Drug testing in raceing

[NormP]

I guess the supreme Court has no right to make laws either.

It doesn't. That's the function of the legislative branch of government, not the judicial or executive branch.

Read the constitution, it's all in there.

[CIRF]

Very good article and quotes from Donnie Schatz, Darren Pittman and Kerry Madsen on the need for race car driver and crew member drug testing in the United States. I'm thinking the word of these 3 guys is worth a whole lot more than most anyone here.

http://www.pennlive.com/sports/index.../post_710.html

[bayou tuff]

Question: As a driver, how can you give a 110% if your under the influence of drugs or alcohol or both. You can't!! Both stay in your system for days, not hours. So, if I wanted to be one of the top drivers at any track, the drugs and alcohol would be at the bottom of the list of things I needed and wanted to do. Never gonna make it to the top with the aid of chemicals!!

[Barbecueboy]

Question: As a driver, how can you give a 110% if your under the influence of drugs or alcohol or both. You can't!! Both stay in your system for days, not hours. So, if I wanted to be one of the top drivers at any track, the drugs and alcohol would be at the bottom of the list of things I needed and wanted to do. Never gonna make it to the top with the aid of chemicals!!

Chemicals are for tire use only............oops

[W2Racing09]

No need to read it a second time. It will make no more sense the second time than it did the first, thank you.

A lack of suspicion does not relieve a sanction or track ownership and management of liability in the event of an injury or fatality when the person who created the causation had drugs or alcohol in his system. That is simply common sense.

Anytime a person is in a position where their judgement, reaction time and general hand to eye coordination, or lack thereof, puts innocent folks well being and/or lives at risk then they should be drug tested either randomly or regularly. If for no other reason but to circumvent any possible drug related liability. It's easy, just don't be doin' dope if what you do could put innocent people at risk.

To rationalize acceptance of drug use and abuse in dirt late model racing because it's a "niche sport", out of the mainstream is very easy for a spectator with nothing at stake. It becomes a bit more of an issue when something more substantial than the cost of admission is at risk.

It might be easy for a spectator with nothing at stake. I wouldn't know since I am the director of a Modified series and the thought has never once crossed my mind to do any drug testing, random or otherwise. In addition, I've never had a driver come to me to voice concern over a lack of drug testing either. I suspect most of the drivers in my series would either be indifferent, or against drug testing. If a driver appears intoxicated then we will take action, but otherwise as I have said what a driver does outside of the track is their business. That stance shouldn't be a shock to anyone considering I'm currently unaware of ANY Dirt racing tracks, series, or sanctions in the USA that are doing regular drug testing.

[W2Racing09]

Question: As a driver, how can you give a 110% if your under the influence of drugs or alcohol or both. You can't!! Both stay in your system for days, not hours. So, if I wanted to be one of the top drivers at any track, the drugs and alcohol would be at the bottom of the list of things I needed and wanted to do. Never gonna make it to the top with the aid of chemicals!!

I don't know what specific drugs you are talking about, but that would have to be the strongest Marijuana in existence for it to stay in someone's system for more than 8-12 hrs MAXIMUM, for most it is gone within 2-3 hrs. I think it is reasonable to expect that drivers refrain from both the use of drugs and alcohol on the day of the race.

As far as alcohol, I think off hand it is for every 12OZ drink you are supposed to wait 45 minutes before your BAC is back at .00 -- so you are looking at like 6 hrs before your BAC is .00 after having 8 beers. So I suppose your wait could last a day if you drank 32 beers, or if you were really thirsty it could last days (48 hrs) if you drank 64 beers.

Thanks,
Jeff.

[onlyfacts]

Never gonna make it to the top with the aid of chemicals!!

Some have. If all the nah sayers knew who is using controlled substances ( not only weed) they would have a different view.

[fastford]

I think this is a self regulated thing. 20 years ago , on my birth day, I drank three beers at lunch with a buddy, 6 hours later, even though I was no where near intoxicated, and may have been a mental thing, I didn't feel right on the track and never touched ANY THING again on the day of the race. I have to side with Jeff on this one though, and here is something else to consider, with the dire straits our sport is already in today with car counts and fan attendance way off, I honestly feel that if the sanctions and track operators took the stance some of you are suggesting , that will be the final nail in the coffin...JMO...

[6565]

Not late models, but this is the BOSS sprints' take... see drug testing http://buckeyesprints.com/rules.html

[Highside Hustler25]

I would be out and I don't drink.

