Late Hall of Famer Fred Lorenzen Is First Known NASCAR Driver Diagnosed With CTE, Found at Stage 3

Fred Lorenzen (Credit: Getty Images)

NASCAR Hall of Famer Fred Lorenzen had stage 3 chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, making him the first NASCAR driver known to be diagnosed with the disease; his family and the Concussion & CTE Foundation announced this on Oct. 20. Researchers at the Boston University CTE Center made the diagnosis after studying his brain following his death.

Lorenzen died Dec. 18, 2024, at age 89, after living with dementia for about 20 years, according to the Concussion & CTE Foundation. CTE is graded on a four-stage scale, and stage 3 is the second most severe.