The circus surrounding suspended NASCAR driver Jeremy Mayfield has expanded to a full three rings after Lisa Mayfield, the driver's former step-mother, filed a complaint at the Iredell County Civil court in Statesville, North Carolina on Wednesday. She is seeking damages for public comments Jeremy Mayfield made to ESPN.com and WSOC-TV in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The civil suit claims Jeremy Mayfield made slanderous, false and defamatory statements. Lisa Mayfield is seeking compensatory damages in excess of $10,000, punitive damages in excess of $10,000 and any other "relief as the court may deem just and proper," according to court documents.

Lisa Mayfield first became involved in the situation when NASCAR filed an affidavit with the court in which the former step-mother claims she witnessed Jeremy Mayfield taking methamphetamine at least 30 times since 1998. Her testimony indicated that her step-son was also producing methamphetamine.

Jeremy Mayfield told ESPN.com, "It wouldn't take much money," in accusing Linda Mayfield of accepting money from NASCAR in exchange for her testimony. "She tried to get money from me," Mayfield was also quoted as saying, "She's basically a whore. She shot and killed my dad." Jeremy Mayfield made the same comments to WSOC-TV and on a Sirius radio show.

Mayfield failed a random drug test on May 9, 2009 according to NASCAR and was suspended by the sanctioning body. Mayfield later won a temporary injunction which lifted the NASCAR suspension and allowed him to return to the track. He did not return to competition and the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals has since ordered that Mayfield's suspension be reinstated.

Only time will tell what the outcome of all of this activity will be, but it does leave me with one question. How does someone who uses methamphetamine on a daily basis drive a race car, deal with media and corporate sponsor obligations, handle day to day business and fight NASCAR in court all while maintaining a well groomed appearance and speaking with confidence? Something that would seem to be uncharacteristic of a drug addict.

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