THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, June 17, 1995 TAG: 9506170486
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BOB ZELLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BROOKLYN, MICH. LENGTH: Medium: 70 lines
Ernie Irvan is back at Michigan International Speedway this weekend for the first time since his near-fatal crash here last August. And it's not an exaggeration to note that more than one irony attends his visit.
Irvan and the track have arranged for the use of a portable skybox suite to host some 30 doctors, nurses and medical people who helped save his life last August 20 after he crashed during practice.
The skybox will be located outside turn two. And as Irvan himself noted: ``I told them (track officials), `Damn, that's right where I wrecked at.' ''
In another ironic twist, the helicopter that transported Irvan to St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor hospital after the crash isn't here this weekend because it crashed several months later, killing several on board, including the pilot, who was an Irvan fan.
Irvan said he had also been told in December that the doctor and nurse who initially treated him here at the track had perished in the crash, but he found out Friday that they were not aboard.
Irvan spent part of the day Thursday visiting the hospital and the home of his primary doctor here, Dr. Errol Erlandson. He said Erlandson has become friends with his family, particularly his wife, Kim.
Irvan said he and Kim decided to host the medical people here Sunday because ``it's just been kinda in my mind and in Kim's mind that we needed to do something'' to show thanks. ``Ninety percent of them have never been to a race track,'' he said.
Irvan visited the hospital again Thursday and doctors showed him his old room, but ``I was probably more interested in the waiting room,'' because that is where so many friends and family spent so much time in the hours and days after the crash.
Although Irvan took his return here in stride, he couldn't help but think about last year.
``Honestly, when I stepped up on the truck, I looked at the turn two wall, but there's no rubber marks left,'' he said.
Even if Irvan had tried not to think of last year's crash, reporters and fans wouldn't let him.
``Some guy actually gave me a picture during an autograph session of the turn two wall and all the rubber marks going down it,'' he said. ``He said, `Oh, yeah, this is where you wrecked at.' ''
Meanwhile, Irvan continues to lay the groundwork for his return to racing. He practiced his truck Wednesday at Bristol.
Irvan said he has an appointment in early August for a checkup with doctors in San Francisco who performed a surgical procedure in May to correct a pseudo-aneurism below his brain.
``When they do say I can race, I'm going to race the first available race,'' he said. He plans to compete without using his damaged right eye.
``I would say there's a 99 percent chance I will race in a Winston Cup car this year,'' he said.
BAD PARTS: In the wake of the $60,000 fine levied on Jeff Gordon's crew chief, Ray Evernham, for using an unapproved wheel hub, NASCAR had a couple of new banned hubs on display in the NASCAR trailer here Friday.
``It seems to be a popular topic these days, so I thought I'd put them out,'' said NASCAR Winston Cup Director Gary Nelson.
Nelson said the manufacturer, whom he wouldn't identify, approached him a couple of weeks ago and asked if NASCAR would approve the parts for competition.
Both steel hubs - one for the front wheels and one for the back - had been sculpted and drilled to remove metal and lighten the parts.
``We didn't think the design was something we needed in the sport,'' he said. by CNB