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Drivers now allowed to drink ????? (13 Viewers)

ironpony

ironpony

Nitro Member
So if everyone thinks back a bunch of years, Allen Johnson was DQed from racing in the finals because he had a drink with dinner the night before. Someone ratted him out and NHRA came down on him and stated something along the lines of safety and it would not be tolerated, zero tolerance.
Fast foward to Brainerd and you have Bruno and Hagan running around the zoo doing a whole childish skit then at the end Hagan smashes two of his sponsors beers and chugs them. I realize he probably spilled 90% but the implication now is partying and drinking are acceptable actions by drivers.
NHRA is getting closer to the WWE than ever.
 
I've been wondering the same thing. I remember the AJ incident. I'm not much of a drinker, but I thought it had something to do with the fact that alcohol stays in your system awhile, so I've always thought drivers wouldn't indulge until they're driving stint is done for the event.
 
I think you are making a false claim. I think the Allen Johnson issue was multiple drinks the night before without a propr water intake and he tested above the level he should. I wouldn't assume that the Zoo people may have not have drank as much as you thought, or maybe had their hydration via Coconut water the next morning that helped any random tests. But with AJ it was a random test, doesn't always happen. I don't think you can compare the two.
 
ironpony said:
So if everyone thinks back a bunch of years, Allen Johnson was DQed from racing in the finals because he had a drink with dinner the night before. Someone ratted him out and NHRA came down on him and stated something along the lines of safety and it would not be tolerated, zero tolerance.
Fast foward to Brainerd and you have Bruno and Hagan running around the zoo doing a whole childish skit then at the end Hagan smashes two of his sponsors beers and chugs them. I realize he probably spilled 90% but the implication now is partying and drinking are acceptable actions by drivers.
NHRA is getting closer to the WWE than ever.
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Allen failed a sobriety test the morning of the finals. He had to have more than a couple the night before to do that.
 
Nunz said:
I've been wondering the same thing. I remember the AJ incident. I'm not much of a drinker, but I thought it had something to do with the fact that alcohol stays in your system awhile, so I've always thought drivers wouldn't indulge until they're driving stint is done for the event.
Click to expand...
Your body metabolizes alcohol at a rate of one ounce per hour, whether you weigh 100 or 300. The effect of that alcohol, of course, varies widely based on weight, what you had to eat and several other factors. That's why you see people with a BAC of .010 acting sober as a preacher and others at .005 that slur their words and have trouble walking. But regardless of how it affects you, it takes 10 hours for your body to rid itself of 10 ounces of alcohol.

I don't know exactly what went down with AJ but I felt bad for him. Nice guy, he and his dad; two of Pro Stock's favorites.
 
AJ was served a random drug test notice. As the procedure dictated, he had all day to report, he knew he wasn't taking any drugs, so went 1st thing in the morning to get it out of the way, not thinking that a couple of drinks the night before would mean anything. The test is zero tollerence and a very slight level of alcohol was detected. He was not impared at all, and even the test people said if he had just come in later that afternoon he would have been fine. But once he took the test he couldn't take it back so he was not allowed to compete that day.

They have long done spoof piecess on the party in the zoo, I doubt that anyone really takes them seriously. Remember that time they did the parody of The Hangover? Do you really think anyone believed that Steve Torrence woke up drunk, got dressed on the way to the lanes and jumped in his TF car for round 1?

Alan
 
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Stranger things have happened but I’d be pretty confident that these drivers are not getting drunk and driving impaired. Let them have some fun.
 
none said:
AJ was served a random drug test notice. As the procedure dictated, he had all day to report, he knew he wasn't taking any drugs, so went 1st thing in the morning to get it out of the way, not thinking that a couple of drinks the night before would mean anything. The test is zero tollerence and a very slight level of alcohol was detected. He was not impared at all, and even the test people said if he had just come in later that afternoon he would have been fine. But once he took the test he couldn't take it back so he was not allowed to compete that day.

