Saturday, November 5, 2011

Media Watch: Jeremy Mayfield


Former NASCAR driver Jeremy Mayfield was arrested after a search for stolen property at his home by law enforcement personnel turned up a lot more. That is his mugshot above.

Click here to view WSOC-TV reporter Alan Cavanna's story airing on Wednesday night for the details. Thanks to WSOC for making it available.

All day long on Wednesday, the story kept expanding. By the end of the day Mayfield's attorney had spoken to AP motorsports reporter Jenna Fryer. He said Mayfield was fully cooperating with authorities, but that Mayfield had no knowledge of the stolen property or the alleged methamphetamine recovered from his property.

The attorney asked that the public reserve judgement on the issues involved. Unfortunately, that is likely not what is going to happen on Thursday. What is coming is a media storm that will once again try to link NASCAR and drugs.

As with any other hardcore NASCAR story, the Mayfield news will take at least a full day to get to most of the mainstream media. This is the type of story that tabloid websites and the cable news networks love. It has all the elements to become another stereotypical story about a redneck NASCAR driver who steals for a living when not smoking meth or selling weed.

Thursday's media watch is a post for you to a comment about where you saw the Mayfield arrest story pop-up and how it was tied to NASCAR. The current media appetite for this type of scandal was proven back when Mayfield was first suspended and then began to hurl allegations against many NASCAR executives.

Over at Cafe Mom, a social site, there is already someone stirring the controversy. "Let's face facts: Meth is to NASCAR what steroids are to every other sport," wrote Jacqueline Burt. "Looky here, a hillbilly race car driver can't live on moonshine alone, now can he?"

"Former NASCAR driver Jeremy Mayfield had enough firepower inside of his home to equip a small army," screams TMZ Sports. The bottom-feeding gossip website has huge media power and NASCAR is again about to be linked to drugs and bad behavior.

On the dark side, it looks bad for anyone to have stolen property and illegal drugs on their property. Information forwarded by the Mayfield camp says Mayfield himself voluntarily opened his gun locker for authorities and the weapons are legal. Fyer tweeted late Wednesday night in reference to the stolen goods that Mayfield has been running a scrapyard on his property as an income generating business.

NASCAR has finally got things in the Chase for the Championship back on track. Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards are all over the media trying to inject hype and excitement into what has been a rather bland playoff until this past weekend. Now, an old thorn crops up in NASCAR's side at a terrible time.

There will be many media outlets trying to work this story on Thursday, including those wanting an interview with Mayfield, his attorney or the ranking law enforcement professional involved in the raid.

Please use the comments section of this post to report where you say the Mayfield story, if anything new was reported and how you feel about this issue as a NASCAR fan. We will update any new official information on this post.

Thanks for taking the time to stop by The Daly Planet, Thursday should be very interesting on the NASCAR media beat.

54 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well, the media firestorm - as with any controversy, is atypically a gigantic mess. If there is journalistic integrity, it's not to be found at the places you've listed.

I do have to disappoint you as to where I heard it first - you beat out Jayski by at least a day, I think.

Anyway, I can't think of anyone from or around NC that does not have at least one firearm, and atypically many more. Often in glove boxes, consoles, etc.

I think it speaks more to TMZ's perhaps lackluster readership that they focus on the like than the facts.

"Cafe Mom" - Really, now? Used to be truckers got that stigma. Can't think of one offhand that does anything. Can't think of one that can think of one...repeat 3+x until satisfied) that will do anything stronger than coffee or caffeine pills/drinks to make it through a run.

Both are heavily regulated. Next it'll be "Jimmie wins because of Black Opium Habit, exclusively here on TMZ!"

1.5 grams of meth is almost certainly what they scraped, or a 1x1" Ziplog baggie. You can pack one of those full of marijuana - lots of rattle room for anything else, I've heard.

And this is assuming they didn't scrape it off the floor of the safe! Dunno what he was going through. But it seems analogous to saying "We found a bottle of Bud at the house, and it had a warm, slimy third left in the bottom! He's still drinking!

