Keselowski Racing Through Significant Injury to Start Season

NASCAR driver Brad Keselowski determined to compete in Daytona 500 despite femur fracture

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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NASCAR Cup Series driver Brad Keselowski suffered a serious femur fracture in an off-season skiing accident in December 2025. Despite doubts about whether he would even be able to walk again, let alone drive a race car, Keselowski has worked tirelessly to recover and plans to compete in the Daytona 500. He acknowledges the injury is much more severe than a previous ankle break, but is determined to keep his streak of 546 consecutive Cup Series starts intact.

Why it matters

Keselowski's determination to race through a major injury highlights the competitive drive of top NASCAR drivers and the lengths they will go to in order to maintain their competitive edge. His recovery process and ability to return to the cockpit so quickly after a devastating femur fracture is a testament to modern sports medicine and the physical resilience of elite athletes.

The details

Keselowski suffered the femur fracture on December 18, 2025 during a family skiing trip. The injury required a titanium insert in his right thigh, and for several weeks there were doubts about whether he would even be able to walk again. However, Keselowski has made significant progress in his recovery and has been cleared by doctors to compete in the Daytona 500. He acknowledges that getting in and out of the car is the biggest challenge, as he has to be very intentional with his movements due to the extra hardware in his leg. Keselowski has previous experience racing through a severe lower-body injury, having won a race at Pocono in 2011 just four days after breaking his left ankle.

  • The incident happened on December 18, 2025.
  • Keselowski was cleared by doctors to compete in the Daytona 500.
  • The Daytona 500 is scheduled for February 2026.

The players

Brad Keselowski

A NASCAR Cup Series driver who suffered a serious femur fracture in an off-season skiing accident and is determined to race through the injury.

Joey Hand

A road racing specialist who would serve as Keselowski's backup driver if he is unable to compete in the upcoming race at Circuit of the Americas.

Ryan Preece

A NASCAR Cup Series driver who scored his first career exhibition race win at the Clash, which Keselowski missed due to his injury.

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What they’re saying

“When I was laying on the ground and I was completely immobile immediately after I broke my leg, what was going through my mind was like, 'Oh my God' and I was thinking about the soldiers in the Civil War. They would just cut their leg off right there and I understood why they would do it because it hurt so bad.”

— Brad Keselowski (Yahoo Sports)

“This is way more serious. When I broke my ankle, that sucked, don't get me wrong ... it was very painful but in a couple weeks I was fairly mobile. This is a much more significant injury, unfortunately.”

— Brad Keselowski (Yahoo Sports)

What’s next

Keselowski says the upcoming race at Circuit of the Americas next month is a major concern, and he may need to use a relief driver if he is not fully recovered in time.

The takeaway

Keselowski's determination to race through a devastating femur fracture showcases the incredible physical and mental toughness of top NASCAR drivers. His recovery process will be closely watched as he aims to maintain his impressive streak of consecutive Cup Series starts.