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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
3Representatives have learned that another potential sports 
4Hall of Famer is in our midst; and
  
 
5    WHEREAS, Early NASCAR superstar Fred Lorenzen of Elmhurst 
6has an opportunity to join the ranks of the likes of Jordan, 
7Sayers, Payton, Ditka, Banks, and Hull; and
  
 
8    WHEREAS, Fred Lorenzen began his racing exploits behind the 
9wheel of a speedster described as a home-built, lawn mower 
10engine powered, midget racer, rumbling through the 
11neighborhood streets of Elmhurst; and
  
 
12    WHEREAS, His first racing purse, estimated at $15, came 
13with a win in a 1941 Plymouth at a demolition derby at historic 
14Soldier Field; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Fred Lorenzen went on to race across the Midwest, 
16winning 2 United States Auto Club stock car titles in 1958 and 
171959; and
 
18    WHEREAS, He earned the nicknames "Fearless Freddie" and 
19"Golden Boy", and caught the eye of the legendary Holman-Moody 
20race team and the Ford Motor Company, and began streaking the 
 
 
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1straightaways of places like Darlington, Daytona, Atlanta, 
2Charlotte, and many other racetracks in his #28 Ford; and
 
3    WHEREAS, His "firsts" included: the first person to win 
4$100,000 in a single season and being the only NASCAR driver to 
5win 20 races in his first 100 starts; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Fred Lorenzen was twice voted NASCAR's most 
7popular driver and in 1998 was named one of NASCAR's 50 
8Greatest Drivers; and
  
 
9    WHEREAS, After a successful racing career, Fred Lorenzen 
10returned to Elmhurst to have a successful real estate career, 
11raise a family, and serve his community; and
  
 
12    WHEREAS, NASCAR has opened a Hall of Fame in Charlotte, 
13North Carolina, and begun recognizing the sport's stars in the 
14classes of 2010, 2011, and 2012, and has now put Fred 
15Lorenzen's name on the ballot for the Hall of Fame's Class of 
162013; therefore, be it
  
 
17    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
18NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
19we recognize the NASCAR career of Fred Lorenzen and urge the 
20NASCAR Hall of Fame voters to induct him into the Class of 
212013; and be it further
  
 
 
 
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1    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
2delivered to the NASCAR Hall of Fame voters and to Fred 
3Lorenzen as a symbol of our respect and esteem.