Brad Keselowski broke his leg on a skiing trip last week and has since undergone surgery. While he is moving quickly on the road to recovery, it is only natural for there to be concerns about whether he will be ready for the Daytona 500 and able to deliver a strong performance. But if history is any indication, the racing gods may well be in his favor.
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During a test session at Road Atlanta in 2011, Keselowski crashed head-on into a wall and broke his ankle. He hit the barrier at a speed of nearly 100 miles per hour, and he was ruled out of participating in the Nationwide Series race. It would have only been sensible for him to sit out of the Cup Series race at the Pocono Raceway that followed.
However, Keselowski climbed into his Penske Racing Dodge, practiced over the weekend, and raced with a brace on his ankle. What was more impressive was that he ended up racing all 500 miles and won the event. Even his rivals were completely astounded at the resilience and grit he put on display.
Kurt Busch reportedly quipped in disbelief, “I was amazed he raced the full race.”
Brad’s winning the Daytona 500 https://t.co/kZXGpjknon pic.twitter.com/VkZtSRQk2J
— nascarcasm (@nascarcasm) December 20, 2025
“There are moments in our sport that need to be documented as an ‘Iron Man’ type of day. It’s amazing what the body can do,” Busch added.
Nearly every other driver and fan who witnessed Keselowski’s masterclass that day were left thinking the same. So, can anyone realistically discard his chances of winning the 2026 Daytona 500 as zero? Not in the slightest. If anyone can do it in this condition, it’s him.
Keselowski is confident of regaining his health in time
By the time the Great American Race arrives, Keselowski will most likely have recovered from the broken leg. This makes him an even dangerous competitor.
He wrote on his social media pages, along with photographs of the injury, “Life has a way of reminding you to slow down. Grateful for my family by my side, an excellent medical team, and the ability to take a few steps forward today. Focused on Daytona. Bonus – I’m now bionic!”
He is motivated to get back to his full physical strength at the earliest and be race-ready for Daytona. It is also noteworthy that he has never won the Daytona 500 in his career before. The fixture remains the only Crown Jewel race he hasn’t added to his resume yet.
