LaJoie Fails Drug Test; Suspended

[Jacques Rabbit]

Story here

Shame to see a past champion get involved with substances, but I will give him some credit: he came out and announced it before NASCAR did, and he's already sought help before NASCAR mandated it. Hopefully he'll get everything sorted out and get things back together.

Needless to say, he's been suspended indefinitely from his job as an analyst for ESPN as well. I imagine any races he was scheduled to do commentary for (if any; I'm not sure) will go to someone like Ricky Craven, who did an excellent job at Nashville.

[fieldodreams79]

the marijuana incident

[Jacques Rabbit]

I do have a hard time believing it was isolated, personally, but that's his business and not my own. Still, when he says "my own substance abuse counselor," I have to be a bit a curious. Could just be an odd phrase choice that I'm reading way too much into, but typically one would say "a substance abuse counselor" unless that person had a past history with aforementioned substance abuse counselor. Whether he meant it or not, there is a difference between saying "a" and "my" in reference to anything.

Plus, it's one thing to agree to NASCAR's program, but to actually seek a substance abuse counselor on your own for one "isolated" incident is a bit excessive when NASCAR will be providing a mandatory one. It could just be a public image move, I guess.

Regardless, this is all for him to sort out with the proper people. It's just a shame to see so many people in the sport using drugs; maybe it's always been that way and the policy's are just better at catching people, but it's unfortunate nonetheless.

[mountainstar]

I have known a few people in and around nascar over the years and they say a lot of these guys are getting into the party hard lifestyle and it's a surprise more guys haven't been caught.