Brad Keselowski cleared to race in the Daytona 500

One of NASCAR's biggest stars will be able to race for his first Daytona 500 win on Feb. 15. 

On Monday, Keselowski, who broke his leg during a ski trip in December, was officially cleared to race following a test at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Corey LaJoie filled in for Keselowski during the exhibition Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium on Feb. 4. 

Keselowski's first on-track action of 2026 will come in Daytona 500 practice on Wednesday. 

Brad Keselowski returning to Daytona

“Getting cleared was a huge moment for me. You put in the work, you trust the process, but until you hear that final ‘yes,’ nothing is guaranteed,” Keselowski said in a team press release. “Knowing what Daytona means, and how hard it would have been to miss it, made this moment even bigger."

The 41-year-old owner-driver won the 2012 NASCAR Cup Series championship and is a 36-time Cup Series winner. That's easily a Hall of Fame resume, but one that would only be bolstered if Keselowski can win the Daytona 500 for the first time on Feb. 15. 

His No. 6 RFK Racing Ford is certain to be fast, and he'll have three teammates - LaJoie, Chris Buescher and Clash winner Ryan Preece - to work with in the draft.