Mayfield rips media for focus on lawsuit

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Jeremy Mayfield wasn't at Day-tona International Speedway for Saturday night's race, citing the media attention on his legal fight with NASCAR as an unnecessary distraction from the Independence Day celebration.
NASCAR suspended Mayfield May 9 for testing positive for meth-amphetamines, and he sued to be reinstated. On Wednesday, a federal judge issued an injunction clearing him to return to competition, and Mayfield indicated he'd travel to Daytona.
But he didn't enter his May-field Motorsports team and had no ride lined up for the race. Still, there was a constant watch for his arrival, which was expected to happen Saturday.
Instead, he and wife Shana issued a statement at the same time the pre-race driver meeting began at Daytona.
"We've been watching on television and reading online about the 'Storm Clouds Over Daytona' and the 'Mayfield Media Circus,'" he wrote. "Honestly, this is the last thing Shana or I want for anybody. This weekend shouldn't be about a questionable drug test or a flawed drug testing system. It should be about celebrating our country, the greatest country in the world."
Mayfield said he hoped to be at next week's race in Chicago. Saturday night was the eighth race he's missed since his suspension, and the sixth event Mayfield Motorsports did not enter.

HEAT IS ON: Kyle Busch received intravenous fluids Saturday after his driving stint in the Grand-Am race at Daytona International Speedway, then retreated to his motorhome to rest before NASCAR's 400-mile Sprint Cup event.
Busch, the defending race winner of NASCAR's Coke Zero 400, drove 70 minutes in his sports car series debut. He split the Chip Ganassi-owned ride with fellow NASCAR driver Scott Speed.
Busch and Speed teamed to finish 10th in the race .

MARTIN'S MISERY: Mark Martin now has more reason to hate the famed track. He was involved in the first accident of the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona.
Former teammate Matt Kenseth tapped the rear off Martin's car coming off turn two on lap 13 and sent Martin spinning across the track.
Martin was taken to the infield care center, treated and released.

INDYCAR SERIES: In Watkins Glen, N.Y., Ryan Briscoe won the pole for the Camping World Grand Prix .
Briscoe won his second consecutive pole on the 11-curve, 3.4-mile road course with a fast time of 1 minute, 28.5970 seconds in the Firestone Fast Six Shootout, breaking the track record held by Helio Castroneves by more than a second.
Justin Wilson finished second ahead of Scott Dixon, Mario Moraes and Graham Rahal.