NASCAR driver Brad Keselowski shared the intense pain he endured after breaking his right leg during a family ski trip in December, revealing the injury almost ended his racing career. The 2012 Cup Series champion described the injury’s severity and the emotional toll it took on him while recovering ahead of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway.
Unbearable Pain and Dark Thoughts During Recovery
Keselowski recounted how the agony was so overwhelming that it brought to mind the harsh realities faced by soldiers in the Civil War.
“What was going through my mind was like, ‘Oh my God. Think about the soldiers in the Civil War,’”
he said.
“They just would cut their leg off right here. And I understood why they would do it because it hurt so bad. It was by far the worst pain I’ve ever went through.”
The driver confessed he even considered that amputation might be a relief.
“I get why they would bring out the hacksaw. There was part of me that’s like, ‘That might actually feel better,’”
Keselowski added.
The Severity and Challenges of a Femur Fracture
The injury Keselowski suffered was a broken femur, the largest and most complex bone in the human body, presenting unique challenges in healing. He explained,
“It’s hard to explain to people that have never broken their femur before what it’s like. It’s not the same as breaking your leg below your knee. Your femur is the biggest bone in your body. It’s got a lot of things running through it, and it has to heal. You can’t really cast it. You can’t do any of those things. You just kind of have to tough it out.”
Surgery and Uncertain Road to Recovery
Following the accident, Keselowski underwent surgery the very next day and embarked on a demanding rehabilitation process. Early in the recovery, the uncertainty was daunting.
“I’m eight weeks in, and until about three-to-five weeks in, there was a question if I was going to walk again, let alone drive a race car,”
he revealed.
“Those were the thoughts that were going through my mind.”
Despite the fear, Keselowski maintained determination to work hard and face any outcome head-on.
“I was confident I was going to put the work in, and I was going to own whatever result there was,”
he stated.
“There were certainly a lot of moments where you’re like, ‘Ooh, this isn’t a layup.’”
Impact on Racing Schedule and Current Condition
The injury caused Keselowski to miss the recent exhibition Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. However, after passing a driving test at Charlotte Motor Speedway, he was cleared to compete in the No. 6 Ford for RFK Racing at the Daytona 500. During media day, Keselowski walked with a cane adorned with sponsor decals, a visual reminder of his ongoing recovery. Although medically cleared to race, the full healing process is expected to take about six months from the injury date.
Real Test Awaits on the Track
While Keselowski can now drive, the true challenge will come during actual racing, where the demands on his leg intensify.
“Until you get in a race car going 190 miles an hour, you don’t know. You don’t know how it’s going to feel,”
he said. One difficult aspect is the movement required to get in and out of the race car, which places significant strain on his leg still in recovery. His honest discussion sheds light on the physical difficulties NASCAR drivers may endure, even when not on the track itself.
