DOVER, Del. -- NASCAR will begin random drug testing next year, but an expert on performance enhancing drugs ridicules the new policy because of a missing item.

There is no list of banned substances.

Instead, NASCAR's Substance Abuse Policy prohibits the misuse or abuse of any drug.

"This is really bad. I don't know how else to put it other than that," said Charles Yesalis, a Penn State professor who has spent 25 years researching performance-enhancing drugs and has testified before Congress three times.

"What it sounds like, and I hope it's not this way, [but] it's something to make [the media] happy and maybe fans that are somewhat concerned. A skeptic could argue it doesn't mean a darn thing.

"If I were a driver and got caught, I'd hire me a real big-time lawyer and say make mince-meat of it."

Yesalis isn't alone in his surprise at the lack of a list. Allan Goldfarb, a professor at UNC Greensboro in exercise and sports science, also questions NASCAR's approach.

"That doesn't tell the person who is a driver what the limitations are," Goldfarb said. "To be fair to the drivers or other people, it would be a good idea to give an example of not necessarily the drug but a family of drugs."

After being told of the drug testing changes Saturday morning at Dover International Speedway, drivers questioned series officials about what they could take.

"How much cough medicine will make you positive?" Ryan Newman said.

"It's good that NASCAR is starting [random testing] in 2009. It will give us time to figure out what the guidelines are for us to follow."

The NFL, NBA, PGA, Major League Baseball, NHL and NCAA each have a list of banned substances in its drug-testing policy, but a NASCAR official suggests the stock-car series' policy is better because it sets no limits.

"We think we have the broadest policy in all of sports," said Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR's vice president of racing operations. "The reason we don't have a list is we believe that a list is restrictive. As you've seen with a lot of other leagues, the policy is constantly changing. We know that there's new drugs out there every day.

"By having a broad policy that doesn't list anything, we feel like we can test for any substance that may be abused, no different than our policy today."

Greg Biffle admits that those eligible to be tested will have to check with NASCAR before they take any medicine or supplements to see if those items will lead to a positive drug test.

"The moral of the story is they don't want guys doing methamphetamines, marijuana, cocaine, whatever the gamut of drugs there is today ... that's what the drug policy is for," Biffle said. "They're [NASCAR] adamant about saying if it's medical situation, although not anything goes, the idea is, if it's prescribed to you medically because of a condition ... that's what you need to take."

NASCAR's announcement of random drug testing in its top three series comes five months after Aaron Fike told ESPN The Magazine he struggled with drug addiction.

Fike also admitted that he took heroin on days he raced in the truck series.

He wasn't suspended by NASCAR until after he was arrested on July 7, 2007, in a parking lot at an amusement park with his girlfriend as they took heroin.

Fike's comments led Cup drivers to call for random testing. NASCAR only had tested competitors based on reasonable suspicion before Saturday's announcement. Kevin Harvick instituted a random drug testing policy earlier this year with his race team.

Last week, Dale Earnhardt Jr. called for NASCAR to do more drug testing when questions about Ron Hornaday taking a steroid in 2005 to help a medical condition arose.

"I don't want to be involved in a race with anyone that's not playing by the rules and not making good judgment decisions," Earnhardt said of his desire for more testing.

All drivers will be drug tested while in Daytona in January for preseason testing. Car owners are required to conduct drug testing of over-the-wall pit crew members by a certified laboratory before the 2009 season begins. NASCAR will test series officials.

Once the season starts, about a dozen pit crew members and NASCAR officials per series are expected to be tested per weekend, while about two drivers per series will be tested per weekend.

The first time a person fails a test, they will be indefinitely suspended at the least. Three failed tests equal a lifetime ban.