Mayfield: I didn’t take illegal drug

? Jeremy Mayfield insisted Saturday his positive test didn’t result from an illegal drug and will consider legal action to rescind his indefinite suspension.

In an interview from the infield of Lowe’s Motor Speedway on Saturday night, the Sprint Cup driver said he used a legal prescription drug — one he would not identify — then took Claritin-D to treat allergies.

He indicated he hasn’t been told what showed up in his positive test, which led to his suspension a week ago.

“A legal prescription drug, that’s what I take,” Mayfield said. “And I had allergies at Richmond that were really, really bad. On (May 7) I got a call and said you’ve tested positive for whatever they called it.

“I said, ‘OK, no problem. I’ve got all my paperwork ready.’ He said ‘You’ll fax that to us; it’ll cancel out your test.”‘

But Mayfield said he didn’t hear anything again until he was suspended indefinitely two days later.

That contradicts NASCAR’s account of events. Series officials have said Mayfield was told on May 8 that his explanation for the positive test — the combination of an over-the counter medication and a prescription drug — had been rejected. NASCAR said the driver asked for his backup “B” sample to be tested at 3:30 p.m. May 8. It also came back positive, prompting the suspension.

“They didn’t say what I took. They don’t know what I took,” Mayfield said.

Mayfield, also the owner of his team, was watching J.J. Yeley drive the No. 41 car to a 22nd-place finish at the preliminary event before the All-Star race. Mayfield was not allowed in the pits or garage area, watching instead from the top of a hospitality complex in the infield.

He said he’s received his reinstatement papers but insisted he won’t go through a rehabilitation program before being allowed back on the track.

“I’m not going to rehabilitation,” Mayfield said. “Why would I?”

NASCAR has refused to reveal what banned drug Mayfield used, but chairman Brian France called it “a serious violation,” categorizing that as use of a performance-enhancing or recreational drug. A person familiar with the test results has told the Associated Press the positive result was not for a performance-enhancer, leaving a narcotic or controlled substance as the cause of the positive test.

Dr. David Black, CEO of Aegis Sciences Corp. in Nashville, Tenn., which runs the testing program, did not immediately return a call Saturday night for comment.

Black has said he rejected Mayfield’s explanation for the positive test.