NASCAR asks judge to reverse ruling on Mayfield's suspension

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- NASCAR asked a federal judge Monday to reverse the ruling that lifted driver Jeremy Mayfield's indefinite suspension for failing a random drug test.

The motion filed in U.S. District Court asked Judge Graham Mullen to reverse the injunction he issued last Wednesday that cleared Mayfield to return to competition. NASCAR also filed notice of its intent to appeal to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Mayfield was suspended May 9 for a positive drug test, and NASCAR has identified the substance as methamphetamine.

Despite his reinstatement, Mayfield did not attempt to qualify for Saturday night's event, and he is not on the preliminary entry list for this weekend's race.

NASCAR disputed Mullen's conclusion that the chance of a false positive on Mayfield's drug test was "quite substantial," and contended that Mullen relied on facts "outside the record, including the purported existence of reliable hair sample tests and same-day tests for methamphetamine."

NASCAR said Mullen failed to properly consider the reliability of assessments by Mayfield employees that the driver did not ingest methamphetamine; the sophistication and sensitivity of NASCAR-commissioned Aegis Laboratories drug-testing procedures that prevent false positives.