That's pure sensationalism, stupidity, and doesn't meet my litmus test as a former criminal, a friend of many, former drug user, again, friend of some that do worse, or a benign, and accurate - former - gun owner, by choice, not law, in an area where they are mandatory from people like meth/crack/heroin junkies.

Welders. Accessories. Bulldozer/Hi-lo/crane parts. Truck parts. Engraving machine?! Cops weren't in the area and I know that was planned unless it's junk.

No, this end of it has my spidey senses going "GIANT HUSTLE AVAILABLE!" - cuz it's the same things my less savory buddies would do.

Please try and get the actual police report/item lists and as time permits I'll research and clarify on whether or not it can be fenced.

You don't smoke/snort/inhale anything as hard as that without being able to hustle stuff on the side, no questions asked.

I hope I have not been too graphic.

Anonymous said...

Not to defend Mayfield, but I saw a story today that said the police found 1.5 grams of meth. I wondered, how much is that? It is ~0.052863 ounces. Yes, 5/100 of an ounce. That seems like a really small amount for the police to find. It made me wonder if that is what Shana meant when she tweeted a response to comments from people on Twitter, which said: "Such a shady deal. Makes no sense. … I as confused as u r." (according to SceneDaily)

Anonymous said...

Anon :01 here - let me clear that up! Should be a pencil eraser or so in diameter, assuming powdered weight, and balled up reeeeal tight. Based on similar stuff.

Two things irk me from seeing the video just now (audio problems on my end) - one...he is not even being *charged* with anything.

How is it that someone can drive 4 tractor trailers over, load up, and leave? That's either a heck of a civil suit in the making, or a criminal one - for theft.

But from what Mayfield's attorney is saying, I'm thinkin' they'll get this all thrown out for lack of probable cause. You do not find stolen heavy equipment et al in a locked gun safe, and they can't get it through a trial because of that.

So if they're only charging him for meth, and they searched the residence looking for property as was listed on the news article, and further, they're seizing his firearms...either this is a retaliatory attempt by someone, or a heck of a money grab by the authorities.

It is very, very difficult to get property back as a result of a drug seizure. You'll spend less replacing it.

Kinda fishy, from the lesser of the family/friend crooks and jailhouse lawyer.

And an aside - innocent until proven guilty? Should have rights to transfer property to anyone he wants until conviction - even if they stay in evidence. But you run back into the paying to get them out.

Anonymous said...

It really is amazing to see the extent people will defend Mayfield.

The police are investigating burglaries in the area. They get information that maybe stolen goods (six figure$ worth!) are on his property, so they execute a search warrant (which requires a judge to sign off that there is sufficient probably cause), and then when they search, they not only find what they were looking for, but they find evidence of drug possession. Frankly, if the cops (and this case sounds pretty big, because four law enforcement agencies were involved) are searching your house and they find meth - it doesn't matter if it's only a little bit. You're busted.

And as for the people who are trying to say "well 1.5 grams doesn't sound like very much" - you need to do your research. A basic Google search for "street price of meth" shows that a typical hit of meth weighs about 1/4 of an ounce and costs about $80. So, basically, that "little tiny 1.5 g" Jeremy had was about $500 worth of hardcore drugs. No, it isn't Scarface, but it isn't nothing, either.

Anonymous said...

Anon @ 30-after, I can do that with pot in three months with one plant.

Defending? Hardly. I'm poking at the legal ramifications of seizing legally owned and registered firearms.

The return of property that may or may not own to the person listed in the video - without anything remotely like a formal charge, investigation, arraignment, or opportunity for legal trial.

Or the sheer one-sided howling that a previously issued warrant for specific things, which none of us have seen (bet y'all one penny each it was a blank warrant) but MUST BE ENUMERATED ON THE WARRANT, and under law must accompany testimony by the victim as to the goods taken...

Jeez, man. Stop, read, use them skills you supposedly got in college.

Cost of product depends on producers in area vs. consumers. That area, I admit, is pretty bad. Some racer dude with a gigantic ranch and 100k IN STOLEN GOODS is hustling $500 in cheap smoke?

