Jeremy Mayfield's $1.8M mansion to be burned down

This browser does not support the video element.

By Dave Faherty

CATAWBA COUNTY, N.C. —
THURSDAY UPDATE:  Rain won't stop burning of Jeremy Mayfield's former mansion

FRIDAY UPDATE: Rain won't stop burning of Jeremy Mayfield's former $1.8M mansion

A million dollar mansion once owned by former NASCAR driver Jeremy Mayfield will be burned to the ground this weekend. 

Mayfield was evicted from the property last year after financial troubles stemming from a failed drug test in 2009 that banned him from racing. 

Channel 9 reporter Dave Faherty was the only reporter allowed in the house that at one time was valued at $1.8 million.  

The 12,000-square-foot house isn't worth that anymore and by Saturday afternoon, much of it will be gone.

Everything in the seven-bedroom, seven-bath house is stripped down from the windows to the wiring.

Chris Shook and his mother Crystal Shook live across the street and watched as it went downhill after Mayfield bought the home and surrounding property for $3.8 million in 2006.

"Back in the day it looked pretty good," Shook said. "It was one of the best-looking houses in the county and one of the biggest too."

"I hate to see it go. I wish it could have been saved," said Crystal Shook.

Neighbors said Mayfield tried to renovate the home, but when he was banned from racing and arrested for possession of meth and stolen property work on the home came to an abrupt halt.  

Catawba Fire Chief Donald Robinson remembers it when it was first built back in the 1990's. 

"It was beautiful and to see it like this is a shame," Robinson said.

Now Robinson will oversee the controlled burn.

He said the new owners no longer want the home that is worth just over $300,000 dollars. 

Burning it will take it off the tax books while providing training for firefighters in the county. 

"Everything we can do to better our training and skills, that's what we are going to be doing with this house," said Robinson.

Mayfield told Channel 9 he has no plans to watch the home burn.

Mayfield is scheduled to go back before a judge early next month where he faces several felony charges.

THURSDAY UPDATE:  Rain won't stop burning of Jeremy Mayfield's former mansion

FRIDAY UPDATE: Rain won't stop burning of Jeremy Mayfield's former $1.8M mansion