View Ernie Irvan
Ernie Irvan
By Gregg Leary
Category:NASCAR -> Sprint Cup
DOB: 1-13-59
Salinas, CA
Wife: Kim
Children: Jordan 8-12-93
Jared 2-9-98
15 Cup Victories
22 Cup Poles
124 Top 10’s…$11 Million in Career Earnings
Competed 1987-99
313 Starts
Ernie’s first job in NASCAR was welding seats at Charlotte Motor Speedway
Won 1991 Daytona 500…finished Career Best 5th in Points in 1991…but earned the nickname “Swervin’ Irvan”…after triggering a multicar accident at Talladega that broke Kyle Petty’s leg…Irvan publicly apologized
Horrific Accident at Michigan August 20, 1994…given a 10% chance to survive
Irvan was 2nd in points at the time, only 20 behind Dale Earnhardt…3 wins, 5 poles, 10 Top 3’s in the first 20 races…missed final 11 races but still led the most laps at season’s end
Returned to racing on October 1, 1995… led 31 laps and finished 6th at North Wilkesboro…despite wearing an eye patch in the #88 Yates Havoline Ford (Dale Jarrett drove the #28 Havoline Ford) At the next race in Phoenix Irvan led 111 laps before losing an engine.
Won 3 more races after his accident…2 in 1996 at NH and Richmond… and 1 in 1997 at Michigan…the track where he had his horrible accident
Took over #28 Texaco Ford after Davey Allison’s death in 1993
Named as one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers
“No Fear” was written about his accident and comeback
Brickyard 400 Pole Sitter 1997-98
Cup Debut: 9-13-87 (Richmond)…for car owner Marc Reno #56 with Dale Earnhardt Chevrolet sponsorship
Next start for Reno was Charlotte with Dale Earnhardt Chevrolet sponsorship…finished 8th
Then drove for D.K. Ulrich and Junie Donlavey
1990…joined Morgan-McClure
First Pole: 1990 (Bristol
First Win: 8-25-90 (Bristol)
Retired from racing following a Busch Series crash at Michigan 8-20-99…five years to the day of his previous accident…was airlifted from the track with a mild head injury and bruised lung…announced his retirement 9-3-99
RACING HISTORY
1968-74 Ernie started in go-karts at age 9. 2nd in country in 1974.
1975 Raced stock cars at age 16. Won first race on asphalt.
1976-81 Raced every weekend at Madera and Stockton, CA. Missed High School Graduation to race at Riverside.
1982-86: Ernie headed to NC with $700, a pickup and homemade trailer. He won $200 in Vegas to help finance the trip. Welded seats at Charlotte Speedway, built racecars. Won 22 Late Model races at Concord.
1987: Drove for Marc Reno #56. Ulrich #6.
1988: Driving Ulrich’s Kroger #2…finished second to Ken Bouchard by 3 points for Rookie of the Year.
1989: Ulrich
1990: #90 Bull’s Eye for Junie Donlavey for 3 races…then to #4 Morgan McClure…won at Bristol…3 Poles…9th in points.
1991: Won Daytona 500 and Watkins Glen…5th in Points.
1992: 3 wins
1993: Won Talladega for M-McC…moved to Yates #28 after Davey Allison’s death. Won twice in 9 races for Yates. 6th in points.
1994: 3 wins in 20 races…2nd in points to Earnhardt…crashed at Michigan…10% chance to survive.
1995: October 1…led 31 laps, finished 6th at North Wilkesboro in the #88 Havoline Ford in his return to Cup.
1996: Returned to the #28…won Twin 125, NH and Richmond.
1997: Won at Michigan…the track that nearly took his life.
1998: Joined MB2 Motorsports to drive the #36…injured at Talladega…missed final 3 races.
1999: August 20…crashed Busch car…five years to the day from his near-fatal crash. Again airlifted…retired 9-3-99.