That's the point you missed. Why would he?! 100k in stuff sitting on his front lawn in trailers and outbuildings and laying about, identifiable, and he's slinging $500 in crappy rock and - if you had read the other parts, that's what he's getting nailed for.

NOT the 100k in stuff. NOT the giant soon-to-be Militia he is supposedly starting for wanting to have firearms - nope.

$500 in meth. How can you possibly yell at anyone for yelling about legality and ignore 100k in charges that were dropped? I don't think Mayfield is getting special treatment, I think the prosecutors there are probably the same upwardly-mobile jerks I've seen...

I'm disappointed. See my earlier point. Defending; ha.

AveryNH said...

This is just disappointing to see. I cant even imagine how hard it is to kick a meth habitat. But this is a failure on two levels. One mayfield never sought help for himself. Never once going to rehab or even admitting to a problem. Two NASCAR left him in the cold after suspending him. They thought he embarrassed the sport, rightly so, and sought to cut all ties. Personally I thought all along he was innocent and was heartbroken today. I was a young kid when he was in his prime right around the turn of the century and I fondly remember me sporting my Mobil 1 hat to Loudon more than once. Now he's nothing more than an embarrassment and a distraction from what's setting up to be a fantastic chase conclusion.

Ann_Ominous said...

Sign of the times, I guess. I saw it first with this blog post on Facebook.

Anonymous said...

Don't make a "D" to me... who, when, or where. I'll put ~MY NASCAR~ up against any darn sport out there!!! *WE* don't hear nothing..... about our guys or gals, like you do in the varied other sports.

We have had very few_ drug or alcohol related incidents. Maybe I'm to new but I.... sure haven't heard of any sexual, violent, gun-knife, animal abuse, shootings, gambling..... Shall I go on.

I personally believe ~WE~ have the most moral people out there, this includes from the little man to the brass. The NASCAR family knows what we are.... and we should always hold our head high.

Like the stupid NFL guy, Golden Tate, better not mess with NASCAR, we have 100's of thousands of fans. Lovingnascar

Anonymous said...

We're on AOL that gets its news from Huffpo. That's where we first saw it. I saw it later on Drudge. That reporting was just matter-of-fact without a lot of editorializing. As a long-time Nascar fan, the Mayfield saga is a tragedy where someone who had it all, threw it all away. As far as its impact on the sport of Nascar, I'm really not concerned. People who like the sport won't be affected and those that don't like it will continue not to like it. Objectively, I'll put the virtues of Nascar racing up against any other Sport in terms of criminal behavior. I've developed such a jaundiced view of the Media that I really don't care what they say or write. I lost my respect for the Media a long,long time ago. The Media continues to earn that contempt.

Mark said...

Math, people: if it was 1.5 grams and one-fourth ounce is worth $80 ($20/oz), then 1.5 g would be worth $1.58, not $500.

Mark said...

And too early for me to do math as well! That should be $320/oz, so $16.92 for 1.5 g.

Buschseries61 said...

Just like when the media were suddenly racing safety experts after Wheldon's death. IndyCar made a rare appearance on the front page of many newspapers, with dozens of reporters trying to sound like ignored safety watchdogs.

It's sad what people will take seriously from these online websites. But the only positive is a possible increase in viewers at Texas. Casual viewers might want to see what these 'hillbilly' drivers are all about. Bad media attention is better than no media attention at all, ask Kim Kardashian.

Anonymous said...

Disappointing from all angles. Will not miss the negativity Jeremy Mayfield has brought to NASCAR. Heard the news first from The Daly Planet.

AncientRacer said...

1. I first heard from a retweet by JD of a Jenna Fryer tweet.

2. Jeremy Mayfield is no Kim Kardshian. He is not a brand name scandal machine. TMZ, etc. will move on quickly -- unless allegations arise there was sex with dead animals involved or something like that.

