NASCAR Bans Xfinity Race-Winner Spencer Gallagher After Failed Drug Test

We can’t condone using drugs. But if you’re going to use drugs, please don’t drive. And certainly don’t go racing. Spencer Gallagher didn’t heed that principal, and he’s paying for his mistake.

According to Autosport, the stock-car driver failed a drug test. That ran him afoul of NASCAR’s substance-abuse policy. So the race organizers have placed him under an indefinite ban while he undergoes treatment.

Now we have no idea what substances Gallagher may have consumed. And we have no reason to believe he was high while driving on track. But he’s admitted his mistake, and is participating in the Road to Recovery plan. NASCAR’s own drug program exists just for this purpose, itself suggesting that the problem extends beyond Gallagher’s drug use.

No Racing Until He’s Clean

The Nevada native has competed until now in the second-tier Xfinity Series. He recently took his first victory in the series at Talladega, and has been competing in the Dash4Cash – a four-race sub-series for Xfinity regulars.

“I want to assure everyone in the NASCAR community this one-time error in judgement will never happen again,” Gallagher confessed, saying that he has “not upheld the behavior that is expected of me. I promise you all here and know, I will do whatever it takes to make this right.”

Until he’s cleared by a NASCAR-sanctioned counsellor, GMS Racing will have to find a substitute to drive his No. 23 Chevy Camaro. The team is owned by the driver’s father Maury Gallagher, CEO of Allegiant Air (pictured next to his son with the trophy, below). The low-cost, Las Vegas-based airline sponsors Spencer’s car. “GMS fully supports NASCAR’s policy on substance abuse and we do not condone this type of behavior,” said team principal Mike Beam. “First and foremost, our entire organization wants to apologize to NASCAR, our sponsors, teammates and fans due to this policy violation.”