Race Weekend Central

Matt McLaughlin Mouths Off: Jeremy Mayfield Innocent Until Proven Guilty

News broke shortly before last weekend’s Darlington race that owner/driver Jeremy Mayfield had tested positive for a banned substance after a random test conducted under NASCAR’s new drug program. Mayfield was the first driver to run afoul of that new testing program and, obviously, the news raised some eyebrows. Let me go on record as …

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What’s Vexing Vito: Smokin’ Weed or a Smoke Screen? Mayfield’s Suspension for Banned Substance Provides More Questions Than Answers

The biggest story to break in NASCAR over the last few days has been Jeremy Mayfield’s suspension for a positive test of a banned substance following the May 2 race at Richmond. A subsequent follow up “B” test confirmed the original findings, causing the sport to take what they deemed necessary action. There’s just one …

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Did You Notice? NASCAR’s Drug Mistake? (Not Mayfield’s), Keselowski Should Be Cup’s Top Rookie & Johnson Plays Dead

Did You Notice? How secretive NASCAR is trying to be with this whole drug thing? There’s two main questions that came up in my head since the positive test, ones I couldn’t answer immediately as a reporter as Darlington was a weekend I’d taken off: 1) Why was Jeremy Mayfield allowed to practice and qualify …

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Mirror Driving: Darlington on Steroids?, the Rookies Rally & NASCAR on Drugs

Welcome to Mirror Driving. Every week, your favorite columnists sit down and give their opinion about the latest NASCAR news and rumors. Love us or hate us, make a comment below and tell us how you feel about what we’ve said! This Week’s Participants: Tom Bowles (Editor-In-Chief; Mondays/Bowles-Eye View & Wednesdays/Did You Notice) Beth Lunkenheimer (Tuesdays/Running Your …

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Is Catching Mayfield Enough? NASCAR Should Have No Restraint When It Comes to Drug Testing

Just as Major League Baseball’s new era of drug policing caught perhaps its biggest name yet in Manny Ramirez, just last week NASCAR’s enhanced drug testing policy snared the most notable driver in recent memory for substance abuse in Jeremy Mayfield, a two-time Chase contender and current Sprint Cup owner. After the positive test was …

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Matt McLaughlin’s Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2009 Darlington Race Recap

The Key Moment: Mark Martin was able to gap Jimmie Johnson on the final restart with an old-school approach of braking early and accelerating hard out of the corners… a lesson I’d guess Johnson isn’t going to forget anytime soon. In a Nutshell: New car, new tires, new track surface… same old Darlington. Dramatic Moment: …

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5 Points to Ponder: 2009 Southern 500 Edition

Mayfield Done In the same week that Manny Ramirez was suspended 50 games by Major League Baseball for violating the sport’s substance abuse policy, NASCAR one-upped the stick-and-ball sport by suspending former NASCAR race winner Jeremy Mayfield indefinitely for the same violation. Mayfield claims that the combination of prescribed medication and an over the counter …

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Bubble Breakdown: Jeremy Mayfield Dealt Death Blow While Non-Top 35 Teams Struggle

As I am sure you’ve heard by now, some big news came from one of our bubble teams just prior to the Southern 500 this past Saturday night. However, I am not about to open my column talking any more than I have to about a run of the mill driver who manages to get …

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The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2009 Southern 500 at Darlington

Who… gets my shoutout of the race? There were several candidates for this one at Darlington, including two rookies and one driver who drove much of the race feeling very ill because his team couldn’t find a relief driver small enough. But the award goes to the defending series champion after an exhausting night. After …

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