3. JD wrote: "...It has all the elements to become another stereotypical story about a redneck NASCAR driver who steals for a living when not smoking meth or selling weed...." This is true, but it is what "they" think anyway so, I discount it. I discount it in the way my oh-so-trendy-sophiticated-pinky extending-fashionable-and-fine acquaintances and business associates in NYC and LA who all claim to be fans of baseball (something I doubt, but baseball is an "acceptable" sport if one simply MUST have a sport) discount my suspicion all modern day power hitters are juiced.

Anonymous said...

It is just sad how we all pile on someone with problems. I hate to see a life destroyed.

I first read this on Twitter on one of the NASCAR reporters. Not sure which one, they all followed within minutes.

Of all sports it seems to me NASCAR has the least amount of stories about bad behavior so the other media covering this are only showing their total misunderstanding of NASCAR.

Maybe it is time for drivers in NASCAR to confront the other media with the FACTS. Get out there everywhere and make them back up what they are saying about NASCAR. LS

AncientRacer said...

OH, yeah. The first print piece I saw on this was on the Washington Post website. It contained a line which said Mayfield had been "banned from the association" due to a failed drug test. Now, I knbow the word "association" appears in NASCAR's name, but I'll be d****d if I have ever heard it referred to as such which leads me to believe whomever wrote the story has as much familiarity with our sport as I do with All-Pro Yak Racing.

Just an obervation

GinaV24 said...

I heard it first here on the Daly planet.

These days there is so much media coverage about everything that I pay little attention to the feeding frenzy that goes on.

However, this type of attention is bad for NASCAR and for its fans as it continues to perpetuate a stereotype, not what I believe to be accurate based on my own observations.

I'm still trying to hold onto the ideal of innocent until proven guilty but it is really difficult these days.

52 yr. fan said...

Statesville Record & Landmark posted the story around mid day
yesterday. It has been updated.
Looks like Jeremy has some
'splainin to do.

17972 B. C. said...

Honestly, looking around this AM on all my news and sports rss feeds and websites, this is a non story, at least in what I look at, which is a lot as I have no life. With Cain, Kardashian,LSU-Bama,and whatever interesting local stories are popping out there, this is a ok, what's next story.

oldnewenglander said...

Lindsay Czarniak just Tweeted that she's hosting Nascar Now today. She'll know what to do.

Fed UP said...

Nascar should just stay out of it..makes them look gleeful and some would say VINDICTIVE over jeremy's ALLEGED crimes. Its not like Nascar has a more moral base, look at King Brian. The man who lied in court about his home residence while giving money to his politicians of choice. Why hasn't he been convicted of the crime?
All drug charges need to be dropped. And if you've worked in salvage or pawining, there is always someone saying that the store got their stuff through shady deals, when the reality is its usually the owners themsleves who pawned and or sold the items.

glenc1 said...

if any professional ball player or sports figure was arrested for meth possession & stolen goods, it would still make a headline, depending on how well known the person is. I don't read TMZ and wouldn't look for those type of sources anyway. I got the news from a friend who has Sirius radio yesterday morning (and they had the story from WBTV, I think.) I don't read or care about social networking sites, but they're free to talk about whatever they want, and I'm sure each would put their own spin on it depending on their viewership and point of view.

Hard to believe people are talking conspiracy theories here. Talk about denial...I'm no fan of France...and it's also possible Mayfield was targeted in some fashion. But if they have a valid search order, it probably will stand up in court. If (innocent until proven guilty) he had stolen property in his home, he will probably be convicted, regardless of the drug charge. The 'I have no knowledge' bit is probably not gonna fly, but everyone's entitled to a defense. As to the drugs, discussing the amount is pretty much pointless. Illegal is illegal, and having a small amount could simply mean you used up the rest. And for the guns, they're legal, fine--but as meth addicts are usually paranoid, it would seem possible this was an issue for him, but that's just speculation. I hope Jeremy gets the help he probably needs. But the stolen property is the main issue.

And I don't think NASCAR's reputation is really going to be affected by this--the 'redneck' stuff is only believed by extremely ignorant people, and frankly, I don't really care what they think. It's like people thinking everyone who rides a Harley is in some kind of biker gang, when most of them are average citizens with a good bit of money.

veriword is butscham? I could make a Kardashian joke but I will resist...

