That term was around and applied to a successful driver WAY before Mr. Gordon had it directed towards him. A failed Nascar invasion effort and a future of driving nails was about all Fred Lorenzen had to look forward to during the Christmas season of 1960. But then the phone rang. It was a fellow yankee calling from the unlikely location of Charlotte NC with a job offer he couldn't refuse. The caller was Ralph Moody and the offer was to come down and be fitted for one of the best seats in Nascar, the Holman Moody ride for the '61 season.
History records that Moody's confidence wasn't misplaced as he won one of the first starts for the team, beating legend Curtis Turner in a massive late race slugfest in Darlington's 1961 Rebel 300. By the time the '63 season rolled around Lorenzen was more than ready to shine. He won the longest race of the year, the World 600 and his second of three consecutive Atlanta 500s.
Here's my version of Fred's "fastback" Ford from early in the season before Ford started experimenting with the pearl colors.
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06-14-2004, 01:10 PM
