Keselowski – candid comments on substance abuse

"I think you should not be allowed to take anything. You should just man up and drive the damn race car."

While NASCAR Sprint Cup driver A J Allmendinger nervously awaits the results of a second urine test to determine the state of his racing career with Roger Penske Racing, his situation has remained to be one of the major stories in NASCAR racing. There has been a lot of comments and opinions delivered by a lot of NASCAR participants and observers regarding drivers who find themselves in trouble with the sanctioning body's very strict substance abuse policy.

Driver Brad Keselowski, Allmendinger's Sprint Cup team mate, was just one of the latest to weigh in on this issue during an appearance last weekend at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway's media center. It was very likely that someone, attending that press conference, was going to ask Keselowski for his thoughts on the plight and future of his team mate.

It was also very likely that Keselowski was going to respond to questions with his now famous high level of candor. His thoughts on this serious matter, eventually aired by the SPEED Channel's "Speed Report" program, did not disappoint those who were in attendance at the press conference.

Recent revelations indicates that some believe a stimulant listed on NASCAR's list of banned substances, from a possible over the counter medicine or possible fitness supplement, may have triggered the positive reading from Allmendinger's first urine test.

Responding to that, Keselowski said: "there are some people who say it doesn't matter what it, (the stimulant) was, but I disagree with that. It does matter what it was. I want to believe that any performer or athlete would not be dumb enough to take a drug that is against the law, illegal. It stands to reason that if you made it this far in this sport, then you've had the knowledge to not do anything that dumb. But, I don't know if that's what it was, I hope it wasn't."

Keselowski also shared his thoughts on the list of official banned substances and said: "my personal belief is: nothing should be allowed. I don't even think that you should be allowed to take Flintstone, (Vitamin), pills. I laughed out loud when I read this list, (of NASCAR's banned substances). People say "I have my supplements checked" like there's some sort of special list of supplements that are okay. What kind of world is that? That's terrible, nothing should be allowed, because then it just comes down to who you have for a doctor or a lawyer who says this is okay and this is not. I think we all know that you can get a doctor or lawyer these days to say you're okay with anything."

Keselowski also said that one hundred percent abstinence was a workable way to avoid failing a drug test adding "I know that my own personal code of avoiding this is not to take anything at all, but I can still tell you that when you go into that room to take a drug test (it's scary). I've never taken drugs in my life, I'm scared s**tless of them. It's honestly a phobia of mine. But, when I go into that room, (for a drug test), I'm still scared because I know if something goes wrong, it's a death sentence for your career."

Concluding his statement, Keselowski again raised some eyebrows by saying: "I'm sure I have different views than everyone else, but I don't think there needs to be any committee that approves drugs, supplements or whatever it is. I think you should not be allowed to take anything. You should just man up and drive the damn race car."