Hornaday admits using testosterone, obtaining HGH
Quote selected text Published September 11th, 2008 in NASCAR News
Over a two-year period from December 2004 to January 2006, Ron Hornaday, the defending champion of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, received shipments of testosterone and human growth hormone from an anti-aging center that has been linked to drug-related scandals in the NFL and Major League Baseball.
Ron Hornaday, who admitted his past use of performance-enhancing drugs this week, celebrated his victory in the Sam’s Town 400 race at Texas Motor Speedway last Friday.
Hornaday acknowledged taking testosterone when shown records from the Palm Beach (Fla.) Rejuvenation Center during an interview at his home in North Carolina on Tuesday, but he denied using growth hormone that was sent to his home for his wife’s use. Hornaday said he used the testosterone to treat a mysterious medical malady that later turned out to be a hyperactive thyroid. The drugs were shipped to Hornaday’s address in Mooresville from the Palm Beach Rejuvenation Center.
“I’d lost 38 pounds [in the 2004 season], and no doctor could tell me what was wrong,” Hornaday said, adding that a friend encouraged him to consult with the Palm Beach Rejuvenation Center. A local nurse came to his house to take his blood, he said, and forwarded the results to the clinic. Hornaday provided records to ESPN showing that the drugs were prescribed by doctors at the clinic within a day of that visit.
Hornaday, 50, is considered one of the best short-track racers in the sport. He is 94 points out of first place in this season’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series standings.
During the interview, Hornaday retrieved a 2-ounce tube from his house that was half-filled with a cream. The prescription label bore the name “testosterone,” but was partially torn so that it did not show his name. The expiration date was listed as Sept. 29, 2007.
“I never knew that was a steroid,” he said, pointing to the cream.
Hornaday said he didn’t see or speak with a doctor before receiving the prescription, and initially insisted that he used it for only a week and stopped. Later, joined by his wife, Lindy, he changed the timeline and said he used it roughly every day for 13 months by rubbing a “pea-sized” dollop of it onto his thigh.
“I couldn’t see a difference,” he said. “That’s why I stopped.”
Added Lindy: “He never took it at the track. Only at home.”
NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said that Hornaday had not informed anyone in the league that he was using testosterone and that officials would seek more information from him before the Camping World RV Rental 200 in New Hampshire this weekend.
“It’s hard to see whether it’s a violation or not,” said Poston, who noted that NASCAR’s drug-testing policy prohibits the abuse of all drugs. “There are certain prescriptions that drivers can take, and we look at them on a case-by-case basis. If it’s not putting other drivers at risk or enhancing performance — and it’s used as intended — we’ll make determinations as they come up.”
More at ESPN.com
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Hm this is a strange one. I can’t figure out what kind of on-track advantage he would have gained by doing it… Maybe more stamina or something, I guess.
Either way, I NEVER believe professional athletes when they say they didn’t know what they were taking was a steroid, but for some reason it wouldn’t surprise me if a driver didn’t really know. Football and Baseball players rely on their body being in top shape in order to make a living and are absolutely aware of everything that goes into them. Stock car drivers, on the other hand, don’t really need to be in shape to be successful (Smoke, I’m looking at you). So who knows… Maybe he’s telling the truth. Either way, if your drug policy involves zero testing and is so vague as to just “prohibit the abuse of all drugs”, what can they possibly do?
If it was truly prescribed to him and he took it as directed, the only thing they can do much about is the fact that he didn’t advise them of it before he started the treatment.
There is no advantage. The author who broke this story is just trying to drum up controversy regarding performance enhancing drugs so they can further their career.
The only advantage it gave Ron was the ability to hold the trophies up higher. Or maybe that’s why he is so good on restarts, I’ll bet that is the reason. Give me a break ESPN this is not a groundbreaking discovery of steroid use in NASCAR. Maybe if the Jackman did ‘roids then they could have faster stops without the use of the jack. Go get ‘em Ron you are still the man in the truck series.
I’m surprised no one has mentioned this yet, but It’s really ironic that Ron drives for an owner that has be probaly the most outspoken towards have more drug tests in NASCAR.
Personally I think he was just having some problems with “little Ronnie” and that’s why he was taking testosterone.
l0l
Fisha695 wrote:
you know i was thinking the same thing…
didnt harvick say every employee has been tested??
that doesnt include the driver… when the driver is the one who caused the controversy to begin with??
Im not sure exactly what nascars policy is on that,its not like he was smoking crack or boozing it up and driving i dont think what he was taking would really help any.
Most drug tests particularly DOT drug tests are more geared towards the illegal stuff like alcohol, coke ( including Jack and Coke HA!), pot, barbs and that type of drug. The “performance enhancing” drugs will not show up on these tests to the best of my knowledge, of course if I’m wrong someone will waste no time in setting me straight.
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ganjadude wrote:
Like Bigred1 mentioned, I think the drug testing being done w/ Harvick is more along the lines of drugs and alcohol, not performance enhancing drugs, which would be two different things. Nobody probably thought to really even look for it.
BTW, I’ve never heard of this writer (Shaun Assael), but he is a ’senior writer’ for ESPN, so he’s been around for a while, and looking at his archive, there’s a ton of stuff about ‘roids and PED’s. I googled him and he’s written a book about ‘roids and another about wrestling, so he knows a thing or two about the subject. Still don’t know that it makes this story relevant or important, but I thought I’d mention it.
After doing some research this Testosterone cream stuff isn’t really any more of a performance enhancing drug then say drinking a Rockstar Energy Drink before the race.
Ron said he started taken it in december 2004, during nascar’s off season. and prob before harvick started his drug testing. (the last thing idk, i’m just making a guess) harvick prob knew but gave him a break since ron was sick at the time, and no doctor could tell him what was wrong with him. the only reason this came out was because the place were the shipments came from are involved in scandals in the NFL and Major League Baseball.
He has graves disease and he knew what he was taking. It is no scandal, it was a medical TREATMENT.
I thought he was taking the steroid cream before he was diagnosed with graves disease, for something else (he was misdiagnosed), and when it wasn’t helping him get better Kevin made him go to his (kevin’s) doctor and he was then diagnosed with graves disease.
Wow doe’s using this make the car go faster?
If so I want to rub some on me to make my pickup go faster…
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If it’s not putting other drivers at risk or enhancing performance — and it’s used as intended — we’ll make determinations as they come up.”