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Is Racing Clean And Sober?
by BJ Cavin
With the recent events surrounding NASCAR Craftsman Truck driver Aaron Fike
and his fiancee, the subject of drug use and racing is again at the forefront in the
racing media. NASCAR officials state openly that they believe there is no drug
problem in NASCAR, but there has been more than one incident where a driver
has trashed a career over substance abuse, and a couple more where the driver
got a second chance. NASCAR refuses to impose any sort of random drug testing
for it's drivers, saying that there is no reason to do so. But some drivers disagree,
and Kevin Harvick recently told the media that he supports at least two random
drug tests per year for all NASCAR drivers. Harvick's stance is fueled by his wish
that even the possibility of a problem be eliminated before it can occur, and he
says the drivers and crews owe it to the fans and the sponsors to prove that they
are racing clean and sober. But what about your local speedway? Could there be
a local driver or two that possibly could have a drug problem, and could that
problem put that racer or others at risk?
Go to almost any local racing facility across America and you will find a wide variety
of rules in place to deal with racers and substance abuse, but typically the only
substance those rules are meant to control is alcohol. And when you think about it,
alcohol is probably the major threat when it comes to racing because it and racing
seem to be almost synonymous. One can find tracks where alcohol consumption is
strictly prohibited in the pit areas and where no one else on the premises is allowed
to consume alcohol while holding a pit pass. On the flip side of that I have
personal experience with visiting a track years ago where there was as much
alcohol being consumed in the pit area as there was in the grandsstands. Times
have changed somewhat since then, but there are still tracks where drivers can
leave the pits and purchase alcohol. And when you consider the possibilities there
is no way to prevent a driver from drinking before coming to the track, or to prevent
them from sneaking alcohol into the pit area either. There is always a possibility
for a driver to get onto the track after consuming something that they should not.
So what happens if a driver is suspected of abusing alcohol or other drugs while
racing? In most cases where a driver is reported to have been drinking in the pits
before a race, the process usually involves everything from observing the accused
to actually confronting them. But unless someone is caught red handed or is
obviously impaired, there are virtually no policies in place that dictate how to
proceed. In the end it becomes a judgement call made by track officials as to
whether the accused participant should be allowed to race or not, and with no way
to physically test the driver on site the likelihood of mistakes being made is real.
An innocent driver might be sent away in the interest of safety while a impaired
driver who appears alright could be allowed onto the track. And in cases where a
driver may have an ongoing issue with substance abuse, local racing facilities have
few options to exercise short of simply banning the driver. Drug tests could be
required in order for the driver to be allowed back onto the track, but those cost
hundreds of dollars and the track could find itself a target for legal action should
that process somehow not go as planned. In one incident I remember from years
ago, a driver was accused of being "coked up" before a race. With no obvious
signs of any sort of impairment visible and no way to test the driver, he was allowed
to race. But later on he was suspended for conduct on the track and again the
accusations surfaced. The track then asked the driver to submit to a drug test to
clear the air and prove that he was clean and sober, but the driver refused. At that
point the track made the move to not allow him to race until such time as he
submitted to the test, and he never did, nor did he race again. Guilty or not, the
problem was solved.
If drivers or fans at a particular track are concerned about drug or alcohol use at
their home track, it is always best to address those concerns to the management or
owners of the facility. Some tracks have a written policy that fans and drivers can
read while others do not, but most tracks will openly state their stand on the subject
if asked. And virtually all will state that it is imperative that all drivers be clean and
sober before going racing, and would take some sort of action should the situation
warrant. One would be hard pressed to find a speedway today where no one
cared if the drivers were drinking or not.
But if you ask track officials, drivers, and fans, you will find that the vast majority do
not feel like there is a need for drivers to prove their sobriety before racing, nor is
there a need for any sort of random testing policy at local tracks. This is because
most believe that there is no problem with drug or alcohol abuse in racing.
Individual incidents will continue to be dealt with by race officials as they see fit,
and unless an overall problem becomes apparent there appears to be no reason
for anyone to panic and impose invasive looks into drivers' privacy or extra
expenses on the tracks. Of course it is important that drivers be clean and sober
before racing in the interest of safety, but virtually no one believes that substance
abuse poses any serious threat to other drivers, the officials, or to the fans, at
most local speedways in America today.
If you would like more information on the policies regarding drugs and alcohol at a
particular track or in a racing series, it is always best to contact those who are in
charge and directly question them on the subject. Although most of us agree that
substance abuse is not a problem in racing, we all know just as well that it can and
will happen if we allow it to, and the results could be deadly.
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