‘Quick Freddie’ Lorenzen was only a couple weeks shy of his ninetieth birthday when he handed away on Wednesday. The Elmhurst, Illinois native was an early star of the game of NASCAR, competing from 1956 to 1972. He had many nicknames together with ‘Golden Boy,’ ‘Fearless Freddie,’ the ‘Elmhurst Specific’ and was beloved by followers. Lorenzen was a two-time recipient of the game’s Most Standard Driver award. His household broke the information of his passing on Fb, praising him for his humility and authenticity.
“Fred Lorenzen was one among NASCAR’s first true superstars,” stated NASCAR Chairman and CEO Jim France in a press release from the sanctioning physique. “A fan favourite, he helped NASCAR develop from its authentic roots. Fred was the picture-perfect NASCAR star, serving to to convey the game to the silver display – which additional grew NASCAR’s reputation throughout its early years. For a few years, NASCAR’s “Golden Boy” was additionally its gold customary, a undeniable fact that finally led him to the game’s pinnacle, a rightful place within the NASCAR Corridor of Fame. On behalf of the France household and all of NASCAR, I need to provide our condolences to the family and friends of Fred Lorenzen.”
In his racing profession, Lorenzen was fast to search out success behind the wheel, successful back-to-back USAC inventory automotive championships in 1958 and 1959. He went on to win 26 NASCAR Cup races, which ties him with Dale Earnhardt Jr. for thirty third on the all-time wins listing. Amongst these victories had been some crown jewel occasions, successful the 1965 Daytona 500 in a Holman-Moody Ford and the World 600 (now Coke 600) in 1963 and 1965. The yr he received the five hundred, Lorenzen additionally received each single superspeedway race on the schedule.
Tiny Lund and Fred Lorenzen race facet by facet
Picture by: Ford Motor Firm
He by no means ran the complete schedule, focusing extra on large cash occasions than factors totals, however he nonetheless positioned as excessive as third within the championship standings in 1963. However 1964 was maybe his most spectacular season, successful half of the races he entered (8 of 16) together with 5 straight begins with no loss.
Lorenzen’s beautiful profession earned him a spot as one among NASCAR’s 50 biggest drivers in 1998, and he was later inducted into the NASCAR Corridor of Fame within the Class of 2015.
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