Ernie's Personal Life

Spouse Kim

Kids Jordan

Height 5' 9

Weight 180

Hometown Salinas, Calif.

Birthdate January 13, 1959

Favorite Music Folk rock

Favorite Movie Action movies

Personal Heroes Father

Hobbies Nautilus workouts

Biography

There isn't anyone who hasn't found themselves rooting for Ernie Irvan at some time or another over the past several seasons. Irvan's comeback from an August 1994 testing crash at Michigan is well-documented. His return to the cockpit of a NASCAR Winston Cup Series car was a victory in itself. Then Irvan got a win, and a second win, in 1996. But there was another major step, and Irvan took it in 1997. He conquered the track that couldn't conquer him, winning the Miller 400 at Michigan in June. Still, the 1997 season was something of a disappointment to the California native. He fell back out of the final top-10, with a 14th-place finish. Irvan did take Busch Poles at two of the most famous tracks in NASCAR racing: Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway. And he was often a factor, with several chances to win. But he never quite got rolling the way he has in the past. And for 1998, it won't get easier, as Irvan joins a new team. He leaves Robert Yates Racing for the No. 36 Skittles Pontiac of MB2 Motorsports. The No. 36, driven by Derrike Cope in 1997, made quite a respectable showing for a first-year team. The team ended the season with a top-5 and finished in the top-20 in each of the last four races. Besides, if any driver is ready and willing to take on a challenge, it's Ernie Irvan. Irvan started racing in 1974; his first NASCAR Winston Cup Series event was Sept. 13, 1987 at Richmond, Va. The next year he finished a close second to Ken Bouchard for Rookie of the Year. His first win came in his 79th start, at Bristol, in the 1990 Busch 500. His first pole position came in his 65th attempt, in the that year's other event at Bristol.