Fred Lorenzen

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Fred Lorenzen
BornFrederick Lorenzen Jr.
(1934-12-30) December 30, 1934 (age 89)
AAA/USAC Stock Car
career
Years active1956–1959, 1964
Championships2
Best finish1st in 1958, 1959
Daytona Qualifier #2 (Daytona
)
Wins Top tens Poles
26 84 32

Frederick 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.

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

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

National 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway; six of those races are current "classics" on the Sprint Cup Circuit as of 2013. He also won USAC-sanctioned Yankee 300
.

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 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

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 Grand National championship, 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.

External links

Sporting positions
Preceded by
USAC Stock Car
Champion

1958–1959
Succeeded by
Achievements
Preceded by Daytona 500 Winner
1965
Succeeded by
Richard Petty