Was that you I passed going 30 MPH in a 55 MPH zone

[CIRF]

It might be easy for a spectator with nothing at stake. I wouldn't know since I am the director of a Modified series and the thought has never once crossed my mind to do any drug testing, random or otherwise. In addition, I've never had a driver come to me to voice concern over a lack of drug testing either. I suspect most of the drivers in my series would either be indifferent, or against drug testing. If a driver appears intoxicated then we will take action, but otherwise as I have said what a driver does outside of the track is their business. That stance shouldn't be a shock to anyone considering I'm currently unaware of ANY Dirt racing tracks, series, or sanctions in the USA that are doing regular drug testing.

Fair enough Mr. Modified Series Director. I'm just lil' ol' nobody who merely purchases tickets for myself and my family to attend the races of our choice. At this point in time that's all the involvement I have, need or want. Feel free to thank me for our patronage if by chance we've attended one of your modified shows.

Maybe one or all of the three drivers who are quoted in this Pennlive article have driven modified's in the division that you so proudly preside over. I don't know.

What I do know is their word for what needs to be done carries infinitely more weight than lil' ol' me along with most anyone else involved in dirt racing, including you.


http://www.pennlive.com/sports/index.../post_710.html

[Umpdirt1]

Cost is a lame excuse, test strips now days are 99.9 % accurate and inexpensive. I say take top 3 finishers piss on a strip and b on your way. If you refuse counts as positive. Lose your payout and don't race until you do submit If your clean you got nuthing to hide. IMO lucas, Woo, Ump turn a blind eye . Don't wanna f n know.

[W2Racing09]

Fair enough Mr. Modified Series Director. I'm just lil' ol' nobody who merely purchases tickets for myself and my family to attend the races of our choice. At this point in time that's all the involvement I have, need or want. Feel free to thank me for our patronage if by chance we've attended one of your modified shows.

Maybe one or all of the three drivers who are quoted in this Pennlive article have driven modified's in the division that you so proudly preside over. I don't know.

What I do know is their word for what needs to be done carries infinitely more weight than lil' ol' me along with most anyone else involved in dirt racing, including you.


http://www.pennlive.com/sports/index.../post_710.html

Thank you for your patronage to any event I have promoted, along with any dirt racing event hosted in this country.

I was not being demeaning at all, I respect fans more than most anyone. I generally correct people any time I see someone complaining or demeaning fans as racing will not take place without them. There is plenty of evidence of that to be found on this message board. In addition to that, as it relates to DLM racing I am just a fan. I only pointed out that I run a Modified series specifically to make you aware that I do have a stake in things that happen on the track.

I agree that the drivers in that article's opinion matter more than mine as it relates to dirt racing. However I'm sure I could go out and find three drivers that are equally high profile who would be against it. As you said in response to one of BBQ's posts on this thread - a test needs to be created that can show the current level of intoxication. Until then I won't get behind drug testing, it is unfair to many drivers. Especially those who might hail from States were some of these substances are legal.

In my opinion, and the opinion of many others. Alcohol is a far more damaging vice than marijuana. If someone is sitting out on Saturday for smoking a joint on Tuesday then anyone who touched a can of beer should be in the same boat.

Furthermore, as I've said previously. We are essentially saying that at times in his career Bloomquist wasn't fit to be on the track. I can think of a lot of things to call Scott Bloomquist, but a danger to other drivers on the track is not one of them. Scott is not labeled as a wreckless or dirty driver.

I'd race against a jacked up Scott Bloomquist over a sober Jared Landers any day of the week.

Thanks,
Jeff.

[W2Racing09]

Cost is a lame excuse, test strips now days are 99.9 % accurate and inexpensive. I say take top 3 finishers piss on a strip and b on your way. If you refuse counts as positive. Lose your payout and don't race until you do submit If your clean you got nuthing to hide. IMO lucas, Woo, Ump turn a blind eye . Don't wanna f n know.

What is the purpose of testing after the race? I thought the purpose was to keep everyone "safe"? At that point you are just enforcing ignorant drug laws for the sake of enforcing them. Might as well hire off duty police officers as your race officials too. They can give all the fans a brethalyzer as they leave the track too. In between heats and features they can run license plate numbers and check inspection stickers -- just in case any of the fans might be past due or have an outstanding parking ticket.

It isn't a racing facilities purpose to enforce the law.

Thanks,
Jeff.

