Brad Keselowski is racing against time to recover from injury ahead of the season’s unofficial start, the Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium on February 1. Doctors expect him to recover by race day from the leg injury he suffered during a skiing trip in December. However, being ready on paper and getting cockpit-ready are not the same thing.
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Keselowski acknowledged that he would not have sufficient time to stress-test his body through the grind of being strapped into a Cup car in race conditions. Keeping that in mind, the RFK Racing co-owner elected to step aside for the exhibition event, placing his No. 6 machine in different hands.
Keselowski has turned to Corey LaJoie, allowing the former Spire Motorsports No. 7 driver to pilot the RFK Racing Ford in the Clash. LaJoie currently does not have a confirmed full-time ride, making the call a pleasant gift.
Keselowski shared the update directly with fans through an informal video posted on his X account. “I will not be running the Clash,” he began, getting to the point directly.
“This is part of the reason why we wanted to talk to you, Bob, is because we’re going to put Corey LaJoie in to run the Clash. So he’s pretty excited. You’ll see more on that and kind of the formal announcements that come,” explained Keselowski.
The plan extends beyond a one-race cameo for LaJoie. Keselowski outlined the team’s strategy moving forward. “And then our plan is for him to become a standby driver for the first couple [of] weeks until we’re fully confident,” he said.
“I didn’t want to rush back. The team and I made the decision together that if all the rehab went absolutely perfect, we’d be ready like, literally, the day of the Clash. And that seemed super foolish and didn’t give us any time to do any testing on myself or anything like that,” added Keselowski.
LaJoie, thankful for the opportunity, also commented about the development on his social media handle. “Happy to be of service. Wishing BK a speedy recovery. Let’s go get another trophy at The Madhouse,” he wrote.
Keselowski had broken his right femur during a ski trip on December 18. The injury happened when he slipped on ice while exiting his vehicle and required emergency surgery in Boone, North Carolina.
Though Keselowski has endured numerous injuries over the course of his career, he admitted that none compared to the pain associated with this injury. He acknowledged that the rehabilitation process demands toughness and patience, emphasizing the need to let his body dictate the pace rather than forcing a premature return.
Despite the setback, Keselowski remains focused on the bigger picture. His goal is to be back behind the wheel for the 68th running of the Daytona 500 on February 15. By handing the Clash duties to LaJoie and prioritizing recovery over urgency, Keselowski is looking at long-term gains. He has chosen caution now in hopes of being fully fit when the season’s most important races arrive.
LaJoie competed part-time with Rick Ware Racing last season, logging four starts. His most recent full-time role came with Spire Motorsports in 2024, where he drove the No. 7 for the majority of the year before the team made a late-season change, swapping him out for Justin Haley. LaJoie then closed the campaign with Rick Ware Racing, handling the final seven starts.
