| Like so many other great racecar drivers, Virgil | | | | led to a televised apology at one of the driver's |
| Earnest Irvan, better known as Ernie Irvin, began | | | | meetings before a race. Irvin had been driving for |
| driving karts when he was just a kid. He won the | | | | Morgan McClure Motorsports when his friend Davey |
| California Championship at the age of 15. By the time | | | | Allison was killed in a helicopter crash in 1993. To |
| he was 16 he had already moved up to stock cars | | | | honor his friend, he wanted to take over Davey's car |
| and won his very first race on asphalt at Stockton | | | | at Robert Yates Racing but MMM didn't want to |
| 99 Speedway in California. That was just the start | | | | release him and a nasty lawsuit was soon to follow. |
| for Irvin; he made it a point to race every weekend | | | | He did end up taking over the #28 Texaco/Havoline |
| at Madera and Stockton and was no stranger to | | | | Ford after being fired by MMM and went to the |
| victory lane. He even missed his own high school | | | | winner's circle in just his 4th start with RYR. He |
| graduation to race at Riverside. | | | | dedicated the victory to Davey Allison. |
| In 1982, Irvin headed for the heart of race | | | | In 1994, Ernie Irvin suffered a near fatal crash when |
| country-North Carolina. He left California with just | | | | a tire deflated and sent him into the wall at over |
| $700 in his pocket but made a pit stop in Las Vegas | | | | 170mph. He sustained critical brain and lung injuries |
| and ended up with $200 more. Arriving in Charlotte, | | | | that left him with only a 10% chance of survival. With |
| he supported himself by doing odd jobs, most of | | | | medical intervention and therapy, he bounced back |
| which centered around the racetrack. He did some | | | | and was able to walk on stage and receive the True |
| welding of the grandstand seats at Charlotte Motor | | | | Value Hard Charger Award just 2 months after the |
| Speedway, built racecars, and unloaded Ken | | | | accident. Irvin's focus was on a complete recovery |
| Schrader's moving van. | | | | and regaining his strength and after months of rehab |
| Irvin's debut in Winston Cup racing was in 1987 at | | | | and strength training, NASCAR cleared him to return |
| Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway driving the #56 | | | | to the racetrack. |
| Chevy Monte Carlo sponsored by Dale Earnhardt | | | | Exactly five years after his near fatal crash, Irvin |
| Chevrolet. He was up for Rookie of the Year in 1988 | | | | again went into the wall in a practice session and was |
| but lost to Ken Bouchard by three points in the | | | | air lifted to the hospital with brain and lung injuries. |
| closest battle in Cup history. In 1991, Irvin won the | | | | Less than two weeks after the crash, his wife and |
| sport's most prestigious race-the Daytona 500. Just | | | | two children at his side, he tearfully announced his |
| four years earlier he had watched the race on a little | | | | retirement. As of 2007, Irvin was still involved in |
| black and white TV while working at a car wash to | | | | racing, serving as crew chief for his son Jared's |
| support his family and his early struggling career. | | | | quarter midget team. Today he promotes |
| Irvin began to develop a very aggressive driving style | | | | Race2safety, a foundation that he started which |
| and earned the nickname "Swerving Irvan" by his | | | | advocates awareness and prevention of head |
| fellow drivers. Some of his controversial maneuvers | | | | injuries, especially in children. |