NASCAR Starts Drug Testing

The NASCAR racers have presented their thoughts on the recent drug-use rumors near or on the tracks and asked for periodic drug testing. Earlier this week, driver Aaron Fike and his addiction to painkillers made big news across the U.S., especially when additional information turned up about heroin use during his racing days.

The media quickly remembered last July’s events, when Fike was arrested in an amusement park’s parking lot while shooting heroin.

At the time, Aaron Fike avoided jail by accepting to forward an anti-drug message in schools and at the tracks and also staying under a two-year probation period.

"I cannot believe it. It's absurd. I don't know what this means, where things go from here. (But) I'm so happy they figured out or found out what was going on and got him off the track. That is absolutely unacceptable," two-time reigning Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson said, quoted by the Associated Press.

Driver Kevin Harvick accused NASCAR officials of not giving the appropriate consideration to the matter over the years, also claiming to have tried to discuss the importance of a proper drug policy for the sport but his suggestions were overlooked. He said that in his ten years of racing, he has never been tested and for sure there are many more like him.

Talking about NASCAR's substance abuse policy, NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp said: "The responsibility here rests across the board — with the drivers and competitors, owners and teams and NASCAR … No system is flawless; but we believe our zero tolerance policy that is in place has served the sport well," as quoted by the AP and added that all past input and feedback regarding the subject were carefully taken into consideration.