Ernie Irvan, also known by his nickname “Swervin' Irvan,” is an American former stock car racing driver who competed in the NASCAR Cup Series from 1987 until his retirement in 1999. Over his 12-year career in the Cup Series, he raced in 313 races, winning 15, and starting 22 times on pole. He also had 124 top-10 finishes. Among his significant racing achievements were winning the 1991 Daytona 500 and the 1993 Winston 500 at Talladega.
He made a brave comeback to racing after sustaining a serious head injury during a practice session at the 1994 Miller Genuine Draft 400 race at Michigan International Speedway. The incident left Irvan with only a 10% chance of survival.
Ernie Irvan major sponsorships
His first major primary sponsorship in the NASCAR Cup Series was provided by Dale Earnhardt’s Chevrolet dealership, which sponsored Irvan’s No. 56 Chevrolet Monte Carlo for his debut race at Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway in 1987.
Following his strong debut performances in 1987, D.K. Ulrich, owner of the U.S.Racing team, noticed Irvan's talent and offered him a full-time drive for 1988. He raced the Kroger-sponsored No. 2 Chevrolet initially, and later switched to Pontiac.
After facing sponsorship troubles with D.K. Ulrich’s team, Irvan left to join Junie Donlavey’s team in 1990. However, Donlavey’s team also struggled with sponsorship issues, leading Irvan to leave after a few races. He then joined Morgan-McClure Motorsports (MMM), where initially he was assigned to race the No. 4 Oldsmobile and later in the season switched to Chevrolet, sponsored by Kodak. Irvan achieved his first win at the 1990 Busch 500 in Bristol with the Kodak-sponsored car. He also won the legendary Daytona 500 in 1991, and the Winston 500 at Talladega in 1993 with the same car.
Irvan initially raced for Morgan-McClure Motorsports in 1993 but left the team midway through the season to replace his good friend Davey Allison at Robert Yates Racing, who had unfortunately passed away due to injuries sustained in a helicopter crash. Irvan started racing Davey’s No. 28 Ford, sponsored by Texaco Inc.'s Havoline motor oil brand. He won five races with the Havoline-sponsored car in 1993 and 1994, but his success was cut short by a near-fatal accident during a practice session for the 1994 Miller Genuine Draft 400 race at Michigan International Speedway.
Irvan missed the remainder of the 1994 Cup Series season, during which he had been a serious title contender, due to his accident. He made a comeback in 1995, competing in the final five races of the season. At the Tyson Holly Farms 400 at North Wilkesboro Speedway, his first race since the accident, Irvan achieved an impressive sixth place finish. In the subsequent seasons of 1996 and 1997, Irvan secured three victories. Texaco and Havoline garnered praise for steadfastly supporting Irvan's racing career despite his major accident.
After the 1997 season, Ernie was released by Robert Yates Racing. Subsequently, he joined MB2 Motorsports for the 1998 season, where he drove the No. 36 Pontiac sponsored by the Skittles brand of Wrigley Company, a division of Mars Inc. This sponsorship marked Irvan's final stint in racing, as he retired in 1999.
FAQ's On Ernie Irvan sponsors
A. Dale Earnhardt sponsored Ernie Irvan’s No.56 Chevrolet Monte Carlo in his debut race at Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway in 1987.
A. Kroger sponsored Ernie Irvan’s No.2 Chevrolet and later Pontiac in his first full-time season in 1988.
A. Texaco Inc.'s Havoline motor oil brand sponsored Ernie Irvan’s No.4 Chevrolet in which he won the 1991 Daytona 500 and Winston 500 at Talladega in 1993.
A. Ernie Irvan won his last race with Texaco Inc.'s Havoline motor oil brand sponsorship at 1997 Miller 400 at the Michigan International Speedway.
A. Skittles brand of Wrigley Company, a division of Mars Inc sponsored Ernie Irvan’s No.36 Pontiac, his last car before retiring from racing.
