FREDDY AND CHRIS

Fred Lorenzen, meet Chris Economacki.

Lorenzen was, perhaps, the first driver to break the stereotype of what it meant to be a NASCAR driver. Most definitely not from the South, Lorenzen hailed from Elmhurst, Ill., near Chicago. Lorenzen won a total of 26 races during his career, which began in 1956 and ended for good following a comeback of sorts in 1972.

Driving for the famed Holman Moody team, Lorenzen became one of the sport’s dominant forces between 1961 and 1967. In 1963, “Fast Freddy” became the first NASCAR driver to win $100,000 in a single season. A year later, he won an amazing eight of his 16 starts.

Here, Economacki goes over the rail during a mid-race pit stop to score a quick chat with Lorenzen. Just imagine somebody trying that these days … just imagine it.