If Brad Keselowski Is Out For The 500, Who Should Replace Him In The No.6?
Unfortunately, Brad Keselowski has suffered an injury on a skiing trip and needed surgery on his now broken leg. Right now, the timeline of his recovery is unknown, and at 38, with the Great American Race two months away. This leaves Roush and all of NASCAR with an important question.
Harrison Burton Is A Great Candidate!
It’s true that Harrison Burton recently divorced Ford this offseason, going to the Toyotas of Sam Hunt Racing. If Ford and Burton left on good terms, however, then there really isn’t anyone better to replace the Polish American in the six for the 500. After all, there aren’t a lot of drivers who have won in Daytona in the Cup Series, as Burton did in 2024, who aren’t already in a Cup Series ride full-time
. Not only that, but Burton did great last season. Making the playoffs with a young team coming off a bad season, who never made the playoffs before, and who was bought out earlier this offseason. Harrison Burton is a talent worthy of being in the Daytona 500 this upcoming February.
Next up to replace Keselowski: How about Nick Sanchez?
The former ARCA champion and Truck Series rookie of the year is currently without a ride for 2026. Having been fired by Big Machine Racing in the middle of the offseason. This makes the up-and-coming Miami-born driver a free agent, and with all his talent, any manufacturer should be doing whatever they can to get him to come over to their camp.
This is where Ford could swing with a promise of him doing his first-ever Daytona 500 in a competitive car in Keselowski’s 6. But this wouldn’t only be to woo a promising young driver. Nick Sanchez, even in his short NASCAR career, has shown a lot of skill and winning speed at plate tracks like Daytona.He even won his first-ever truck race at Daytona on opening day for the series.
Then his only ever Xfinity win with Big Machine Racing came at Atlanta, another plate track. It’s a win for Sanchez, as it puts him in a ride for the opening weekend, and it potentially opens the door for another major opportunity with Ford to restart his career with. And it’s a win for Ford, as it means potentially wooing a promising young driver to help develop into a Cup Series superstar and someone who could win a race like the 500.
How About Another former Ford Man Like Kaz Grala?
Kaz Grala might seem left field, but not if you look closer. Grala does have a Daytona win in trucks, which stands as his only win in NASCAR’s top three series so far. More than the Daytona win, however, he’s proven he can perform in complex, unexpected circumstances.
Look at his first-ever Cup Series start in 2020! He replaced Dillon after he tested positive forย COVID-19 in the iconic three-car. At the Daytona road course, he went off to finish seventh. But that wasn’t even the first time he’s done so, so his 2018 Xfinity season is even more impressive.His team, JGL, shut down midseason due to financial trouble, so his dad bought the team and renamed it Fury Race Cars.
He raced part-time for the rest of the season. And he did even better with them than JGL. Getting four top tens in eleven races. If Grala and Ford left on good terms, there is no reason not to set him up to replace Keselowski unless they want to go after the two drivers mentioned above, of course.
How About Parker Kligerman?
Who says lightning can’t strike twice? Last year, when Kligerman replaced Zilisch mid-race after the collarbone injury he dealt with due to his victory lane tumble. He went on to get the upset win with the JRM No. 88 in NASCAR’s second tier. And guess at what track? That’s right, Daytona USA!
Plus, it’s not the only time Kligerman not only replaced a driver but even subbed for Keselowski. As in 2010, he qualified Keselowski for the Nationwide Series race at Gateway, which Keselowski drove and even won. So he’s more familiar with his driving style than most. Making him more likely to feel comfy in that car.
Lastly, How Does Corey LaJoie Sound?
Corey Lajoie is a Cup Series veteran who’s had lots of time in the Next Gen at plate tracks and has proven he can get results at plate tracks in Cup, too. He’s gotten three Cup Series top tens at Daytona, including a fourth-place finish at the 2024 Daytona 500.
And he did drive a Ford last year at Daytona with RWR, making him much more comfortable with Ford’s new model, which, it should be mentioned, he had a great run with! So put him in a better ride and let’s see what happens. Thanks a bunch for reading!
