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Brad Keselowski’s resume is filled with NASCAR accolades, but a Daytona 500 win continues to elude him. As the RFK Racing owner/driver prepares for his 15th Daytona 500 this Sunday, Keselowski suggested he simply hasn’t been selected to win the Great American Race.

“The Daytona 500 just feels like a race you don’t win, you get chosen to win,” Keselowski told Fox Sports’ Bob Pockrass. “So, all you can really do is put yourself in the best position and hope you’re chosen.”

Keselowski said viewing past Daytona 500s can often result in head-scratching, questioning how a particular driver won the race.

“There wasn’t a move that won it for them, it just kind of fell in their lap,” he said. “And that part gets super frustrating.”

The Daytona 500 been a notably frustrating race for Keselowski. He’s seemingly had the car to beat on several occasions over the last decade, but the results never come his way.

Daytona International Speedway sign
Daytona International Speedway | iStock

Last season, Keselowski led 42 of 200 laps, won the first stage and appeared to be a car to beat. That proved true as he continued to lead late in the race. However, a caution forced the race into a second overtime period, and he was forced to pit for fuel. He was subsequently involved in a last-lap wreck and placed 22nd.

Keselowski started on the front row of the overtime period in the 2022 Daytona 500. However, he was relegated back to ninth in the last-lap dash.

In 2021 Keselowski tangled with Joey Logano attempting a pass for the lead on the backstretch of the last lap.

Keselowski’s was vying for the lead with 17 laps to go in the 2020 Daytona 500 when he was involved in a wreck.

“The last three years I feel like I’ve put ourselves in position to win the race, and it falls apart in ways you’re like, I just feel like I wasn’t chosen,” Keselowski said. “I feel like there’s a divine power in it, and it just wasn’t for me, right.”

These races have replayed in Keselowski’s head over the last decade, he said. Further suggesting he hasn’t been “chosen” to win, and underscoring his frustration at the results, Keselowski said he doesn’t feel like he could have done anything differently.

However, the driver of the No. 6 Ford has reason to be confident he will have a car that can compete for the win of this year’s Daytona 500. Keselowski said the new 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse is primed to be fast throughout the season. RFK Racing has also been a formidable force on superspeedways as of late. Keselowski was second in the fall 2023 Daytona race behind winner and teammate Chris Buescher. Both drivers earned a top five last season at Talladega.

A win in this year’s 500 would also end a 98-race winless streak for Keselowski. The 2012 Cup Series champion’s last victory was the 2021 spring Talladega race.

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Joe Parker

Joe Parker is an expert in new cars, trucks, and SUVs — particularly their driving dynamics, features, and real-world pragmatism — gleaning his first-hand perspectives through his testing and reviewing of hundreds of new models since 2018.

His motorsports coverage reflects his hands-on hours behind the wheel. A recipient of over 20 awards from several state and national journalism associations, Joe is a member of the Greater Atlanta Automotive Media Association (GAAMA) and the Southeast Region Automotive Media Association (SERAMA).