Fred Lorenzen diagnosed with stage 3 CTE after death

Fred Lorenzen, the NASCAR Hall of Fame driver, was diagnosed posthumously with stage 3 chronic traumatic encephalopathy, researchers at Boston University’s CTE Center found after examining his brain tissue. His family and the Concussion CTE Foundation announced the finding on October 20, 2026, describing him as the first NASCAR driver known to receive the diagnosis. Lorenzen’s children also announced a $1 million donation to support CTE research and establish the Fred Lorenzen Memorial HelpLine. The free service is intended to assist current and former auto racing drivers and their families dealing with long-term concussion symptoms, suspected CTE or related disorders. Lorenzen died on December 18, 2024, at age 89. The foundation said he had lived with dementia for about 20 years. His children pledged his brain for research in 2016, enabling researchers to examine tissue after his death. CTE currently can be confirmed only through examination of brain tissue after death, according to the reports. Stage 3 is the second most severe level on a four-stage scale. The finding does not establish how common CTE is among NASCAR drivers or prove that racing caused Lorenzen’s condition....