Fred Lorenzen

Frederick Lorenzen Jr. (December 30, 1934 – December 18, 2024), nicknamed "the Golden Boy", "Fast Freddie", "the Elmhurst Express" and "Fearless Freddy", was an American NASCAR driver from Elmhurst, Illinois. Active from 1958 to 1972, he won 26 races including 1965 Daytona 500.

Early life Fred Lorenzen was 15 years of age when he and his Elmhurst, Illinois, friends competed in a contest to see who could flip a 1937 Plymouth over first by cranking it around in circles. Lorenzen claimed to be the victor of that tourney.

NASCAR

Early career After graduating from high school, Lorenzen began racing modifieds and late models, and made his NASCAR debut in 1956 at Langhorne Speedway, finishing 26th after suffering a broken fuel pump, winning $25. He moved to a USAC stock car, and won the 1958 and 1959 championships driving his Talarico Bros. built Chevrolet.

The Holman Moody Years

On Christmas Eve 1960, Lorenzen received a phone call from team owner Ralph Moody. Moody asked Lorenzen about becoming his team's lead driver. Lorenzen accepted, although curious as to what he'd done to fulfill Moody's criteria to be part of his team.

In 1961, Lorenzen began winning races in what would eventually become a remarkable career. From 1961 until 1966, Lorenzen dominated NASCAR like few drivers could winning many prestigious races and beating the top drivers of the time.

In his maiden season with Holman Moody, Lorenzen won the Grand National 200 at Martinsville; the Rebel 300 at Darlington and the Festival 250 at Atlanta.

Lorenzen's winning streak (1962–1967) In 1962, Lorenzen won the Atlanta 500 and a race at Augusta Speedway. The 1962 Ford was troubled at the start of the season by inferior aerodynamics. Ford introduced a Starlift option for the convertible that rectified this issue. The Atlanta 500 was the only race it was used. NASCAR banned it since it didn't completely cover and was used only for a racing advantage.

In 1963, Lorenzen soared to the top and became the top money-maker and the first to break the $100,000 barrier in one season. In that year, Lorenzen won: the Atlanta 500, the World 600; the Volunteer 500, the Western North Carolina 500; the Mountaineer 300 and the Old Dominion 500 bringing his total winnings to $122,000.

In 1964, Lorenzen won the Southeastern 500 at Bristol; the Atlanta 500; the Gwyn Staley 400 at North Wilkesboro; the Virginia 500 at Martinsville; the Rebel 300 at Darlington; the Volunteer 500; the Old Dominion 500, and the National 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway; five of those races are current "classics" on the NASCAR Cup Series as of 2025. He also won the USAC-sanctioned Yankee 300.thumb Lorenzen's 1965 Ford Galaxie replica In 1965 Lorenzen won the Daytona 500; the Virginia 500; the World 600, and the National 400. In 1966 Lorenzen won the Old Dominion 500 and the American 500 at Rockingham, North Carolina. In 1967 Lorenzen won the Daytona 500 Qualifier (until 1971, the races currently known as the Bluegreen Vacations Duels were points-paying races).

Lorenzen compiled 26 wins, that made him the one of dominant drivers of NASCAR during a significant portion of the sport's early golden era.

The Yellow Banana In one race in 1966 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Lorenzen drove a Junior Johnson-owned No. 26 Ford due to the Ford boycott of NASCAR for much of the 1966 season, and it is still one of the most talked about vehicles in NASCAR Grand National Competition to this day. The front end of the car was sloped downward, the roofline was lowered, the side windows were narrowed and the windshield was lowered in an aerodynamic position, and the tail was kicked up. Several rival drivers referred to it as "The Yellow Banana," "Junior's Joke," and "The Magnafluxed Monster." Even though it was against the rules NASCAR allowed the car to compete and Lorenzen crashed while leading the Dixie 500 on the 139th lap. One pit crew member said after the incident "No wonder" he said, "I ain't never seen anybody who could drive a banana at 150 mile an hour." NASCAR let this (very) illegal car run in only one race, in an attempt to bring up attendance, which had suffered due to the Ford boycott.

