Keselowski Misses Clash Due to Femur Injury; LaJoie Substitutes

Brad Keselowski, the 41-year-old driver and co-owner of RFK Racing, will sit out the preseason Busch Light Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium on February 1, 2026, as he continues recovery from a broken right femur sustained during a family ski trip. In his place, RFK Racing has tapped veteran driver Corey LaJoie to pilot the No. 6 Ford Mustang in the non-points exhibition event.

The injury occurred on December 18, 2025, in Boone, North Carolina. Keselowski slipped on ice while parking his vehicle after dropping off his daughter for ski lessons. The fall resulted in a clean shear of the femur just below his hip, without breaking the skin. He underwent emergency surgery at a local hospital, where doctors inserted titanium hardware to stabilize the bone. The procedure also addressed initial nerve damage that caused a loss of sensation between his knee and hip, though feeling has since begun to return, allowing him limited mobility.

Keselowski has committed to an intensive rehabilitation program, spending six to eight hours daily on strength exercises, icing, and treatments involving pressure, cold, and electrical stimulation under the care of doctors from Atrium Health. He described the...