Jeremy Mayfield’s former brother-in-law among those suspended for violating NASCAR’s substance-abuse policy

By Bob Pockrass

Tuesday, March 09, 2010

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The former brother-in-law of suspended Sprint Cup driver Jeremy Mayfield was one of two crewmen suspended Tuesday for violating NASCAR’s substance-abuse policy.

William David Keith, brother of Mayfield’s first wife and the spotter for Front Row Motorsports’ David Gilliland, was one of the two crewmen suspended Tuesday. The other was Matthew Huffstetler, a crew member for the Daisy Ramirez Motorsports No. 01 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team.

Keith has given a deposition in Mayfield’s legal battle against NASCAR over what NASCAR said was a positive test May 1 for methamphetamines. NASCAR has used that deposition, in which Keith claims he saw Mayfield using methamphetamine several times, in a motion to force Mayfield to undergo a physical and mental examination. The court has not yet ruled on that motion.

NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said he did not expect Keith’s suspension to have an impact on the Mayfield case.

“It just shows that anyone can be tested at any time and a positive test results in an immediate suspension,” Poston said.

Keith was a contract employee for Front Row Motorsports.

“Our job is to put a professional, responsible, competitive and safe race team on the track each weekend,” said Front Row owner Bob Jenkins in a statement. “Our employees, and associates assigned to work for our team, are expected to behave professionally and within the rules of the sport.

“We are very disappointed that one of our contracted employees did not meet our expectations, and we completely support NASCAR, their policies and final decisions especially when it comes to the substance-abuse policy.”