By Andy DeLay, Staff Writer
MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Last Thursday was a bad day, and it continued to get worse. First, we lost Greg Biffle, his family, and his friends in a plane crash. Then, RFK Racing co-owner and driver Brad Keselowski suffered a broken leg.
The timing couldn’t be worse. With the incident occurring just before the holiday break, the No. 6 team faces a chaotic scramble rather than a restful winter ramp-up to Daytona. While the team has not released specific details regarding the nature of the accident, the calendar is now the primary opponent. We are less than two months away from the Daytona 500.
For a driver who has built his reputation on grit and an old-school toughness that recalls the likes of Cale Yarborough and Ricky Rudd, this is a bitter pill to swallow. Keselowski was poised to enter the 2026 campaign with significant momentum, having arguably returned RFK to the upper echelon of the sport over the last 24 months. Now, instead of fine-tuning setups in the simulator, he faces a grueling rehabilitation regimen.
The Race Against the Calendar
The immediate concern, naturally, is the Daytona 500.
The 500 is not just the Super Bowl of our sport; it is a physical beast. Even with power steering and modern seats, the forces exerted on a driver’s lower body during a 500-mile superspeedway race are immense. Braking inputs—while less frequent at Daytona—must be precise, particularly during pit entry, where races are often won or lost.
A standard six-to-eight-week recovery timeline places his potential return right in the middle of Speedweeks. If surgery is required or if there are complications, the No. 6 could see a substitute driver for the season opener.
Brad is no stranger to driving through pain—he won at Pocono in 2011 just days after breaking his ankle—but a leg fracture carries different mechanical implications for operating the pedals than an ankle injury does.
The Clash Conundrum: Who Steps In?
With the Busch Light Clash serving as the traditional curtain-raiser in early February, it is all but guaranteed that Keselowski will not be behind the wheel for the exhibition race. This leaves RFK Racing with a difficult decision to make.
Who gets the keys to one of the most competitive cars in the garage while Brad’s on the mend?
The decision likely splits down two paths: the Veteran or the Future Star.
If the goal is purely data collection and keeping the car in one piece, a veteran free agent makes the most sense. A driver with Cup experience can provide the feedback crew chief Matt McCall needs to keep the team’s notebook relevant for Brad’s return.
However, the more intriguing option lies within the Ford Performance development pipeline. Putting a young talent like Hailie Deegan or perhaps a standout from the truck series like Ty Majeski into the car for the Clash would be a massive marketing play and a genuine “trial by fire.” It’s a low-points-risk environment where a young driver can showcase their raw speed without the pressure of a points standings deficit.
There is also the “Stage 60” factor. RFK has successfully run their third entry with a rotating cast of all-stars. Could we see someone like Matt Crafton or even a road-course specialist drafted in to keep the seat warm?
The Owner-Driver Burden
This injury highlights the unique vulnerability of the owner-driver model. When Brad is hurt, it’s not just the driver who is absent; it’s the captain of the ship. While the management structure at RFK is robust, Keselowski’s presence on the radio and in the hauler is a stabilizing force.
For now, the entire industry waits. We have seen drivers return from injury to do incredible things. If anyone can turn a broken leg into a Daytona rallying cry, it is Brad Keselowski. But for the first time in a long time, the No. 6 team heads to Speedweeks with more questions than answers.
Image Credit: Patrick Vallely