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Brad Keselowski is a NASCAR Cup Series champion. He’s got 36 Cup wins to his credit. In 2022, he added team co-owner to his resume when he moved from Team Penske to Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing.
The 41-year-old will be the first one to admit that the 2025 campaign hasn’t gotten off to a great start. Through the first quarter of the season (nine races), the No. 6 driver hasn’t recorded a single top-10 result. In fact, his best finish is an 11th at Las Vegas. Conversely, he’s scored six finishes of 26th or worse. All of it combined equals a dismal average finishing position of 25.0.
For Keselowski fans, Sunday’s race at Talladega provides hope. That’s because the 2.66-mile superspeedway is unquestionably his best track. In 32 career races, he’s recorded six wins, his most at any track. While he hasn’t won there since 2021, he’s had some strong performances as of late, including a pair of runner-up results in 2024.
On Saturday morning, Keselowski qualified 22nd, which was the same spot he qualified in the 2024 spring race when he eventually finished second.
Hands down top-10 worst invention in automotive history https://t.co/HKZSPsCnrS
— Brad Keselowski (@keselowski) April 27, 2025
On Saturday evening, the driver/co-owner was perusing social media and saw a post on X that got his attention. It showed a photo of the auto start-stop switch on a car and said: “I can’t express how much I despise this system. Dumbest invention ever.”
Keselowski, who is known for his business acumen in addition to his driving ability, offered a sharp response. “Hands down top-10 worst invention in automotive history,” he replied.
In the midst of a 32-race winless streak, Keselowski hopes to get back to Victory Lane at Talladega on Sunday. The race coverage begins at 3 p.m. ET on Fox.
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Bobby Dale Earnhardt Ignites a 2026 ARCA Menards Power Surge by Joining Forces With Rise Motorsports
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Shares the Reason JRM Will Re-enter the Daytona 500 Field Post-2025
There is something undeniable about the pull of Daytona International Speedway. It’s a siren song that calls to every racer, mechanic, and fan who has ever smelled burnt rubber and high-octane fuel. But for the Earnhardt family? That place is practically sacred ground. It’s where legends were made, where hearts were broken, and where history is written at 200 miles per hour.So, when the news dropped that JR Motorsports (JRM) is loading up the hauler to take another swing at the Great American Race in 2026, it felt right. It felt like the universe was aligning. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his sister Kelley Earnhardt Miller aren’t just owners. They are racers down to their marrow. And as Dale Jr. revealed recently, the motivation behind this return isn’t complicated corporate strategy or 4D chess. It’s simple, raw, and honest: They just want to race. The Earnhardt Philosophy: Racers Gonna Race If you tuned into the Dale Jr. Download on Monday, you heard the passion in his voice. There’s a purity to it that you don’t always find in modern professional sports. When asked why they are putting themselves through the grinder of qualifying for the Daytona 500 again, Earnhardt didn’t pull out a spreadsheet. He pointed to the racer’s spirit. “Kelley will tell you that we race,” Earnhardt said. “We got a chance to go race, we race. We just wanna race.”That statement right there? That is the ethos of a family that changed the sport forever. But let’s be real for a second passion doesn’t pay the tire bill. Earnhardt was candid about the financial reality of the situation. The Daytona 500 stands alone as a unique beast where the risk-to-reward ratio actually makes sense for an open team. Trying to run a one-off Cup race at a random intermediate track in July? That’s a quick way to burn cash. But Daytona? With the eyes of the world watching and partners willing to back the effort, it’s the one stage where the math works as well as the heart does. Getting the Band Back Together For fans of JRM, the 2026 entry feels like a reunion tour of a classic rock band. Justin Allgaier, the newly crowned Xfinity Series champion, is back behind the wheel of the No. 40 Chevrolet. And if Earnhardt has his way, the pit box will look familiar, too. The chemistry between a driver and crew chief is everything. It’s the difference between a trophy and a DNF. Earnhardt was clear about his desire to