Comeback Lorenzen came back in 1970, driving a Dodge Daytona prepared by Ray Fox in the World 600 (now the Coca-Cola 600), but dropped out while leading on lap 252 of 400 due to engine issues, running in a few more events that year, including substituting for LeeRoy Yarbrough in the Junior Johnson No. 98 Ford Torino Talladega in that year's Southern 500, as Yarbrough had a prior Indy car commitment. In 1971, he moved over to the Ray Nichels/Paul Goldsmith owned No. 99 Plymouth, sponsored by STP. He left that team part way through the season, and was badly injured in a practice crash while trying to drive for the Wood Brothers prior to the Southern 500. In 1972, he hooked up with Hoss Ellington driving a Chevrolet Monte Carlo, to little success. His last start came at the 1972 Old Dominion 500 at Martinsville Speedway.

Later life and death Lorenzen remained in assisted living in a suburb of Chicago surrounded by his family. In his peak from 1962–65, Lorenzen was one the top drivers in NASCAR. On the super speedways, Lorenzen defeated all of his competition to compile many wins in major races. Racing for money instead of points, Lorenzen never competed for the annual Grand National championship, yet he won big races that made him one of the faces of the sport during early golden years. Lorenzen's fans waited for a long time for Lorenzen's career to be recognized with his induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Lorenzen died from complications of dementia on December 18, 2024, at the age of 89.

Awards Inducted in the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2001. Named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers in 1998. Inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in January 2015. Named one of NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers in 2023.

Quotes "When NASCAR lost Fireball Roberts it was like Santa Claus doesn't exist at Christmas and it just took everything out of the race"—Thoughts on Fireball Roberts' death.

