NASCAR Driver Brad Keselowski Recounts Harrowing Leg Injury

Keselowski shares chilling details of his broken femur recovery as he prepares for Daytona 500 comeback.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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NASCAR driver Brad Keselowski opened up about the severe pain he experienced after breaking his right femur in a skiing accident in mid-December. Keselowski described the agony as the "worst pain" he's ever felt, saying he even considered amputation at one point. The injury required immediate surgery and intensive rehabilitation, with Keselowski facing uncertainty over whether he would walk again, let alone race. Despite the setback, Keselowski remained determined to return to competition and was cleared to race in the Daytona 500, though he acknowledged the full recovery timeline is around six months.

Why it matters

Keselowski's candid discussion about his injury provides a rare glimpse into the physical toll NASCAR drivers can face, even away from the track. The severity of a broken femur, the largest bone in the human body, underscores the incredible resilience and determination required for these athletes to compete at the highest level.

The details

Keselowski broke his femur after slipping on ice during a family ski trip in mid-December. The injury was so painful that Keselowski said he considered amputation, understanding why Civil War soldiers would have resorted to that measure. The recovery process was uncertain, with Keselowski unsure if he would even be able to walk again, let alone drive a race car. The injury required immediate surgery and weeks of intensive rehabilitation. Despite the setback, Keselowski remained determined to return to competition.

  • In mid-December, Keselowski broke his right femur in a skiing accident.
  • One day after the accident, Keselowski underwent surgery on his broken leg.
  • Around 3-5 weeks after the injury, Keselowski was unsure if he would be able to walk again, let alone drive a race car.
  • Keselowski missed the exhibition Clash race last week at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
  • On Monday, Keselowski passed a driving test at Charlotte Motor Speedway and was cleared to race in the Daytona 500.

The players

Brad Keselowski

A NASCAR driver and the owner of RFK Racing. Keselowski is a former Cup Series champion who suffered a severe broken leg injury in a skiing accident in mid-December.

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What they’re saying

“What was going through my mind was like, 'Oh my God. Think about the soldiers in the Civil War.' They just would cut their leg off right here. And I understood why they would do it because it hurt so bad. It was by far the worst pain I've ever went through.”

— Brad Keselowski (profootballnetwork.com)

“I get why they would bring out the hacksaw. There was part of me that's like, 'That might actually feel better.'”

— Brad Keselowski (profootballnetwork.com)

“It's hard to explain to people that have never broken their femur before what it's like. It's not the same as breaking your leg below your knee. Your femur is the biggest bone in your body. It's got a lot of things running through it, and it has to heal. You can't really cast it. You can't do any of those things. You just kind of have to tough it out.”

— Brad Keselowski (profootballnetwork.com)

“I'm eight weeks in, and until about three-to-five weeks in, there was a question if I was going to walk again, let alone drive a race car. Those were the thoughts that were going through my mind.”

— Brad Keselowski (profootballnetwork.com)

“I was confident I was going to put the work in, and I was going to own whatever result there was. There were certainly a lot of moments where you're like, 'Ooh, this isn't a layup.'”

— Brad Keselowski (profootballnetwork.com)

What’s next

The real test for Keselowski will come during the 60-lap qualifying race on Thursday, where he will see how his leg holds up at high speeds.

The takeaway

Keselowski's harrowing account of his broken femur injury and recovery process underscores the incredible physical and mental fortitude required of NASCAR drivers to compete at the highest level, even when faced with severe setbacks. His determination to return to racing despite the uncertainty of his recovery is a testament to the resilience of these athletes.