keep the magic alive by pairing Allgaier with veteran crew chief Greg Ives again. “I would have everything as it was,” Earnhardt admitted. “That was a great, fun group of people. They all wanted to be there. They all cared about it. “Seeing that kind of loyalty and continuity is special. It turns a business venture into a family affair. When you have guys like Rodney Childers hopping on social media to hype up the car, and shop employees treating the No. 40 like the flagship vessel of the fleet, you know you’ve got lightning in a bottle. That shared ownership, that collective pride that is the secret sauce that JRM has brewed up in Mooresville. The Nerves and the Earnhardt Reality Check However, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. As much as we love the romance of a Daytona return, the racetrack doesn’t care about your last name or your feelings. Attempting to make the Daytona 500 as an open team is one of the most stressful, ulcer-inducing experiences in motorsports. You are not locked in. You are not guaranteed a Sunday start. You have to earn it, either on the stopwatch or through the Duel races. Earnhardt is keenly aware of this. He’s been around long enough to know that confidence can be dangerous at the World Center of Racing.”You got to rein all the expectations back in,” Earnhardt cautioned. “We just got to get in the show.” It’s a humble approach from a guy who could easily walk around with a swagger. He knows the new body style brings unknowns. He knows that pure qualifying speed was a struggle last time. There is a very real scenario in which they have to race their way in on Thursday night, with 40 cars drafting inches apart and disaster lurking around every corner. A Star-Studded Partnership Adding to the excitement is the return of a partnership that fits NASCAR like a glove. Chris Stapleton and his Traveller Whiskey brand are back on the hood. You’ve got the biggest name in country music teaming up with the biggest name in racing royalty. It’s a crossover that just works. Final Thoughts But at the end of the day, all the sponsorship and hype fade away when the engines fire. What remains is the car, the driver, and the track. For Dale Earnhardt Jr., the moment of truth isn’t the checkered flag it’s that Sunday morning feeling. It’s pushing the car onto the grid, standing next to his driver, and soaking in the electricity of the Daytona 500.”That’s a proud moment,” Earnhardt said. And come February 2026, we’ll all be watching, hoping to see that No. 40 car roaring where it belongs.
Aaron Rodgers explains his criteria for playing Sunday vs. Bears
Aaron Rodgers has always been a tough quarterback. He has dealt with several injuries throughout the course of his career, but he's always done everything he could to see the field. That's no different now that he's with the Pittsburgh Steelers and dealing with a fracture in his left (non-throwing) wrist. Rodgers injured himself against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, but he's already talking about trying to get back for Pittsburgh's Week 12 contest against the Chicago Bears. In fact, he revealed on Wednesday that he will try things out at practice before this week is over. "It feels better than it did Sunday, that's for sure," Rodgers said Wednesday afternoon, according to Brooke Pryor of ESPN. "... Was thankful to get today to work with [head athletic trainer Gabe Amponsah] and just focus on rehab for today. Trying to get back on the field tomorrow and see what I can do." Aaron Rodgers going to test out his wrist injury on Thursday Rodgers wants to be able to play against the Bears, a team he has owned throughout the years, but he's also saying that he'll be cautious. Remember, he is just weeks away from turning 42. A fractured wrist would be tough to play with at 24. As anyone who has ever gotten older would attest, things tend to hurt even more as you age. Throw in the fact that Rodgers is playing perhaps the most physical sport on Earth, and it makes sense that he does have a very specific standard that he must meet before he decides if he can play — and it has nothing to do with pain. "It's a safety thing," Rodgers said. Rodgers has played in 29 regular-season games against the Bears in his NFL career. Including two playoff wins, he boasts a 26-5 record against them. Since he last squared off with Chicago as the quarterback of the Green Bay Packers in 2022, he had won nine games in a row against the Bears. If he feels he can keep himself safe on Sunday, you can bet he's going to try to play.