They have long done spoof piecess on the party in the zoo, I doubt that anyone really takes them seriously. Remember that time they did the parody of The Hangover? Do you really think anyone believed that Steve Torrence woke up drunk, got dressed on the way to the lanes and jumped in his TF car for round 1?

Alan
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No I do not think the spoofs are bad or true BUT hagan chugged two beers a little different scenario
 
Ken,
I understand what you are saying, but many (if not most) will have a cocktail or two with dinner on Saturday. Matt did it publically and on camera, but he didn't do anything that others aren't doing as well. But as much as TS loves Matt, if he showed up for work impared that would be a real problem,

Alan
 
Showing Matt Hagen smashing two beers isn't indicative of NHRA sanctioning alcohol consumption or becoming WWE-like. Pretty sure what was left of the two beers had zero effect on a 280 pound man 12 hours later and wouldn't/didn't show up during the Sunday morning BAC blowjob.

But this is America, the home of the free and the right to choose. If NHRA's coverage of the Brainerd Zoo activities offends someone, perhaps coverage of another venue would be a better fit.
 
twostep said:
Showing Matt Hagen smashing two beers isn't indicative of NHRA sanctioning alcohol consumption or becoming WWE-like. Pretty sure what was left of the two beers had zero effect on a 280 pound man 12 hours later and wouldn't/didn't show up during the Sunday morning BAC blowjob.

But this is America, the home of the free and the right to choose. If NHRA's coverage of the Brainerd Zoo activities offends someone, perhaps coverage of another venue would be a better fit.
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Wouldn’t want to be the person telling Matt he can’t race because he chugged two beers, just saying.
 
I wouldn't want anything to impair my reaction times....or decision making for the whole weekend.
During Bret Kepner's Mr Dirt series I followed his advice... Too slow? Have a candy bar or soda. Too quick or red lighting? Have a burger or something heavy. It really worked when I was at E Town racing my Dodge GLH Turbo. I runner-upped to a 10 second Duster. My lights had improved all day... I broke out in the final because I looked in the $%#@& rear view mirror and saw his top end charge
 
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Id prob have a beer with the crew but thats it,unless no racing the next day. Always wondered how much these crews guys drink? Its gotta be brutal with a hanogover and hot days. Domt some team owners not let there guys drink? Prob not a bad idea?
 
Ugh; this is a tough topic. Getting back to the hotel Saturday night and having a cold one with dinner? Cracking open one at 12:30p on Sunday in July after you were just eliminated in round one? Like AR mentioned - what pro driver would knowingly get in a car impaired?
I’m very qualified to speak to this in some regard, because I used to own an Aviation services company that did substance testing exclusively for flight crews. Nobody wants your United Airlines Pilot showing up drunk or high when it’s time for your flight, do you? No. You rely on the employer monitoring, educating and policies and even fellow co-workers to speak up when they see something. Unfortunately - it still happens. Not just in aviation; but in all work capacities all over the world. Drugs and alcohol are a part of society. I’ve seen some lucrative, very successful careers destroyed with one piss test or one blow test. So sad.
 
When I started in the music business, drunk/high was a prerequisite to the job. There was a time when that was almost expected from band AND crew.

Now? Not that we are sipping tea, but the higher up the food chain you are, or the bigger your band is, the less substance abuse you see. Not that it's not there; it's just moved on from tossing TVs off the roof of the Riot House or traveling around with pounds of (fill in the blank). How do I know? Because I've been there for both ends of that spectrum. Lawyers, accountants and management all ALSO have their demons, but I'll tell ya- it's MUCH easier to get shit-canned because you aren't able to do your job, and that counts for everybody. No one who is in this business is safe from being replaced. And it's that much harder to climb back to the plateau once you have a rep of not knowing When to say When.

By the way; Cantore's, anyone? 😉 Those were the days...
 
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