It’s not easy being a NASCAR driver, and Brad Keselowski’s Cup star knows it better than most. Staying away from family for most parts of the year, working relentlessly through 36 Sundays, a NASCAR driver is bound to get worn out, especially when one feels on the brink of losing all the time. However, in a change of fate and after a stellar weekend at the Clash at the Bowman Gray Stadium, Keselowski’s driver didn’t hesitate to get real on the grind and the effort that brought him to this very moment, crediting his family’s support.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
Ryan Preece immediately pointed to his wife, ahead of the Daytona 500 weekend, after his win at the exhibition race.
“So I’m sure, yeah, there was a brief moment of time where we weren’t running good and whatever it may be, that I probably wasn’t the easiest person to live with, but that’s the thing. Heather’s been there with me through the highs, and she’s been there with me through the lows. So it’s great that we’re able to share the fact that we have two great kids. I have a four-month-old and a two-and-a-half-year-old,” he said.
Ryan Preece’s words hit at the emotional core for many athletes’ experiences, but for Preece, that pressure isn’t abstract; it’s deeply personal. Throughout his long time through NASCAR ranks, family has been his anchor.
But it hasn’t always been easy balancing a demanding NASCAR career with family life. He met his wife, Heather DesRochers, at Stafford Motor Speedway in 2009. Both were competitors in local racing and shared a passion for motorsport long before his career took off.
After marrying in 2017, the couple lived in Connecticut until late 2018, when the now RFK racing driver decided to pursue his full-time NASCAR dream, prompting a major life shift. Heather left her job as an elementary school teacher, and the family moved south, an emotionally tough transition.
She later took on homeschooling to support their children’s education around the NASCAR schedule.
The Preeces welcomed their daughter, Rebecca Marie, in August 2023 and celebrated the birth of their son, Bentley Ryan, in October 2025, further deepening their commitment to raising a young family amid the pressure of cup competition.
But the NASCAR path wasn’t smooth. Before joining RFK Racing in 2025, Preece’s Cup career was marked by uncertainty and unfulfilled potential despite flashes of competitiveness.
Ryan Preece admits while he was struggling to find success in the #NASCAR Cup Series, he likely wasn’t a good person to live with. However, he credits his with Heather for sticking with him through the highs and the lows. Also, how did his children find out about his Clash win? pic.twitter.com/lxXZpQIy65
— Toby Christie (@Toby_Christie) February 11, 2026
After two seasons with Stewart-Haas Racing and a notable pole at Richmond in 2025, he still hadn’t visited Victory Lane in 223 Cup starts, a statistic that gnawed at him.
That emotional toll of constant travel, near misses, and the feeling that he was just shy of success often meant long stretches away from his family, leaving him to wrestle with self-doubt and wonder if the sacrifices were worth it.
For a driver who grew up racing modifieds and worked tirelessly to climb the ladder, that period became the darkest of his NASCAR life, with every race weekend feeling like another chance slipping away.
However, everything changed at the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium. In near-freezing conditions and a snow-affected 200-lap race, the 35-year-old finally broke through, leading late and holding off top competition to win the clash, his first victory at the Cup Series level, even if it was an exhibition race.
Though his family wasn’t physically there due to the cold and their young age, their presence was felt, and the Connecticut native openly admitted that missing them at that moment reminded him why the hard road was worth every challenge.
With momentum on his side, RFK Racing prepares for the Daytona 500 with more rigor as Brad Keselowski marks his comeback to the No. 6 Ford.
Keselowski gets cleared for the Daytona 500
Brad Keselowski has been given the green light to compete in the upcoming Daytona 500 after suffering a major leg injury, marking a determined return to NASCAR’s biggest race.
The RFK driver broke his femur two months ago but showed up at Daytona media day with a custom-decorated cane supporting his injured right leg, a visible sign of his commitment to race despite the setback.
Keselowski’s injury occurred in mid-December when he slipped on ice during his family ski trip, shattering his femur in a much more severe incident than his previous broken ankle at Road Atlanta in 2011.
During interviews at Daytona, the 41-year-old shared just how intense it was. The pain was when the injury occurred, describing an immediate reaction that even through a historic comparison.
“When I was laying on the ground and I was completely immobile immediately after I broke my leg, what was going through my mind was like, ‘Oh my God.’ Like, think about the soldiers in the Civil War. Like, they just would cut their leg off right here,” he said.
“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. I get why they would bring out the hacksaw. There was a part of me that was like, that might actually feel better.”
Though Keselowski is confident he can compete in Daytona, he also recognizes that his recovery is still unpredictable.
Veteran driver David Ragan will be on standby at Daytona as a relief option if needed, and sports car specialist Joey Hand has been named as the backup for the March 1 Circuit of the Americas race.
These precautions underline the reality that Keselowski’s return, while inspiring, is still dependent on how his body responds in the coming weeks.