Hmiel case raises questions on drug policy - NASCAR - race car driver Shane Hmiel

It would be easy to stick my head in the sand and say that drug abuse happens only in other sports--not in NASCAR. There are stringent laws in this country exacting heavy penalties for driving under the influence at 55 mph. It's all but inconceivable to imagine driving under the influence at 185 mph.

But when I heard the rumors of Busch Series driver Shane Hmiel's possible suspension for an alleged positive drug test after the second Richmond race, I can't say I was surprised. I can say I was disappointed, but not nearly as disappointed as Shane's father, Steve, who has spent the last 30 years building an impressive reputation in the sport.

"This is the most devastating thing that has ever happened to our family," says Steve Hmiel, the technical director at Dale Earnhardt Inc. "Shane is brokenhearted. He wants to race. This is all he's ever done. He's made a mistake, but he can fix it."

Over the last few years, there have been persistent but unsubstantiated rumors concerning a few prominent members of the NASCAR community. On September 18, some of that speculation ended. NASCAR issued a statement announcing Hmiel's indefinite suspension.

In 1988, NASCAR created its substance-abuse policy in response to allegations regarding the late Tim Richmond. NASCAR used the NFL's program at the time as a model.

NASCAR requires drivers in the Craftsman Truck, Busch and Winston Cup series to pass physicals before the season openers in February at Daytona, and mandatory drug tests are not included.

Officials can test a driver if NASCAR says there is reasonable suspicion. NASCAR, in the news release concerning Hmiel, says that approach "is well suited, because of the close and continuing contact between our officials and our competitors."

But is suspicion enough, or does NASCAR need mandatory testing?

Joe Gibbs, who won three Super Bowls as a Redskins coach and two Cup championships as a NASCAR owner, says it does.

"When I was a head coach in the NFL, I thought the rules were the only way you have a chance to help somebody, and the only way to keep them from having a problem is through random drug testing," Gibbs says. "That's it. That's what the NFL did. You could have a drug test two weeks in a row or you could miss for six, seven or eight weeks.

"But the thought, especially for young athletes, is that the practice is random, and I run the chance of losing my career. I think it's the right thing to do, especially if you're driving racecars."

Gibbs would not comment on how often his company tests employees but says it does test and that the provision for random testing appears in the Joe Gibbs Racing employee handbook. Bobby Labonte, who drives for Gibbs and won the title in 2000, says he has no problem with random testing.

"Give me a cup," Labonte said without hesitation. "I'll take the test right now."

All NFL players are subject to two tests for street drugs during a roughly three-month window. They are subject to random tests for steroids at any time in the year. Players who test positive for drugs enter a program in which they are subject to frequent tests, but they rotate out of it if they stay clean for two years.

Major league baseball players are subject to two tests, an initial and a follow-up, for steroids. Players are subject to tests for "drugs of abuse" it" reasonable cause is determined by a panel of four: one representative from baseball and the union and a medical representative from each.

If NASCAR had adopted the NBA's anti-drug policy and its lackadaisical approach to marijuana, every race could resemble a 50-lap shootout at Bristol.

Hmiel, 23, was eighth in Busch Series points when the suspension occurred. He had attempted to make his Winston Cup debut in a Petty Enterprises car in July at Daytona but failed to make the field. He was expected to race again for the Pettys this fall.

Hmiel's Busch Series team owner, George deBidart, who released him after he was suspended, recently had signed a sponsor for Hmiel to face in 2004, in the Busch or truck series. But that sponsor has rescinded the offer.

Steve Hmiel and deBidart say Shane can make a comeback, perhaps as early as Daytona, if he follows the terms established by NASCAR, which include counseling and random drug testing. It is hoped that Shane Hmiel can learn from this and move on.

Regardless, NASCAR can't afford to be an enabler for Hmiel or anyone else.

Down the road

Banquet 400 Kansas Speedway When: 1 p.m. (ET) Sunday Length: 400.5 miles/267 laps TV: NBC

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M@IL BONDING LEE SPENCER ANSWERS YOUR QUESTIONS

What are your thoughts on NASCAR Winston Cup cost sharing as a result of the new car measurements announced recently? My thought is seeing that NASCAR has mandated a universal change, it should provide a percentage amount of funds to smaller raging teams, such as BAM Racing, so that the teams can spend more on research and development and not on remanufacturing racecars.

Chris Femia, Whitby, Ontario

Chris: Bill and Jim France are listed in Forbes magazine's billionaires club, so it wouldn't be unreasonable to ask NASCAR to absorb a significant amount of the cost associated with the changes it has mandated for 2004. NASCAR can't be certain that the latest rulebook amendments will work any better than the ones that were established for this season. With the move to common templates, the teams reskinned entire fleets for 2003. Every crew chief in the garage expects to put new bodies on all his chassis for next year.

