Can you imagine Carson Hocevar or Sammy Smith apologizing to all their peers? I am guessing not. Both rabble-rousers have made the headlines this season for their chaotic stunts. During the Cup Series race in Atlanta, Hocevar ticked off not one but three drivers for his aggressive moves. Then, Smith’s last-lap act of vengeance against Taylor Gray took out multiple cars. If a certain driver from 1990 was in their place, he would have bowed his head in shame – which he did once at Darlington Raceway.

15 successful NASCAR Winston Cup wins, 68 top-fives, 124 top-10s, and over 11 million dollars in career earnings- A very impressive resume, right? Imagine having all these achievements but still being remembered for the mayhem he caused to his peers and himself. But, what stood out the most was his heartfelt way of compensating for his actions. This incident will also explain why Kyle Busch and King Richard Petty are so angry with the antics of the young drivers.

Memories of regret and blunder at Darlington Raceway

With every passing minute, we inch closer to the 2025 Goodyear 400 race. The ‘Lady in Black’ has been a formidable force with her unique stripes on the walls, abrasive surface, and asymmetrical shape. While drivers prepare to challenge themselves at this egg-shaped oval, they are also reminded of some frightful incidents. In 1990, Virgil Earnest “Ernie” Irvan replaced Phil Parsons in Larry McLure’s race team.

Irvan first took the McLure’s wheel at Atlanta Motor Speedway, finished third, and delighted the team’s supporters. That spelled the beginning of a three-year-long partnership. But they had to overcome a cropping blow to their reputation immediately after at Darlington Raceway.

During the TranSouth 500 race in April, the 31-year-old Californian lost the speed he had found in Atlanta. Ernie Irvan was running 10 laps down when Ken Schrader raced close to him at Darlington Raceway. Bizarrely, Irvan’s car broke loose in turn four, collected Schrader’s car, and sparked a massive 13-car pileup. Besides the flaring tempers of his peers, Irvan’s move also caused a concerning injury to Neil Bonnett, who incurred head injuries and severe amnesia. This incident piled up backlash for Irvan, as Schrader said: “Ernie needs to calm down.” Sterling Marlin also criticized Irvan: “I figured it was coming. [Irvan] was a little bit over his head, and he broke it loose coming off [turn] four, and that was it.” However, the perpetrator paid his dues, according to an X post by nascarman.

The post read, “Over the next few days, Ernie went to each race shop of the cars involved and apologized to the teams in person.” Given that his aggressive driving was avoidable at Darlington Raceway, such a show of sportsmanship was noble. Yet Irvan earned several nicknames and catchphrases for his antics: ‘Swervin Irvan’ or ‘Ernie, Don’t Hit Me You SOB.’ Yet, Irvan knew of his reputation and wanted to change it.

The driver also consulted other drivers, among them Dale Earnhardt, about how best to do that. That led to his speech at the Talladega driver’s meeting for the 1991 DieHard 500. This was broadcasted on live TV solely to highlight Irvan’s regret.

Despite Ernie Irvan’s remorse about his actions, his aggressive encounters continued on a lighter level. One of them almost put his life at stake – but his recovery was impressive.

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When Irvan’s antics almost costed his life

Ernie Irvan’s apology showed his heartfelt remorse for Darlington Raceway, garnering respect in the community. However, NASCAR fans hailed him as a true legend when he escaped from the doors of death. The 1994 Goodwrench Dealer 400 at Michigan International Speedway will remain etched in NASCAR history. Ernie Irvan did not even start the race as he encountered a terrible mishap during practice.

His Ford Thunderbird cut a tire and slammed into the wall at over 170 MPH. When first responders arrived, he was in danger of drowning in his own blood. It was then that Dr. John Maino saved his life. Maino performed an emergency tracheotomy inside the car. He cut a slit in Irvan’s throat and inserted a tube to allow him to breathe.

Just 23 minutes later, Ernie Irvan was flown to a hospital in Ann Arbor. He suffered a traumatic brain injury, skull fracture, and chest injuries. Doctors gave him a 10 percent chance to live. The entire Cup garage was anxious, as Dale Jarrett confessed: “When something serious happens, an eeriness comes over the garage. It becomes very quiet. This was one of those situations. As we got more information about just how serious an accident it was, our attention turned to hoping that Ernie was going to be OK. Many of us have been through blown tires, this was one of the severe cases of what can happen.”

However, Ernie Irvan returned to Winston Cup competition on Oct. 1, 1995, at North Wilkesboro. People hailed him for cheating death. So it is worth paying tribute to the driver who caused chaos in Darlington Raceway – and yet made up for it.