It's a duck said...

Fed Up--there are two different companies involved and $100K worth of equipment--doubtful that that is someone just 'claiming' something's missing. I think France driving drunk was completely true, but one thing has nothing to do with the other. NASCAR isn't just some evil entity--they are actual human beings. Flawed, yes, and they have made some huge blunders as a sanctioning body. But I hardly think it's in their best interests to have this issue keep coming up; they'd probably PREFER not to be involved.

Dot said...

I read about JM first on TMZ. Yeah, I admit I read that site.

How would someone not know about all that allegedly stolen property that was found and returned to the owners?

Who tipped off the police? My guess is JM's step mother.

Didn't JM deny using meth in 2009? How is it they found it during the search?

Nascar Bits & Pieces said...

I find it tragic that events like this and others leading up to it seem to follow or be more prolific in Mayfield's life.

And sadly, there will be news sites that flail the traffic-snaring keywords and phrases to bolster their stances.

Seeing the news is one thing and things don't "look" good in this perceived downward spiral of theirs.

Shana's support of Jeremy Mayfield is impressive... or misguided.

But not being there, I can't say one way or the other for sure, what's really going on. I know what I had been hoping for when Jeremy's issues with NASCAR started... but I'm not holding my breath anymore.

Today all I know is that there are fans out there, some disappointed, some still very supportive of the Mayfields, who, in time, will finally see what's really been up. Some will be vindicated, some dejected. Time will tell.

-

Well said in this storm of news John... thanks for the level-headed piece.

-Bruce

The Mad Man said...

Fed UP makes a good point about the pawn business. Folks pawn stuff then later say they were ripped off and it turns up in a pawn shop...with their name on the pawn ticket.

Mayfield is in the scrap metal/recycling business and from what I understand has been for a while. So he buys & sells metals which he purchases from a variety of sources/places. Right now, one of the top paying metals for recycling/scrap is copper. You find copper in transformers, wiring, electric welders, and electric motors. It's a fact that stolen equipment turns up every day in scrap yards. Nobody really ask for a sales receipt showing that the person presenting the item to be sold for scrap is theirs. And law enforcement officials don't show at up scrap yards with a laundry list of stolen property or search warrants looking for stolen items. So, giving Mayfield the benefit of the doubt, it's entirely possible he bought the stolen property from a 3rd party without any knowledge that it was stolen.

As to the folks wanting to do a Judge Roy Bean on Mayfield right now (We'll give him a fair trial and a pretty hangin'), the law of the land is innocent until proven guilty. His attorney said that he's cooperating with the investigation. So give the legal system it's opportunity to do what it's designed to do.

veriword was "premi" like premature, like some folks already reached conclusions.

Anonymous said...

Jeremy Mayfield is a criminal who deserves to rot in jail. Anybody who supports him is no better than he is.

diane said...

Saw the news on your Twitter feed JD. Just saw a documentary on the NY Times and one of the reporters was saying how he fought using Twitter, but came to realize the breath and immediacy of it.

Jayhawk said...

On Google news feed, from CBS News, headlined, "Jeremy Mayfield had meth, guns and $100k in stolen goods." Article was modestly imflammatory, but not outrageously so.

Anonymous said...

To address the point of your column, I first saw this on Twitter. (I follow several media people who cover NASCAR.) I haven't seen it even mentioned on any outlet not tied to NASCAR reporting, so it doesn't seem to be getting much mainstream attention to me. Those sites you mention, I don't consider to be mainstream media, especially "Cafe Mom". That one I've never even heard of. And as far as TMZ is concerned, anyone with any sense knows that they focus on the more sensational aspect of everything. Anyone who forms their opinions or worldview on what they see on TMZ really needs to broaden their horizons.

As far as Jeremy himself is concerned, I sincerely hope he finally gets the help he needs.

Garry said...

