Fred Lorenzen

Frederick "Fred" Lorenzen, Jr. (born December 30, 1934), nicknamed The Golden Boy, Fast Freddie, The Elmhurst Express and Fearless Freddy, is a former NASCAR driver from Elmhurst, Illinois. Active from 1958 to 1972, he won 26 races including 1965 Daytona 500.

Fred Lorenzen
Lorenzen's 1965 Ford Galaxie replica
BornFrederick Lorenzen, Jr.
(1934-12-30) December 30, 1934
Elmhurst, Illinois, United States
Achievements1958, 1959 USAC Stock Car Champion
First driver to win the same 500-mile superspeedway race three years in a row (Atlanta 500, 1962–1964).
1965 Daytona 500 Winner
First driver to win at all five Southern original superspeedways (Daytona, Darlington, Atlanta, Charlotte, Rockingham, 1965)
All-time superspeedway winner upon initial retirement in 1967 (12)
1963, 1965 World 600 Winner
First NASCAR driver to surpass $100,000 in winnings in one season ($122,000 in 1963)
First driver to sweep both Martinsville races from the pole in a season (1964)
Only driver to win four consecutive 500 lap races at Martinsville
Had a 50% winning percentage in 1964 (8 wins in 16 starts)
Awards1963, 1965 Grand National Series Most Popular Driver
Named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers (1998)
Motorsports Hall of Fame of America inductee (2001)[1]
NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee (2015)
USAC Hall of Fame inductee (2015)
NASCAR Cup Series career
158 races run over 12 years
Best finish3rd (1963)
First race1956 untitled race (Langhorne Speedway)
Last race1972 Old Dominion 500 (Martinsville)
First win1961 Virginia 500 (Martinsville)
Last win1967 American 500 (Martinsville)
Wins Top tens Poles
26 84 32
Statistics current as of April 2, 2013.

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 confrontation.

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 that would change his career. Moody asked Lorenzen about becoming his team's lead driver. A surprised Lorenzen accepted, albeit 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 become a remarkable career. For five years from 1961 till 1966, Lorenzen dominated NASCAR like few other drivers ever would winning many major races and defeating the best drivers of his day.

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. There was no doubt that Lorenzen would challenge the all-time greats for the top prizes in NASCAR.

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, a serious problem that was rectified with a more streamlined roof halfway into the season.

In 1963, Lorenzen soared to the top and became the top money-winner and the first to break the $100,000 barrier in one season. In that amazing 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; six of those races are current "classics" on the Sprint Cup Circuit as of 2013.

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 called the Budweiser Duels were points races).

Lorenzen compiled an amazing record of wins that clearly made him the dominant driver of NASCAR during a very significant portion of its Golden Era.

The Yellow Banana

In one race in 1966 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, he 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

He 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

Lorenzen now lives in assisted living in a suburb of Chicago surrounded by his family. In his heyday from 1962–65, Lorenzen was the top driver in NASCAR. On the super speedways, Lorenzen defeated all of his competition to compile an unprecedented streak of wins in major races. Racing for money instead of points, Lorenzen never competed for the annual Sprint Cup, but he won the big races that made him the uncrowned King of NASCAR during its golden years. Lorenzen's countless fans waited for a long time for Lorenzen's brilliant career to be recognized with his induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Awards

