AVONDALE, Ariz. — They were talking “smack” in the NASCAR garage area at Phoenix Int’l Raceway on Thursday.
Just one day after banished NASCAR driver Aaron Fike admitted to ESPN The Magazine that he had used heroin and driven in a race the same day, NASCAR drivers criticized the organization for not having a more substantive drug policy.
“I had a long conversation with NASCAR the last time we had this policy brought up in the end of the year last year and it almost seems like it went on deaf ears,” said driver Kevin Harvick. “I’m disappointed with the fact that we’re in a case where we have to have a reaction instead of being proactive about the situation. So, that part I’m disappointed with, that we have to answer these questions again and we haven’t made any headway whatsoever on the drug testing policy.”
Harvick admitted that in the 10 years he has raced in various NASCAR divisions, he has never been tested for drugs. He said that points out the clear lack of policy.
“To me, that is not a proper professional sports drug policy, and as I went up and talked to them about it,” Harvick said, “they were more mad that I had a reaction to the situation than they were as far as trying to move forward. To me, it was just kind of one of those meetings where they were content to listen to what I had to say and that was about it. 
“My name is not Jeff Gordon.”
Ironically, Fike drove in a few races for Kevin Harvick, Inc. Harvick said during the time he was behind the wheel of his race cars, he never suspected he was under the influence of any kind during those events.
“I don’t know about drugs to tell you the truth, but I know that I want to be next to the guy and I want to know he’s clean,” Harvick said. “I don’t want to have to get in a truck or get in a Nationwide car or get in a Cup car and think that somebody had been out the night before and not been clean.
“It really frustrates me that we have to, even as a driver that is responsible and understands how the sports works and respects the sport and respects my sponsors, I’m frustrated with the fact that I have to answer questions about Aaron Fike.  Everybody that has to do a media bullpen today will have to answer a question about Aaron Fike and it really, really ticks me off that we have to answer that because everyone should know that we are taking random drug tests, and every driver in this garage should take them, in any garage in NASCAR. This has always been perceived as a clean sport; let’s not let it be perceived as something that is not clean now because it is for the most part. But let’s prove it.”
NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp spoke on behalf of the sanctioning body in regards to its drug enforcement policy.
“The responsibility here rests across the board — with the drivers and competitors, owners and teams and NASCAR,” Tharp said. “We test an individual when we have reasonable suspicion and a positive test results in severe consequences and is a career-changing moment for that person. NASCAR’s policy is also supported by the various policies that the teams have in place that are required under the driver/owner agreements. No system is flawless, but we believe our zero-tolerence policy that is in place has served the sport well.”
When told of Harvick’s comments, Tharp said, “First of all, let me assure you that no issue or conversation that we have with a driver, owner or team member ever falls on deaf ears. Now, they might not always come out of the meeting with the answer they’re looking for, but we listen.”
Other drivers firmly believe that NASCAR needs to institute a more strict drug enforcement policy which includes random drug tests for all competitors.
“I’m all for it — I would love it,” Tony Stewart said. “I’ve never been asked to take one yet and I think it should be mandatory that we have random drug testing all the time.  I think non-stop through the year. Obviously with this happening, as an organization we aren’t doing a good job of seeing it before it happens.
“Aaron (Fike) coming out and saying that obviously is an indication that we need to do a better job than what we are currently doing. I’m all for random drug testing from the time we go to Daytona until the time we finish the season at Homestead — I think it’s a great idea.”