The sad part is it was not a HUGE drug bust. This smacks (no pun intended) of someone with an axe to grind against Mayfield. Now, I'm not saying he's innocent by any means, but I would find it hard to believe that Brian France is such a moron as to be the one behind this mess, just as NASCAR is slowly lulling people to sleep...If he is indeed doing drugs, and stealing property, I would like to think that there enough people in NASCAR that are "supposed" to be helping him, what with the programs they tout so much about with helping people with substance abuse problems. If he is in a program, then he indeed doing random tests, classes, therapy, etc. all with NASCAR's blessing. How would this, or could this have happened? I know people can't be baby sat all the time, but with this as big of a deal as it was in the beginning, I would think that Brian France's company would make DAMN sure that this wouldn't give them a black eye.

Anonymous said...

a news feed to your phone would get it to you as quickly as twitter would...just saying...the people who twitter it have to get it someplace....that is, if you're the sort of person who feels important because you got the news 25 minutes before other people. Whatever.

Anonymous said...

to those saying he hasn't been charged for the stolen goods...I expect they're just dotting the i's an crossing the t's...perhaps he can come up with some paperwork that would implicate someone else, but I'm not holding my breath.

The AP article said detectives said they PLAN to charge him with possession of stolen goods. It's only a matter of time.

Anonymous said...

For all the conspiracy theorists who think mayfields mom tipped off the police: wake up! If you actually read the news story, it says that the companies in question were burglarized and they filed police reports months ago. I don't know how it is where you live, but where I live, when several businesses report grand larceny upwards of $100,000 in stolen goods, the police actually investigate. And then when they want to check on their leads, they go to court and get a search warrant.

There is nothing sinister here. Just a dumb thief, who like most dumb thieves doesn't have the sense to hide the stolen goods, who got caught with drugs when he didn't know they were coming.

Mayfield will be charged with theft, just watch. And his baloney excuses won't be met with the nodding agreement of Marty Smith, but the tough follow up questions of a lead prosecutor. Maybe Mayfield will dry out in jail... Where he belongs.

Anonymous said...

I think that the original reference to 1.5g should have read...
"street price of meth shows that a typical hit of meth weighs about 1/4 of an GRAM (not ounce) and costs about $80"

Then the math works out to $480.

If what I've read is correct that 1.5g would probably keep a person awake for a week with no sleep.

Roland said...

I first saw the news on the twitter. Bob Pockrass was the first one I saw to tweet it. Like i said in the post yesterday some media chose to report the facts objectively and some reported with their opinions. This happens for any story really but the Mayfield deal magnifies it. Dave Moody was the most outspoken about it, but he gets paid to be that way. Im more of a just the facts kind of person, I like that better. Thats just me.

The only television coverage of it I saw was on the sports report on my local news. Nascar Now comes on too early for me to catch, and there was no way I was going to watch Race Hub cover the story. They completely butchered the Mayfield interview in the spring. I didnt watch Hub before, definitely not afterward.

Definitely a black eye for the sport, but Im glad we have some sort of resolution to the whole thing. Maybe now he can get the help he needs.

Daly Planet Editor said...

Wow! Some great comments. What a strange and confusing story.

Dennis said...

The trainwreck that just won't end.

OSBORNK said...

I think this story is overblown. He is a FORMER driver and was FORMERLY involved in NASCAR. This is a local matter and anything beyond a short mention is not necessary. Every sport has people who did wrong or were accused of doing wrong after they entered private life and it was barely mentioned or not mentioned at all in the press because it is commonplace in other sports. I think this gets exposure because it is not something that happens very often in NASCAR.

PammH said...

Shana is going full force on Twitter tonite w/frame-up charges...wow is all I can say.

sad said...

the news is at Jayski. Confidential source saying JM stole to support habit. Probably a fellow drug user.) But apparently knowing enough for the cops to believe.

Anonymous said...

Mayfield is in **HUGE** trouble.

