race; starting in seventh position, he advanced to third by lap 47 and took the lead on lap 125. He held the lead for 31 laps and finished on the lead lap in sixth position. Irvan started at Phoenix International Raceway a few weeks later but could not stay in the race due to engine failure, but he did lead the most laps despite having to start last in the field due to a crash in practice. He started the season finale at Atlanta Motor Speedway and finished seventh. For the 1996 season, Irvan moved back into the #28 Ford as Jarrett, his substitute, became his full-time teammate in the #88. Irvan's comeback season started well when he qualified on the front row for the season opening Daytona 500 beside Dale Earnhardt. During Speedweeks, Irvan captured a victory in the 125-mile qualifying race for the Daytona 500. As the season progressed, Irvan won the pole position for the spring race at Talladega, then scored victories at New Hampshire and Richmond. On his way to a top-10 finish in the Winston Cup points standings, he collected 12 top-five and 16 top-10 finishes, led 15 of the 31 events, and earned a career-best $1,670,113. Irvan returned for the 1997 season and notched his 15th career win. The victory came in June at Michigan Speedway, the track that nearly claimed his life three years earlier. Irvan ran up five top-five finishes, 13 top-10s and two pole positions and earned $1,614,281. This would be also be Ernie Irvan's final season with Robert Yates. Irvan would be involved in an altercation in Charlotte during Easter weekend where he refused to dance with a female patron and escalated into a fight in the parking lot. In May, Irvan arrived late to a reception dinner thanking Texaco for 10 years of support. At the end of the year, Irvan was let go by Robert Yates Racing and replaced by rookie driver Kenny Irwin, Jr. Last years in NASCAR and retirement In 1998, Irvan joined MB2 Motorsports to drive the No. 36 Skittles Pontiac. During the year he scored 11 top-10 finishes with three pole positions despite missing the final three races while recovering from injuries suffered at Talladega in October. Irvan finished the season 19th in the Winston Cup points standings, earning $1,476,141. His highlight of 1998 was the birth of his son, Jared, on February 9.