Matt Borland, crew chief for Ryan Newman's No. 12, says he has reskinned at least a dozen bodies this season to give Newman a car that is aerodynamically efficient and comfortable to drive. Borland expects his shop to work weekends ha the off-season just to catch up.

SPEED READS

* The 2003 rookie class may not be that exhilarating, but Jamie McMurray and Greg Biffle have had consistent seasons, thanks to solid leadership. McMurray's crew chief, Donnie Wingo, built his team from scratch, and the pit crew is the strongest at Ganassi Racing. Biffle has continued at a steady pace since Doug Richert was appointed crew chief in August

* Expect Kurt Busch, NASCAR's Mr. October, to live up to his nickname. Last year, Busch won at Martinsville and Atlanta in October and then picked up his fourth victory in the season finale at Homestead. He has matched last season's win mark and figures to surpass it.

* Several top organizations fielded additional cars at Talladega, allowing them to test with those teams in advance. A two-day engine test with rookie Jason Jarrett paid dividends for Robert Yates Racing. Yates engines have not been up to par, but the test data helped Elliot Sadler win the pole, Dale Jarrett to qualify sixth and Jason to qualify 25th.

INSIDE DISH

By LEE SPENCER

Richard Childress is expected to decide this week who will be the driver next season for No. 30 Chevrolet, which Steve Park failed to qualify in at Talladega. Three drivers are being mentioned: Jeremy Mayfield, Ward Burton and Scott Riggs. If Mayfield bolts from Evernham Motorsports' No. 19 team, it will raise a bigger question: Which two drivers would compete for Evernham in 2004? If Bill Eliott runs a limited schedule of five to seven races and Mayfield departs, chances are that Burton and/of Riggs could figure in the Evernham equation. An interesting combination would be Riggs, a rookie, with a veteran crew chief, such as Tommy Baldwin, in one of EMS' primary cars.... Goodyear engineers worked on damage control after Tony Stewart criticized its tires' consistency at Dover. Although tires were not an issue at Talladega, there is concern about the quality and consistency of the tires teams have received recently. One crew chief claims the tires he was given at Dover were from 2002. "We're being bit by the warehouse clearance," one crew chief said. Goodyear is making room for its 2004 tires and has not been giving teams tires from the same batch, so teams are forced to purchase 14 to 16 sets at $1,600 a set to find six or seven sets with similar tire codes. Tires will be important this weekend at Kansas City, and the most valuable crew member the rest of the season could be the tire specialist.... Ricky Rudd doesn't know how the tumors started, but he has every intention of finishing the remaining two years of his contract with Wood Brothers in the No. 21 Ford. "I've had several people approach me," Rudd says, "but I'm obligated to see this through." Team owner Eddie Wood has made several crew changes over the last month.... NASCAR's escape hatch, which allows drivers to exit through the car's roof, is a good idea, but few teams wanted to be guinea pigs for the project at Talladega. Although the early test results with Michael Waltrip last month at Daytona were promising, teams weren't willing to take a chance at such an aerodynamically dependent track and with so little preparation time. But Waltrip, whose car did have an escape hatch, held off teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. and won at Talladega.... Several crew chiefs are on the hot seat, including Bill Wilburn with the No. 2 Dodge. Someone mentioned as a possible replacement is Todd Parrott, who returned to Robert Yates Racing last month as Elliott Sadler's crew chief after a lengthy sabbatical. Parrott says any talk of his leaving is "crazy." "Not in this lifetime," Parrott says. "I'm back at home, and this team is starting to come together." Parrott believes Sadler and the team are gaining confidence in him, and winning the pole at Talladega is an example of the crew's potential. Sadler was running third before he was involved in a spectacular crash. The wreck forced the race to be red-flagged with six laps remaining.

TSN's POWER POLL

Rank   Driver               TSN pts.   Winston Cup pts.

 1.    Ryan Newman            2,797       3,738 (5)
 2.    Matt Kenseth           2,787       4,227 (1)
 3.    Dale Earnhardt Jr.     2,416       3,843 (3)
 4.    Kevin Harvick          2,347       3,873 (2)
 5.    Jimmie Johnson         2,281       3,751 (4)
 6.    Jeff Gordon            2,227       3,707 (6)
 7.    Kurt Busch             2,121       3,527 (8)
 8.    Bobby Labonte          2,086       3,528 (7)
 9.    Tony Stewart           1,947       3,456 (9)
10.    Michael Waltrip        1,799       3,386 (11)

Through race No. 29, at Talladega, Ala.

(S) For the latest news from the Winston Cup circuit and analysis from FOX commentators Darrell Waltrip, Jeff Hammond and Larry McReynolds--plus Lee Spencer--go to www.foxsports.com, keyword: NASCAR.

LEE SPENCER

lspencer@sportingnews.com

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