Hornaday was able to put steroids furor aside

By: By Mike Mulhern | JOURNAL REPORTER
Published: September 16, 2008

Ron Hornaday, the defending Truck tour champion, won a race a day after having to deal with a media furor about his use of steroids a few years ago, and some questions about possible use of a human growth hormone.

NASCAR officials reviewed the situation and said that Hornaday had done nothing wrong and that they considered the case closed.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. said: "Did they go to his house and bang on his door and say answer this, answer to this piece of paper?

"He didn't call them and say ‘Hey, come on over here and ask me about HGH.' They just came at him.

"I feel bad for Ron. He's a good guy, and if his doctor told him that's what he needed to do to help the problem he had, I think that's way more important. Your health is number one.

"And if he's being honest, which I believe him, then he don't got no reason….

"I mean really….

"He's about in the top 10 percent, as far as human specimens go. He probably don't even work out. I bet he hasn't lifted a weight in 10 years.

"I'm glad he was honest, and I think he handled it perfectly.

"But on the other hand I hope we get a strict consistent (drug testing) policy. I would like to have drug testing every two weeks or something like that."

The specific drugs in questions were apparently used by Hornaday between late 2004 and early 2006, during a 13-month period.

He and team owner Kevin Harvick cited a major, apparently misdiagnosed thyroid health issue, which they said was ultimately resolved by doctors at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in 2006.

The implication, after the media first revealed the issue last week, was that Hornaday might have used the medications -- testosterone cream and HGH -- to become stronger. And drivers here pointed out that being stronger and more alert 400 laps, say, into a 500-lap race would be an advantage.

Of course Hornaday is already one of the strongest, most physically fit men in NASCAR.

The questions now are for NASCAR to answer -- it plans to unveil a new drug testing policy in the next few weeks, Jim Hunter says. But will the sanctioning body simply add a few more secrets to the secret policy or will it opt for more transparency…. and more frequent drug tests of its stars.

After all, what do NASCAR execs have to hide?

■ Mike Mulhern can be reached at mmulhern@wsjournal.com.