DAYTONA BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 11: Brad Keselowski 6 RFK Racing Castrol Ford is being interviewed during Media Day for the NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Series Daytona 500 on February 11, 2026 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, FL. Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire AUTO: FEB 11 NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 Media Day EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon2602110359500
DAYTONA BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 11: Brad Keselowski 6 RFK Racing Castrol Ford is being interviewed during Media Day for the NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Series Daytona 500 on February 11, 2026 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, FL. Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire AUTO: FEB 11 NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 Media Day EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon2602110359500
Feb 16, 2026, 5:26 PM CUT
Brad Keselowski Publicly Blames Michael Jordan's Driver After Daytona Heartbreak
Brad Keselowski is starting the NASCAR season with a grudge. After a final-lap crash cost him a shot at the Daytona 500, he publicly blamed one of 23XI's drivers for a move that ended his race
“The 35 [Herbst] just wrecked me out of nowhere for no reason. That was one of the dumbest things I've ever seen,” Keselowski told reporters outside the medical centre.
It all came to a head on the final lap. As Tyler Reddick fought for the lead, Riley Herbst tried to protect his position. Just as Brad Keselowski tried to make a move around the outside, Riley Herbst threw a block.
DAYTONA BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 13: Brad Keselowski 6 RFK Racing Castrol Ford talks with his crew prior to practice for the NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Series Daytona 500 on February 13, 2026 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach,FL. Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire AUTO: FEB 13 NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon2602132903500
DAYTONA BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 13: Brad Keselowski 6 RFK Racing Castrol Ford talks with his crew prior to practice for the NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Series Daytona 500 on February 13, 2026 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach,FL. Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire AUTO: FEB 13 NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon2602132903500
Keselowski’s front-left tire was buried into Herbst’s rear-right, and it triggered a massive wreck. Tyler Reddick won the race while Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Joey Logano, Elliott, and Keselowski were all wrecked in finishing second through fifth.
"He had no chance of blocking my run. I had a huge run. I don't know if I could have gotten the 45 [of Reddick] or the 47 [of Stenhouse] but I would have liked to find out because my run was coming fast and the 35 just wiped himself and us. Pretty stupid.”
In past Daytona 500 races, Keselowski has had multiple close calls. He even had back-to-back top 5 finishes in 2013 and 2014. This year again it marked a heartbreaking near-miss for Keselowski, who had navigated traffic perfectly throughout the 200-lap at Daytona.
And that’s what the 23XI driver was trying to do as well.
Riley Herbst Explained His Side of The Story
In a post-race interview, Herbst admitted he was gunning for the top spot as well.
"We got all spread out wide down the back straightaway, and obviously I chose to go with the 45, pushed him, and he made that move on the 9 [of Elliott] to go side-by-side and I don't know truly what happened,”
He went on to address Keselowski’s comments and his attempt to win the race as well.
"It’s fractions of a second," Herbst said. "And we're trying to win the Daytona 500. Brad's been trying to win for [years]. He will tell you that it's a matter of inches, and we're on the wrong side of inches.”
It was a celebration for Herbst regardless, as his teammate, Tyler Reddick, claimed his first victory at the Daytona 500. This year's Daytona clash once again reminded us that in a single block and wreck in razor-thin margins of superspeedways.
You can read more at the RFK Racing Digest!
Written by
Kaamna Dwivedi
Edited by
Siddharth Shirwadkar