An announcement Wednesday revealed that 26-time Cup Series champion and Hall of Famer Fred Lorenzen passed away at the age of 89 after a brave battle with dementia. He’s survived by his daughter Amanda Lorenzen Gardstrom, a Son Dave Lorenzen, and grandchildren Ella and Kendall. Lorenzen is easily one of the best drivers to grace the NASCAR circuit and undoubtedly the greatest of the 1950s and 60s racing era.
He is most well-known for his unique mixture of aggressiveness and determination on the track, earning him the ever-popular nickname”Fearless Freddie.” He leaves behind a legacy of grandeur and success that is still unmatched today and will remain in a league of its own for years to come.
Fred Lorenzen’s Early Years
Fred Lorenzen developed his love for racing growing up in Elmhurst, Illinois, and impressively built his go-kart using a lawn mower engine he ran around his hometown. Shortly thereafter, he would switch from go-karts to modified and late models until his NASCAR debut at Langhorne Speedway, Pennsylvania, in 1956. Unfortunately, Lorenzen’s car suffered a broken fuel pump during the race, which resulted in him finishing 26th.
Moreover, after being crushed by the defeat at Langhorne, Lorenzen switched to the United States Autoclub (USAC) Stock Car division. He won two championships between 1958 and 1959 in the series with plans to continue. However, his plans to return to USAC would change after receiving a phone call from 5-time cup winner and team owner Ralph Moody on December 24, 1960.
Impressed with Lorenzen’s USAC Skills, Moody asked him to consider joining Holman-Moody Racing and becoming their lead driver. Though initially shocked, Lorenzen happily accepted Moody’s proposal, which ultimately kickstarted his career and became the trifecta of his NASCAR success.
Success with Holman-Moody Racing
When Fred Lorenzen began his stint with Holman-Moody Racing in 1961, he became NASCAR’s fiercest and most dominant contender. Without question, this perseverance earned Lorenzen his first win at the Grand National 200 in Martinsville, followed by two more at Atlanta and Darlington. These victories were just the beginning of what would ignite a 6-year winning streak and make him a NASCAR icon. In 1963, he became the first racer in history to win a cash prize of $100,000 for a single season.
Fred Lorenzen then went on to win seven additional races that year, bringing his earnings to $122,000. One of the most notable racers he defeated was 4-time cup winner Parnelli Jones at the 1965 Yankee 300 in Indianapolis. Parnelli Jones was quickly one of the best NASCAR had running at the time, but Lorenzen promptly took advantage. He went on to win the Daytona 500, World 600, National 400, and three more races between 1966 and 1967. One race stands out particularly, the Dixie 500 at Atlanta Motorspeedway, when he raced the No. 26 Ford for Junior Johnson.
The race occurred during the “NASCAR Boycott of 1966,” making it the most memorable in stock car racing history because it was an illegal move. Junior Johnson, however, joked that it was remembered because of the color and shape of the car resembling a banana, and is still known today as the “Yellow Banana.” Sadly, it would be the car’s last run after Lorenzen succumbed to a crash on lap 139, extensively damaging the vehicle. The incident would remain ingrained in spectators’ memories and is still the most talked about in racing.
Brief Break, Comeback, and Retirement
From 1967 to 1968, Fred Lorenzen took a brief break from Holman-Moody Racing and NASCAR to spend time with his family after years of separation had taken a toll. Still, he couldn’t ignore the itch to race again and returned in 1970 with Ray Fox at the World 600 at Charlotte Motorspeedway. The return was largely disappointing as he dropped out 252 laps into the race after his Dodge Daytona experienced engine trouble. Determined to succeed, he returned in 1971, racing again for Junior Johnson in the No. 98 Ford Torino in place of LeeRoy Yarbrough.
The following year, Lorenzen moved to Nichels Racing in the No. 99 Plymouth and ran briefly for Woods Brothers until he was injured mid-season before the Southern 500. After a daunting recovery, Fred Lorenzen attempted his last return in 1972 with Hoss Ellington with only a single start at Martinsville Speedway. Martinsville was the last time he graced a NASCAR Track, which was a sad day for all who knew him. Only months later, Lorenzen announced his retirement at the tender age of 38.
Retirement was a long time coming for the family-oriented driver who yearned for more freedom and suffered multiple injury-related concussions over his career. Though he was still in the midst of his prime, Lorenzen couldn’t bear the thought of returning to NASCAR, leaving his family behind. The driver spent his remaining years devoted to his wife and children until a dementia diagnosis sent him to assisted living in 2006. Nonetheless, Fred Lorenzen leaves a legacy as one of NASCAR’s greatest drivers of the superspeedway era and is remembered as racing’s “Golden Boy.”
Final Thoughts
In life and death, Fred Lorenzen remains one of the most notable figures in NASCAR’s rich history. He’s most well-known for his rugged Hollywood-like appearance and on-track toughness in an era considered the most dangerous in racing. Lorenzen didn’t let any obstacle stop him and was honored for his bravery, sacrifice, and strength in adversity in 1998 when he became one of NASCAR’s 50 best drivers. His biggest honor came two years later, in 2001, when he was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America.
Finally, in 2015, Fred Lorenzen was given the greatest honor in motorsports history when officially inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Though he’s received some of the highest recognition in motorsports, his friends and family remember him as a devoted family man with a heart of gold. Lorenzen put his family above all else, and though he earned 158 starts, 26 wins, and 32 poles, this is how he should be remembered.
