“Fast Freddie” and the babe

Fred Lorenzen Jr. (born December 30, 1934), nicknamed “the Golden Boy” or “Fast Freddie” and even “Fearless Freddie”, is a former American NASCAR driver from Illinois. Active from 1958 to 1972, he won 26 races, including the 1965 Daytona 500.

Picture above: Fred Lorenzen, in charming company, in the Holman Moody Ford, prepared with a 7.0 litres and 427 horses of a thunder producing engine. He once said: “Nascar is my life, and I can’t imagine racing in a more challenging series.”

After winning a couple of races in 1958 and 1959, Lorenzen received a phone call from team owner Ralph Moody, on Christmas Eve 1960, that would change his career. Moody, who rightly had seen some star qualities in the young man, asked Lorenzen about becoming his team’s lead driver. A surprised Fred accepted.

In 1961, Lorenzen began winning races regularly in what would become a remarquable career.  For five years, from 1961 to 1966, “Fast Freddie” dominated NASCAR like few other drivers ever would, winning all major events, like here-below at Darlington in 1965 (see how close to the guard rails), and defeating the best drivers of his day.