Aaron Fike

Aaron Fike (born November 24, 1982) is an American racing driver, a former competitor in NASCAR and USAC. The younger brother of A. J. Fike, he was suspended from NASCAR competition from 2007 to 2012 due to a drug-related arrest.

Open-wheel career

Fike began racing in 2001 in the USAC Silver Crown Series, where he became the youngest driver to win a Silver Crown race (breaking Jeff Gordon's record). He finished tenth in points, earning him the Rookie of the Year award.

In 2002, he won seven midget feature races in addition to winning the Badger Midget Auto Racing Association championship. He also raced in the IRL Infiniti Pro Series for Hemelgarn Racing, finishing fifth with a win at Chicagoland.

In 2003, Fike won the World Championship Midget Feature in Auckland, New Zealand, and the USAC Night Before the 500 race. He competed in the full Infiniti Pro Series schedule, with a win at Pikes Peak on route to a sixth-place finish.

NASCAR career Fike made his stock car debut towards the end of 2003 in an ARCA RE/MAX Series race at South Boston Speedway, where he finished ninth.

He began racing part-time in the Busch Series in 2004 in the No. 43 Curb Agajanian Performance Group car, and for GIC-Mixon Motorsports. His best finish that year came at the Stacker 200 Presented by YJ Stinger, where he finished 17th.

For 2005, Fike signed a driver development contract with Brewco Motorsports, and split time in their No. 66 Duraflame Ford Taurus with Greg Biffle. He recorded his first top-ten finish at the Salute to the Troops 250 Presented by Dodge, where he finished eighth. He also ran 17 races with the No. 43, his best finish in that car being a 14th at Homestead. At the end of the year, he was released from his contract at Brewco.

Fike started 2006 driving the No. 43 for Curb, but soon signed with Kevin Harvick Incorporated for a limited schedule. He was released after two races.

Fike drove for Red Horse Racing in the Craftsman Truck Series in 2007, where he had four top-ten finishes. He was arrested in the parking lot of Kings Island in July 2007, and subsequently suspended by NASCAR and released from his contract.

Legal troubles

In March 2003, Fike was arrested for driving under the influence in his hometown of Galesburg, Illinois and was eventually released.

On July 7, 2007, Fike and his long-time girlfriend and fiancée, Red Horse crew member Cassandra "Casi" Davidson, were arrested in the parking lot of Kings Island in Mason, Ohio. Fike attempted to evade police when asked to exit his truck, striking an officer with the mirror of the vehicle; upon being stopped and searched, syringes containing brown liquid, which Fike admitted were heroin, were found within the vehicle. Davidson stated that both she and Fike used the heroin. Both were arrested on charges of possession of heroin and drug paraphernalia.

On July 11, 2007, Fike (as well as Davidson) was suspended indefinitely by NASCAR for violating Section 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing) of the 2007 NASCAR Rule Book. Red Horse Racing released Fike from his contract the following day. On August 29, the misdemeanor possession of drug abuse instruments charge was dropped by prosecutors.

Though he initially pleaded not guilty, in November 2007, Fike pleaded guilty to possession of a drug abuse instrument and a reduced charge of attempted possession of heroin, both misdemeanors. He admitted that he had spent four months in treatment for the addiction, and publicly stated that the habit almost killed him at least once. He was sentenced to two years of probation after agreeing to establish a non-profit anti-drug group, Racing Against Drugs.

In an April 2008 interview for ESPN, Fike admitted to years of painkiller abuse, as well as heroin use on race days.

Fike returned to racing midget cars at Angell Park Speedway and the USAC national tour after his NASCAR suspension; he was tested upon arrival at the track for every race. Fike has not competed in NASCAR since.

Motorsports career results

American Open-Wheel racing results (key)

Infiniti Pro Series Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Rank Points 2002 Hemelgarn RacingKANNSHMISKTYSTLCHITXS 5th 186 2003 HMS PHX INDY PPR KAN NSH MIS GAT KTY CHI FON TXS 6th 328

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

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 Pts Ref 2004 Curb Racing 43 Dodge DAY CAR 35 LVS DAR BRI TEX NSH 39 TAL CAL GTY RCH NZH 30 CLT DOV IRP 23 MCH BRI CAL RCH 43 DOV 17 KAN 39 CLT 33 MEM 35 ATL PHO 34 DAR 42 HOM 33 46th 802 GIC–Mixon Motorsports 24 Chevy NSH 36 KEN MLW DAY CHI NHA PPR 2005 Curb Racing 43 Dodge DAY CAL MXC LVS 27 ATL DNQ TEX DNQ PHO TAL 22 DAR DAY 38 CHI 42 MCH 34 BRI CAL 37 TEX 29 27th 2010 Brewco Motorsports 66 Ford NSH 35 BRI NSH 38 MLW 20 PPR 8GTY 31 IRP 19 GLN MEM 35 Curb Racing 43 Ford RCH 30 CLT DOV 26 KEN 18 NHA 24 RCH 23 DOV 23 KAN 26 CLT 14 PHO 20 HOM 16 2006 Dodge DAY 43 CAL 36 MXC 28 LVS 40 ATL 26 BRI 18 TEX 31 NSH 15 PHO 31 TAL 23 RCH 35 DAR 43 CLT DNQ DOV 43rd 1004 Kevin Harvick Incorporated 33 Chevy NSH 42 KEN 31 MLW DAY CHI NHA 30 MAR GTY IRP GLN MCH BRI CAL RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM TEX PHO HOM

Craftsman Truck Series NASCAR Craftsman Truck 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 Pts Ref 2007 Red Horse Racing 1 Toyota DAY 16 CAL 18 ATL 12 MAR 7 KAN 8 CLT 14 MFD 24 DOV 10 TEX 11 MCH 17 MLW 21 MEM 5 KEN IRP NSH BRI GTW NHA LVS TAL MAR ATL TEX PHO HOM 25th 1487

Busch East Series NASCAR Busch East Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Pts Ref 2006 Pritchard Motorsports 41 Chevy GRE STA HOL TMP ERI NHA 29 ADI WFD NHA DOV LRP 65th 76

ARCA Re/Max Series (key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

ARCA Re/Max 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 Pts Ref 2003 Ray Montgomery Racing 27 Dodge DAY ATL NSH SLM TOL KEN CLT BLN KAN MCH LER POC POC NSH ISF WIN DSF CHI SLM TAL CLT 16 SBO 9 54th 585