Fred Lorenzen, one of NASCAR’s biggest superstars, passed away this week at the age of 89. He became a hero of the nation back in the 1960s when superspeedway racing was all the clout. His blatant disregard for risk earned him big checks and greater popularity. But it is this same nature that also landed him at the risk of getting in trouble with the Chicago mafia.
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Lorenzen wasn’t associated with any particular NASCAR team back in 1960. He raced under his banner using his own equipment. This required huge sums of money. Money that he did not have.
Just 26 years old at the time, he walked into the den of the mafia in Cicero and borrowed money from them. This put him in a precarious position throughout the following season.
He narrated the scenes that followed a must-win situation in Atlanta, “We started eighth, were leading it, and blew. When I got home my father said that some guys came over to pick up ten thousand dollars. The mob people from Cicero whom I borrowed money from. Had to sell everything. That was in September.” Just a few months from then, his fortunes took a complete turn.
Fred Lorenzen got his start in the NASCAR Cup series in 1960 by borrowing money from the Mafia in Cicero, IL
He repaid the money, and the good runs he had in his own equipment led to a top-notch ride in 1961. pic.twitter.com/GlPCRK11ox
— nascarman (@nascarman_rr) December 18, 2024
In November, he got a call that offered him a seat with Holman-Moody Racing for 1961. He acknowledged that it was his big break. He won three races for the team in his maiden season with them and went on to have an illustrious career.
This story showcases the fearless driver that he was on the race track. It is also what earned him nicknames like Fast Freddie and Fearless Freddie.
Lorenzen’s memorable Daytona 500 win in 1965
The icon won 26 races throughout his career in the premier series. One of the most noteworthy of them was the 1965 Daytona 500. The event went down under great pressure since NASCAR had made the Chrysler Hemi engine and Ford’s high-rise cylinder head engine illegal.
They were the powerhouses that enabled great speed at superspeedways. Richard Petty refused to race in protest of the decision and Ford gave way to the new rules. This allowed Lorenzen to make use of the advantage he had of not seeing Petty at the track. However, he did not win easily.
A battle with Marvin Panch left his car damaged and he attempted to come in for repairs after Lap 119. His crew chief sensed a harsh rain coming and instructed him to stay out. The rains did come by Lap 133 and the race finished shorter than it ought to have. It was Lorenzen’s first and only Daytona 500 victory.
