BALTIMORE (Map, News) - The Sprint Cup series has made great advancements in safety the past few seasons by implementing rule changes, safer barriers and the Car of Tomorrow.

Now, it’s time for NASCAR to turn the focus on safety from its equipment to its drivers.

Drivers and their teams were shocked this weekend with the recent admission by Aaron Fike — a former truck series driver arrested last year and charged with heroin possession — in an interview with ESPN The Magazine he was not only addicted to painkillers for years, but he used heroin on some race days.

“I cannot believe it — it’s absurd,” Jimmie Johnson, who won Saturday night’s race at Phoenix International Speedway, said. “I’m so happy they found out what was going on and got him off the track.”

But the problem is NASCAR did not find out about the problem soon enough. NASCAR’s policy is to test a driver when there is reasonable suspicion, but when drivers like Fike can successfully hide their habits, they can easily slip through the cracks.

“Obviously, with this happening, we as an organization aren’t doing a good job of seeing it before it happens,” Tony Stewart said. “I think it should be mandatory that we have random drug testing all the time.”

Mandatory random testing seems like the most logical solution. But unlike other sports where drug usage may effect performance or team chemistry, the consequences of drug use in NASCAR could be much more severe — even fatal. With 43 cars racing at speeds close to 200 miles an hour, it is a matter of life and death, and drivers depend on each other to ensure their safety.

“I like the way the policy reads once you’ve tested positive — it is one of the most strict policies in sports,” said points leader Jeff Burton, referring to how NASCAR suspends those drivers who fail drug tests indefinitely. “But I think we ought to test more… if we’re going to mess up, let’s mess up by testing too much, let’s be real aggressive about it.”

Mike Helton, NASCAR’s president, stands by the sport’s current zero-tolerance policy, and is adamant about suspending drivers who fail drug tests. But without regular testing — NASCAR currently makes drivers agree they can be randomly tested for drugs and alcohol — drivers like Fike could be allowed to continue racing unnoticed until something happens on the track.

“I’m confident that every driver in this garage area is willing and open to whatever NASCAR decides to do,” Johnson said. “I see no issue with that from any driver.”

Unlike other sports, NASCAR has been fortunate enough to not suffer through scandals and strikes, and it has an obligation to protect its reputation — even if it means having drivers tested with greater frequency.

The drivers are for it, the fans are for it - and this is one case where nobody loses if NASCAR gives the drivers what they want without argument.

It took the tragic loss of Dale Earnhardt Sr. to force NASCAR to reevaluate safety in the sport, and it made great strides.

Now, NASCAR needs to be proactive and use the same effort to make sure the drivers are just as safe as the equipment.

Get up to speed on the latest in NASCAR — listen to Wilson’s Race Report every weeknight at 8:20 on 93.1 WPOC

Comments from Examiner Readers

9:31 AM MST on Wed., Mar. 26, 2008 re: "Bring some excitement back to qualifying"

Examiner Reader said:
For those teams that are in the top 35, if they incure a rules violation in a pre-qualifying inspection, they should NOT be allow to qualify as they normally do, they should qualify with the teams that are not in the top 35. If they then fail to qualify, then they don't make the race.

Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

8:59 AM MST on Wed., Mar. 26, 2008 re: "Bring some excitement back to qualifying"

Examiner Reader said:
"Bring some excitement back to qualifying" ------- Hi, You are very WRONG about the TOP 35 Rule! With the teams having to try and stay in the TOP 35 Rule, they have to RACE harder on Sundays to do so. If not for the TOP 35 Rule, once they were in the race, they could just cruse around on Sunday and it wouldn't matter where they finished, with the TOP 35 Rule, it makes them have to RACE harder and the race is more important to fans than qualifying!!!

1 agree | 0 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

6:06 AM MST on Wed., Mar. 26, 2008 re: "Bring some excitement back to qualifying"

Paul said:
Hey, I dislike the top 35 rule as much as anyone. I still think the fastest 43 should get in and if Junior, Johnson, anyone named Gordon or Petty is not up to speed and somebody with a one-off deal gets in, then good for them. The so-called experts disagree with me, but let a top shoe miss a race or two and see how quickly they get better.

0 agree | 1 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

5:26 PM MST on Tue., Mar. 11, 2008 re: "Stewart hoping Goodyear can reinvent the tire"

Examiner Reader said:
Hey igorant reader at 2:32 I would like to see you try it sometime bet you will not last 100 laps

3 agree | 1 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

2:32 AM MST on Tue., Mar. 11, 2008 re: "Stewart hoping Goodyear can reinvent the tire"

Examiner Reader said:
driving a car is a sport? these guys get too much press and are impressed with themselves.

