Jenn
Nitro Member
Allen Johnson admitted drinking on his time, not NHRA's. The effect lasted til the next day but he still took the test because he felt he had nothing to hide.
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Allen Johnson DQd for Alcohol
- Thread starter smokemasterJ
- Start date
Allen Johnson admitted drinking on his time, not NHRA's. The effect lasted til the next day but he still took the test because he felt he had nothing to hide.
What if the random testing was not so random.....let the conspiracy begin
I'm just sayin' ......test everyone or don't test at all
Jack, let's don't go down that conspiracy road...dang, this is a big enough mess as it is.
As for testing everyone, if you'll think a minute about what you're saying, you'll realize that's flat out not possible. You're talking testing hundreds of drivers before every round. NHRA's computer-selected random testing system works. When's the last time you witnessed an on-track racing accident as the result of someone driving under the influence?
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C'mon Jenn. This is the real world. If you drink the night before work and show up hungover and got tested and failed. You are likely fired. You drank on your time, took a risk on someone else's !! Simple. Its about insurance, liability, and risk.
It just seems odd that sanctioning bodies sell, promote, push alcohol for profit, accept advertising $'s from said companies, then have a Zero tolerance against the very product that they make money off of. I don't think Allen was drinking on "Company Time" as you put it. If he is on "Company Time" 24 hours a day, then NHRA should pay for his meals and lodging and for all the racers that attend. I can understand the number needs to be under the .08, but 0.0 is a little crazy. We "used" to live in America.........
Super Mod
Nitro Member
Testing all the Pro's on Raceday a.m. would not be impractical and to me would be more realistic
Rajunz
Nitro Member
Since when is "drinks with dinner" on company time?
I am amazed at the liberalism sometimes displayed here ... if this is a big mess to you, you must be leading quite the sheltered life. War is a big mess, unemployment is a big mess. AJ getting DQ'd for an alcohol test IS NOT a big mess !!
Jenn
Nitro Member
Don't get it twisted, I'm all for zero tolerance policy. He got tossed from the event after admitted it and I hope he doesn't get a long term suspension from the race. NHRA cannot dictate what you do on your own time when you are off the property.
He didn't deny he had something to drink the night before, and he didn't wait either. He took the blow test early in the morning, what time was qualifying? He thought it was out of his system and he went to take the test. He had the time to wait to take the test as well.
Hanging out and drinking with racing buddies has been part of racing since it began.
You're right about hanging out and having a few ... but as a racer yourself, you obviously have to understand the risk vs. reward when at a National event. To me, there is too much at stake to take that risk. Do you agree? Especially if your in a championship chase !!
Why all the controversy? NHRA has a well-established zero tolerance policy.
Personally, I'm surprised any driver would drink while the race is going on. They never know if they are going to be called for a random test. The stakes are too high should they test positive.
But, AJ took the test, failed and manned up.
Let's move along.
Personally, I'm surprised any driver would drink while the race is going on. They never know if they are going to be called for a random test. The stakes are too high should they test positive.
But, AJ took the test, failed and manned up.
Let's move along.
CrewGuy
Nitro Member
Sadly, Dodge probably will..................
Alan, no I do not think it's the American Way to drink and operate a motor vehicle. You don't think that political issues don't enter into the NHRA Board Room? Our country, and as it filters down to corporations, go to extreme and unrealistic measures to "fix" problems that I didn't even know existed in NHRA. This is a rule of NHRA. I understand the rule and that everyone must adhere, I'm just not sure it couldn't be adjusted and used in a better way.
Did you have dinner with Allen Johnson friday night?
Makes sense to me, brother. Someone (me) who discourages a conspiracy theory, one that obviously implies Allen Johnson was targeted for testing by a Pro Stock rival, is a liberal. Lord have mercy; they walk among us.
Go ask Allen, his Dad, and the rest of his team if this isn't a big mess. Right or wrong, I'd say it messed his season up pretty good.
I agree with Ted; let's move along.
