Racing career

Beginnings

Mayfield began racing in his hometown of Owensboro, Kentucky, racing BMX bicycles. He then proceeded to race go-karts at local Short tracks; moving to Nashville Speedway USA at the age of 19. He soon went to work for Sadler Brothers Racing as a fabricator, and became their driver, winning Late Model Rookie of the Year at Kentucky Motor Speedway in 1987.

In 1993, he joined the ARCA series, and was named Rookie of the Year.

NASCAR

Mayfield made his Cup debut in the 1993 Mello Yello 500; starting 30th and finishing 29th in the No. 95 Earl Sadler-owned Ford Thunderbird. In 1994, Mayfield declared he would run for NASCAR Winston Cup Series Rookie of the Year, and signed to drive the Sadler Brothers' No. 95 Ford. He struggled heavily in 1995, and was released. He signed to drive the No. 02 for T.W. Taylor, for four races before completing the year in the No. 98 Fingerhut-sponsored Ford for Cale Yarborough. He ran 20 starts in his inaugural season, his best finish a 19th at Rockingham. In 1995, he stayed with Yarborough full-time, and had an eighth-place run at the Miller Genuine Draft 500, with a 31st-place finish in the points standings after qualifying for 27 out of 31 races. The next season, he had two top-fives and earned his first career pole at the DieHard 500 Later that season, he was released and replaced John Andretti in the No. 37 Ford owned by Michael Kranefuss. Mayfield ended the year 26th in points.

Mayfield returned to the Kranefuss team in 1997. He had eight top tens, including two fifth-place runs, and finished a then career-high 13th place in points. After the season, Kranefuss sold part of the team to Penske Racing South, and the team's identity was switched, with a new number (No. 12). Mayfield took the points lead early in the season, and won his first career race at the Pocono 500. At the end of the season, he was seventh in points. He was unable to replicate his success in 1999, and dropped four spots in the standings, despite twelve top-tens. In 2000, he won four poles and two races. Mayfield's second Cup series win (his first win of 2000 though) is probably the most famous of all his wins, as he bumped Dale Earnhardt out of the lead with 2 turns to go and then used Earnhardt's famous "Rattle his cage" line against Earnhardt in victory lane.

One of the poles, however, was at the DieHard 500, and the car was found to have violated the rules with an illegal fuel substance, and penalties resulted in the team earning -25 points from the race (his 126 points, earned by finishing 14th and leading a lap, were offset by the 151 point penalty NASCAR handed down). Later, while practicing for the Brickyard 400, he crashed hard into the wall. He suffered a concussion, and was forced to miss the next two races. He finished 24th in points that season.

He began 2001 with two consecutive third-place finishes, but his performance fell off, and was released after the Protection One 400. Rumors circulated around the garage that he and Rusty Wallace feuded several times and did not see head to head as teammates and burned bridges with Roger Penske. He sat out the rest of the season after signing a new deal with Ray Evernham's team.

In 2002, Mayfield signed to Evernham Motorsports, replacing Casey Atwood. In his first year, Mayfield had just four top-tens and finished 26th in points. He rebounded slightly in 2003, winning the pole at the Aaron's 499 and posting 12 top-tens, finishing nineteenth in points. In 2004, Mayfield returned to victory lane at the Chevy Rock and Roll 400 earning his team the ninth spot in the inaugural Chase for the Cup, and finished tenth in points. For a while, winning a race to get into the Chase was referred by the moniker "pulling a Jeremy Mayfield." In 2005, he won the GFS Marketplace 400, and finished ninth in the standings. In August 2006 he was released from Evernham after his team fell out of the top-35 in owner points, and replaced by Bill Elliott and then Elliott Sadler.

