NASCAR mum on Mayfield

May 16, 2009 at 12:00a.m.

CONCORD, N.C. (AP) — NASCAR chairman Brian France called Jeremy Mayfield’s positive drug test “a serious violation” of the sport’s toughened new drug policy.

France said Friday he considers performance-enhancers and recreational drugs to be serious violations. But a person familiar with Mayfield’s test results told The Associated Press that Mayfield did not test positive for a performance-enhancing drug.

That means Mayfield tested positive for a narcotic or a controlled substance, such as cocaine, marijuana or methamphetamine.

“We had a serious violation of our test, our substance-abuse policy, which gets you an automatic and indefinite suspension and that is where we stand with Jeremy,” France said. “We’ve said it’s serious. I don’t think the word serious needs any more definition from me.”

Mayfield failed a random drug test conducted May 1 at Richmond International Raceway; he was suspended indefinitely by NASCAR on May 9, when his backup “B” sample also tested positive.

What happened between May 1-9 underwent some revisions Friday as NASCAR corrected its timeline.

NASCAR had said Mayfield was notified of the result May 5, but series officials now say Mayfield was not contacted until May 7, at which time he suggested the positive test resulted from the combination of a prescription drug and an over-the-counter medication.

More important, NASCAR officials say they did not learn of his positive test until May 8, when Mayfield was already at Darlington Raceway. Previously, NASCAR had said it learned of his positive test a day before Mayfield participated in two practices and a qualifying attempt.

According to the new timeline, Mayfield was told the morning of May 8 that his explanation had been rejected. NASCAR officials said they had a 2:30 p.m. conference call with Dr. David Black, the drug-testing program administrator; at 3:30 p.m. Mayfield requested his backup “B” sample be tested.

Black, CEO of Aegis Sciences Corp. in Nashville, Tenn., which runs the testing program, vouched for NASCAR’s amended timeline and said he wasn’t sure why the initial outline was off.

Three-time defending series champion Jimmie Johnson was one of many drivers who called on NASCAR to reveal what Mayfield was caught using. France refused, saying protecting Mayfield’s privacy outweighed any benefit in revealing the substance.

But there remained a strong call for NASCAR to create a definitive list of banned substances for drivers. Although a baseline list exists for crew members, NASCAR doesn’t have one for drivers because it wants the right to test for anything.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. dismissed the need for a list.

“Nobody deserves no list. Don’t do drugs. Don’t do stupid stuff,” he said. “It’s stupid to do it anyways.”