Allen Johnson DQ'd?
 

Re: Allen Johnson DQ'd?
 

Must have been quite a party last nite.

Re: Allen Johnson DQ'd?
 

WOW.. Nascar would have had that on the front page... NHRA only talks about it in the qualifying order

Re: Allen Johnson DQ'd?
 

Most types of mouth wash/rinse can cause this also.

Re: Allen Johnson DQ'd?
 

I'm sure Allen was rinsing his mouth with mouthwash right before the test. Whatever.

Re: Allen Johnson DQ'd?
 

It's a GM conspiracy!! LOL

Re: Allen Johnson DQ'd?
 

Statement from Allen Johnson


CONCORD, N.C. -- "I went to a late dinner last night with my family and had a few alcoholic beverages with my meal. I felt no ill effects from the alcohol I consumed. This morning, when I learned I had been chosen for a random alcohol and drug test by the NHRA, one of many I have taken and passed over the years, I took it immediately, even though I had 24 hours in which to take the test. Unfortunately, a trace amount of alcohol registered in my system, leading to my disqualification from the O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Nationals.

"I fully support the NHRA's zero tolerance policy in regards to alcohol and I understand their decision in this matter. I would like to apologize to the NHRA, my fans and to my sponsors for any disappointment that I have caused. I love drag racing and I would never do anything to purposely disrespect the sport or its fans."

Re: Allen Johnson DQ'd?
 

I believe him. Don't understand why he would risk that, however. I just don't understand it.

Re: Allen Johnson DQ'd?
 

First off, i don't condone anyone drinking and driving, whether it be on the street or the track. I do think they may have sugar coated things a bit in the PR statement, however I'd also say that a lot of sportsman racers should be glad they don't walk through the lanes with a breathalyzer before first round sunday.

Re: Allen Johnson DQ'd?
 

It depends on how late the dinner was and how many drinks he considers "a few". In order to blow an .027 this morning, either he had many drinks with dinner, or he drank shortly before the test.

Re: Allen Johnson DQ'd?
 

There is a little more insight on breathalizer readings posted by Jared Jordan on a moparts.com thread.

http://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/...gonew=1#UNREAD

Re: Allen Johnson DQ'd?
 

Saw elsewhere he admitted to having 11 hours between dinner and the test. The body will drop the BAC about .02 an hour. That means he was at around .25 last night.

Re: Allen Johnson DQ'd?
 

i agree......my thing is why risk it??

Re: Allen Johnson DQ'd?
 

Thanks Bill. I never drank, so never been tested, so did not know enogh to comment.

Re: Allen Johnson DQ'd?
 

How close are the readings typically between a blood/alcohol (BAC?) test and a breathalizer?

Re: Allen Johnson DQ'd?
 

They're very close. A breath testing machine measures deep lung alcohol. One of the ways that your body burns off alcohol is through the tissue at the bottom of your lungs. To get a good sample, you have to exhale completely. The machine takes the alcohol it detects in the lungs via a fuel cell. When alcohol hits the fuel cell it converts into electricity from which the machine calculates a blood-alcohol content based on an assumed partition ratio (lot of argument about whether this is fair if anyone's interested in some extra reading).

Not sure how the private firm does it, but in order for the BAC results of a breach machine to be admitted in California courts, they have to be calibrated every 10 days or 150 test subjects, whichever is reached first. Some states also allow you to have an extra sample retained (blood usually) if you want to have an independent laboratory do the testing.

In short, these machines are extremely accurate. Dead nuts.

Re: Allen Johnson DQ'd?
 

I wonder if they ever tested Compton in the morning?????

Hammer

Re: Allen Johnson DQ'd?
 

Jared,

Just for grins I'd like to sit down in front of one of them machines with a quart of rot gut whiskey and just see how much I could drink before I blew over the limit!

Re: Allen Johnson DQ'd?
 

yea right.

Re: Allen Johnson DQ'd?
 

LOL............Do the machines read that high?

Re: Allen Johnson DQ'd?
 

they have one in the NHRA lobby, its set up like a slot machine. Compton is still trying to get the jackpot

Re: Allen Johnson DQ'd?
 

I strongly disagree. There are non-alcoholic things that can be consumed or used that will provide false positive readings with a Breathalyzer when talking about a level as low as what AJ blew.

Re: Allen Johnson DQ'd?
 

Like what?Any examples?

Re: Allen Johnson DQ'd?
 

I have heard that most mouthwashes/rinses, because they contain alcohol, can cause a positive low reading. I don't know if this is true or not; maybe someone can provide some documentation one way or the other.

Re: Allen Johnson DQ'd?
 

Originally Posted by John
I wonder if they ever tested Compton in the morning?????

You mean at 2:00am in Watts? I think I know the answer to that one a DUI!

Re: Allen Johnson DQ'd?
 

Alcohol in your mouth, that is not in your bloodstream, can result in the machines showing that there is alcohol in the test subject's system when there may not be. This is known as mouth alcohol. The forensic alcohol analysts that I've worked with seem to agree that within 5-6 minutes of ingesting an alcoholic substance the mouth alcohol is gone and any breath alcohol level will correspond to a blood alcohol level.

So yes, the machines CAN be fooled. However, proper testing procedure involves a minimum 15 minute observation period prior to the first blow to make sure that the test subject has not eaten or drank anything, burped, regurgitated, or vomited. The observation/waiting period serves to eliminate any tainted results.