1 agree | 4 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

3:12 PM MST on Mon., Mar. 3, 2008 re: "Montoya's NASCAR win is impressive"

Race Fan said:
I don't believe that the best driver on the planet is driving for NASCAR. This is a waste. Please come back to the real racing sport. We will always wait for Juan Pablo Montoya.

19 agree | 17 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

7:38 PM MST on Thu., Nov. 22, 2007 re: "NASCAR puts focus on wins and comes out victorious"

newman rocks said:
newman is a nice guy and never blames any1 else newman NEVER complains like jeff gordon OR tony stewart i think jeff gordon and tony stewart are some of the best drivers at present and that ever drove in nascar i just do not like them at all

102 agree | 97 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

7:55 AM MST on Wed., Sep. 5, 2007 re: "Gibbs gambles big, but Toyota is winner"

Kyle Busch said:
Take that all you non toyota lover- some of your biggest chevy driver are coming here to toyota, non surprising of Penske Racing South join toyota in 2009...or if Honda and Nissan Join Nascar and soon it will be the american Big 3 ( GM, Ford,DaimlerChysler) Vs The Japanes Big 3 (Toyota,Honda,Nissan)

120 agree | 125 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

9:15 AM MST on Thu., Jul. 19, 2007 re: "Stewart adds personality to the drab world of NASCAR"

Examiner Reader said:
Tony is the closest thing we've got to the old school drivers. Praise God for his personality. NASCAR has become a muddled P.C. sport as much as it needs to. He is breath of fresh air to me each race weekend. Even when he takes out his teamate and half the most popular drivers- he blames them. LOL!! It reminds me of watching the sport in the late 70's and early 80's. AWESOME. LOVE TONY STEWART!!!!

151 agree | 132 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

9:42 AM MST on Wed., Jul. 18, 2007 re: "Stewart adds personality to the drab world of NASCAR"

Examiner Reader said:
Stewart is so fun to watch! He is fearless when it comes to saying whats on his mind. He doesn't say the predictable pre programmed garbage the other drivers vomit each week. Stewart is wild! Whenever the camera goes on him I run to the television because he is so unpredictable. No matter what anyone says about him, he brings fun to the NASCAR circuit. Without him I would not watch NASCAR each week. I could go on about his enormous talent but I think his INDY CAR, WINTON CUP, NEXTEL CUP championships, to only mention a few, tells the tale. Stewart is an asset to NASCAR. Without him NASCAR would be a snoozefest. Keep talking Smoke! Tell it like it is!

144 agree | 125 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

9:23 AM MST on Wed., Jul. 18, 2007 re: "Stewart adds personality to the drab world of NASCAR"

Examiner Reader said:
You rock Stewart!

187 agree | 147 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

2:42 PM MST on Tue., Jun. 5, 2007 re: "Dover provides unique experience for drivers, fans"

Examiner Reader said:
loa noyd is my mom and now i feel good that my whole family's famous! im her son jeremiah and i dont really like rusty wallace or kurt busch but newman is my favorite driver!

158 agree | 144 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

10:42 AM MST on Tue., May. 22, 2007 re: "Big teams are beginning to make NASCAR smaller"

Examiner Reader said:
limit teams to two per owner. That would allow more teams to compete on an even basis and have more not less people become involved in the racertainment. Pretty soon this will look like Indy. Every car on the grid is of the same make.

132 agree | 150 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

9:23 PM MST on Fri., May. 4, 2007 re: "Time for Dale Jr. to move on?"

mike steele said:
would love to see the number 3 back on the track thats where the money is jr it would be so good for nascar and the fans

205 agree | 166 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

5:41 PM MST on Thu., May. 3, 2007 re: "Time for Dale Jr. to move on?"

Examiner Reader said:
Jr. needs to leave DEI. Teresa has become money/power hungry and lost sight of the dream Sr. had. Perhaps she'll put on her big girl panties and accept she's history when Dale SR.'s empire crumbles around her. Go Jr. Go!! Let her greed hang her and don't look back. RCR was good to your Dad and will help you achieve the championship Teresa doesn't want you to have. BeBo -NC

193 agree | 208 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

11:59 PM MST on Tue., May. 1, 2007 re: "Time for Dale Jr. to move on?"

shanter said:
i think jr should leave dei, but not drive the number 3 car. there is already so many unrealistic expectation's on his shoulders already. driving the number 3 car would just make it worst. leave dei, get another number BESIDES number 3 and try to do better. his fans arent going anywhere.

212 agree | 183 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

10:41 PM MST on Tue., May. 1, 2007 re: "Time for Dale Jr. to move on?"

benny taylor said:
dale jr., leave the company now and go drive your dad's no. 3 he won 7 championships, and they have the horsepower and he would be like your second dad and i promise get you back in victory lane...

197 agree | 183 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate