Need For Speed

Don't we live in interesting times? I mean, who would have thought back in 1975 that there would be a demographic called "NASCAR moms." These are the mothers of the young men and women who make all those left hand turns. Real fast. Generally considered to be a pretty conservative group, they are periodically targeted and courted with great vigor during political campaigns. Something about the speed and the smell of burning rubber brings out a certain amount of that pioneer spirit, I expect. They are probably just a notch more forgiving than their spouses, the elusive NASCAR dads.
Imagine then, their disappointment upon finding out that Jeremy Mayfield tested positive again for methamphetamine. The Mostorsports Toyota driver angrily accused the sanctioning body of paying his stepmother to lie about his alleged past drug use. It would be far too easy to allow this story to settle into a simple stereotype, so let's examine the facts, or better yet, let's examine the quotes: "Between 1998 and 2005, I am personally aware that Jeremy used methamphetamines often," Lisa Mayfield said in her affidavit. "I was concerned about his heavy use and talked to his father about it. I saw Jeremy use methamphetamine by snorting it up his nose at least thirty times during the seven years I was around him. Jeremy used methamphetamine not only in my presence, but also when we were both in the presence of others."
Jeremy? "She's tried everything she can do to get money out of me. I won't help her, so I guess she found a way to get money from NASCAR by giving them an affidavit full of lies," he said. "She don't deserve the Mayfield name," he continued. "She's hated me since my dad got killed because I won't give her any money. She goes on the Internet and blogs lies about me and Shana (his wife) and everything you can imagine."
I don't know about you, but right now I'm imagining a Burt Reynolds movie from the eighties, and Burt isn't playing Jeremy. I'm thinking that would be more a Jerry Reed type role. Burt would probably be Johnny Benson. And Loni Anderson would be terrific as Shana.