[Aces&Eights]

Here's the alcohol absorption info. https://prevention.gwu.edu/alcohol-absorption

One serving of alcohol is fully absorbed into the blood stream within 30 minutes to 2 hours after intake. This is because the body can metabolize about 0.25 ounces of alcohol per hour. However, the effects of alcohol vary by individual and by how much alcohol they drink in one session. In fact, the effects and levels of alcohol in the body depend upon a number of factors:

• a person’s size and weight

• individual metabolism rate

• related food intake

• the beverage consumed

I don't usually agree with W2 on much but I do agree here. I am not in favor of compulsory and/or random drug testing in racing. Not that I condone there use, because I've never used drugs and I quit drinking for health reasons(fat), but if you wish to indulge that's fine. I realize there are risks to not screening, that someone could get behind the wheel impaired and do some damage. Even so I'm very much a Conservative/Libertarian and I think the Constitution and the Bill of rights have been trampled far to much as it is, in the name of "Safety and Security". Racing is a risk and it is expensive, which in itself weeds out most who would do something foolish, especially in DLM because if you have a desire to win you want to be at your best. Every instance I can think of someone being impaired at the track and it being an issue, was either a fan, on a 4 wheeler/golf cart or in the lowest 4 cylinder division. At every race I've ever been to law enforcement was present and if I saw someone impaired or drinking aggressively and getting ready to race, I'd get a cops attention and let him handle it properly. We don't need "Big Brother" testing, we just need racers, crew members and fans to be vigilant and aware and have the courage to say something.

Lastly as far as the Stewart/Ward situation goes, I do not think marijuana made him aggressive and to lose his temper, that was bravado and poor raising of a child with a bad temper. I have a friend with rage issues that races and though he's never jumped at a moving race car, he's done plenty of other ridiculous things at the track and only by the grace of God he's still here. As a child he was allowed to act out and be wild when he was growing up because he had a birth defect(cleft pallet), they didn't do him any favors.

[CIRF]

I agree that the drivers in that article's opinion matter more than mine as it relates to dirt racing. However I'm sure I could go out and find three drivers that are equally high profile who would be against it. As you said in response to one of BBQ's posts on this thread - a test needs to be created that can show the current level of intoxication. Until then I won't get behind drug testing, it is unfair to many drivers. Especially those who might hail from States were some of these substances are legal.

I'm not that much of a winged sprint car fan but it might be somewhat tough to find any driver at the dirt track level as well known and respected as a driver and as a person as Donnie Schatz, but that is off topic and not applicable here and now.

I cannot take issue with a driver or crew member's responsible recreational use of some forms of illegal intoxicants. And, those hailing from Colorado and Washington present a whole different set of circumstances. However, to proclaim that bloomy (used only as an example because of his drug dust ups of the past) has never been even the slightest hazard on the track is impossible to prove and disingenuous. By the grace of God nothing bad ever happened but that fact alone is not grounds of complete innocence.

By reading the Pennlive article one gets the impression that Schatz doesn't want any question when his career, personal well being and life are possibly in question. Can he be blamed for that?

In my opinion, and the opinion of many others. Alcohol is a far more damaging vice than marijuana. If someone is sitting out on Saturday for smoking a joint on Tuesday then anyone who touched a can of beer should be in the same boat.

What you say in reference to alcohol versus marijuana is absolutely correct. The difference is that a beer on Tuesday is legal in all 50 States but possessing marijuana and paraphernalia is not. You and I may not agree but that is the case as of today.

[plunks7]

Jeff the THC stays in your system for a month. If you toke the Devils Lettuce. Trust me!

[plunks7]

Was that you I passed going 30 MPH in a 55 MPH zone

What ever do you mean I was flying I thought. LOL

[W2Racing09]

Jeff the THC stays in your system for a month. If you toke the Devils Lettuce. Trust me!

Oh for sure, I ran into that inconvenient truth a time or two in my younger years! What I meant is feeling the effects, nobody is impaired after 8-12 HRS (As far as I've ever known -- but I could be wrong. Certainly I've never heard of the effects lasting days though).

Thanks,
Jeff.

[plunks7]

Oh for sure, I ran into that inconvenient truth a time or two in my younger years! What I meant is feeling the effects, nobody is impaired after 8-12 HRS (As far as I've ever known -- but I could be wrong. Certainly I've never heard of the effects lasting days though).

Thanks,
Jeff.

My bad, I miss read what was said. You are correct. Sorry!!!!