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CHARLOTTE -- NASCAR on Tuesday moved Jeremy Mayfield's challenge of his indefinite suspension to federal court, a move that could keep the driver out of his car another week.

The notification came a day before a North Carolina Superior Court was scheduled to hear arguments pertaining to Mayfield's suspension for failing a random drug test. NASCAR's action automatically stayed that proceeding.

Mayfield had hoped a judge would reinstate him in time to compete this weekend at Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania. His attorneys will now have to either fight the suspension in federal court, or petition the case be moved back to the state level.

No date was set for a hearing in federal court, but NASCAR believes that's the correct venue to argue the case.

"Administration of NASCAR's substance abuse policy extends to every state in which it races, which is why the logical forum is federal court," NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said.

Mayfield was suspended May 9 for failing a random drug test conducted eight days earlier at Richmond International Raceway. His suspension applies to both his role as driver and owner of the No. 41 Toyota for Mayfield Motorsports.

J.J. Yeley has driven the car since Mayfield's suspension, but Mayfield did not send his team to last weekend's race in Dover, Del. Instead, his attorneys went to court Friday, arguing the suspension should be lifted because NASCAR did not follow its drug-testing policies and left Mayfield with no way to prove his innocence.

North Carolina Superior Court Judge Forrest Bridges did not immediately rule on Mayfield's challenge last week because his absence from Dover removed any sense of urgency.

NASCAR has not revealed what substance Mayfield tested positive for, but his attorneys said in court he tested positive for amphetamines.

Bridges told both sides not to discuss Mayfield's test results.

Mayfield's attorneys argued in court last week that his positive test result stemmed from the combined use of Adderall for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Claritin-D for allergies.

But NASCAR attorney Paul Hendrick said in court that three drugs were found in Mayfield's system, and the Adderall and Claritin-D were accounted for in the results. He described the third as a "dangerous, illegal, banned" substance, but did not name it.

No toxicology reports were submitted by either Mayfield or NASCAR, and the gag order has prevented further elaboration on Hendrick's claim.

LONG'S SUSPENSION UPHELD: NASCAR driver Carl Long says he lost his appeal of a 12-race suspension and penalty. The National Stock Car Racing Commission denied Long's appeal without explanation at a hearing, the driver told The Associated Press.

"I'm truly disappointed in NASCAR," Long said. "The sport I love and grew a part of has really given me a sour taste in my mouth."

Long was penalized for having an illegal engine at Lowe's Motor Speedway last month. The 12-race suspension, 200-point penalty and $200,000 fine -- all stemming from a non-points event -- are NASCAR records.

The commission isolated Long's suspension to the Sprint Cup Series, Long said, meaning he can find work in one of the sanctioning body's lower levels. The problem with that, though, is Long's full-time job is working with the Front Row Motorsports No. 34 Chevrolet in the Cup series.

Long said team owner Bob Jenkins was working on a solution.