Fred Lorenzen, a NASCAR Hall of Fame driver, was officially diagnosed with Stage 3 chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, this week, a sobering truth that hammers home the brutal reality of motorsports. This isn’t some abstract medical report, this is about a legend who battled dementia for decades before passing in 2024 at 89. It’s a big deal because Lorenzen is the first driver known to have his brain tissue examined for CTE, and the news comes straight from his family and the Boston University CTE Center. If football, a sport known for punishing blows, deals with this, then it makes total sense that motorsports, with its frequent, brutal hits that rattle the brain, would too.
More Than Just a Diagnosis: What Lorenzen’s Case Reveals
What’s really wild about Lorenzen’s case, according to Dr. Thor Stein, the director of molecular research at the Boston University CTE Center who studied Lorenzen’s brain, is that his CTE was worse in the areas of the brain that control behavior and movement. That’s only about 10 percent of cases, showing how unique and devastating this disease can be. And get this: Lorenzen’s family isn’t just sitting around. They’ve pledged a massive $1 million to help find ways to diagnose CTE earlier in life. They even tried to get NASCAR on board, talking with them about joining the effort. But so far, NASCAR hasn’t committed a single dime financially. Seriously? “My dad’s dementia care came at a significant financial and emotional cost to our family,” Lorenzen’s son, Chris Lorenzen, stated in the news release. “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.” It’s tough to read that NASCAR is dropping the ball here.
NASCAR’s Stumbles and the NFL’s Hard Lessons
To be fair, NASCAR’s approach to head injuries and concussions has gotten way more aggressive over the last 25 years. We haven’t lost a national series driver since Dale Earnhardt in 2001, and Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s own battle with concussions has pushed head injury discussion and research to the forefront for NASCAR over the last 15 years. Plus, some drivers are wearing mouthpieces that collect data for Wake Forest University researchers, and NASCAR even uses the King-Devick test after accidents. That’s the same quick diagnostic test the NFL uses to check for concussion-type symptoms. But when you compare NASCAR and NFL responses to CTE, there are some key differences. In NASCAR, there’s a history of drivers dying in competition, and an injured driver could put others at risk. In the NFL, a player dying during a game is super rare. Football’s health debates often focus on whether teams prioritize athletes’ best interests over just winning. The NFL also has to worry about youth participation and keeping top athletes in the game if they don’t tackle concussions and CTE head-on. They’ve changed kickoff rules and grappled with what makes an acceptable hit to lessen the risk. Can NASCAR really sit on the sidelines when a driver’s family is putting up a million bucks for research?
This isn’t about a finish line, it’s about what happens off the track. NASCAR has to step up, not just for the drivers on the circuit today, but for the legends who built the sport, guys like Lorenzen. The family is pushing for change, and honestly, the whole sport should be right there with them.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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