IRVAN KNOWS THE FINISH LINE.

Byline: Dick Brinster Associated Press

The only thing more important than winning the race is finishing it.

That's Ernie Irvan's lesson from life in the fast lane, and he hopes to apply it today at demanding Dover Downs International Speedway in the MBNA 500.

``At Dover, you race the track all day long, every monotonous lap,'' said Irvan. ``If you forget that for even a millisecond, you wind up in the wall.

``So, if Rusty Wallace goes by you, you just have to remember where you are and keep racing the track.''

That was the scenario when the two Ford drivers staged a stirring duel 2-1/2 years ago. Wallace won, and a maturing Irvan didn't do anything foolish to cost himself precious points in the lucrative Winston Cup Championship race.

``I did everything I could to win,'' Irvan said. ``What I didn't do was put the thing into the wall.''

So, Irvan left Dover that June afternoon in hot pursuit of the title. Two months later, the chase ended in a near-fatal crash at Michigan.

After three starts late last season, Irvan was back full-time when this season began. But Irvan finished 33rd or worse in three of his first six starts, prompting talk that he wasn't ready.

He has put that to rest with top-five finishes - including victories at New Hampshire and last weekend at Richmond - in eight of his last 11 starts to move into seventh place in the standings. That surge from 34th after the first race of the season was built on patience.

``It's taking a fourth-place car and finishing fourth with it, not putting it into the fence and winding up way back because you did something stupid,'' he said. ``Consistency and patience are the keys in Winston Cup racing.''

Because only seven of 31 races remain, Irvan has virtually no chance to win the title. But because he was restarting his career, the 37-year-old Californian can not be disappointed with 1996.

``We didn't go into this season talking about the Winston Cup, because we just didn't know what would happen,'' Irvan said. ``We hope this acts as a springboard to next year.''

Even though he has not won stock car racing's biggest reward in eight full seasons on the circuit, Irvan knows what it takes to get the title.

``You have to be consistent,'' he said. ``You look at the people who have won it, and you see consistency.

``Where you finish is not the most important thing. Finishing is. You can win if you don't have the best car. But you have to be there to do it.

``If you're there often enough, things will fall for you.''

Being there has been responsible for Irvan's mercurial rise in the point standings.

In nine of those last 11 races, Irvan's finishing position has been an improvement on his start. He moved up 27 spots at Michigan, 31 at Pocono, 13 in losing a magnificent battle to teammate Dale Jarrett at Indianapolis, and 15 in winning at Richmond.

``That's what it's all about, doing all you can to win,'' Irvan said. ``But if it's a top-five car, don't make a mistake and finish 20th.''

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Photo: ``Consistency and patience are the keys in Winston C up racing,'' says Ernie Irvan.