Simple facts from Wikipedia...


Hmiel violated NASCAR's substance abuse policy when he tested positive for marijuana in 2003. At the time, he was the highest-profile driver to fail such a test. Hmiel was suspended from September 2003 to January 2004, then reinstated after NASCAR's demands were satisfied. In 2005 he tested positive for marijuana and cocaine, and was suspended "indefinitely" starting in May 2005. Hmiel was offered a chance at reinstatement after his second infraction, under condition that he submit to medical and psychological reviews, and frequent drug testing before reinstatement. In February, 2006, Hmiel failed a drug test, and was banned for life.



Facts are 3, count them 3 failed drug tests, all during racing season, 2 of them for cocaine. Yes MAYBE he is clean now but let me ask you this, if you had a doctor who failed 1, let alone 3 drug tests like this would you allow him to continue? What about a pilot, or fireman or police? I truly HOPE he is clean and changed, I for one tho think he hasn't served enough of a punishment and that he shouldn't be allowed to compete unless he is being tested weekly. I know to younger guys like Casey drugs maybe aren't the same since we see way too many ball players being busted for drugs and steroids but racing has always tried to maintain a higher stand. If you're offended by my stance then I am sorry but it is my honest feelings. I have loved racing since I saw my first race at 6, I will be 46 this next week, and I hate to see any harm come to any form of racing. I truly hope he has cleaned up his act 100%, I just question why him and one other are being allowed to race at the top USAC levels without some type of testing and oversight and without being judged on past as well as present actions. Sorry but his past DOES have alot to do with it and should.....

Isn't someone knowingly testing one person weekly be a type of discrimination?

Joe Cowin, Of course it's "just your honest opinion", and all, but your mindset regarding this is about as myopic and overstuffed with empty rhetoric and sloganeering as can be. What's next? "We fight them off the track, so we don't have to fight them ON the track"?
He's "made all of racing look bad" ? Please! Shane Hmiel's fan-interaction, personality and passion for racing actually do a great deal to make racing look good.
He's "had far more chances in racing and pissed all over them"? Really? Far more chances? He has been doing exceptionally well with the chance he has right now. Have you noticed him pissing on something that none of the rest of us has?
"There's 2 spoiled rich kids running USAC"? So that's what is afoot here? The Spoiled-Rich-Kid Theory? Banned Substance use is the province of those damned "spoiled rich kids"? We'll make a note of that. Weed them out before they get into the ranks of the 100% pure racers.
He has "failed totally off the track"? Totally, huh? Utterly, completely, irrevocably a failure. And here I thought he seemed like a swell guy, and all this time what I was witnessing was a grinding un-redeemable failure. Goes to show, I guess...
He "should be serving his punishment on the sidelines"? He is serving on the sidelines. The sidelines of nascar. Which are overstuffed with others hoping to get back into the game, while keeping active however they can. He is staying active better than most.
And, finally, the perfect old dusty relic of resistance: "What kind of message are we sending the little kids who come watch?" Frankly, I have my own idea of the "message" you are sending to whatever little kids you have in your social circle. It is a message of intolerance, anger, mistrust, prejudice and loathing. Bitterness--in a word. Particularly as almost no "little kids" at a race (that haven't been specifically prepped by the adults with influence over them) knows jack about Hmiel's off-track past, anymore than they know which drivers they watch are from what state, what beer they prefer to drink, or whether they've cheated on a wife or girlfriend or like to kick dogs.
You are entitled to your opinion. I am entitled to read it. I am entitled to dissect it. I am entitled to give it No Credibility.

If somebody does pass a piss test, then they are doing better. If it gets some hardcore NASCAR fan to come see a former driver race at your local track and learn how cool and exciting sprint car racing is, how is that bad. If some young teenager who is struggling with drug addiction, hears his story, realizes they can clean up their own life and changes for the better, how is that hurting racing. If the numbers are there that state many people do not succeed at remaining clean, lets just tell someone who is clean to give up, go away and do something else.

Just because his dad is who he is, does that mean he shouldn't race?
Just because you weren't born with something, that can ruin your life, (kill you dead), recover and deal with it, and become a much better person you do not need to be jealous of that. Should anyone who racers be allowed to be related to anyone else? Sounds ridiculous doesn't it.

I am a Josh Hamilton (Texas Rangers) fan because of what he went through (heroin addiction) and his struggle back and that he has beaten it for the time being. The ESPN special was one for the books, it chronicled his life. I sure hope Shane has this beat.

Well I'll try to reply....


Fight them off the track and not on the track, ummm, ok, you seem to think failing 3 drug tests is ok so let him race without being tested still?

He's a swell guy and good with kids? Really, does he work with anti-drug programs? Does he speak out about his mistakes to those kids and others? Is he helping change bad kids to good? Does he take part in DARE programs?

Pissed all over his chances, yes he has, he had 3 of them in NASCAR and what did he do with all 3? Kind of hard to ignore the truth on that score.

Spoiled rich kids, yeah there's too many of them, most tho are pretty good kids and it's a shame a couple bad apples make the rest look bad, but fact is, they do. Getting busted 3 times by NASCAR make you look bad, getting busted at an amusement park while trying to run over a security gaurd in front of families makes you look bad, and yes, makes all of racing look bad.

And yes he should be sitting on the sidelines, sorry, but it's not like he didn't have plenty of chances to start with, again 3 of them and he is suspended still from one of the biggest motorsports orgs in the world.

And yes it does look bad to kids, sorry but it does, just like it looks bad when a football player shoots people in a parking lot of a strip club or a basketball player starts a fight in a stadium. Sorry that you seem to think it's ok for a 3 time positive tested person to not be called on it, and pointed out, hopefully so the kids DO NOT follow his examples.


So now your opionon as been dissected and found lacking. I prefer to root and respect guys like Dave Darland, Casey Shuman, Jon Stanbough and others who truly deserve it and have EARNED it. I'm all for giving someone who deserves it a second chance, but a 4th chance? Scott free?

Funny, I really only like racing, but I remember either being away at work or for a race and watching that in a hotel, great story. For someone to have it all, lose it and rebuild is something amazing. If some of us are jealous or hate rich kids, you will be much better off once you get over it.

Not, I believe, someone with a history of failed tests.

I also do not believe Hmiel has done anything to deserve another chance. He has, however, been offered another chance, and I hope he makes the most of it, both on and off the track.

Tim Simmons

what you are failing to see is that in school nobody ever teaches us "what to do when you may screw up". To simply pretend you and the world you live in is perfect, does nobody any good. I see more positives then negatives, being on 3 wide life is off track, isn't that good?

I'll have to mark this on my calendar! I am agreeing with Aussiemidgetfan - 100%.

If more people were concerned with themselves as opposed to what someone else is doing, the World would be a better place.

Unless you detractors spend 24 hours a day with Shane, then what you are forming your opinion on is open to rebuttal. That "info" little more than heresay.

Go Shane.