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CrewGuy
Nitro Member
Go ahead and tell us how you would "fix" it.
Well for starters, lets use .75% amount of the state minimum the event is held in. In Ohio the .08% would become .02%. This would eliminate the Certs issue, the errors of equipment, and all the paranoia that comes with a Zero % policy.
Jenn
Nitro Member
There is the risk of having a drink, suiting up and heading to the staging lanes. Then there is the risk of having a drink the night before, and then having the morning off, and extra hours til you have to head to the lanes.
It's similar to a non racer having a few drinks at night with some friends, calling it a night, and getting up and going to church.
The only difference is a non racer isn't going to be called up for a breathalyzer test Sunday morning unless he's symptomatic where the cops were being pulled over. A non racer isn't going to voluntarily walk into the lab and say "I'm here for my test".
clwill
Nitro Member
Zero tolerance is just fine with me. Telling someone that they can't drink anything at all for a few days a year, in exchange for the privilege of racing, seems like pretty small thing to ask. When we're racing we very consciously limit ourselves to at most one beer at dinner, if anything. It's not about the rules, it's about racing with a clear head.
NHRA's rule isn't "political correctness" or "liberalism", it's about safety and insurance. Someone gets hurt, if it turns out alcohol is involved and the lawsuits would fly for decades. As for "this is America, dammit", I must've missed the part of the constitution that grants the right to endanger others by drinking and driving.
For all you conspiracy theorists, please note that the Substance Abuse Policy has two selection criteria: Random-Selection Testing and Reasonable-Suspicion Testing. The former has been discussed above. The latter states:
It may well be that NHRA had reason to believe there was an issue with Allen. They don't need any evidence or due process, they could just suspect, and require the test.
If Allen really thought this was a "Certs issue" or a couple of drinks he had 11 hours earlier, he wouldn't have been so contrite or in tears. The policy has a very clear appeal process. He chose not to discuss or invoke that. He showed the sad signs of someone who'd been caught in an unfortunate situation. I'm sorry, he's a nice guy, but he was busted. Bummer.
NHRA's rule isn't "political correctness" or "liberalism", it's about safety and insurance. Someone gets hurt, if it turns out alcohol is involved and the lawsuits would fly for decades. As for "this is America, dammit", I must've missed the part of the constitution that grants the right to endanger others by drinking and driving.
For all you conspiracy theorists, please note that the Substance Abuse Policy has two selection criteria: Random-Selection Testing and Reasonable-Suspicion Testing. The former has been discussed above. The latter states:
Registered member said:
It may well be that NHRA had reason to believe there was an issue with Allen. They don't need any evidence or due process, they could just suspect, and require the test.
If Allen really thought this was a "Certs issue" or a couple of drinks he had 11 hours earlier, he wouldn't have been so contrite or in tears. The policy has a very clear appeal process. He chose not to discuss or invoke that. He showed the sad signs of someone who'd been caught in an unfortunate situation. I'm sorry, he's a nice guy, but he was busted. Bummer.
Kansas Stan
Nitro Member
One of the last things we get across to newbies coming on to our fire service is this: even though this is a volunteer service, there is to be no alcohol while on the job. We are on call 24/7 and 365 so if you have been having a beer or two, do not respond when toned. If you do and it is detected and varified, you've just been on your last run. They know this coming in, just as NHRA drivers know what the rule is. I'm not a big NHRA fan but this is black and white. They are right,Allen was wrong, move on.
Sean D, shondoo
Nitro Member
I am absolutely amazed at the amount of posts in this thread that seem to come to the rescue of AJ. Hell, some of you actually sound like you're condoning it. I just hope I don't make the mistake of ever pulling into the gate of your local track where you compete. NHRA has done some seriously bone-headed things in their day, but in this particular case they bear absolutely no fault at all; period.
All of you doubters need to read and re-read Christopher's post above. It covers all pertinent areas of the argument to the point of nothing else needing to be said.
Sean D
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