CONCORD, N.C. — Brad Keselowski will miss the Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium and Corey LaJoie will fill in for him, RFK Racing confirmed to TRE.

Keselowski will miss the Feb. 1 preseason exhibition race due to a leg injury sustained while skiing with his family in December. LaJoie will drive his No. 6 Ford in his absence.

LaJoie recently raced for Rick Ware Racing — a team closely aligned with RFK — in 2025. He previously filled in for a NASCAR Cup Series champion in 2023 when he drove Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 9 Chevrolet at World Wide Technology Raceway Gateway after NASCAR suspended Chase Elliott.

Keselowski is likely to be ready in time for the season-opening Daytona 500, set for Feb. 15. The 2012 NASCAR Cup Series champion is set to make his 17th start in the race. While he has won the Daytona summer race, he has never won the Daytona 500 before.

More NASCAR and motorsports news from the racing experts

Jonathan Fjeld is the co-owner of the The Racing Experts, LLC. He has been with TRE since 2010.

A Twin Valley, MN, native, Fjeld became a motorsports fan at just three years old (first race was the 2002 Pennsylvania 500). He worked as a contributor and writer for TRE from 2010-18. Since then, he has stepped up and covered 24 NASCAR race weekends and taken on a larger role with TRE. He became the co-owner and managing editor in 2023 and has guided the site to massive growth in that time.

Fjeld has covered a wide array of stories and moments over the years, including Kevin Harvick’s final Cup Series season, the first NASCAR national series disqualification in over 50 years, Shane van Gisbergen’s stunning win in Chicago and the first Cup Series race at Road America in 66 years – as well as up-and-coming drivers’ stories and stories from inside the sport, like the tech it takes for Hendrick Motorsports to remain a top-tier team.

Currently, he resides in Albuquerque, N.M., where he works for KOB 4, an NBC station. He works as a digital producer and does on-air reports. He loves spending time with friends and family, playing and listening to music, exploring new places, being outdoors, reading books and writing among other activities. You can email him at fjeldjonathan@gmail.com

Racer Media & Marketing, Inc. (RACER), the North American media company focused on motorsports and car culture, has announced the appointment of CJ Olivares as Group CEO. Olivares, who currently serves as president of RACER Network LLC (RACER Network), will expand his leadership to include strategic and day-to-day oversight of the operations of RACER. He succeeds RACER founder Paul Pfanner, who departs the CEO role after three decades.

A decorated 35-year media executive, Olivares brings a distinguished record of building and scaling high-growth digital, linear, FAST and streaming businesses. He is widely recognized for founding Fox Sports’ FUEL TV, where he successfully transformed niche action sports into a dominant cultural force. In the last year, Olivares has spearheaded the integration and rebranding of the RACER Network (formerly MAVTV), driving significant gains in distribution and 50% year-over-year viewership growth through a commitment to diversified racing and automotive programming, as well as narratively-driven storytelling that humanizes the stars of the sport.

“CJ’s strategic expertise and operational depth make him the ideal leader to guide our unified and multifaceted RACER-branded platforms into the next era,” said Chris Dyson, who serves as the chairman of the Board of both RACER and the RACER Network. “His ability to marry the brand’s outstanding reporting and unique storytelling with modern broadcast and digital delivery ensures that RACER will continue to lead the motorsports media landscape.”

This step represents material progress in a multi-year effort to leverage the RACER companies’ historically distinct media assets to create an integrated content and services powerhouse designed for the modern media era, and sets the stage for the more closely aligned RACER-branded properties to build on the 1.5 billion impressions delivered in 2025.

Olivares leads a RACER group platform encompassing a comprehensive suite of media and service offerings: the RACER Network (television and streaming), RACER Digital (web and app), RACER Podcasts, the RACER Creator Network, the authoritative and collectible RACER Magazine and the creative agency RACER Studio. This streamlined offering is designed to provide a seamless experience for fans and a 360-degree solution for commercial partners. 

“The media and marketing landscapes are evolving at a breakneck pace, and the RACER platform is now uniquely positioned to lead that charge in the motorsports and car culture space,” said Olivares. “Our focus moving forward is twofold: diversify our content offering to engage the transformative influx of new racing fans and automotive enthusiasts and energize our revenue streams through innovative brand partnerships and aggressive subscription growth. We are building the definitive ‘campfire’ for motorsports and car culture.”

Olivares’ strategy emphasizes human-centric storytelling and digital-first accessibility. By leveraging the RACER Creator Network and the high-end production capabilities of RACER Studio, he aims to expand engagement across all platforms, from traditional broadcast to social media, ensuring the brand’s continued dominance in both the motorsports and automotive space, according to the company.

