page_title: Ernie Irvan
section_title: 1990s success
hierarchical_section_title: Ernie Irvan / 1990s success
caption_attribution_description: English: 1993 NASCAR Brickyard 400 Open Test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The #28 Robert Yates Racing car being unloaded from the transporter. It was being driven at the test by Lake Speed, since Davey Allison had been killed in July 1993.
context_page_description: Virgil Earnest Irvan, occasionally referred to as Swervin' Irvan, is an American former professional stock car racing driver. A retired NASCAR competitor, he is best remembered for his comeback after a serious head injury left him with only a 10% chance of survival, August 20, 1994, at Michigan International Speedway. Irvan has been inducted into numerous halls of fame and was named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers, in 1998. After a series of injuries in the late 1990s, he retired from racing in 1999.
context_section_description: After sponsorship problems plagued Ulrich's team, Irvan left to race for Junie Donlavey, who had procured a sponsorship program with True Cure. True Cure failed to fulfill its financial obligations, and after three races, Irvan was told he could seek other opportunities. He moved over to Morgan-McClure Motorsports' (MMM) No. 4 Kodak-sponsored Oldsmobile, filling the vacancy left by Phil Parsons. After starting 30th in his first race for the new team (Atlanta in March), Irvan charged to the front and grabbed a third-place finish - the first Top 5 of his career. The next race, at Darlington Raceway, he became involved in controversy after being involved in an accident that nearly killed Neil Bonnett. Irvan then won his first Winston Cup pole position, at Bristol, in the spring. He won his first Winston Cup race, in the Busch 500 at Bristol, on August 25. Ernie wrapped up the season with three poles, one victory, six Top 5’s, and 13 Top 10’s; he also won $535,280 and finished ninth in the final point standings.
  In February 1991, Irvan drove the Morgan-McClure Chevrolet to victory in the Daytona 500, stock car racing's most prestigious and then most lucrative race. Four years earlier, Irvan watched the 500 on a borrowed black and white TV while washing cars, one of several jobs he worked to support both his family and his struggling career. Irvan's next victory came later in the season at Watkins Glen International Raceway. The race was marred by the death of popular veteran J. D. McDuffie. Irvan ended the year with two victories, three second-place and four fourth-place finishes among his eleven top-five and nineteen top-10 finishes in 29 starts. He finished the year fifth in Winston Cup driver standings and won $1,079,017. Irvan also picked up his first Busch Grand National Series win in the AC-Delco 200 at Rockingham. During this time, Irvan came under more controversy due to his aggressive driving style, earning him the nickname "Swervin' Irvan" by his fellow competitors. Irvan apologized to his fellow drivers in a televised speech at the driver's meeting before the 1991 Diehard 500.
  Irvan's 1992 season was highlighted by three more victories - Sonoma in June; Daytona in July; and Talladega in July. He had three pole positions, nine Top 5’s, and 11 Top 10’s, $996,885 in winnings, and finished 11th in the final season points standing. He scored a pair of Busch Grand National wins at Watkins Glen and Talladega. He suffered a broken collarbone in an accident during a Busch Series race in March at Atlanta and twelve finishes of 24th or worse including seven he did not finish. On November 21, 1992 he married Kim Baker.
  Irvan continued his tenure with Morgan-McClure in 1993, adding poles at Dover in June and Daytona in July and a victory at Talladega in May. In total, while driving for Morgan-McClure, Irvan obtained nine poles, seven wins, and 51 Top 10 finishes in 105 starts. When Irvan's friend Davey Allison died in a helicopter crash on July 12, Irvan wanted to take his place at Robert Yates Racing in the No. 28 Texaco/Havoline-sponsored Ford. Morgan-McClure did not want him to, and the result was a lawsuit. Irvan was fired from the ride in the fall, he took over the car at Darlington in September where he started 10th and finished fifth. Irvan's first victory with RYR came in his fourth start with the team when he won at Martinsville later that same month. Irvan dedicated his victory that day to Allison and then followed that victory two weeks later with one at Charlotte in which he led all but six laps. Irvan scored five front-row positions (including two poles) and two victories in his nine races that season with RYR. Irvan was ranked ninth in driver standings at the time of his departure from Morgan-McClure, but he rose to sixth in the final standings.
  At the 1994 Brickyard 400, Irvan was a factor and was leading with five laps to go when a tire puncture forced him to pit and lose a lap.
caption: Irvan's car being unloaded from the transporter at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1993
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