Allen Johnson DQd for Alcohol

[Bullard Anderson]

Go to the Ale House in Gainesville, you see plenty of that!

Yeah doctor, I just don't see why anyone would put somthing in his/her system that would / could hurt peformance at all on that weekend. To many off weekends to enjoy your favorite pastime at the pub.

Especially with the hundredths of a second you deal with in sportsman, or pro stock.

 

[funny1]

Maybe come out with a line of " I had a drink with AJ " t shirts and caps,huggies,ect.....available in Busch blue or Budweiser red
Flip this whole thing around and turn the incident into a money making thing.
I think they would sell out of them in no time

 

[Speed1288]

I can't count how many times I've strolled through the pits (especially Sportsman) on a Saturday Night after the thrashes are over, and have been invited into someone's pit area for BBQ and a beer. It's usually a very casual and fun environment, lots of bench racing going on.......
.......

Some of the best food I've ever had...

 

[Johnny Mopar]

I can't count how many times I've strolled through the pits (especially Sportsman) on a Saturday Night after the thrashes are over, and have been invited into someone's pit area for BBQ and a beer. It's usually a very casual and fun environment, lots of bench racing going on.......

It wasn't all that long ago, within the last 5 years that we stopped by a multi-time Pro Stock Champion's pit area on a Saturday night in Baytown and there was a bar set up in the pit area, several teams and drivers all enjoying a cocktail......

Go out for dinner at ANY restaurant near an NHRA event on a Friday and Saturday evening and you will see plenty of racers, crews, NHRA officials, etc. having cocktails with their dinner......

I'm just saying.......

Lance,

I wondered when someone would point this out and I'm glad you did. I tend to go to the Topeka event. If you go to the Topeka Applebee's you'll see Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock drivers, crew chiefs and support staff having a good time. The drivers seem to be drinking in moderation, but they are having drinks at the bar....before dinner, as well as with dinner. They're definately having more than a "couple drinks" with dinner. I realize this thread was initially about Allen, but I've seen guys that drive well over 300 mph doing the same thing. It's actually a fun atmosphere there, but evidently one that would cause most of them to fail NHRA's test if they were all tested.

It's my opinion that this situation points out the flaws in NHRA's policy and their related testing. Since we're talking about driving under the influence of alcohol, it makes sense to make every driver submit to manditory testing, every single day.

 

[Jon Asher]

There are a few racers who seem to fully understand the negative impact alcohol can have on one's Reaction Times and the like, and act accordingly.

I know numerous Pro racers who simply don't drink alcohol in any form until after eliminations on Sunday.

When we lived in California the Star Racing gang used to come out to our place for dinner on Wednesday night before the Finals started. Every time they visited the late John Myers sat back drinking cold sodas while everyone else drank Margaritas. John politely declined all offers of alcohol by saying he thought it might have a negative impact on his riding, and racing was too important to him to let that happen.

During one memorable visit a friend from Australia was also at the house. Aussies often consider themselves hard drinkers. In short order the Star guys drank him under the table. He didn't make it to the track at all on Thursday!

The bottom line point is that successfully racing a fast car or motorcycle does not go hand-in-hand with the consumption of alcohol during a race weekend.

But it certainly remains a matter of personal choice.

Jon Asher

 

[Kelly]

But it certainly remains a matter of personal choice.

Jon Asher

And personal tolerance. Alcohol affects everyone differently. Also, it depends on what your body is used to. For example....if I raced and had 3 or 4 beers the night before I would likely feel little or no affects. Now, 3 or 4 margaritas? Totally different story!

 

[mick]

were the other 39 'playoff' pro drivers also 'randomly' tested last weekend?

why does a very highly seeded 'playoff' pro driver with a major US auto
manufacturer as sponsor get singled out?

why would nhra cast such a negative spotlight on itself during it's 'playoff season'?

why, in my recollection over the last few years, can i not remember this
happening to a professional driver, much less this late in year during
crucial points race?

a .027!?.........cough syrup could do that.

i know, rules are rules........seems like this could have been handled differently.
this kind of crap could have repercussions. better hope someone's kissing
mopar's _ _ _ .

do you REALLY think that 40 pro drivers show up every sunday to race that
without doubt would blow a .0000.....race after race, year after year!?

where's the random testing at brainerd!!!
nope, everyone raced on sunday at brainerd.

what a joke.

come on AJ - four straight victories to finish the season!