Mayfield signed a contract with Bill Davis Racing for 2007, driving the No. 36 Toyota Camry. He ran a total of 13 races for Bill Davis Racing in 32 attempts with a best finish of 22nd at Kansas Speedway. In August 2007, it was announced that Mayfield and Davis would part ways at the end of the season. Later in the season, he would take over driving the No. 66 car for Haas CNC Racing starting with Atlanta 2007. Late in 2007, he and teammate Scott Riggs would switch rides with Mayfield ending up in the No. 70 car for the 2008 season.

Mayfield completed seven races in the No. 70 with a best finish of sixteenth before he was released from the team. He would complete one additional race at Dover in the No. 40 Dodge, filling in for the injured Dario Franchitti. He would start tenth and finish twenty-fifth.

In January 2009, Mayfield announced that he would attempt the full season in a self-owned Toyota, using the number 41. He raced his way into the Daytona 500. After ten races in the 2009 season, Mayfield qualified for just five. He was then embroiled in a substance abuse dispute that, for all intents and purposes, ended his NASCAR career. By July 2009, Mayfield had sold his race team and operations due to lack of sponsorship, and the last remaining member of his crew resigned after all other members of the race team were laid off.

During his NASCAR career, Mayfield had 36 career Nationwide Series starts. He had five top tens, his best finish being a fourth at Rockingham in 2003. He also had three Craftsman Truck Series starts, with a best finish of 6th at the 2003 Hardee's 200 for Green Light Racing. After his release from Evernham in 2006, he drove for Billy Ballew Motorsports in a pair of truck races.

Life after NASCAR

Mayfield was working as a delivery person while waiting for word on his appeals. By 2011, tax officials in Catawba County, North Carolina were on the verge of foreclosing on Mayfield's 388-acre spread there because he owed $82,000 in back taxes. In 2012, Mayfield was evicted from his home. On December 19, 2013, firefighters burnt down Mayfield's former mansion in a controlled burn. On January 6, 2014, Mayfield was convicted on two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia and one count for possessing stolen items, receiving 18 months of unsupervised probation, and was ordered to pay $88,124.41, adding an extra $1,100 in court costs.

Mayfield currently races in the KOMA Unwind Modified Madness Tour, making his debut in the series' inaugural race at Hickory Motor Speedway. In May 2014, Mayfield released a video, titled The Mayfield Story, to explain the substance abuse controversy from his point of view.

In July 2014, Mayfield returned to organized racing competition, driving in an Pro Cup Series event at Tri-County Motor Speedway and finishing seventh of the ten cars that started. On September 29, 2014, Mayfield announced he would compete full-time in dirt and Super Late Model racing for 2015. On October 8, 2014, Mayfield started a Dirt Late Model team with plans to compete full-time in the World of Outlaws, with Mayfield as driver of the J2 car and Aaron Thomas as owner; Charlotte Motor Speedway owner Humpy Wheeler is an assistant for Mayfield.

Personal life

He currently lives in Denver, North Carolina.

Controversies

Release from Evernham Motorsports

On August 8, 2006, Mayfield learned through NASCAR.com that he was not placed onto the entry list for Watkins Glen, instead replaced by former Evernham driver Bill Elliott. Discussions of a move to Bill Davis Racing by Mayfield in the preceding month or two before, as well as the No. 19 team falling out of the top 35 in points were initially given as reasons for Mayfield's release, to make this transition sooner than later. Evernham later confirmed that Mayfield had been released from his contract after making comments about Evernham not being at the track often. Mayfield later stated that the problems with the 19 car stemmed from lack of attention from the team owner due to a "close personal relationship" with developmental driver Erin Crocker. Mayfield stated that Evernham was not with the Cup cars most weeks because of the extensive attention that he was giving Crocker and her No. 98 truck team. Evernham later admitted that he was seriously involved in an affair with Crocker, whom he married in 2009.

Substance abuse violation

On May 9, 2009, Mayfield was suspended indefinitely by NASCAR for violating NASCAR's substance abuse policy. Mayfield stated, "I believe that the combination of a prescribed medicine and an over the counter medicine reacted together and resulted in a positive drug test. My Doctor and I are working with both NASCAR consultant Dr. David Black and NASCAR to resolve this matter." Mayfield Motorsports named former Hall of Fame Racing team driver J.J. Yeley as interim driver and Jeremy's wife Shana as the interim owner.

