Fred Lorenzen becomes first known NASCAR driver diagnosed posthumously with CTE

Fred Lorenzen, a NASCAR Daytona 500 winner who died in December 2024, is diagnosed posthumously with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), according to research announcements reported by multiple outlets. The findings follow a brain study carried out after he donated his brain to researchers.

Across the coverage, outlets describe Lorenzen as the first known NASCAR driver linked to CTE. Several stories specify that researchers identified Stage 3 CTE, using this detail to underscore concerns about repeated head impacts in high-contact motorsport. The Concussion & CTE Foundation is cited in at least one report as announcing the official diagnosis.

While the core facts are consistent—Lorenzen’s status as a NASCAR legend, the posthumous CTE diagnosis, and the connection to a brain donation—each outlet varies in emphasis. Some foreground the “first known NASCAR driver” framing; others highlight the Stage 3 finding; and one leans into broader comparison with CTE in other sports contexts.