RFK Racing's Brad Keselowski broke his right femur as a result of a fall while getting out of his car on a skip trip back in mid-December. He underwent surgery for the injury, and there were immediately questions about his status for the start of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season.
As expected, Keselowski missed the preseason Cook Out Clash exhibition race at Bowman Gray Stadium. Corey LaJoie was called upon to fill in for him behind the wheel of the No. 6 Ford.
Keselowski stated back in January that in order to be cleared to compete in this weekend's official season-opening Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway, he needed to no longer be prescribed any pain medication, be able to walk at a reasonable level, be able to get in and out of his race car, and have some sign of bone regeneration.
Brad Keselowski awaits Daytona 500 approval
He noted that he does not currently have a valid NASCAR driver's license, and he confirmed on Friday that his approval test had been pushed back to Monday to determine whether or not he would be able to compete this week.
On-track action is scheduled to commence with practice on Wednesday, followed by the single-car qualifying session at the four-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) high-banked Daytona Beach, Florida oval. Thursday is set to feature the two 60-lap American 250 Florida Duel races.
My final approval test has been moved to Monday due to weather https://t.co/9uZQtz8uZ5
— Brad Keselowski (@keselowski) February 6, 2026
Keselowski's approval, or lack thereof, could have major ramifications. In addition to Keselowski being a favorite whenever the Cup Series visits a superspeedway, even though he is still seeking his first Daytona 500 victory, RFK Racing have already announced LaJoie has the driver of a fourth non-chartered car, the No. 99 Ford.
If Keselowski is unable to compete, would LaJoie shift over to the No. 6 Ford, thus locking him into the race? That seems like the most logical option, but what would become of the No. 99 car? Would there simply be 44 cars on the entry list instead of 45, notably with seven going for the four open spots instead of eight?
NASCAR fans continue to wait with bated breath to see if the 2012 series champion is cleared to compete in this year's running of the "Great American Race".
Update: Keselowski has been cleared to compete.
Fox Sports 1 is set to provide live qualifying and Duel coverage on Wednesday and Thursday. Fox is set to provide live coverage of the Daytona 500 beginning at 2:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, February 15. Start a free trial of FuboTV and don't miss any of the action!