For more information, visit racer.com.

Brad Keselowski is setting out with an injury from last month

Brad Keselowski is the driver of the No. 6. He’s also the co-owner of the team, RFK Racing.

Last month, Keselowski was injured during a skiing trip. He has since underwent surgery and is on the road to recovery.

NASCAR driver Brad Keselowski has surgery after skiing incident

The 2026 NASCAR season is set to begin. The opening race is The Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium on February 1, 2026.

The next race on the schedule is the famed Daytona 500. However, that race isn’t scheduled until February 15th.

Brad Keselowski comments

Brad Keselowski has elected to remove himself from the seat for The Clash event in an effort to prepare for Daytona. In his place, Corey LaJoie will be the reserve driver.

“We’re going to put Corey LaJoie in the The Clash,” Keselowski shared moments ago.

“I’m happy for Corey to get this opportunity. I’m laser focused on being ready for Daytona.”

Corey LaJoie comments

“Happy to be of service. Wishing BK w speedy recovery. Let’s go get another trophy at The Madhouse.”

He formerly ran full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series with Spire Motorsports.

LaJoie ran four NASCAR Cup Series races in 2025, all with Rick Ware Racing. His best-finish of 22nd came in the Daytona 500.

RFK Racing issues a statement on the passing of Greg Biffle

Links

Corey LaJoie | Brad Keselowski | RFK Racing | NASCAR

JDC-Miller Motorsports has confirmed its driver roster for the 2026 edition of the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona. Tijmen van der Helm, Nico Pino, and Kaylen Frederick will partner to co-drive the No. 85 5 Porsche 963 later this month.

Van der Helm returns to JDC-Miller for his fourth consecutive season competing in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar championship. They have two podiums together, including a third-place finish in the 2023 Sebring 12 Hours. 

“I am excited to continue my journey with JDC-Miller MotorSports,” said Van der Helm. We’ve made massive strides in understanding this car over the past three years, and starting the 2026 season with such a talented team around us gives us a real chance at the podium.”

Joining the Dutchman is Pino, who comes from Chile and is a proven winner in the European Le Mans Series.

Joining a team with the history and passion of JDC-Miller MotorSports is a major milestone,” said Pino. “It’s incredible to be back in the 963 for 2026, especially with a team like JDCMiller MotorSports. I’m ready to push for a watch at Daytona.”

Frederick completes the lineup, and the American comes over from single-seaters where he is a winner in Super Formula, and the only US-born champion of the BRDC British Formula 3 crown.

“It is a bit humbling to begin my sports car career driving for a top team like JDC-Miller MotorSports, in a car like the Porsche 963, and at one of the biggest races of the year, the Rolex 24 at Daytona,” said Frederick. “I started my national karting career at the kart track in the Daytona infield, so it seems fitting that I am now starting my endurance racing career at the same prestigious venue. I am very much up to the challenge and know the team will get me up to speed quickly. I’m looking forward to a good result.”

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23XI Racing was founded by NBA legend Michael Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin in 2020.

Chumba will sponsor Tyler Reddick’s No. 45 Toyota in the season-opening Daytona 500 and multiple races throughout the year. The February 15 start at Daytona International Speedway will mark the first time a Chumba-branded car runs in The Great American Race.

Chumba plans fan giveaways throughout the season, including VIP race experiences and meet-and-greets with Reddick and Bubba Wallace, who won the Brickyard 400 in the Chumba-sponsored No. 23 Toyota.

Wallace will drive the No. 23 Chumba Casino Toyota for select races this season, including the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 26, where he returns to defend his title. The Chumba Casino emblem will continue to be displayed on the drivers’ firesuits and team equipment throughout the season.

VGW owns the Chumba brand.

“Our partnership with 23XI Racing had an incredible first year, highlighted by a historic Brickyard 400 win, and we’re excited to build on that momentum in 2026,” VGW chief marketing officer Ben Whitford said in a press release. “Expanding our presence with Tyler and continuing our support of Bubba allows us to connect with NASCAR fans in bigger and more engaging ways.”

Sweep Casinos’ Legal Reckoning

Class-action litigation against sweepstakes casinos accelerated in 2025, with more than 100 lawsuits filed nationwide. VGW faces more than 20 suits, while Sweepsteaks Limited, the operator of Stake.us, is named in at least five complaints.

