Race Track that Almost Claimed the Life of NASCAR Driver Ernie Irvan

Former NASCAR driver Ernie Irvan is pretty well-known in the community. The 63-year-old has 15 wins to his name, including the 1991 Daytona 500 and the 1993 Winston 500. However, Irvan has also endured two hefty crashes, and coincidentally, both of them came on the same track. The primary culprit was the Michigan International Speedway, and Irvan was even out of action for a while.

The first major accident was during the practice session at the 1994 Detroit Gasket 200 in Michigan. It all started when his car encountered some handling issues, so crew chief Larry McReynolds called him in to pit. However, Irvan was adamant that he wanted to stay out for one extra lap. That proved to be his undoing, as then his front right tire blew up spectacularly. McReynolds figured out that there was a caution, but did not know that his driver was the one at fault.

READ MORE: Hendrick Motorsports Take Big Step Towards NASCAR Supremacy Long Before 2023 Season Starts

What else happened to Ernie Irvan in the crash?

Later on, the truth came to light, and McReynolds hitched a ride in the pace car to check on his driver. Needless to say, the situation was terrible, and only the presence of a local trauma doctor prevented a fatality. The doctor performed an emergency tracheotomy to prevent any blood from reaching his lungs. Later on, they airlifted ‘Swervin Irvan’ to the hospital for treatment.

The next few days were pretty harrowing and nobody was sure if he would even survive, but he miraculously pulled through. Of course, they did not clear him to race until September 1995. When he finally returned, he drove in a few truck races, just to get himself back into shape before returning to the Cup Series. Despite the extended absence, Irvan never lost his speed, as he qualified seventh in his first race back.

WATCH THIS STORY: NASCAR Legend Slams Hypocrisy Over ‘Inconsistent’ Bubba Wallace Punishment In Kyle Larson Retribution

Amazingly, he even led the race for 31 laps at one point, eventually finishing in a respectable 6th. It is also worth mentioning that he raced with an eyepatch. Things went pretty normal from then onwards, but in 1999, he had another violent crash during a practice session at Michigan again. He spun and hit the outside wall on the driver’s side. Once again, he had to be rushed to the hospital, but the good news was that it was not as severe as his previous crash. However, that crash was instrumental in his decision to retire from racing.