Brad Keselowski won’t be racing at the preseason Clash. But the veteran driver remains in great spirits and insists he’ll be ready when it matters most. The driver is vowing to return for the Daytona 500 despite breaking his right femur in a freak accident on December 18.
However, Keselowski is suffering from his femur injury, and Corey LaJoie is set to replace him on February 1 for the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium.
Can Brad Keselowski Recover Before the Daytona 500?
The injury occurred during a ski trip when Keselowski slipped and fell on ice while getting out of his vehicle, shearing his femur in which required emergency surgery at a hospital in Boone, North Carolina.
“EXCLUSIVE: Brad Keselowski Will Miss Clash Amid Recovery From Broken Femur … Corey LaJoie will fill in for Keselowski at the Clash. What Keselowski said about his broken leg, how it happened and his recovery: @NASCARONFOX” Fox Sports reporter Bob Pockrass wrote. , a motorsport reporter for Fox Sports.
RFK Racing reserve driver Corey LaJoie will replace Keselowski at the Clash on February 1 at Bowman Gray Stadium and will serve as his standby driver for the start of the season. The decision to sit out the exhibition race came after careful consideration between Keselowski and his team.
Meanwhile, Keselowski’s recovery has been nothing short of grueling. He spends six to eight hours daily in rehabilitation, enduring brutal workouts and treatments he describes as devices that are “either shocking you, squeezing you or freezing you.”
The normal recovery time for this type of injury ranges from 8 to 12 weeks, with his rehab being directed by a team from Atrium Health.
“I’ve been doing this racing thing for a while, and I broke fingers, wrists, ribs, ankle,” Keselowski said. “Before I was in racing, I broke my nose. I will tell you, none of them come close to hurting as bad as breaking your femur.”
MORE: Brad Keselowski Keeps Spirits High With Lighthearted Injury Update Ahead of Daytona 500
But the 41-year-old driver maintains an optimistic outlook. He hopes to undergo a medical evaluation test on February 5 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, where NASCAR rules allow for a closed test with limited tires, enabling a driver and his doctors to demonstrate race readiness. His return hinges on three key conditions: not requiring prescribed pain medication, being able to walk reasonably well and get in and out of the car, and showing signs of bone regeneration.
“I’m not great, but I’m good,” Keselowski said. “I’m recovering really well. I had a major injury. I’m on a significant rehab plan to be back for the Daytona 500. … I’m now made of titanium in my leg,” he added.
Keselowski said, “I was thinking I was having one the worst days of my life, I was in agonizing pain and all kinds of problems going on,” and also added, “And then you see something like that, you just think to yourself, ‘My problems can be way worse.'”
Despite the setback, Keselowski remains determined about his racing future and said that he wants to run into his late 40s. NASCAR fans will be delighted to see the veteran reporting for duty at Daytona next month.