The US Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia, granted NASCAR's request to lift an injunction granted by a lower court judge, and Jeremy Mayfield is again suspended for what officials claim was a positive test for methamphetamines until an appeal of the judge's ruling can be heard.

Mayfield had obtained an injunction on 1 July to keep NASCAR from enforcing that suspension, but NASCAR then asked US District Court judge Graham Mullen to lift his injunction until an appeal could be heard and/or rescind the injunction based on a 6 July test that NASCAR says also showed positive results for methamphetamines. Mayfield disputes that finding because he took an independent test on the same day that he says shows negative results for methamphetamines.

NASCAR had also asked the US Court of Appeals to lift the injunction until the appeal could be heard - an process which likely wouldn't be decided until October. It was that request that was granted Friday.

Because of the decision, Mayfield is once again suspended, NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said. Mayfield was not on the entry list of this weekend's Allstate 400 at the Brickyard in Indianapolis.

Special to the Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service