Jeremy Mayfield meets with NASCAR; drug-test issues unresolved

By Bob Pockrass - Associate Editor
Thursday, May 21, 2009
NASCAR owner/driver Jeremy Mayfield has been indefinitely suspended by NASCAR for violating its substance abuse policy. (David Griffin / NASCAR Scene)

NASCAR owner/driver Jeremy Mayfield has been indefinitely suspended by NASCAR for violating its substance abuse policy.

David Griffin
NASCAR Scene

CONCORD, N.C. – Suspended driver/owner Jeremy Mayfield and his attorneys met with NASCAR Vice President of Operations Steve O’Donnell, Aegis Laboratories’ Dr. David Black and NASCAR attorneys for about an hour Thursday afternoon but did not come to a resolution of the issues over his positive drug test taken May 1.

Mayfield declined to comment, but his attorney Bill Diehl said “it was a cordial meeting” and indicated that as far as the next step, “you’ll probably know that tomorrow.”

“I’m not going to tell you what we’re going to do tomorrow,” Diehl said Thursday afternoon outside the NASCAR Research and Development Center.

Diehl said he was neither optmistic nor pessimistic that the case could be resolved without litigation: "I'm just hopeful [of a resoution]," he said.

"We had a pleasant exchange of information [today]," Diehl said. "We listened and they listened and now we’re going back to work.”

NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said Mayfield is still indefinitely suspended.

“I would agree that [the meeting today] was cordial,” Poston said. “[Diehl] just wants to get Jeremy back in the car and there’s a very well-defined process for that and he needs to meet with Dr. Black, who will prescribe a very specific program for him to follow. If he successfully completes that, he can seek reinstatement from NASCAR.”

NASCAR indefinitely suspended Mayfield on May 9 over the positive test. NASCAR Chairman Brian France indicated May 15 that an indefinite suspension such as the one Mayfield received is for a positive test of performance-enhancing drugs or illegal recreational drugs.
 
Mayfield denied May 16 that illegal drugs caused the positive test and suggested that a combination of a prescription drug and Claritin-D resulted in the positive test.

Mayfield is the first Sprint Cup driver to be suspended for violating NASCAR’s substance-abuse policy since Tim Richmond in 1988 and the first suspended since NASCAR instituted random drug-testing this season. Black’s laboratory conducts the testing.

No driver has been successful at legally challenging a NASCAR positive drug test.

“We’re contesting everything that happened,” said Diehl, who would not say what drug Mayfield tested positive for. “We hope that it’s a mistake. … Jeremy doesn’t believe he’s done anything that supports being suspended for use of drugs.”

Diehl said he would like to get Mayfield back on the track as soon as possible, but said there’s no timetable for the legal proceedings.

No matter what happens, Mayfield has been harmed, Diehl said.

“Have you ever heard of damage to reputation being undone?” Diehl said. “I never have.”

Comments

16 responses to "Jeremy Mayfield meets with NASCAR; drug-test issues unresolved". Post a Comment.
  1. 1
    Meg said:
    May 21, 2009 at 4:51 PM

    What reputation ? Did he worry about Ray's reputation when he spewed his venom all over the NASCAR scene about him ? I've never ever had any respect for Jeremy. He is scum.

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  2. 2
    Meg said:
    May 21, 2009 at 4:54 PM

    If I were SpeedwayScene, I'd pull these articles about him before Jeremy sues them too !!

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  3. 3
    dale said:
    May 21, 2009 at 5:18 PM

    Hey Meg, if you are so worried about what Jeremy *might* do, why do you keep libeling him? Oh, that's right, because you don't have a life.

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  4. 4
    klaemmer said:
    May 21, 2009 at 6:02 PM

    “I would agree that [the meeting today] was cordial,” Poston said. “[Diehl] just wants to get Jeremy back in the car and there’s a very well-defined process for that and he needs to meet with Dr. Black, who will prescribe a very specific program for him to follow. If he successfully completes that, he can seek reinstatement from NASCAR.” Did you read that close. That statement means that Jeremy is going to go to rehab.

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  5. 5
    austinh said:
    May 21, 2009 at 6:24 PM

    Give the ray story a break he screwed enough people over himself just to get ahead himself say what you want i firmly believe that mayfield will be racing in cup sooner then you think.Now you can spew the rest of your garbage meg i dont reread or re-post nasty witch.

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  6. 6
    yuffe said:
    May 21, 2009 at 7:34 PM

    Can you say LOSER? Its spelled JEREMY MAYFIELD. I bet they will never let him race again. Oh wait. Yes if he agrees to go to rehab.

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  7. 7
    BooHooJM said:
    May 21, 2009 at 8:13 PM

    VIAGRA........performance enhancing.

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  8. 8
    motorsportsphotography said:
    May 22, 2009 at 9:10 AM

    Jeremy is just showboating. He shows up at the meeting with his wife but she doesn't even get out of the Cadillac and leaves, and then comes back at the end of the meeting with a Cameraman in the back of the Cadillac. Who does he think he is some celebrity? Hes just a hick driver from Owensboro, Kentucky. I hope they give him his walking papers for good.

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  9. 9
    CousinBilly said:
    May 22, 2009 at 11:21 AM

    OMG.. that is so funny. I can just envision that. Ever checked out his celebrity web site ?? LOL

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  10. 10
    Meg said:
    May 22, 2009 at 1:41 PM

    “I’m not going to tell you what we’re going to do tomorrow,” Diehl said Thursday afternoon outside the NASCAR Research and Development Center........... WELL, today's TOMORROW, so what did they do ??

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  11. 11
    Ziggy said:
    May 22, 2009 at 5:30 PM

    Meg:BLAH_BLAH_BLAH

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  12. 12
    dale said:
    May 22, 2009 at 6:17 PM

    I think Meg needs to get laid. Then maybe she won't be so cranky.

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  13. 13
    lady6nascar said:
    May 22, 2009 at 7:34 PM

    MEG are you one of the [OLD POOPS LOVERS????? GO AFTER THEM JEREMY.

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  14. 14
    bthompson133 said:
    May 22, 2009 at 8:31 PM

    they need to be specific about the drugs if they want fan support(either side). we could research the results ourselves and then they could have one of those fan votes!!!LOL

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  15. 15
    hobbit3354 said:
    May 22, 2009 at 9:15 PM

    the soap opera continues...

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  16. 16
    frafaa69 said:
    May 22, 2009 at 9:51 PM

    and continues...etc....

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