According to the search warrant and police report the police had info that Mayfield and four other named man broke into a variety of businesses. Whoever tipped them off knew intimate details, as the report includes descriptions of where and how they broke in, what they stole, and where this stuff (a lot if it from many locations) was found when police searched his house. The list of stuff they were looking for was not short, and most of it was found in the search. Most damning is that Mayfield didn't just work alone, but as part of a group of five men who committed multiple burglaries. In all likelihood at least one of the group will crack and testify for a lighter sentence, because the police report shows they have a lot of evidence, including m.o.

Here it is, read for yourself.

http://www.wsoctv.com/download/2011/1104/29678783.pdf

Mayfield is going to do hard time.

Bobby O said...

Think I saw it first on Jayski.

I really do not understand everyone's paranoia about how this will make NASCAR look bad?

What? Really? That is where you want to take this? How long has he been out of the sport?

Someone explain please! I thought I was paranoid, but no where near as bad as you people! Jeez!

And sorry, I'm either to old, or have better things to do, than Tweet or text or whatever the latest fad is today.

Dot said...

I just read the latest update on Jayski. Wow. As Dennis said on 11/3 @5:26 PM,"The trainwreck that just won't end." I bet Jeremy wishes it would've run him over.

Anonymous said...

Bobby O...I don't see 'everyone's' paranoia in these comments, or in JD's blog. The question is raised, is the media attention fair; is it the same as for any other sport--and a number of us have said we find it normal & not a reflection on NASCAR. A few people said they thought it does put NASCAR in a negative light. Where is the paranoia you're talking about?

Anonymous said...

West Coast Diane said:

Osbornk...totally agree. The key word is "former" Nascar driver. Also, someone referenced that he is in a NASCAR program. I don't think that is true. He denied ing a problem. If he had gone to a program he would have been eligible to be reinstated. I could be wrong on this, because it has been so long.

As sad as it is, if all true, Jeremy is responsible for his actions, no one else.

Oh, I first saw it on Twitter from Jenna Fryer.

I am seriously considering unfollowing a number of people. I mostly do NASCAR, INDYCAR & politics. My husband told me this morning I am too distracted and forgetting things. He thinks it is because of following so many things on Twitter...filling head with mush...LOL! I actually started thinking that before he mentioned it. Having an iPhone is dangerous...constantly in my hand. I need rehab :-)..

The Mad Man said...

While I can't remember the web site, one early report stated that Mayfield was also arrested for sales and possession of marijuana. And yet, when reading the search warrant and inventory, the marijuana was in possession of a James Bryant and seems to have been for personal consumption. And on the arrest warrant, it only states Mayfield being arrested for possession of methamphetamine.

So it looks like we have web sites and members of the media trying to make things look worse than what they really are even though the original charge is bad enough.

Also, some sites seem to be sensationalizing the fact that Mayfield has guns. I saw some of the photos from two of the auctions Mayfield had in the past and he had a number of guns which were being auctioned off. From what I understand, Mayfield enjoys going out and target shooting from time to time. So him having guns, especially in this part of the country,doesn't come as a surprise.

Anonymous said...

I completely disagree with this article. It has not gotten much coverage yet anyway, and even though you would obviously not want this kind of news if you're NASCAR, it did not hurt them too much last time. If this were an Earnhardt, Busch, Gordon or Johnson, I would be concerned.

Anonymous said...

Nyurrrr.

That's what I'm saying to all of this. Same defense his lawyer has.

In my case - test me. On the spot. They have bathrooms and cups. Bring it on!

He is likely innocent of the meth charges - but with a big ranch, trailers, etc, and no desire to sell them - you do what you gotta do.

His break from cooked up methamphetamines doesn't mean he ain't gonna keep doing the same - without partaking - after having his racing career destroyed right off the bat.

What has me saying he's guilty as charged - or knew about it - was the warrant. Not the *GUNS!* - most people remotely interested in firearms will have a lot themselves.

Plastic stocked .22 with an A prefix on the serial number - thinking a 597 - sounds familiar.

He's either totally screwed, or he needs the Bryant guy to show up and own up - or to hire a private army to find and beat him about.

Heroin addict looks like a zombie in a couple weeks. He doesn't look like one. He can and will get convicted for all the stolen crap on his property.

