First known case of CTE in a NASCAR driver

NASCAR Hall of Fame driver Fred Lorenzen has been diagnosed posthumously with CTE. According to the Concussion and CTE Foundation, his diagnosis is the first known case of CTE in a NASCAR driver. I'm Alex Zetlow of the Charlotte Observer, and this is pretty important news, not only to the racing community, but to the sports world at large. It's not just that Lorenzen was once one of the best drivers in the world in his time, in the 1960s. It's not just that this is heartbreaking, though that is true. It's also because who knows what this means for future links of CTE and stock car racing. It's no secret that racing is a really physical sport, particularly on the drivers who drive like gladiators and crush bumpers and do whatever it takes to win. Dale Earnhardt Jr. has been vocal about his history with concussions. Kurt Busch had to step away from racing early due to concussions in 2022. But recent events have put such a reality in the spotlight. The main one, Daryl Waltrip, was diagnosed with frontotemporal degeneration in September, and his family announced that he was stepping away from the public spotlight because of it. Obviously, neurodegenerative brain conditions and football have been linked a ton in the past, but now it's becoming reality that CTE and racing could be linked as well. In light of this announcement, Lorenzen's children have made a $1 million donation to the Concussion and CTE Foundation. The donation, among other purposes, seeks to create the Fred Lorenzen Memorial Helpline to help struggling drivers and their families find care. For more of this, visit charlotteobserver.com.