Motorsports career results NASCAR (key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Grand National Series NASCAR Grand National Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 Pts Ref 1956 Fred Lorenzen 50 Chevy HCY CLT WSS PBS ASF DAB PBS WIL ATL NWS LAN26 RCH 120th - 150 CLB20 CON22 GPS21 HCY20 HBO MAR24 LIN CLT POR EUR NYF MER MAS CLT MCF POR AWS RSP PIF CSF CHI20 CCF MGY OKL ROADNQ OBS SAN NOR PIF MYB POR DAR CSH CLT LAN POR CLB HBO NWP CLT CCF MAR HCY WIL 1960 Fred Lorenzen 28 Ford CLT CLB DAY3 DAY DAY8 CLT NWS PHO CLB MAR18 HCY WIL BGS GPS AWS DAR PIF HBO RCH HMS CLT41 BGS DAY3 HEI MAB MBS ATL5 BIR NSV AWS PIF CLB SBO BGS DAR28 HCY CSF GSP HBO MAR12 NWS CLT50 RCH ATL10 15th 6764 1961 Tubby Gonzales 80 Ford CLT JSP DAY DAY DAY4 PIF AWS HMS 19th 9316 Holman-Moody 28 Ford ATL33 GPS HBO BGS MAR1 NWS19 CLB HCY RCH MAR11* DAR1 CLT5* CLT RSD ASP CLT35 PIF BIR GPS BGS NOR HAS STR DAY2 ATL1* CLB MBS BRI33 NSV BGS AWS RCH SBO DAR29 HCY RCH CSF ATL36 MAR18 NWSDNQ CLT31 BRI GPS HBO 1962 CON AWS DAY24 DAY DAY5 CON16 AWS SVH HBO RCH CLB NWS2 GPS MBS MAR4 BGS BRI34 RCH HCY CON DAR3 PIF ATL1 BGS AUG RCH SBO DAY24 CLB ASH GPS AUG SVH MBS BRI2 CHT NSV HUN AWS STR BGS PIF VAL DAR24 MAR28 NWS6 CLT3 ATL5 7th 17554 0 CLT3 26 HCY20 RCH3 DTS AUG1 1963 Wood Brothers Racing 21 Ford BIR GGS THS RSD22 DAY 3rd 29684 Holman-Moody 28 Ford DAY3 DAY2 PIF AWS HBO ATL1 HCY BRI2* AUG MAR5* NWS2 CLB THS DAR30 ODS RCH CLT1 BIR ATL2 DAY2 MBS SVH DTS BGS ASH OBS3 BRR2 BRI1* GPS NSV18 CLB AWS1* PIF BGS ONA1* DAR3 HCY9 RCH5 MAR1* DTS5 NWS2 THS5* CLT2 SBO HBO RSD32 McKinney Racing 44 Ford RCH22 GPS19 SBO BGS6 1964 Holman-Moody 28 Ford CON AUG28 JSP SVH RSD17 DAY DAY17 DAY31 RCH BRI1* GPS BGS ATL1* AWS HBO PIF CLB NWS1* MAR1* SVH DAR1* LGY HCY SBO CLT4 GPS ASH ATL31 CON NSV CHT BIR VAL PIF DAY34 ODS OBS BRR ISP GLN LIN BRI1 NSV MBS AWS DTS ONA CLB BGS STR DAR22 HCY RCH ODS HBO MAR1* SVH NWS2 CLT1 HAR AUG JAC 13th 18098 1965 RSD24 DAY DAY2 DAY1 PIF AWS RCH HBO ATL16 GPS NWS7 MAR1* CLB BRI27 DAR25 LGY BGS HCY CLT1* CCF ASH HAR NSV BIR ATL23 GPS MBS VAL DAY31 ODS OBS ISP GLN BRI20 NSV CCF AWS SMR PIF AUG CLB DTS BLV BGS DAR11 HCY LIN ODS RCH MAR21 NWS19 CLT1 HBO CAR27 DTS 13th 18448 1966 AUG RSD DAY5 DAY DAY4 CAR26 BRI22 ATL2 HCY CLB GPS BGS NWS MAR DAR LGY MGR MON RCH CLT DTS ASH PIF SMR AWS BLV GPS DAY ODS BRR OXF FON ISP BRI SMR NSV DAR5 HCY RCH HBO MAR1 NWS23* CLT25 CAR1* 23rd 12454 26 ATL23 CLB AWS BLV BGS 1967 28 AUG RSD15 DAY DAY1 DAY2 AWS BRI15 GPS BGS ATL28 CLB HCY NWS MAR SVH RCH DAR BLV LGY CLT ASH MGR SMR BIR CAR GPS MGY DAY TRN OXF FDA ISP BRI SMR NSV ATL BGS CLB SVH DAR HCY RCH BLV HBO MAR NWS CLT CAR AWS 29th 9268 1970 Fox Racing 28 Dodge RSD DAY DAY DAY RCH CAR SVH ATL BRI TAL NWS CLB DAR BLV LGY CLT24 SMR MAR MCH RSD HCY KPT GPS DAY32 AST TPN TRN BRI27 SMR NSV ATL22 CLB ONA MCH TAL BGS SBO 54th 231 Junior Johnson & Associates 98 Ford DAR33 HCY RCH DOV NCF NWS Fox Racing 3 Dodge CLT3 MAR MGR CAR LGY 1971 Nichels Engineering 99 Plymouth RSD DAY5 DAY DAY5 ONT30 RCH CAR4 HCY BRI ATL35 CLB GPS SMR NWS MAR20 DAR18 SBO TAL5 ASH KPT CLT5 DOV2 MCH7 RSD HOU GPS DAY7 BRI AST ISP TRN NSV ATL BGS ONA MCH TAL4 CLB HCY DAR MAR CLT DOV31 CAR MGR RCH NWS TWS 45th 611

Winston Cup Series NASCAR Winston Cup Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Pts Ref 1972 Ellington Racing 28 Ford RSD DAY RCH ONT CAR ATL BRI DAR29 NWS MAR TAL4 CLT18 DOV MCH RSD TWS DAY BRI 39th 1333.5 Donlavey Racing 90 Ford TRN4 Ellington Racing 28 Chevy ATL6 TAL20 MCH NSV DAR4 RCH DOV MAR27 NWS CLT CAR TWS

Daytona 500 Year Team Manufacturer Start Finish 1960 Fred Lorenzen Ford 5 8 1961 Tubby Gonzales Ford 45 4 1962 Holman-Moody Ford 34 5 1963 2 2 1964 34 31 1965 4 1 1966 9 4 1967 4 2 1971 Nichels Engineering Plymouth 9 5