Jim France of NASCAR has stated that, like Chase Elliott and Kyle Busch, Fred Lorenzen “was one of NASCAR’s first true superstars” and a fan favorite following his death at the age of 89. Additionally, he gave Lorenzen credit for improving NASCAR’s reputation internationally. He accomplished this by drawing more attention to it and making sure it could succeed on television. In his statement, France drew attention to the fact that Lorenzen was once called NASCAR’s “Golden Boy.” He claimed that the “Golden Boy” of NASCAR was also its gold standard, which ultimately brought him to the highest level of the sport and earned him a spot in the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Lorenzen won 26 races, including the 1965 Daytona 500, making him one of the most successful NASCAR drivers of his time. NASCAR implemented new regulations this year to lower vehicle speeds and improve track and vehicle safety. After starting the race in fourth place, Lorenzen took the lead around lap 69 and then lost it again on lap 129 after colliding with Marvin Panch.
The race was red-flagged on lap 133 because of the continuous rain. Lorenzen was able to claim the victory after the outcome was formally announced. Similarly, NASCAR’s “Golden Boy” could have been eliminated from the race due to damage to his Ford following the collision with Panch.
In addition to winning the Daytona 500, Lorenzen has finished in the top ten 84 times, won 32 pole positions, and won 25 other races during his NASCAR career.
He rose to prominence as one of its top drivers in the early 1960s, heading the Holman Moody team and taking home victories at the Festival 250 in Atlanta, the Rebel 300 in Darlington, and the Grand National 200 in Martinsville.
Lorenzen had a very successful career despite not taking home a championship. By the 1970s, though, his victories had dwindled. The second 1967 Daytona 500 qualifier was his last triumph. Following the Old Dominion 500 at Martinsville in 1972, he announced his retirement from NASCAR. He was admitted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2015.