David Black, whose company oversees NASCAR's testing program, disputed Mayfield's claims, stating, "What we have is a clear violation of policy. In my many years of experience, I have never seen a violation like this due to the combination of over-the-counter or prescription products." Owing to NASCAR policy, Dr. Black refused to specify the substance for which Mayfield tested positive, instead saying it was "a drug of concern."

However, at the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race the week after his suspension, Mayfield publicly stated that he had only taken two tablets of Claritin-D and the prescription drug Adderall, which he stated was prescribed to assist his attention deficit disorder, and that he had never used any sort of illegal drug. His wife and crew chief backed these claims. Afterwards, criticism of NASCAR's testing policy became rampant, and several suggested that NASCAR's secrecy over Mayfield's results was politically motivated, so as to not smear the reputation of Claritin, who was a sponsor of Carl Edwards and NASCAR on Fox at the time. To this day, Mayfield refuses to enter NASCAR's rehabilitation program, and has alluded to legal action against NASCAR.

On June 9, 2009, ESPN.com stated that during the random drug screening on May 1 at Richmond International Raceway, Mayfield tested positive for methamphetamine.

On July 1, 2009, US District Court Judge Graham Mullen granted a temporary injunction, lifting Mayfield's suspension. Mullen concluded that the "likelihood of a false positive in this case is quite substantial." In granting the injunction, Mullen ruled that the "harm to Mr. Mayfield significantly outweighs the harm to NASCAR". Even with the injunction, Mayfield was forced to sit out the Coke Zero 400 and Lifelock 400 for want of a sponsor.

On July 15, 2009, NASCAR stated that Mayfield had again tested positive for methamphetamine during testing on July 6, five days after his suspension was lifted. Mayfield's stepmother, Lisa Mayfield, stated that she had seen him use methamphetamine many times since 1998. Mayfield has refuted these allegations. Despite two positive tests, Mayfield continues to deny ever using the drug, blaming the results on ingestion of the OTC drug Claritin D. Additionally, Mayfield took a drug test 40 minutes after NASCAR's, this time with an office not affiliated with NASCAR, and it was negative. A doctor from Florida stated that it was impossible for Mayfield to use the levels of methamphetamine NASCAR claimed he did, or else he would be dead or a chronic user. According to an independent medical professional in Central Florida, the combination of medications cited by Mayfield has a 15% chance of a false positive being obtained.

A federal appeals court reversed Mayfield's injunction on July 24, 2009. On May 18, 2010, Mullen threw out Mayfield's suit, saying that Mayfield waived his right to sue NASCAR when he agreed to take part in NASCAR events.

Mayfield could theoretically return to NASCAR if he completes NASCAR's "Road to Recovery" treatment program and submits to drug testing with Black's lab, the only lab approved by NASCAR. However, he continues to maintain his innocence and has let it be known he will not go through the program. In an interview with Sporting News in 2014, Mayfield said he is willing to take a drug test "as long as I can pee in a cup for LabCorp or some other credible lab."

Dog attack

On April 22, 2011, five dogs owned by Mayfield attacked a female mail carrier who was carrying a package to the front porch. She received several scratches and bite marks on her legs. The dogs were quarantined. On May 10, 2012, Mayfield was ordered to pay $1 million in the lawsuit of the dog attacks on the postal worker. The dogs were then euthanized.

2011 arrest

On November 1, 2011 sheriff's deputies searched Mayfield's home in Catawba County after getting a tip that Mayfield and four accomplices were staging burglaries to support Mayfield's methamphetamine habit. Mayfield was taken into custody after deputies found 1.5 grams of meth in a safe. Authorities later found $100,000 worth of stolen goods in Mayfield's home. Among the recovered items were heavy machinery that had been reported stolen from two businesses in neighboring Lincoln County in late 2010 and early 2011, as well as audiovisual equipment that had been stolen from Red Bull Racing Team in nearby Mooresville in February 2011. Almost all the charges were eventually dropped or thrown out, with Mayfield pleading to one count of misdemeanor drug paraphernalia possession in 2014.

