NASCAR: substance policy working

A number of Cup drivers have called for stronger policies including random drug tests after recent revelations made by Truck Series driver Aaron Fike, who admitted to having raced under the influence of drugs.

However the ruling body says the responsibility of controlling the misuse or abuse of substances in the sport does not rely solely on NASCAR but also on the teams and the drivers themselves.

"The responsibility here rests across the board - with the drivers and competitors, owners and teams and NASCAR," said NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp. "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 tolerance policy that is in place has served the sport well."

Tharp denied that NASCAR didn't take notice of a conversation with driver Kevin Harvick, who claimed his words had fallen on 'deaf ears' when he spoke with officials last year about a more proactive policy to assure everyone that all competitors are clean.

"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," Tharp said. "Now, they might not always come out of the meeting with the answer they're looking for, but we listen."