Jeremy Mayfield has no plans for a Lance Armstrong-like admission
Mayfield went from NASCAR Hero to NASCAR Zero |
Don’t count on a Lance Armstrong-type admission from suspended NASCAR driver Jeremy Mayfield .
Mayfield, who was suspended in 2009 for a failed drug test that NASCAR said was positive for methamphetamines, reiterated his innocence Wednesday. Armstrong, an Olympic cyclist, reportedly admitted in an interview with Oprah Winfrey Monday that he used performance-enhancing drugs while winning seven Tour de France championships. Armstrong’s highly anticipated interview is scheduled to air Thursday.
Mayfield, who also faces a charge of possession of methamphetamine and 19 felony charges stemming from a 2011 search of his 400-acre property, was asked following a court hearing Wednesday about Armstrong’s admission of doping.
“If he did, that’s fine," Mayfield said. “From day one, I know what I took and that’s what I took. … I never took meth. I took Adderall and Claritin-D.
“That’s a fact."
The 43-year-old Mayfield, whose criminal charges span three North Carolina counties, appeared in court Wednesday only to have his Caldwell County case postponed until March 4. His next court date, which covers 10 of the counts, is Feb. 18 in Iredell County.
It’s the charges in Catawba County (where his next court date is still to be determined) that include a possession of methamphetamine charge. When asked about that and how it correlates with the NASCAR drug test, Mayfield said: “Let’s see if I’m convicted of that."
Mayfield, who has said he would like to race again and would consider going through NASCAR’s recovery program, said there are still talks about a plea bargain in his criminal cases. He said he did not know how any plea would impact his NASCAR eligibility. He did mention several other drivers and car owners who have gotten into trouble.
“There have been a lot of people who have been in trouble and are racing," Mayfield said. Sporting News