LOUDON, N.H. -- NASCAR is expected to soon complete a tougher drug policy, but the new language would not likely change how the sanctioning body handled Ron Hornaday's admission to using testosterone.
Hornaday told ESPN The Magazine earlier this week that he used a testosterone cream during 2004 and 2005 to treat a medical issue. NASCAR met with the reigning Truck Series champion on Friday at New Hampshire International Speedway and found no reason to punish Hornaday for the admission.
Hornaday also revealed he has Grave's disease, a condition he is now treating with Synthroid, which replaces a hormone normally produced by the thyroid gland to regulate the body's energy and metabolism.
"We don't see where Ron did anything wrong," NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter said. "Our substance abuse experts have told us the prescription Ron Hornaday used did not enhance his performance or impair his judgment. It is our understanding Ron had a very serious health issue, which is continuing to be addressed."
Hunter was joined during an impromptu news conference by Hornaday and Kevin Harvick, who with his wife owns the truck team Hornaday drove to his third series title last season. Hornaday was second in the standings heading into Saturday's race at New Hampshire.
Harvick was fiercely supportive of his driver Friday, explaining that Hornaday had been ill for quite a long time and struggling to figure out what was wrong. Hornaday said he'd lost a lot of weight -- as much as 30 lbs. at one point -- and was seriously ill during the first two races of the 2006 season. He needed intravenous fluids before both events, and Harvick finally had enough.
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| Ron Hornaday did nothing wrong, says NASCAR. (AP) |
"From an owner's standpoint, maybe that's not how I should have done it. But from a friend's standpoint, that's how I did it."
Harvick tricked Hornaday into visiting the race shop, where Hornaday was met at the door by friend and former driver Rick Carelli, who was there to take Hornaday to see Harvick's personal physician.
It was there that Hornaday finally received the correct diagnosis of Graves' disease.
"I asked if I could take care of it after the season and he said no, it was a life-and-death situation right now and I needed to take care of it," Hornaday recalled.
Hornaday was adamant that in trying to treat his ailments himself before the diagnosis he was not seeking any sort of competitive edge or doing anything he believed would put other competitors in jeopardy.
"I don't take aspirin," he said. "I love my beer, but I don't drink beer the night before a race and I don't drink on the race track. You guys know I have nothing ever to hide."
