That’s Racing: NASCAR revs up drug policy

NASCAR recently announced a new tougher substance-abuse program, and critics immediately complained that it is flawed because NASCAR won’t specify what substances are banned.

I think it’s a smart policy. It relies on an outmoded idea called “common sense.”

First of all, every driver and crew member knows which drugs are illegal under the law, whether they’re being ingested by athletes, businessmen or construction workers. No need to supply a list.

Secondly, everybody knows that even “legal” prescription drugs can be abused to the point of impairment.

What NASCAR did was leave itself plenty of wiggle room. If a competitor shows up for a race doped out of his mind on a prescription drug, he has no business on a race track, even if he has a note from the pharmacist.

“A drug is a drug,” said Kyle Petty, adding that racing “is not shooting hoops or hitting a baseball. This is life and death.”

In most sports such a hazy, subjective drug policy would be struck down. Players associations would howl in protest, and the first athlete busted would head to court with a posse of agents and attorneys.

Don’t look for any such backlash in NASCAR. Even the handful of drivers who questioned the new policy are smart enough to know that it isn’t intended to harass them. It’s intended to save their life.

As Petty noted, if a baseball player is impaired, about the worst that can happen is that he’ll strike out or drop a fly ball. In racing, an impaired driver can kill himself and everybody around him.

NASCAR has long had a substance abuse policy but the one that goes into effect next season is expanded and tougher. Officials will conduct preseason tests on every competitor – drivers and over-the-wall crewmen – and continue random tests throughout the season.

In the past, the driver was drug-tested only if there was “reasonable suspicion” that he had something in his system that shouldn’t be there. The holes in that policy were exposed this summer when former Craftsman Truck Series driver Aaron Fike admitted he used heroin on race days.

In NASCAR, unlike other pro sports, a repeat offender doesn’t get repeated chances. The first positive test results in an indefinite ban. “Indefinite” translates to “lifetime” in most instances.

Each case will be dealt with on an individual basis and NASCAR will make the final call. It’s up to each individual to make sure he doesn’t abuse any substance, even if it’s legal, to the point of impairment.

The policy is based on individual responsibility and common-sense enforcement. More sports should try it.

Larry Woody is a veteran sportswriter in Nashville. He has covered auto racing for almost four decades.