France Defends NASCAR Drug Policy; Harvick Implements Testing
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France Feels NASCAR's Drug
Policy One Of Best In Sports |
NASCAR Chair & CEO Brian France Friday "expressed reservations about random drug testing even though top NASCAR drivers have said they would be willing to have them to keep the confidence of fans and sponsors," according to Mike Hiserman of the L.A. TIMES. NASCAR's current policy allows it to test drivers with "probable cause." France said random testing in other sports is "not open ended. (But) in our situation we can test you every day if ... we're concerned about something, with no limits. I don't know how you can beat that." But when asked how often NASCAR had ordered tests in the past year, France "cited concerns about privacy and would not provide an estimate." France: "If there is an issue, we take that action and we make it public. We do not on a week-in week-out basis, every time we test a driver, make that public." France added: "You can have ... all the testing you want, but what do you do when you catch somebody? What happens? In our situation, we have several people on a real lifetime ban. We've got a number of drivers who on first infractions are gone for a year or longer" (L.A. TIMES, 4/26).
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Harvick (l) Implements Random Drug Testing
Policy For All His Race Team's Employees |
TEST DRIVE: Kevin Harvick Inc. Owner and NASCAR driver Kevin Harvick, who has publicly criticized NASCAR's drug policy, said that he has instituted a "random drug testing policy" for all of his employees, to be tested through a third party (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 4/27). YAHOO SPORTS' Bob Margolis wrote Harvick's new policy "isn't unique to NASCAR," as many team owners "have quietly been randomly drug testing their shop employees and transport drivers for years." But there are "legal issues involving mandatory drug testing in the workplace," and while it is "commendable that Harvick has chosen this route for his team, one has to wonder about the ramifications should a key player in his organization fail a drug test" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 4/25). NASCAR SCENE's Jeff Gluck wrote of Harvick's new policy, "It's not often we see a driver voice his opinion about an issue and then take action. Sure, everyone complains. But Harvick actually did something about it and took a strong leadership position, providing an outstanding example for other teams -- and NASCAR -- to follow" (SCENEDAILY.com, 4/28).
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