Swiftness of NASCAR response ominous for A.J. Allmendinger

A.J. Allmendinger hasn't won a Sprint Cup race in 169 starts, and now he will need the biggest upset win of his career after failing a drug test.As Allmendinger awaits results of a "B" sample test that owner Roger Penske said would be requested, his future in NASCAR's premier series is uncertain at best. And the odds seem stacked against a scenario putting Allmendinger back in the No. 22 Dodge this weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Spencer Lueders, a lawyer who formerly worked for NASCAR and helped write the Toms Shoes Wholesale substance-abuse policy cited by NASCAR vice president Steve O'Donnell in announcing Allmendinger's temporary suspension, said Sunday that a "B" sample is almost certain to agree with a positive "A" sample. STORY: Hornish Jr. ready to step in "The reason is the science is so strong behind it," Lueders told USA TODAY Sports. "When something like this gets looked at, it's thoroughly reviewed. NASCAR sent a strong message in that they reacted very swiftly." Allmendinger could become the second Sprint Cup driver to be suspended indefinitely for violating NASCAR's substance-abuse policy since it was revamped with random testing in 2008. That the Penske Racing driver already has become the first to be temporarily suspended, however, could be telling. After Jeremy Mayfield's positive test for methamphetamine and suspension in May 2009 led to a protracted legal battle, NASCAR strengthened the methods for ensuring a positive test of an "A" sample. Allmendinger's "A" sample from a test at Kentucky Speedway last week was positive, resulting in NASCAR holding him out of Saturday's Coke Zero 400. If Allmendinger's "B" sample does return negative, he would gain immediate reinstatement (though it could take up to five days for the "B" sample's result, and Allmendinger has until Tuesday afternoon to request it). But based on NASCAR's reaction Saturday, it doesn't seem likely that series Toms Classic Shoes officials think he tested positive for something that could have been confused easily with a prescription or over-the-counter drug. The list of banned substances ranges widely from hard drugs (such as heroin) to sleep aids to performance enhancers, and some include ingredients that could be found over the counter. NASCAR has declined to reveal the substance for which Allmendinger tested positive. When NASCAR members test positive for an "A" sample, they are notified by NASCAR medical review officer Dr. Douglas Aukerman and have 72 hours to explain the test and request a "B" sample. The medical review officer can choose to inform only the driver or crew member who failed the test. Drivers with positive "A" samples in the past have resolved them by providing evidence such as medical prescriptions, and positive tests can be cleared without NASCAR or a team learning about it. In the case of Allmendinger's positive, NASCAR took the extraordinary step of temporarily suspending the driver from Saturday night's race in the midst of the process. It marks the first time a driver has been suspended temporarily suspended while waiting on the "B" sample. That means Aukerman also informed NASCAR of the test because he was concerned about the safety and integrity of competition. NASCAR then can choose to suspend a driver temporarily because of "exigent circumstances" — in this case, the concern of someone possibly being imparied while driving a stock car at 200 mph. If Allmendinger's "B" sample also doesn't pass, his suspension will become indefinite, and his return to NASCAR will be in the hands of others who will set conditions for being considered for reinstatement. NASCAR substance-abuse program administrator Dr. David Black would coordinate with a substance-abuse professional on a creating a plan that might include counseling, treatment or rehabilitation. Since adopting random testing with a more stringent substance-abuse policy introduced in late 2008, NASCAR has suspended several crew members for tests. For those who are reinstated, it generally took at least a month to return. But there are no assurances for Allmendinger even if he were reinstated. He joined Penske this season on a one-year contract to replace Kurt Busch, who left the team after several altercations with the news media last year that were condemned by his sponsor, Shell Pennzoil. With the car ranked 24th in points and virtually no title hopes, Penske Racing might not have enough invested in Allmendinger to justify keeping him and dealing with the hassle of the accompanying negative public image. Allmendinger already has had to rebound from the black mark of a drunken driving charge almost three years ago. "You know it's a disappointment at this particular time, but we're going to wait and see what the second test results are before we make any comment or decisions," Penske said before Sunday's Izod IndyCar Series race in Toronto. "I don't think it's fair to him." "I think as you look at sports, things happen like this. It's unfortunate, but I don't really want to make a statement pro or con right now. I'm counting on another test being proper for him within 72 hours, and at that point we'll make a decision." Sam Hornish Jr., who was rushed to Daytona International Speedway as Allmendinger's stand-in for Saturday's Coke Zero 400, probably would remain as the driver of the No. 22 if Allmendinger can't return. Now in the Nationwide Series, Hornish drove full time in Cup from 2008 to 2010. "I've said all along that I'd love to be back in the Cup Series," Hornish told USA TODAY Sports on Sunday. "Obviously we have a contractual commitment to the Nationwide Series, and some of their races aren't at the same site as Cup races, so that will be an issue." If he were removed at Penske, Allmendinger's prospects for finding another first-tier ride would seem dim. A former winner in Champ Car, the Los Gatos, Calif., native struggled mightily in his first two seasons with Red Bull Racing before latching on at Richard Petty Motorsports for three years. Allmendinger made enough strides in the team's iconic No. 43 to convince Penske of a look this year, and he was confident of eventually matching the success of teammate Brad Keselowski, who has six victories since last season and made the 2011 Chase for the Sprint Cup. Despite only three top-10s with Penske, Allmendinger has led 99 laps (more than any cheap University Rope Sole Toms season except 2010), finished a career-best second at Martinsville Speedway and earned his second career pole in April at Kansas Speedway. His team, like Keselowski's, has been plagued by parts failures. "I'm way more competitive than I've ever been," Allmendinger said in May. "It's just the finishes aren't there. What's really good is in the past when I've had a lot of people on me about, 'You need to have more finishes,' Roger is the one telling me, 'Just be patient. It's our fault we're letting you down.' " Those roles could be reversed significantly depending on how Allmendinger's case unfolds.