If the proper testing procedures are followed, the machines are accurate. No doubt in my mind.

Re: Allen Johnson DQ'd?
 

Cimo....count me in!

Re: Allen Johnson DQ'd?
 

Not trying to be disrespectful, but how does a tester know if a testee has burped in the last 15 minutes? And, is each randomly chosen driver for these tests observed for 15 minutes prior to testing to make sure they didn't burp?

If you have access to what ever type of Breathalyzer is being used (hand held or tabletop) to test drivers, please access one. Suck on a Certs and then test yourself. I think you might be surprised.

Re: Allen Johnson DQ'd?
 

Here's another thread with if's ands and maybes.If you are legit and have any doubts about something tilting the anylizer then speak up and question the tester BEFORE you test.I'm sure they will work with you.
Boy common sense has gone out the window in the new world.
Just apply it,and some intergrty to most of the topics on here,and most everyday situations,and maybe the world would be a better place.

Re: Allen Johnson DQ'd?
 

"I wonder if they ever tested Compton in the morning?????"

Why test Tom, he doesn't have a 200mph car on the track, and I don't give a rats about his social life, that will catch up to him anyway.

Point is, DON'T DRINK AND RACE.

Re: Allen Johnson DQ'd?
 

Ever seen what damage an intoxicated person can do when in charge of a business?

Re: Allen Johnson DQ'd?
 

This is correct.

Ed Carpenter
Texas Highway Patrol

Re: Allen Johnson DQ'd?
 

Bob I have been a State Trooper in Texas for 8 1/2 years. During the 15 minute waiting period the subject has to be observed by you the entire time. If the subject were to burp, belch, vomit, etc the time starts over. Ed

Re: Allen Johnson DQ'd?
 

After the hours long wait that racers undergoing the drug tests had to endure, I understand why Allen went right away,probably more concerned with getting it over with early , and possibly not having a senerio like Matt Guidera had last year. ....Thursdays waits for testing were up to 3 or more hours, only one technician to test what seemed like about half the racers there !......More than a few racers missed runs on Thursday due to the long wait !!.............I got my invitation Friday ,5 min. before 1st round!....I went right after the run ,and still waited well over an hour and a half.......I left Roy Johnson go ahead of me ,so he could make it back in time for the first qualifying session of Pro Stock !.........They seemed to be testing every one , Random my A**, Roy Hill was there too , which at least provided for a little entertaining conversation about the previous days events!.............Tom

Re: Allen Johnson DQ'd?
 

The most important point from this episode is that Johnson has a drinking problem. There is no other explanation for him to take such an unprofessional risk.

The rule does include race officials. I'm not sure Tom is considered an official. Maybe the testers could go up in the tower and ask old good times Tommy blow into one of their little machines.

Re: Allen Johnson DQ'd?
 

An average attorney could beat this .:mad: I just feel sorry for the Johnson family and Mopar.

Re: Allen Johnson DQ'd?
 

[QUOTE=Tom Goldman;211604]After the hours long wait that racers undergoing the drug tests had to endure, I understand why Allen went right away,probably more concerned with getting it over with early , and possibly not having a senerio like Matt Guidera had last year. ....Thursdays waits for testing were up to 3 or more hours, only one technician to test what seemed like about half the racers there !......More than a few racers missed runs on Thursday due to the long wait !!.............I got my invitation Friday ,5 min. before 1st round!....I went right after the run ,and still waited well over an hour and a half.......I left Roy Johnson go ahead of me ,so he could make it back in time for the first qualifying session of Pro Stock !.........They seemed to be testing every one , Random my A**, Roy Hill was there too , which at least provided for a little entertaining conversation about the previous days events!.............Tom[/QUOTE You have to be kidding me that at the biggest meet of the year, they (NHRA) have ONE person administering these tests knowing (maybe) that the whole test takes 15 minutes. The way I figure if the the guy is a damn robot he can test 3 people per hour @ 20 minutes per person. Boy , NHRA sure is giving its members its moneys worth.------- OR NOT ! Don't misunderstand me as I am totally against alcohol and driving but again it seems that the NHRA chooses to go the cheap way out . ------Just my thoughts !

Re: Allen Johnson DQ'd?
 

You know that he has a drinking problem? I really don't see how that can be a fair statement.

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I completely disagree; a zero tolerance policy means exactly that - ZERO TOLERANCE. Any detectable alcohol or drugs is a violation of this policy; case closed.

Re: Allen Johnson DQ'd?
 

This attorney says:
A number of scientists who have conducted studies of breath-alcohol analysis have concurred with Dr. Hlastala in concluding that breathalyzer accuracy is inherently unreliable. Thus, for example, a recent study determined that breath readings vary at least 15 percent from actual blood alcohol levels. (Simpson, Accuracy and Precision of Breath-Alcohol Measurements for a Random Subject in the Postabsorptive State, 33(2) Clinical Chemistry 261 (1987)). Furthermore, at least 23 percent of all individuals tested will have breath results in excess of true blood-alcohol levels. The author concluded that, "[g]iven the choice, it would seem that if a conclusion is to be made about the BAC of a random subject, especially when the conclusion can have serious consequences, it would be far preferable to make it on the basis of a direct [blood] measurement...." CASE NOT CLOSED!