news-record.com

SPORTS

NASCAR countersues against suspended Mayfield

Friday, June 5, 2009
(Updated 11:37 pm)

LONG POND, Pa. — NASCAR accused suspended driver Jeremy Mayfield of willfully violating its substance abuse policy in a court filing Friday and argued his failed drug test shouldn't be overturned.

In federal court papers, NASCAR accused Mayfield of breaching his contract and of defrauding NASCAR and its competitors of earnings.

"He competed in a number of races that, had we known that he'd been on the medication he was on, and certainly known there was in illegal substance involved, we wouldn't have allowed him to compete," NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said at Pocono Raceway. "In effect, he took money away from other potential competitors that could have gained those earnings."

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.

A message left with Mayfield attorney Bill Diehl was not immediately returned.

NASCAR had moved Mayfield's challenge of his indefinite suspension to federal court earlier this week, keeping the driver out of his car for another week.

On Friday, NASCAR's counterclaim said Mayfield's willful misconduct at the racetrack — by competing while an illegal substance was still in his system — is evidence that he presented a danger to himself and others.

Poston said no hearing date has been set.

NASCAR claims that more than $150,000 in prize money was improperly awarded to Mayfield and said he was in three accidents in the five Cup races he competed in this season while the drugs were in his system.

Mayfield won the prize money for two races in which he has admitted using drugs, and one where he tested positive for an illegal drug, NASCAR said.

NASCAR claimed it has suffered harm to its reputation and financial interests. It wants all the prize money returned, punitive damages and attorney's fees.

Mayfield's attorneys said last week in court that the driver tested positive for amphetamines, which they attributed to the 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.

David Black, the administrator of NASCAR's drug-testing program, has repeatedly rejected Mayfield's explanation.

"Dr. Black and his team will work with competitors on prescribed medicine," Poston said. "We do that quite often on a case-by-case basis. The policy is the misuse or abuse of any drug is a violation of the policy."

Accompanying Photos

CJ Driggers

Photo Caption: NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Jeremy Mayfield (right) and wife Shana Mayfield.

Comments

This article has been closed to new comments. Comments are generally closed after 14 days. However, comments may be closed earlier at the discretion of the News & Record.

Inappropriate content? Please report abuse.

euripedes923

June 5, 2009 - 8:36 pm EDT

An AD/HD NASCAR driver? WTF!? I don't want an AD/HD driver on a side street, let alone a high speed raceway. Mayfield might as well take his cellphone and text while racing if they allow Adderall in his system. Who sponsors this hyperactive addict, Red Bull?

Illiterati

June 5, 2009 - 10:22 pm EDT

Oh please. Kenny and Steven Wallace have Tourette's Syndrome, for Pete's sake. What's a little ADHD? Every other adult who complains to his doc about lack of focus, daydreaming, etc., is diagnosed with ADHD and prescribed Adderall. If you're afraid of drivers on Adderall, you better stay off the road.

eMail Updates

Advertisement | Advertise with Us

Local Tickets

View All

Featured Ads

Search

Advertisement | Advertise with Us
Advertisement | Advertise with Us
Advertisement | Advertise with Us

News & Record Network Sites

User Tools

  • Mobile
  • Social
  • RSS
  • Share
  • Sign in to MyNR

Search