Brad Keselowski, who suffered a broken femur during a family ski trip on December 18, has officially been medically cleared to return to the racetrack following a rigorous schedule of rehabilitation in the offseason, RFK Racing announced on Monday.
Keselowski was medically evaluated, a process that included an X-ray on January 30, and conducted an on-track test session at Charlotte Motor Speedway on February 9 to gain medical clearance to return to the No. 6 RFK Racing Ford Mustang Dark Horse for the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Keselowski will be active for all on-track activity at the 2.5-mile superspeedway in Florida, beginning on Wednesday, February 12.
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For the 2012 NASCAR Cup Series champion, hearing that he had been granted medical clearance was like music to his ears, but admits that while he had been doing everything in his power to return for the Daytona 500, there’s always a shroud of doubt in your mind until the official approval is given.
“Getting cleared was a huge moment for me. You put in the work, you trust the process, but until you hear that final ‘yes,’ nothing is guaranteed,” said Keselowski in a team press release. “Knowing what Daytona means, and how hard it would have been to miss it, made this moment even bigger. I’m grateful to the medical team and to NASCAR for being thorough, and I’m excited to get back in the car.”
Keselowski, 41, is regarded as one of the best superspeedway racers in the NASCAR Cup Series, but has yet to taste the spoils of victory lane in the Daytona 500. Sunday’s Daytona 500 will mark Keselowski’s 17th attempt at securing the victory in NASCAR’s biggest race.
The native of Rochester Hills, MI, doesn’t make any bones about it, the Daytona 500 trophy is the biggest thing missing in his trophy room.
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“The Daytona 500 is the most coveted race we have. The history, the names on that trophy, it speaks for itself,” Keselowski said. “I’ve won at Daytona, but I haven’t won the 500, and that’s always been one I want. After everything it took to get back to this point, having another chance at it means everything.”
The prospect at competing for a chance at the Daytona 500’s Harley J. Earl trophy is what kept Keselowski digging throughout his several-hours-per-day therapy to regain strength and mobility.
“This process was about discipline and patience. There were no shortcuts,” Keselowski said. “I had a poster in my workout area that said, ‘Daytona. Earned, not given,’ and that became my mindset every day. The focus was on getting stronger, improving mobility, and making sure I was truly ready to race.”
RFK Racing feels Keselowski’s swift recovery from the broken femur is nothing short of remarkable, and it serves as inspiration to the rest of the race team.
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“Brad approached his recovery the same way he approaches racing; with focus, commitment, and attention to detail,” said Chip Bowers, RFK Racing President. “His drive and determination to be healthy and ready to compete in the Daytona 500, just eight weeks after his injury is inspiring to everyone at RFK Racing.”
Heading into the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season, the 17th full-time campaign of his NASCAR Cup Series career, Keselowski has amassed 593 starts and has compiled 36 points-paying wins, 161 top-fives, and 276 top-10 finishes.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/onsi/racing-america as RFK Racing Delivers Medical Update On Keselowski’s Daytona 500 Status.
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