 

[Tony]

were the other 39 'playoff' pro drivers also 'randomly' tested last weekend?

why does a very highly seeded 'playoff' pro driver with a major US auto
manufacturer as sponsor get singled out?

why would nhra cast such a negative spotlight on itself during it's 'playoff season'?

why, in my recollection over the last few years, can i not remember this
happening to a professional driver, much less this late in year during
crucial points race?

a .027!?.........cough syrup could do that.

i know, rules are rules........seems like this could have been handled differently.
this kind of crap could have repercussions. better hope someone's kissing
mopar's _ _ _ .

do you REALLY think that 40 pro drivers show up every sunday to race that
without doubt would blow a .0000.....race after race, year after year!?

where's the random testing at brainerd!!!
nope, everyone raced on sunday at brainerd.

what a joke.

come on AJ - four straight victories to finish the season!

Unbelievable. Paranoia reaches a new high - or low - on the Mater.

 

[Sean D, shondoo]

Unbelievable. Paranoia reaches a new high - or low - on the Mater.

X2

Sean D

 

[mick]

Unbelievable. Paranoia reaches a new high - or low - on the Mater.

two sides to every story - most of us (including me) only know about this incident based on information released; is it possible there's more to this?
i don't know, just thinking it through trying to look at bigger picture.
i am not condoning driving a race car under influence.

i do retract one of my statements - similar happened to matt gideura
last season or season before.

 

[Johnny Mopar]

two sides to every story - most of us (including me) only know about this incident based on information released; is it possible there's more to this?
i don't know, just thinking it through trying to look at bigger picture.
i am not condoning driving a race car under influence.

i do retract one of my statements - similar happened to matt gideura
last season or season before.

Mike,

Because the "zero tolerance" police doesn't apply to everyone (not everyone is tested), there will always be the suspicion of targeted samples.

As I mentioned earlier, NHRA's testing policy doesn't meet the minimum requirements for "zero tolerance". Everyone should supply a sample...period. Until everyone is tested there is no "zero tolerance".

 

[TSK]

Under the file of "Just Curious", does anybody know how many other drivers were tested during Charlotte?

 

[TooTall999]

Anyone know how the drivers to be tested are selected? Chances are the number tested is higher than you realise, it's only when something like this happens that attention is drawn to the testing procedure. Back in the mid 80's I was a bicycle racer, and we were subject to random testing at every race. It was just something you accepted and dealt with. Knowing there is the possibility of being tested should keep most drivers from indulging until after the races are over.

 

[MM]

I believe 5 drivers from each professional category are selected at every race, I don't know if the number is the same for the sportsman categories, being that some of them have much larger fields. They are selected at random by the NHRA, but I'm not quite sure how exactly they are selected. Drivers have 24 hours to go submit samples to be tested upon receiving the papers indicating they must do so.

 

[Randy]

We've been selected more than once over the years and we are certifiable nobody's. The random nature of the testing should be fair enough warning to everyone, I think.

Daniel Oliver told me John Caran should be given a random test (just kidding, John.) But Reinhart, for sure.

 

[john]

Well it's Friday night in Dallas and AJ is qualified #1.

 

[Jim]

Daniel Oliver told me John Caran should be given a random test (just kidding, John.) But Reinhart, for sure.

Well - who (or is it Whom?) among us hasn't spoken (or typed) while "impaired"?

 

[Johnny Mopar]

We've been selected more than once over the years and we are certifiable nobody's. The random nature of the testing should be fair enough warning to everyone, I think.

Daniel Oliver told me John Caran should be given a random test (just kidding, John.) But Reinhart, for sure.

Hey!!! I'd pass....right now...

 

[Johnny Mopar]

Well - who (or is it Whom?) among us hasn't spoken (or typed) while "impaired"?

At times, there seems to be a high level of this activity...

 

[d'kid]

Well - who (or is it Whom?) among us hasn't spoken (or typed) while "impaired"?

Moi????? naaaaaa.... well, at least not in the last ten months... but I've found I'm more of an @$$ when I'm not... things piss me off easier, my reflexes aren't as quick, and I take things more personal... and I tend to piss people off more. And I smoke more drinking coffee then Beam.

d'kid