In popular media

Mayfield is featured in the video for "Drowning (Face Down)" by the band Saving Abel. He was also featured in Alan Jackson's 1997 music video "Who's Cheatin' Who".

Motorsports career results

NASCAR

(key) (Bold - Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics - Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * - Most laps led.)

Sprint Cup Series

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series results
Year	Team	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	36	NSCC	Pts
1993	Sadler Brothers Racing	95	Ford	DAY	CAR	RCH	ATL	DAR	BRI	NWS	MAR	TAL	SON	CLT	DOV	POC	MCH	DAY	NHA	POC	TAL	GLN	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH	DOV	MAR	NWS	CLT	CAR	PHO	ATL							74th	76
1994				DAY	CAR	RCH	ATL	DAR	BRI	NWS	MAR	TAL	SON																											37th	1673
	Taylor Racing	02	Ford											CLT	DOV	POC	MCH	DAY	NHA
	Cale Yarborough Motorsports	98	Ford																	POC	TAL	IND	GLN	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH	DOV	MAR	NWS	CLT	CAR	PHO	ATL
1995				DAY	CAR	RCH	ATL	DAR	BRI	NWS	MAR	TAL	SON	CLT	DOV	POC	MCH	DAY	NHA	POC	TAL	IND	GLN	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH	DOV	MAR	NWS	CLT	CAR	PHO	ATL						31st	2637
1996				DAY	CAR	RCH	ATL	DAR	BRI	NWS	MAR	TAL	SON	CLT	DOV	POC	MCH	DAY	NHA	POC	TAL	IND	GLN	MCH	BRI	DAR														26th	2721
	Kranefuss-Haas Racing	37	Ford																								RCH	DOV	MAR	NWS	CLT	CAR	PHO	ATL
1997				DAY	CAR	RCH	ATL	DAR	TEX	BRI	MAR	SON	TAL	CLT	DOV	POC	MCH	CAL	DAY	NHA	POC	IND	GLN	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH	NHA	DOV	MAR	CLT	TAL	CAR	PHO	ATL					13th	3547
1998	Penske-Kranefuss Racing	12		DAY	CAR	LVS	ATL	DAR	BRI	TEX	MAR	TAL	CAL	CLT	DOV	RCH	MCH	POC	SON	NHA	POC	IND	GLN	MCH	BRI	NHA	DAR	RCH	DOV	MAR	CLT	TAL	DAY	PHO	CAR	ATL				7th	4157
1999				DAY	CAR	LVS	ATL	DAR	TEX	BRI	MAR	TAL	CAL	RCH	CLT	DOV	MCH	POC	SON	DAY	NHA	POC	IND	GLN	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH	NHA	DOV	MAR	CLT	TAL	CAR	PHO	HOM	ATL			11th	3743