And the "source" seems like a good, solid one. Felony case, nevermind the meth - who cares? They're building a case on the truckloads of stolen crap getting carted out of there.

Spencer needs to lose weight. He's gonna have a coronary.

I usually get to do the lawyer-stuff for my own family and friends on this crap, and I still don't like it.

My conclusion - he'd better have a damned good excuse. He's guilty.

You got your surface plates - busted holes through the cinderblock wall, jerk (wanted to use better terms) and the stuff is sitting on your ranch.

There had better be a very good reason that you ain't no crackhead no more, or you go to prison, dude.

Same advice I give mine.

Boogerhead Chitlins Jr. said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Palmetto said...

Jeremy should send Kyle a 'Thank You' bouquet for pushing him out of the spotlight.

jbsmi27 said...

What gets me is looking back at auction for Jeremy looks like everything but the meth was listed for auction. Guns, equipment you name it. This is very fishy. Look at Iron Horse Auctions for their list. More to this than meets the eye.

Anonymous said...

Most of this comes "so - called, untested reporters". That is the problem with the internet. Things get reported today without proper investigation. ANBODY can write ANYTHING on the net. One sixteenth of an ounce of meth? In most large cities, legitimate news sources wouldn't even report this ... you get more meth in a bottle of Nyquil ! Something ain't right in river city.

Anonymous said...

I think Jeremy has problems, that has become apparent. Yet I have a problem with all the facts and confidential informant info as well as the way everything in this case has presented Mayfield to the casual fan of Nascar who has followed his suspension and the questions that surrounded the drug tests that followed.
my issues start here:
Fact #1-Stealing to support a drug habit. the question I have with that statement from the confidential informant-If there were 4-5 named individuals involved yet all the property found at Mayfields home at surrounding acreage(huge plot of land) none of it had been split up amongst the 4-5 individuals involved months after these police reports of theft and burglary were filed. If he was stealing to support a drug habit, why months later was almost all the property found at Mayfields home and was almost all accounted for? That is the first question I ask that makes no sense and has no explicable answer.
Fact #2-Mayfield owned between 50 and 100 firearms(I've read so many different numbers from horrible, sloppy media reports) so this is a safe account of the number of firearms locked in the safe. Its common knowledge Mayfield was an avid hunter and if anyone remembers was once sponsored by Remington-whuch he had quite a few remington firearms in his possession that I'm sure were given to him during the time he was sponsored by them. If he had that big of a drug problem, junkies do not care where the cash comes from for the drug to feed their addiction, doesn't one think he would have sold of some of that massive gun collection to feed the habit-That doesn't add up to me either.
Fact #3-They state in the Confidential Informants report that Mayfield would do an ounce of meth a day, really, read up on this crap, an ounce in 24 hours would kill several meth heads, that takes me back to the cost of that kind of habit, why was almost all the stolen property accounted for? If the theory was theft to support a habit, how was he supporting it if none of the stolen goods were sold? Now, I have to say the more research I did into the whole case-search Warrant-Confidential Informant Statement-Drug that was found-Sounds all too perfect for me, with too many loose ends that cannot be explained. Now heres the real issue, there are several names listed that were associated with the crimes. Has one stopped to wonder if possibly the thieves were caught and Mayfield is guilty of buying stolen goods, yet these guys found a way out of their problems by saying hwere the stolen items could be found and implicating Mayfield.....Sure would make their story sound more convincing if the Sunspended, former Nascar Star who was Natioal News for a failed nascar Drug Test due to methamphetamines...what if 1.5 grams of meth was found on his property during the search for the stolen items. that sure paints Mayfield as a druggie stealing for a fix, yet he had a yard full of stolen items months later. I know the evidence is the there but I have learned that the media has twisted this up so many times we have lost track of the facts and there lies the problem....Some of the facts still don't add up. The truth will eventually come out, good or bad, I just hope if he is guilty of the charges and issues at hand, he is punished for the crimes and gets help for the drug issues.....if this man has been setup even if 50% of this is true and fact and the other fabricated, regardless the outcome, he will be vindicated.