One of the greatest racecar drivers to ever strap into a NASCAR Cup Series stock car, Fred Lorenzen has passed away at the age of 89. NASCAR confirmed the passing of the Class of 2015 NASCAR Hall of Fame driver via a statement from Jim France, NASCAR’s Chairman and CEO.
France gave a tip of the cap to Lorenzen, a native of Elmhurst, Illinois, who helped NASCAR expand its fanbase in the early years of the sanctioning body’s existence.
“Fred Lorenzen was one of NASCAR’s first true superstars. A fan favorite, he helped NASCAR expand from its original roots,” France said. “Fred was the picture-perfect NASCAR star, helping to bring the sport to the silver screen – which further grew NASCAR’s popularity during its early years. For many years, NASCAR’s “Golden Boy” was also its gold standard, a fact that eventually led him to the sport’s pinnacle, a rightful place in the NASCAR Hall of Fame. On behalf of the France family and all of NASCAR, I want to offer our condolences to the friends and family of Fred Lorenzen.”…