Ernie Irvan leaves Robert Yates to run the 36 Pontiac (1998-99)
Join me throughout this year as I take a look at when some of the sport’s biggest stars drove some unusual cars! (Presented in no particular order).
 |
| Courtesy the Tennessean |
Why? After a comeback from his near-fatal head injuries, Ernie Irvan posted three wins in two years back in the Robert Yates Racing 28 car. However, issues with Yates over licensing royalties, combined with sponsor Texaco’s growing dissatisfaction with Irvan’s behavior, led Irvan to leave for the recently-created MB2 Motorsports car for 1998.
How successful were they? After a disappointing first season with Derrike Cope, Irvan took the 36 car to a number of top-tens in 1998 before injuries kept him out of the final three races. More solid finishes followed in 1999, until another serious crash (and head injury) at Michigan would see Irvan choose to retire rather than risk his health any further.
What was the aftermath? Ernie Irvan has stayed retired, focusing on his family life. The MB2 36/01 car would see a single win (by Joe Nemechek in 2004) before being folded out of existence in 2007.
Ranking on the Strange-O-Meter? 9 packs of Skittles out of 10—Irvan went from competing for a championship to being NASCAR’s greatest comeback story to racing for a startup team that was essentially a Hendrick satellite team.
www.spaderacing.com updated four times weekly
Visit the store https://www.cafepress.com/spaderacing
Buy the book 100 Stock Car Racing What Ifs Unauthorized
A MOXOC Media production