TRIBUTES/MEMORIALS TO LEGENDS

            Ernie Irvan                      

Irvan is known for the tenacity that brought him at racing's most competitive level. He relocated from California and worked on odd jobs to support himself while trying to find a break. in 1987, he watched the Daytona 500 on a borrowed black and white television while washing cars. Four years later, he won the event, the "Super Bowl of NASCAR," while driving for the Morgan-McClure Team. Later that year, he won at the Watkins Glenn, N.Y., road course. His first three victories came on a superspeedway, a short track, and a road course, a testimony to his diverse driving skills. During his career, he has driven Fords, Pontiacs, Oldsmobiles and Chevrolets.In 1994, Irvan was in contention for the series championship. That was interrupted by an accident that left him battling for his life with critical brain and lung injuries that gave him only a 10% chance of survival. NASCAR fans rallied around Irvan and his family as he staged a long and determined effort to return to racing. The comeback was complete in 1996 when he scored Two victories, earned 12 top-five and 16 top-10 finishes and finished the season in the top 10 in championship points. The comeback was even more complete with a victory at Michigan in June of 1997 at the track that nearly took his life.

     **Started racing go-carts at age 9 in California from 1967 thru 1974.

     **Started racing stock cars at the age of 16 and won one of five races in 1975.

     **Won the 1977 Stockton 99 Speedway (California) track championship at the age of 18,

        winning 15 of 23  races.

     **Moved to Charlotte, NC in 1982 to be closer to the Winston Cup action.

     **Ran local short tracks in North Carolina, 1982-1986, winning various events at Concord.

     **During 1982-1986 did odd jobs, like welding seats at Charlotte Motor Speedway and

        working at Kenny Schrader's shop.

     **1st WC start at Richmond, 9/13/87, started 20th and finished 29th.

     **Runner up to Ken Bouchard for Rookie of the Year in 1988.

     **One ARCA win, in November, 1989 at Atlanta.

     **1st WC Pole at Bristol, 4/8/90 in career start 65.

     **1st WC win came at Bristol, 8/25/90 in career start 79.

     **Won 1991 Daytona 500.

     **Last win was at Brooklyn, Michigan, 6/15/97, his 15th career win.

     **15 WC wins; 37th on all-time list.

     **11 WC Superspeedway wins; tied for 19th on all-time list

     **21 Winston Cup Poles; tied for 27th on all-time list.

     **Three Busch series wins(Talladega, Rockingham and Watkins Glen) and five Busch series poles.

     **Career Winston Cup Points Standings: 1991(5th), 1993(6th), 1990(9th), 1996(10th),

         1992(11th), 1994(11th-missed 11 races due to injury), 1997(14th), 1989(22nd), 1988(26th),

          1995(only ran three races).