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 NGNC Pts Ref
1956 Fred Lorenzen 50 Chevy HCY CLT WSS PBS ASF DAB PBS WIL ATL NWS LAN
26		 RCH 120th - [2]
150 CLB
20		 CON
22		 GPS
21		 HCY
20		 HBO MAR
24		 LIN CLT POR EUR NYF MER MAS CLT MCF POR AWS RSP PIF CSF CHI
20		 CCF MGY OKL ROA
DNQ		 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 DAY
3		 DAY DAY
8		 CLT NWS PHO CLB MAR
18		 HCY WIL BGS GPS AWS DAR PIF HBO RCH HMS CLT
41		 BGS DAY
3		 HEI MAB MBS ATL
5		 BIR NSV AWS PIF CLB SBO BGS DAR
28		 HCY CSF GSP HBO MAR
12		 NWS CLT
50		 RCH ATL
10		 15th 6764 [3]
1961 Tubby Gonzales 80 Ford CLT JSP DAY DAY DAY
4		 PIF AWS HMS 19th 9316 [4]
Holman-Moody 28 Ford ATL
33		 GPS HBO BGS MAR
1		 NWS
19		 CLB HCY RCH MAR
11*		 DAR
1		 CLT
5*		 CLT RSD ASP CLT
35		 PIF BIR GPS BGS NOR HAS STR DAY
2		 ATL
1*		 CLB MBS BRI
33		 NSV BGS AWS RCH SBO DAR
29		 HCY RCH CSF ATL
36		 MAR
18		 NWS
DNQ		 CLT
31		 BRI GPS HBO
1962 CON AWS DAY
24		 DAY DAY
5		 CON
16		 AWS SVH HBO RCH CLB NWS
2		 GPS MBS MAR
4		 BGS BRI
34		 RCH HCY CON DAR
3		 PIF ATL
1		 BGS AUG RCH SBO DAY
24		 CLB ASH GPS AUG SVH MBS BRI
2		 CHT NSV HUN AWS STR BGS PIF VAL DAR
24		 MAR
28		 NWS
6		 CLT
3		 ATL
5		 7th 17554 [5]
0 CLT
3
26 HCY
20		 RCH
3		 DTS AUG
1
1963 Wood Brothers Racing 21 Ford BIR GGS THS RSD
22		 DAY 3rd 29684 [6]
Holman-Moody 28 Ford DAY
3		 DAY
2		 PIF AWS HBO ATL
1		 HCY BRI
2*		 AUG MAR
5*		 NWS
2		 CLB THS DAR
30		 ODS RCH CLT
1		 BIR ATL
2		 DAY
2		 MBS SVH DTS BGS ASH OBS
3		 BRR
2		 BRI
1*		 GPS NSV
18		 CLB AWS
1*		 PIF BGS ONA
1*		 DAR
3		 HCY
9		 RCH
5		 MAR
1*		 DTS
5		 NWS
2		 THS
5*		 CLT
2		 SBO HBO RSD
32
McKinney Racing 44 Ford RCH
22		 GPS
19		 SBO BGS
6
1964 Holman-Moody 28 Ford CON AUG
28		 JSP SVH RSD
17		 DAY DAY
17		 DAY
31		 RCH BRI
1*		 GPS BGS ATL
1*		 AWS HBO PIF CLB NWS
1*		 MAR
1*		 SVH DAR
1*		 LGY HCY SBO CLT
4		 GPS ASH ATL
31		 CON NSV CHT BIR VAL PIF DAY
34		 ODS OBS BRR ISP GLN LIN BRI
1		 NSV MBS AWS DTS ONA CLB BGS STR DAR
22		 HCY RCH ODS HBO MAR
1*		 SVH NWS
2		 CLT
1		 HAR AUG JAC 13th 18098 [7]
1965 RSD
24		 DAY DAY
2		 DAY
1		 PIF AWS RCH HBO ATL
16		 GPS NWS
7		 MAR
1*		 CLB BRI
27		 DAR
25		 LGY BGS HCY CLT
1*		 CCF ASH HAR NSV BIR ATL
23		 GPS MBS VAL DAY
31		 ODS OBS ISP GLN BRI
20		 NSV CCF AWS SMR PIF AUG CLB DTS BLV BGS DAR
11		 HCY LIN ODS RCH MAR
21		 NWS
19		 CLT
1		 HBO CAR
27		 DTS 13th 18448 [8]
1966 AUG RSD DAY
5		 DAY DAY
4		 CAR
26		 BRI
22		 ATL
2		 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 DAR
5		 HCY RCH HBO MAR
1		 NWS
23*		 CLT
25		 CAR
1*		 23rd 12454 [9]
26 ATL
23		 CLB AWS BLV BGS
1967 28 AUG RSD
15		 DAY DAY
1		 DAY
2		 AWS BRI
15		 GPS BGS ATL
28		 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 [10]
1970 Fox Racing 28 Dodge RSD DAY DAY DAY RCH CAR SVH ATL BRI TAL NWS CLB DAR BLV LGY CLT
24		 SMR MAR MCH RSD HCY KPT GPS DAY
32		 AST TPN TRN BRI
27		 SMR NSV ATL
22		 CLB ONA MCH TAL BGS SBO 54th 231 [11]
Junior Johnson & Associates 98 Ford DAR
33		 HCY RCH DOV NCF NWS
Fox Racing 3 Dodge CLT
3		 MAR MGR CAR LGY
1971 Nichels Engineering 99 Plymouth RSD DAY
5		 DAY DAY
5		 ONT
30		 RCH CAR
4		 HCY BRI ATL
35		 CLB GPS SMR NWS MAR
20		 DAR
18		 SBO TAL
5		 ASH KPT CLT
5		 DOV
2		 MCH
7		 RSD HOU GPS DAY
7		 BRI AST ISP TRN NSV ATL BGS ONA MCH TAL
4		 CLB HCY DAR MAR CLT DOV
31		 CAR MGR RCH NWS TWS 45th 611 [12]

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 NWCC Pts Ref
1972 Ellington Racing 28 Ford RSD DAY RCH ONT CAR ATL BRI DAR
29		 NWS MAR TAL
4		 CLT
18		 DOV MCH RSD TWS DAY BRI 39th 1333.5 [13]
Donlavey Racing 90 Ford TRN
4
Ellington Racing 28 Chevy ATL
6		 TAL
20		 MCH NSV DAR
4		 RCH DOV MAR
27		 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

References
  1. Fred Lorenzen at the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
  2. "Fred Lorenzen – 1956 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  3. "Fred Lorenzen – 1960 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  4. "Fred Lorenzen – 1961 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  5. "Fred Lorenzen – 1962 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  6. "Fred Lorenzen – 1963 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  7. "Fred Lorenzen – 1964 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  8. "Fred Lorenzen – 1965 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  9. "Fred Lorenzen – 1966 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  10. "Fred Lorenzen – 1967 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  11. "Fred Lorenzen – 1970 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  12. "Fred Lorenzen – 1971 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  13. "Fred Lorenzen – 1972 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
Achievements
Preceded by
Richard Petty		 Daytona 500 Winner
1965		 Succeeded by
Richard Petty
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