Entering the 2026 Daytona 500, there were concerns around if the 42-year-old Brad Keselowski could even run the full race. He showed up to the track with a walking cane, following a December fall that left him with a broken femur.
But Keselowski quickly returned to form, and was a contender throughout Sunday’s 68th running of the Daytona 500 — his 17th start in ‘The Great American Race.’
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Exiting Turn 4, he had a massive run. A push from 23XI teammate Riley Herbst helped Tyler Reddick making the winning pass, but Herbst was still eying 500 glory for himself. He went to the outside of Chase Elliott in the pass for second, but Keselowski was already there with a helpful push from Logano.
As the two drivers went for the same piece of race track, a massive crash ensued across the line with Keselowski finishing fifth, suffering heavy nose-damage. Keselowski was frustrated afterwards, and openly criticized, who at the same time was being praised by 23XI co-owner Michael Jordan for helping Reddick to win the 500.
Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing Toyota, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet, Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford, Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Riley Herbst, 23XI Racing Toyota
Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing Toyota, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet, Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford, Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Riley Herbst, 23XI Racing Toyota
“That was one of the dumbest things I’ve ever seen,” said Keselowski. “He had no chance of blocking my run. I had a huge run, I don’t know if I could have gotten the 45 [Reddick], but I would have liked to have found out because my run was coming fast. The 35 [Herbst] just wrecked us in itself.
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Keselowski then added: “I thought, well, you know, a one-lane block kind of makes sense, but to block from the very bottom all the way to the top and wreck yourself and everybody else is just stupid. Very, very stupid.”
The positive for Keselowski, beyond still scoring a top five finish, is that his leg felt fine. It didn’t bother him during the race, and he exited the car under his own power. “Felt really good in the car, felt really good getting through the crash, and I’m happy for that.”
However, video shows that Herbst was holding the middle lane before trying to come up into Keselowski’s lane to pass Elliott, but the late block still resulted in a massive crash. In the end, it was another possible Daytona 500 victory slipping through his fingertips, and a winless streak that now sits at 60 races.
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