2000				DAY	CAR	LVS	ATL	DAR	BRI	TEX	MAR	TAL	CAL	RCH	CLT	DOV	MCH	POC	SON	DAY	NHA	POC	IND	GLN	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH	NHA	DOV	MAR	CLT	TAL	CAR	PHO	HOM	ATL			24th	3156
2001	Penske Racing South			DAY	CAR	LVS	ATL	DAR	BRI	TEX	MAR	TAL	CAL	RCH	CLT	DOV	MCH	POC	SON	DAY	CHI	NHA	POC	IND	GLN	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH	DOV	KAN	CLT	MAR	TAL	PHO	CAR	HOM	ATL	NHA	35th	2651
2002	Evernham Motorsports	19	Dodge	DAY	CAR	LVS	ATL	DAR	BRI	TEX	MAR	TAL	CAL	RCH	CLT	DOV	POC	MCH	SON	DAY	CHI	NHA	POC	IND	GLN	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH	NHA	DOV	KAN	TAL	CLT	MAR	ATL	CAR	PHO	HOM	26th	3309
2003				DAY	CAR	LVS	ATL	DAR	BRI	TEX	TAL	MAR	CAL	RCH	CLT	DOV	POC	MCH	SON	DAY	CHI	NHA	POC	IND	GLN	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH	NHA	DOV	TAL	KAN	CLT	MAR	ATL	PHO	CAR	HOM	19th	3736
2004				DAY	CAR	LVS	ATL	DAR	BRI	TEX	MAR	TAL	CAL	RCH	CLT	DOV	POC	MCH	SON	DAY	CHI	NHA	POC	IND	GLN	MCH	BRI	CAL	RCH	NHA	DOV	TAL	KAN	CLT	MAR	ATL	PHO	DAR	HOM	10th	6000
2005				DAY	CAL	LVS	ATL	BRI	MAR	TEX	PHO	TAL	DAR	RCH	CLT	DOV	POC	MCH	SON	DAY	CHI	NHA	POC	IND	GLN	MCH	BRI	CAL	RCH	NHA	DOV	TAL	KAN	CLT	MAR	ATL	TEX	PHO	HOM	9th	6073
2006				DAY	CAL	LVS	ATL	BRI	MAR	TEX	PHO	TAL	RCH	DAR	CLT	DOV	POC	MCH	SON	DAY	CHI	NHA	POC	IND	GLN	MCH	BRI	CAL	RCH	NHA	DOV	KAN	TAL	CLT	MAR	ATL	TEX			39th	1684
	Phoenix Racing	09	Chevy																																			PHO	HOM
2007	Bill Davis Racing	36	Toyota	DAY	CAL	LVS	ATL	BRI	MAR	TEX	PHO	TAL	RCH	DAR	CLT	DOV	POC	MCH	SON	NHA	DAY	CHI	IND	POC	GLN	MCH	BRI	CAL	RCH	NHA	DOV	KAN	TAL	CLT	MAR					45th	1126
	Haas CNC Racing	66	Chevy																																	ATL	TEX	PHO	HOM
2008		70		DAY	CAL	LVS	ATL	BRI	MAR	TEX	PHO	TAL	RCH	DAR	CLT																									50th	578
	Chip Ganassi Racing	40	Dodge													DOV	POC	MCH	SON	NHA	DAY	CHI	IND	POC	GLN	MCH	BRI	CAL	RCH	NHA	DOV	KAN	TAL	CLT	MAR	ATL	TEX	PHO	HOM
2009	Mayfield Motorsports	41	Toyota	DAY	CAL	LVS	ATL	BRI	MAR	TEX	PHO	TAL	RCH	DAR	CLT	DOV	POC	MCH	SON	NHA	DAY	CHI	IND	POC	GLN	MCH	BRI	ATL	RCH	NHA	DOV	KAN	CAL	CLT	MAR	TAL	TEX	PHO	HOM	54th	288