The lawsuits allege that dual-currency casinos constitute illegal gambling and engage in deceptive practices. States including Utah and Alabama have emerged as litigation hotspots due to strict anti-gambling statutes.

Sweepstakes casinos claim to operate free-to-play social games. However, the secondary digital currency they allow people to play with, often called sweeps coins, can be redeemed for real money.

A growing number of states have already outlawed online sweepstakes casinos, including California, New York, New Jersey, Nevada, and Washington, among others. Additional states are now weighing similar restrictions, with legislation targeting dual-currency models expected to surface in several Midwestern and Northeast jurisdictions this year.

Separately, gaming regulators and state attorneys general have ordered sweepstakes operators to cease operations in states ranging from Arizona to West Virginia.

Celebrity Promoters Face Legal Action

Rapper Drake faces three lawsuits over his promotion of Stake.us, a RICO class action filed on December 31 in Virginia federal court. The suit alleges Drake and online influencer Adin Ross promoted an illegal gambling platform operating as a “social casino.”

The Virginia complaint claims Drake used Stake.us as a “money transfer conduit” to route funds to Australian personality George Nguyen to purchase streams of his music, artificially inflating its performance on platforms such as Spotify. The filing says Stake pays Drake roughly 100 million dollars per year under a promotional agreement signed in 2022.

Television host Ryan Seacrest was also sued in California in August 2025 over his association with Chumba Casino. The lawsuit alleged he promoted illegal gambling and contributed to rising gambling addiction. The case was later dismissed.

Slots influencer Brian Christopher, who has more than 750,000 YouTube subscribers, was sued separately in August for promoting products operated by VGW, which owns Chumba Casino.

The lawsuits come as sweepstakes operators continue to invest in high-visibility sports partnerships to maintain brand reach.

Sweeps’ Sports and Celebrity Sponsorships

Sweepstakes casino sports sponsorships and celebrity endorsements have become commonplace.

Modo Casino, owned by ARB Interactive, sponsored Carson Hocevar’s No. 77 car for four NASCAR Cup Series races last year. ARB Interactive acquired Publishers Clearing House in 2025 and named Modo the “Official Social Casino of PCH.”

Other endorsement deals include Michael Phelps with Global Poker, Paris Hilton with WOW Vegas, and John Daly alongside Bruce Buffer with Modo Casino.

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Rhea is a journalist with five years of experience covering finance, technology, and digital platforms. Her work focuses on breaking news and explanatory reporting at the intersection of markets and finance, with an emphasis on clarity and accuracy.

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Stroud Safety, the Oklahoma City-based motorsports safety manufacturer trusted by racers across every major discipline, announced today that John Gentry has been named Chief Revenue Officer (CRO).

Gentry has served as Stroud Safety’s National Sales Manager since February 2019 and has been an integral part of the company’s continued growth and success. In his new role, he will oversee Stroud Safety’s global revenue strategy, including sales, partnerships, and long-term business development, while continuing to strengthen relationships throughout the motorsports community.

“This new role comes with some real responsibility,” Gentry said. “I work closely with racers, teams, and several OEM brands across the sport, and I see this role as a responsibility to serve – not just to sell. That perspective guides how we grow Stroud intentionally into more corners of the sport.”

Gentry remains deeply connected to the sport and recently debuted his twin-turbocharged Chevrolet Camaro Pro Mod, with plans to compete during the 2026 season. His firsthand experience within the motorsports industry has helped him foster new relationships while maintaining the level of care and concern longtime Stroud Safety customers have come to expect.

Stroud Safety owner Tommy Cunningham said Gentry’s promotion reflects both his leadership within the company and the trust he has earned throughout the motorsports industry.

“John has built a strong foundation of trust with racers and teams by consistently putting their needs first and following through on his commitments,” Cunningham said. “That racer-first approach is central to who we are at Stroud Safety. With a lifetime spent around the sport, I understand how important trust is in this industry, and John has earned that trust through integrity, strong relationships, and a deep understanding of our customers. His leadership and experience make him a natural fit for the CRO role as we continue to grow the business.”

Under Gentry’s leadership in sales, Stroud Safety has continued to expand its presence across drag racing and motorsports as a whole, working with teams, series, and sanctioning bodies while reinforcing the company’s reputation as one of the most trusted names in racer safety.

With Gentry stepping into the CRO role, Stroud Safety remains focused on sustainable growth, product excellence, and its mission to protect racers at every level – from grassroots competitors to championship-winning professionals.

For more information about Stroud Safety and its full line of motorsports safety products, visit www.stroudsafety.com.

This story was originally published on January 8, 2026.