THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, August 25, 1994 TAG: 9408250741
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BOB ZELLER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines
As Ernie Irvan's health continued to improve Wednesday, car owner Robert Yates announced plans to resume racing with driving Kenny Wallace.
Mark Martin, meanwhile, said he would take over Irvan's Grand National team.
``This is not a fun thing to do,'' Yates said Wednesday afternoon at his shop in Charlotte. ``But I think our team can offer a guy a chance to do well and prove himself in a proven car. Kenny will drive for us the rest of the year - or as many races as necessary until Ernie returns.
``The only championship we're looking for now is getting Ernie back in the car. Time is on our side.''
Said team publicist Brian VanDercook: ``We wouldn't have gone on with any of these actions, either on the Winston Cup or the Busch series side, without some assurances that Ernie is on the mend.''
Irvan, 35, sustained critical brain and lung injuries, including a fractured skull, when his car slammed the second-turn wall Saturday at Michigan International Speedway.
He was still listed in critical but stable condition Wednesday at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ypsilanti, Mich. But he continued to regain consciousness and continued to respond physically to questions and commands, such as moving his arms and legs, doctors said.
``The medical team and his family are encouraged by the continuing signs of improvement that Mr. Irvan demonstrated this morning,'' trauma surgeon Dr. Errol Erlandson said in a statement released by VanDercook.
Irvan is no longer on full life support, but his breathing was still being assisted by a ventilator, the doctor said.
Martin, meanwhile, said he would drive Irvan's Grand National car in Friday night's Food City 250 at Bristol even though neither he nor Irvan had planned to compete in the race.
``I want to make sure this team can be an asset to the family and to keep it in good standing,'' he said.
As for future Busch plans, ``Our biggest concern is in Ernie's condition,'' Martin said. ``We haven't put any thought in what the long-range plan is. We'll figure that out next week. We're just going to keep on pulling for Ernie and hope we can get him back to 100 percent and back in these race cars at the racetrack.''
For Wallace, who lost his Winston Cup ride at the end of last season and was back in the Grand National series this year, the chance to drive Yates' No. 28 Ford Thunderbird is the opportunity of a lifetime.
``I have mixed emotions,'' he said. ``I'm not excited about this situation, but as far as being in that fluorescent No. 28 car, I don't think any driver out there could say they wouldn't at least want to drive it one time.''
Considering he'll be taking over one of the best cars in the Winston Cup series, Wallace said he knows the challenge will be daunting.
``If I told you it wasn't, I would be lying to you,'' he said. ``I think I'll do the job. I really do. This car is really fast everywhere we go, so it's going to be up to me in a lot of situations.''
Yates, who lost his previous driver, Davey Allison, in a helicopter crash in July 1993, said his team knows how to operate in a disaster mode, but it ``is something we don't ever wish to get good at. We certainly hope this is the last time we have this situation. But we have great hopes of getting things back to 100 percent.''
``We've all been hurt at one time or another,'' Wallace said, ``but for Ernie to get hurt so bad, I think the biggest victory will be when Ernie can get back in the race car.'' by CNB