Packers Receive Disappointing Injury News Before Vikings Matchup
Jayden Reed’s anticipated return to the practice field for the Green Bay Packers will have to wait a little longer. Despite some growing hope earlier this week that the dynamic wide receiver could begin the next phase of his recovery, head coach Matt LaFleur confirmed Wednesday that Reed will not open his 21-day practice window yet. “He’s not practicing today,” LaFleur said ahead of Sunday’s critical matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. When pressed for a clearer timeline on the second-year standout, who remains on injured reserve with collarbone and foot injuries, LaFleur deferred to the medical staff. “I don’t know. As soon as medical clears him, he’ll be out there,” LaFleur said. “I know he’s excited to get back. As am I.” The optimism had spiked in recent days. On Monday, LaFleur indicated there was a chance Reed and/or rookie running back MarShawn Lloyd could start their practice windows this week. Reed himself fueled the excitement Tuesday by sharing a photo of himself dressed in full uniform on social media. Those plans, however, are now on hold. Reed’s surgically repaired foot seems to have healed satisfactorily, but the collarbone—fractured on a diving attempt during the first half of Green Bay’s Week 2 victory over the Washington Commanders—still needs additional time. For a wide receiver whose job involves regular physical contact and the risk of landing hard on the shoulder, the medical staff is requiring clear imaging evidence that the bone is strong enough before green-lighting a return. The cautious approach echoes the Packers’ handling of Aaron Rodgers’ similar collarbone injury in 2017, when the former quarterback sat out seven games while waiting for full healing. Nearly 10 weeks removed from the injury and having already missed eight contests, Reed could still require another one to two weeks before doctors are comfortable clearing him for football activities. That timeline keeps a potential return for the Thanksgiving night clash with the Detroit Lions or the following week against the Chicago Bears realistically in play. Before the injury, Reed had established himself as Green Bay’s top receiving weapon. He paced the team in receiving yards in both 2023 and 2024, and in the two games he played this season while managing the foot issue, he recorded three receptions for 45 yards and a touchdown. The Green Bay Packers will continue their Week 12 preparations without their leading wideout on the practice field, with LaFleur and the organization prioritizing full recovery over a rushed comeback.
No. 4 Arizona accomplishes rare feat in thrilling road win over No. 3 UConn
The fourth-ranked Arizona Wildcats are putting a strong resume together and it is just the third week of the college basketball season. After riding freshman Koa Peat's sensational debut to an opening-night win over then-No. 3 Florida, the Wildcats added another impressive win on Wednesday night with a 71-67 victory at No. 3 UConn. Although Arizona led by as many as 13 in the second half, a 17-5 run from the Huskies made it a one-point game with 4:41 to play. UConn even held a 64-63 lead with just over a minute to play before Arizona took charge and accomplished something rarely seen in the sport. Arizona joins exclusive list after latest win over top-three opponent According to ESPN's Jeff Borzello, Arizona (5-0) is just the third team in AP poll history to have multiple wins over top-three opponents in its first five games of the season and the first since Kansas in the 1989-90 season (h/t ESPN Research). As Borzello noted, UConn was without leading scorer Tarris Reed Jr., who was sidelined with an ankle injury. While that certainly was a tough break for UConn in a top-five matchup, Arizona still had to take advantage and it did just that. Although the Wildcats were terrible from long-range (2-of-10), they outrebounded the Huskies, 43-23, and outscored them, 42-24, in the paint. Senior guard Jaden Bradley led the way with 21 points (6-of-13 FG), including this clutch layup to extend Arizona's lead to three with 16.3 seconds left. The freshman Peat was not far behind with 16 points (7-of-14 FG) and 12 rebounds as Arizona appeared to be the aggressor for much of the game. Arizona continues to ace tough nonconference schedule Wednesday night marked the third of five scheduled ranked matchups prior to the start of Big 12 play. Along with wins over Florida and UConn, the Wildcats also took down then-No. 15 UCLA, 69-65, on Friday. The schedule lets up through the end of November, but back-to-back games against No. 22 Auburn (Dec. 6) and No. 11 Alabama (Dec. 13) will provide two more tests for Arizona before a grueling Big 12 slate takes shape in January. Arizona may not be the top team in the country at the moment, but if it continues to pile up signature wins and handle tough road environments like it did on Wednesday night, it will only strengthen its case.
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