Drugs in NASCAR

Aaron Fike is far from a household name in NASCAR, but the former Craftsman Truck Series driver created some headlines and headaches last week.

In a revelation which shocked some hear-no-evil types, Fike admitted that he used heroin on race days. In fact, Fike was arrested for heroin possession just one week after finishing fifth in a truck race at Memphis last year.

As expected, the NASCAR apologists came out of the woodwork to offer spin control. For whatever reason, Fike was slammed and painted as an outsider with an axe to grind.

 There was a twist to this sad case, and it illustrates what a joke the NASCAR drug policy really is.

Several high-profile drivers, such as Kevin Harvick, Kasey Kahne and Dale Earnhardt, Jr., have called for mandatory drug testing in their sponsor-driven sport. The currently policy only calls for testing when there is reasonable suspicion.

Harvick said last week that he has never been drug tested in the past decade. Meanwhile, Fike was never asked for a test even though Kahne admitted to “wondering’’ about the young Illinois native.

NASCAR officials have long earned praise for being reactive to problems within their sport. Clearly, they need to be in proactive in the area of drugs.

Many diehard stock car fans have joked about the many woes in professional basketball and football, yet Fike is not the first NASCAR figure to have problems with drugs.

Rising stars such as Shane Hmiel, Tyler Walker, Kevin Grubb and Brian Rose have all either been forced from the track, or at least suspended, due to issues with substance abuse. And there have been more embarrassing cases over the 15 past years, though admittedly none involve superstars.

With Fortune 500 companies fueling teams at the elite Sprint Cup level, drivers and teams must present a professional, clean-cut image. NASCAR president Brian France may claim he has the most aggressive drug-testing policy in sports, but it certainly failed miserably in the case of Fike.

And does France really expect drivers, many of whom are close friends and business associates, to play the role of snitch if someone in the garage has a problem with drugs or alcohol.

A large part of NASCAR’s growth has been based on the homespun personalities of the drivers and crews. For the most part, they are decent, likeable folks who work an insane amount of hours for our enjoyment.

But make no mistake, these guys are human. They are definitely not the made-for-Disney cartoon figures that some starstruck fans imagine they as.

Whether you want to admit it or not, NASCAR is not immune from drugs.

Hopefully, the leaders of this sport will finally step down from their ivory tower and learn from the harsh lesson of Fike before something similar happens again.  What is there to hide?