LOUDON, N.H. — Outspoken Brad Keselowski has a unique solution to substance abuse in sports — just say “No” to everything.
Prompted for a reaction to Penske Racing teammate AJ Allmendinger’s positive test for a proscribed substance and subsequent suspension from competition, Keselowski offered his views after NASCAR Sprint Cup qualifying Friday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
“It’s my personal belief that nothing should be allowed — nothing,” Keselowski said. “I don’t feel like you should be able to take Flintstone (vitamin) pills. It’s my personal belief. I think you’re race car drivers; you should have to overcome it.
“I think it’s a bunch of bull that you’re allowed to take supplements or any of those things. I don’t think that’s right. I don’t think any athlete should be allowed to take that, but that’s my personal beliefs.”
Keselowski does believe, though, that knowing the identity of a substance that triggers a positive test matters a lot.
“I think it does matter what it was,” Keselowski said. “It does to me. It might not to everybody else, but it matters to me what it was, because there’s always going to be that level of uncertainty that I have over any athlete or driver that performs at these levels, and what they’re taking or not taking.
“It’s so difficult to give a great explanation of how I feel about it, but I think that I want to believe that any performer or athlete out there would not be dumb enough to take a drug that is against the law, illegal. It just stands to reason that, if you’ve made it this far in the sport, you’ve had the knowledge to not do anything that dumb.”
Despite Keselowski’s stance, however, the issue of legal supplements is complicated. Various energy drinks, such as Red Bull, Monster, 5-Hour Energy and NOS, are current or former sponsors of NASCAR teams and drivers.
Keselowski’s No. 2 Dodge is sponsored by Miller Lite, and the driver consumes an occasional beer as part of his promotion of the brand.
Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.
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