LOOKING IN ON: MOTOR SPORTS

Thursday, July 19, 2007 | 7:26 a.m.

Occasionally, a professional athlete will surprise - indeed, impress - even the most cynical observer of sports.

That happened last weekend as the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series and Busch Series were in Joliet, Ill., to race at Chicagoland Speedway.

In the wake of the most recent instance of a driver from one of NASCAR's touring series being suspended for suspected involvement with drugs, someone finally stepped up and called for more preemptive and thorough drug testing in NASCAR.

The suggestion, spurred by the July 7 arrest of NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Aaron Fike on charges of possession of heroin and drug paraphernalia while at an Ohio amusement park, came from an unlikely source: Nextel Cup Series driver Kevin Harvick.

Although a pleasant sort, Harvick is not usually perceived as one of the sport's deep thinkers. His most notable comments since he came into the series in 2001 typically have been limited to ripping other drivers with whom he has come into contact with on the track. (Harvick's "Rubberhead" nickname for Kurt Busch, a takeoff on Busch's sponsor at the time, Rubbermaid, comes to mind.)

But when asked by a reporter last weekend for his take on Fike's arrest, Harvick called on NASCAR to step up its drug testing policy.

"I believe every driver and every national series should be drug tested a couple times a year randomly, regardless of who you are, what you're doing," he said. "I think we owe it to the sponsors and the fans to 100 percent know that this is a clean environment. It would eliminate a lot of those problems of the younger guys that disrespect the sport and the system.

"Shame on NASCAR for not policing our garage better than what they police it right now. I think we're all professional athletes and should be treated like professional athletes in other professional sports and shame on them for not doing that."

Harvick went on to say that he didn't think drug use was widespread in NASCAR, but he correctly pointed out that random, across-the-board drug testing would eliminate speculation that it is more common because at least six drivers in NASCAR's lower series have been suspended or are under suspension for violating NASCAR's drug policy. One, Shane Hmiel , received a lifetime ban from the sport last year after failing a third drug test.

While that action was warranted, NASCAR's present drug testing policy is woefully lacking. Rather than random testing, the sanctioning body relies on drivers and crew members to turn in suspected violators. That's NASCAR's job.

NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter defended the policy.

"Anytime (drivers) suspect that someone is abusing, they can come up to one of our officials ... and we'll investigate. I think they have a responsibility to let us know."

Actually, NASCAR has a responsibility to the 43 drivers who literally put their lives on the line each weekend to do everything in its power to make sure a competitor isn't under the influence while driving 180 mph and inches from other cars. Asking race car drivers to know the warning signs of drug use is laughable because abusers often are adept at hiding their addiction.

NASCAR longs to be viewed in the same light as the major-league "stick-and-ball" sports , but its current drug testing policy is strictly minor league.

Number of top-10 finishes posted by Jeff Gordon in the first 19 NASCAR Nextel Cup races this season.

303

Jeff Gordon's lead over second-place Denny Hamlin in the NASCAR Nextel Cup points standings.

"I guess, yes."

NASCAR Nextel Cup rookie Juan Montoya, when asked he whether was looking forward to the July 29 Cup race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Montoya will become the first driver to compete at the legendary track in IndyCars, Formula One and NASCAR.