“While he may be the first race car driver diagnosed with CTE, we know from outreach to other drivers that he isn’t the only one suffering.”
Fred Lorenzen ran 158 NASCAR Cup Series races between 1956 and 1972. He picked up 26 race wins and sits tied for 33rd on the overall winners list. He was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2015
The NASCAR Hall of Famer died on December 18, 2024 at age 89. After his passing, researchers at the Boston University CTE Center diagnosed Fred Lorenzen with stage 3 (of 4) chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
Note that this can currently only be confirmed after death. Lorenzen is now the first NASCAR driver known to be officially diagnosed with the disease.
Last month, the family of Darrell Waltrip announced that they believe the 84-time winner is also suffering from CTE as he steps away from the spotlight. As of now, the family can only speculate.
Darrell Waltrip stepping further away from spotlight after diagnoses
Lorenzen’s children, Chris Lorenzen and Amanda Lorenzen Gardstrom has now announced a $1M donation to the Concussion & CTE Foundation. The donation is intended to advance research and help struggling drivers and their families find care.
The Fred Lorenzen Memorial HelpLine has now been established.
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Statements from the family of Fred Lorenzen
“My dad struggled for many years, long before he was diagnosed with dementia in his 60s,” said Amanda Lorenzen Gardstrom in the release from the Concussion & CTE Foundation.
“Watching him go through that, and experiencing the impact it had on me and our family was incredibly difficult and beyond heartbreaking. While he may be the first race car driver diagnosed with CTE, we know from outreach to other drivers that he isn’t the only one suffering.
Amanda concluded, “I know there are so many more out there who need help.”
Back in January, the family reached out to NASCAR. However, NASCAR declined to join the initiative.
“We had hoped NASCAR would join us in this effort, and while we’re disappointed that hasn’t happened, we remain hopeful there will be opportunities to work together to support the drivers who helped build the sport,” said Chris Lorenzen.
