To test or not to test - Oh, wait, cars or racers?

THATSRACIN.COM OPINION

DAVID POOLE

The Charlotte Observer

Wednesday, Apr. 16, 2008

Some thoughts from the Charlotte Observer's David Poole, in the the middle of an off week for the NASCAR Sprint Cup teams, on testing and more:

OBSERVATIONS

• There's a simple answer for those Sprint Cup teams who say they don't feel that the open test added for May 5-6 at Lowe's Motor Speedway will do them any good.

Don't show up.

If you have the new car figured out and know everything there is to know about it, that's great.

Not only can they skip the test, but there won't be any need to test anywhere else, either, since there's no more to learn.

Good luck with all of that free time.

• Speaking of testing, forget about Kentucky Speedway as an immediate option. The track has canceled testing for two weeks because it has been wet there and water is seeping from under the track. Nine Cup teams scheduled to test there Wednesday had to come home.

• The Nationwide Series will make its fourth trip to Mexico City this weekend, and as best as I can tell the only people who really like going there work for NASCAR. It's a logistical migraine and no team makes any money on the trip. But you can bet your bottom NASCAR gets a nice check out of the deal.

MY 2 CENTS

Brian France said something last weekend that made my eyes bulge.

"We have the most aggressive (substance-abuse) policy in sports," France told NASCAR Scene’s Bob Pockrass in the garage at Phoenix.

"We can test anytime, any place. It's better than random testing because we can do it on a more frequent basis."

"Then the punishments, should anything happen, are more severe than anything in sports. It's a game-changer for somebody's career."

France is right in that when NASCAR does punish somebody for a substance-abuse violation, the punishment is swift and sure.

That reminds me of those parents you see at the Wal-Mart who let their kids run up and down the aisles for 20 minutes and then decide to administer a spanking after one knocks over a display.

It's a matter of benign neglect followed immediately by aggressive punishment. It addresses only half the issue, and it's the wrong half.

France also said NASCAR's current policy is "clear." He's right about that, too.

It's clear NASCAR doesn't want the responsibility for establishing and enforcing a fair testing policy.

It also is clear NASCAR officials really don't want to know some of the answers a real drug-testing policy might give them.

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