Carl Edwards is locked in a couple of NASCAR championship battles, but during a national media teleconference Wednesday he stepped out of his driver's suit and spoke in defense of Jeremy Mayfield.

Edwards responded to a question that cited a report from sources about Mayfield's positive drug test and his subsequent suspension from NASCAR, followed by Mayfield suing NASCAR and the sanctioning body countersuing the owner/driver.

Report: It was meth

Jeremy Mayfield reportedly tested positive for methamphetamine during a random drug screening at Richmond, according to "ESPN The Magazine".

• More

"Is it certain that he was on meth?" asked Edwards, which put his questioner on the defensive.

"Here's my take on that," Edwards said after confirming the question was based on speculation. "Either one of two things has happened. Either he was using meth or he wasn't using meth. If he was, then he's already out of the sport, he's not in a race car and he's got bigger problems than racing; and we should try to help him out with that, because he's a good guy.

"No. 2, he's not on meth, and he didn't use any meth and we sure as hell should not be talking about it because that's extremely destructive to someone's life and their public image. So I just don't have anything to say about it."

But Edwards already had spoken, and both he and his questioner continued.

"I don't think it's right that there's all this speculation going around," Edwards said. "I think either way, whether it's case one or case two, Jeremy Mayfield has always been a really good guy to me and I hope he gets through this and comes out of it with a positive life."

Edwards was asked, in general, if he had any concern about substance abuse in NASCAR racing.

"Let me put it to you this way," Edwards said. "In the Cup Series especially, I've never felt like I've been racing against people that are incapable of racing at this level -- most of the time I feel like I'm the idiot out there, like I'm in somebody else's way or I'm screwing up.

"I always look up to these guys I've raced against, Jeremy included, for their level of talent and how good people have been on the race track. I guess what I'm saying is I never got out of the car and said, 'Man, that guy is dangerous' or I feel like something is crazy here.

"I do believe what NASCAR is trying to do with their drug policy is good. I think that nobody would say it's all right to race on the race track with somebody that's impaired. And I think NASCAR's trying to do their best. You know, I feel good about it."

Edwards summed up by saying there are things in life individuals can't control, and that he was waiting for the court proceedings to conclude before he passed final judgment.

"I mean, you go through life," Edwards said. "I mean, you don't know when you go in for surgery, you don't know if the doctor that's cutting you open has some sort of personal problem. I mean, you don't know -- that's life. All you can do is do the best you can.

"But I do not want this to be taken out of context. I don't know what Jeremy did -- I have no clue. I definitely don't want to be in the boat with all the folks that are, you know, saying he is definitely using a certain drug, because I don't know how they test for it, I don't know what goes on. I'd rather wait and see what happens."