Daytona 500

Year	Team	Manufacturer	Start	Finish
1994	Sadler Brothers Racing	Ford	40	30
1995	Cale Yarborough Motorsports	Ford	29	35
1996			14	19
1997	Kranefuss-Haas Racing	Ford	21	6
1998			13	3
1999	Penske-Kranefuss Racing		6	20
2000			19	11
2001	Penske Racing South		38	9
2002	Evernham Motorsports	Dodge	28	39
2003			20	8
2004			22	25
2005			24	23
2006			26	36
2007	Bill Davis Racing	Toyota	DNQ
2008	Haas CNC Racing	Chevrolet	33	23
2009	Mayfield Motorsports	Toyota	18	40

Busch Series

NASCAR Busch Series results
Year	Team	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	NBSC	Pts
1995	Bobby Jones Racing	50	Ford	DAY	CAR	RCH	ATL	NSV	DAR	BRI	HCY	NHA	NZH	CLT	DOV	MYB	GLN	MLW	TAL	SBO	IRP	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH	DOV	CLT	CAR	HOM										50th	535
1996	NorthStar Motorsports	98	Ford	DAY	CAR	RCH	ATL	NSV	DAR	BRI	HCY	NZH	CLT	DOV	SBO	MYB	GLN	MLW	NHA	TAL	IRP	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH	DOV	CLT	CAR	HOM										43rd	1051
2003	Evernham Motorsports	79	Dodge	DAY	CAR	LVS	DAR	BRI	TEX	TAL	NSH	CAL	RCH	GTY	NZH	CLT	DOV	NSH	KEN	MLW	DAY	CHI	NHA	PPR	IRP	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH	DOV	KAN	CLT	MEM	ATL	PHO	CAR	HOM		99th	165
2004	Tommy Baldwin Racing	6	Dodge	DAY	CAR	LVS	DAR	BRI	TEX	NSH	TAL	CAL	GTY	RCH	NZH	CLT	DOV	NSH	KEN	MLW	DAY	CHI	NHA	PPR	IRP	MCH	BRI	CAL	RCH	DOV	KAN	CLT	MEM	ATL	PHO	DAR	HOM		115th	109
2005	Rusty Wallace Racing	64	Dodge	DAY	CAL	MXC	LVS			BRI			TAL			CLT	DOV	NSH	KEN	MLW	DAY	CHI	NHA	PPR	GTY	IRP	GLN	MCH	BRI	CAL	RCH	DOV	KAN						46th	1151
	Evernham Motorsports	6	Dodge					ATL	NSH		TEX	PHO		DAR	RCH
		79																																CLT	MEM	TEX	PHO	HOM
2006		9		DAY	CAL	MXC	LVS	ATL	BRI	TEX	NSH	PHO	TAL	RCH	DAR	CLT	DOV	NSH	KEN	MLW	DAY	CHI	NHA	MAR	GTY	IRP	GLN	MCH	BRI	CAL	RCH	DOV	KAN	CLT	MEM	TEX	PHO	HOM	131st	63

Craftsman Truck Series

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series results
Year	Team	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	NCTC	Pts
2003	Green Light Racing	07	Dodge	DAY	DAR	MMR	MAR	CLT	DOV	TEX	MEM	MLW	KAN	KEN	GTW	MCH	IRP	NSH	BRI	RCH	NHA	CAL	LVS	SBO	TEX	MAR	PHO	HOM	90th	155
2006	Billy Ballew Motorsports	15	Chevy	DAY	CAL	ATL	MAR	GTY	CLT	MFD	DOV	TEX	MCH	MLW	KAN	KEN	MEM	IRP	NSH	BRI	NHA	LVS	TAL	MAR	ATL	TEX	PHO	HOM	65th	164

ARCA Hooters SuperCar Series

(key) (Bold - Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics - Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * - Most laps led.)

ARCA Hooters SuperCar Series results
Year	Team	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	ARSC	Pts
1992	Sadler Brothers Racing	95	Olds	DAY	FIF	TWS	TAL	TOL	KIL	POC	MCH	FRS	KIL	NSH	DEL	POC	HPT	FRS	ISF	TOL	DSF	TWS	SLM	ATL	139th	-
1993			Chevy	DAY			TAL	KIL																	4th	4485
			Olds		FIF	TWS						POC	MCH		POC			DSF
		5							CMS	FRS	TOL			FRS		KIL	ISF		TOL	SLM	WIN
		95	Ford																			ATL
1995	Cale Yarborough Motorsports	86	Ford	DAY	ATL	TAL	FIF	KIL	FRS	MCH	I80	OWO	FRS	POC	POC	KIL	FRS	SBS	LVL	ISF	DSF	WIN	SLM	ATL	116th	-

[ Source: Wikipedia ]