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