NASCAR suspends Cup team crew member for substance-abuse violation
NASCAR announced Thursday that a licensed crew member for a Sprint Cup team has been indefinitely suspended for violating the sanctioning body’s substance abuse policy.
NASCAR said it discovered Feb. 11 that Paul Chodora had violated the policy. Chodora is a member of the of the new team formed by driver/owner Jeremy Mayfield.
“Mayfield Motorsports respects the decision by NASCAR to indefinitely suspend Paul Chodora," Mayfield said in a statement. "We as an organization appreciate NASCAR's drug testing policies and policing efforts as it makes the sport stronger overall. If Paul doesn’t comply with NASCAR’s reinstatement process, then he will no longer be an employee of Mayfield Motorsports.”
Chodora had worked for Haas CNC Racing prior to this year.
NASCAR is in its first year of a random drug-testing program. It requires all crew members to be tested during the preseason by the teams and then NASCAR plans to randomly test drivers and crew members each weekend. NASCAR has the ability to ask for a sample at anytime, anyplace, anywhere – not just during a race weekend.
Drivers and crew members who are suspended must eventually pass a drug test, according to NASCAR's substance-abuse policy. NASCAR typically requires the completion of a drug-treatment program.
