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Motorsports
© St. Petersburg Times, published March 27, 2003
NASCAR is hiring an expert on the use and effects of dietary supplements that contain the stimulant ephedra.
"We're talking to an expert in that field," NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter said. "It's not so much a health expert as it is a drug expert, although I hate to ever use the word drugs in relation to NASCAR."
Ephedra is banned in college athletics, the NFL, minor-league baseball and the Olympics. It was partly to blame for the heatstroke death of Orioles pitcher Steve Bechler last month.
After Bechler's death, questions arose about the possible use of products for weight loss or extra energy by drivers and crew members faced with a grueling 38-race schedule and heavy race-day pressure for quick pit stops and wins.
NASCAR does random drug tests, but ephedra is not among its banned substances.
"We read the papers and hear about things, too," said Hunter, adding the stock car sanctioning body began the process of hiring an outside expert within the past two weeks.
Al Shuford, head trainer for Chip Ganassi Racing, said in USA Today that an estimated 80 percent of crew members have at least tried ephedra.
"I do not believe that number," Hunter said, pointing out that supplement manufacturer Stacker 2, which sponsors Kenny Wallace's Winston Cup car, handed out samples to teams earlier this season.
Hunter said Cup director John Darby and his staff are investigating to determine if anyone in the sport is using ephedra. He added that the investigation is also "a priority" for Gary Nelson, who heads NASCAR's new research and development facility.
"We want to find out who is using it and what they're using it for," Hunter said. He added that NASCAR is also talking with Bill Davis, who owns Wallace's car.
"We don't know a lot about this yet, and we want to find out what we're dealing with before we react," Hunter said. "We don't even know if it's a problem."
SAFETY LIGHTS: Texas Motor Speedway and System Electric Inc. of Fort Worth have developed and installed a unique new caution light system.
The Warning Emergency System (WES) caution lights are imbedded in the asphalt at the base of the retaining walls in the four turns on the 11/2-mile oval.
"In our neverending effort to improve driver safety, we wanted to develop caution lights that were directly in the view of the drivers," said Eddie Gossage, general manager of TMS. "In the turns, the drivers are focusing on the racetrack ahead of them and, since the WES lights are imbedded into the asphalt surface, our tests indicate the drivers will see them easier. We believe it will give the drivers quicker notification of a problem somewhere on the racetrack, and that makes the racing safer."
The WES lights have been installed in eight different locations around the track, with four sets in Turns 1, 2, 3 and 4. NASCAR officials will decide if the new lights are used in this weekend's races.
The WES lights are similar to airport runway lights. Each location provides a 15-foot strip of LED lights 6 inches wide. Each section includes 180 LED lights.
FUNDRAISER: Justin Wilson, who's selling shares to fund his first season as a Formula One driver, has raised half the $1.9-million he needs.
About 300 people have invested, Wilson said. The share sale will end April 11.
"It's fantastic to know so many people are out there willing you on," Wilson said.
The 24-year-old, who did not finish the first two races, pledged $3-million to drive for the Minardi team this season.
To make a return for shareholders, Justin Wilson Plc needs to make more in sponsorships, merchandise sales and salary than it pays him. If the shares double in value, investors will be entitled to 10 percent of the revenue through 2012.