As the NASCAR regular season surges toward its climax at Daytona’s Coke Zero Sugar 400, scheduled for August 23, 2025, a compelling narrative unfolds. Two drivers, Tyler Reddick and Alex Bowman, are treading the knife-edge of playoff qualification. Austin Dillon’s dramatic win at Richmond Raceway injected urgency into the championship hunt and has put Tyler Reddick and Alex Bowman in precarious positions. 

A new winner at Daytona could upend the standings entirely, leaving room for just one to contend on points. Should that occur, only one among Reddick or Bowman would move forward, and for Reddick, the path would require finishing ninth or better to keep his spot. Amidst this, experts feel there is one guy who could be the potential spoiler, and it’s none other than the 36-time Cup winner Brad Keselowski.

Playoff bubble drama meets a superspeedway fury at Daytona

On the latest episode of Stacking Pennies, Corey LaJoie and Ryan Flores unpacked the unpredictability of superspeedways. “If somebody outside the cut line wins, then there will be one car in on points, and right now, Tyler Reddick is 29 points above Bowman. Unless the 45 has issues early, it is most likely the 45 will be in on points. And I would also say most likely somebody on the outside looking in will win. I’d love to see that. I’ve been hammering the six (Brad Keselowski) all week,” Corey Lajoie said.

The track has long been the equalizer, a place where championships unravel and careers are reborn in the same 400-mile stretch. Reddick, with a 29-point cushion over Bowman, has some control over his playoff fate. But Brad Keselowski has cast himself early as a wildcard with a longstanding affinity for Daytona. Keselowski’s last two finishes in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 have been in the top-10, especially in 2023, where he lost the win to Chris Buescher.

This season, however, has been a stark contrast. Keselowski sits well outside contention with zero wins, eight top-10s, and four top-5s from 25 races, averaging a 20.24 finish and currently ranked 19th, trailing the leader by over 340 points. His performance has fallen well short of expectations, though he remains optimistic about his team’s potential. 

“I think the six is probably the most aggressive super speed racer. With that being said, a lot of the time it crashes, but he’s great there,” Flores added. Since forming RFK Racing, Keselowski has curated a track record that includes winning a Bluegreen Vacations Duel and contending in his Daytona 500 return. Throughout his Cup career, Keselowski has 19 top-10 finishes at Daytona, which displays his expertise for the superspeedway mayhem. But Daytona doesn’t play by paper rules. Superspeedway racing erases margins and elevates instinct, and that’s where the driver of the No. 6 Ford still shines.

Keselowski’s ability to control lanes, force runs, and time momentum has kept him at the front of countless Daytona battles, even as his seasons elsewhere sputtered. That reputation makes him the nightmare scenario for playoff-edgy drivers like Tyler Reddick and Alex Bowman. One bold move can flip the entire playoff narrative. For Keselowski, it’s not just another race; it’s the one chance to remind the field that even in a season of struggle, his superspeedway craft remains lethal.

Brad Keselowski turns Zilisch’s scare into a cautionary laugh

Brad Keselowski didn’t mince words after Connor Zilisch’s Victory Lane spill at Watkins Glen. Once Zilisch was confirmed to be fine, Keselowski told FOX’s booth he’d rethink the roof-climb routine: “Probably not. I think I’ll just grab my American flag and stand outside of it. But sure, scary man. I called Adam Alexander [NASCAR commentator] yesterday because now that we know Connor’s okay, it is one of the funniest damn videos I’ve ever seen in my life. And we’ve all had our moments.”

When Zilisch attempted to stand on the car after winning the Xfinity Series Mission 200 on August 9, his foot got caught in the window area, causing him to tumble. Medical personnel responded, and The CW broadcast cut away as he fell head-first on the concrete. Zilisch was sent to be evaluated; scans revealed a broken collarbone but no signs of head injury. The following day, Trackhouse canceled his scheduled Cup start. Citing the rarity of the incident, NASCAR stated that it would not restrict post-race festivities; nevertheless, authorities noted that window nets would be closely monitored moving forward. Keselowski’s response combined empathy with bleak humor, a tactic used by drivers in a sport where vulnerability and victory can coexist.

After Zilisch’s health was established, he gave him praise and then utilized the occasion to emphasize the importance of exercising caution to win in the future. “The funniest part to me was Adam just saying, ‘Oh my god, he fell.’ And my wife and I, we’ve had a lot of fun with that. But if you do this sport long enough, you’re bound to have a moment that you wish you could have back. And, I’ve got quite a few of them, and Connor got his first one,” he said.

Alexander’s call made them laugh, but they also acknowledged the fear that had preceded it. In a week that began with a widely shared gasp and concluded with hospital updates, Keselowski’s takeaway was simple: celebrate smart, keep the flag handy, and make sure the window net isn’t part of the party.