In 2014, Brad Keselowski needed a miracle. The stakes were sky-high as he rolled into Talladega for the GEICO 500 in a must-win scenario to keep his championship hopes alive. The day didn’t start in his favor—his car picked up damage early, and the race quickly turned into a survival contest. But when it counted, Keselowski did what he’s always done best at Talladega: rise through the chaos.

With a battered car and help from teammate Joey Logano, Keselowski powered through the first attempt at a green-white-checkered finish and sealed the deal on the second, winning dramatically. “We just persevered. We didn’t give up… This race is the scariest of the three in the bracket. To be able to win here is a privilege,” he said in Victory Lane. That victory kept his championship dream alive and reminded the NASCAR world that Talladega is Keselowski’s house.

As NASCAR heads to Talladega once again this weekend, the 2012 Cup champion isn’t chasing a title this time, but clawing to stay relevant.

This Sunday, NASCAR’s spotlight shifts to the high banks of Talladega Superspeedway. And once again, Brad Keselowski enters with his back against the wall. Currently 31st in the standings and winless through the first nine races, Brad’s 2025 season has been nothing short of a disaster. Only two top-15 finishes. Zero top-10s. Not since 2011 has Keselowski had a start this rough. But if there’s any place to bet on Brad, it’s here.

The RFK Racing owner holds the most wins of any active driver at Talladega—six career Cup Series victories. He finished second in both races here last year. Still, fans are running out of patience. As one put it bluntly: “I’m not panicking yet. It’s been bad, no doubt about it, but I’m giving it until Nashville for him and Bullins to figure it out. If they don’t by then, I will panic. This championship system is wild because he could win at Dega this weekend and be a legit contender for the championship again.”

Notably, as per records, Talladega has been one of the most secure and prized venues for Keselowski, and fans expect him to repeat the same. The reasoning? The format. A win at Talladega can flip the season. With the current playoff system, even a struggling team can become a contender overnight. Keselowski himself knows the stakes. “It’s definitely not my best start,” he admitted after another rough outing at Darlington. He sees potential in his RFK Racing team, but admits things haven’t clicked. “We’ve shown glimpses. But all those pieces—pit road, mechanics, engineers—they’ve got to come together,” he said.

At Talladega, he’ll need more than glimpses. “It’s a really unique environment… You’re driving at 190-plus miles an hour, with poor reference points,” he said. The key? Survive the chaos and capitalize on the few chances you get. “The days I feel the worst about are the ones where we don’t crash and finish outside the top 10. Those are the real losses,” he added.

Keselowski has watched Talladega evolve. The Next Gen car requires physical pushes, split-second decisions, and perfect pit stops. “The car values different things now,” he noted. Fuel strategy, timing, and teamwork all matter more than ever. The pressure is enormous. But Brad isn’t panicking. Not yet.

Fans hope for a turnaround for Brad Keselowski!

While Brad Keselowski maintains his composure, fans across the NASCAR world are speaking louder than ever. And the consensus? It’s now or never. One longtime fan voiced cautious optimism: “I usually give it till the Coke 600 for drivers having a bad time. Hope Kez can turn it around—because god damn, it’s been brutal this year.” They’re not ready to give up yet, but the countdown has begun. Notably, the next month will move around tracks which have been kind to Keselowski, and his fans expect him to capitalize there.

Another fan echoed the sentiments and said, “It’s been absolutely terrible this year, I guess luckily we’re coming to his best track, followed by a month of places he’s won at before, and usually runs up front at. The last weekend of May is where I’m focused at, the 600 will determine if we’re just absolute dog shit and need to consider retirement or if we still got a bit.” Notably, apart from his six wins in Talladega, Keselowski has one Xfinity win in Texas, two Cup wins in Kansas, and one win at Charlotte.

NASCAR will run through all these tracks in the next month, and fans would love to see Keselowski back in victory lane. Meanwhile, some fans also suggested that Brad should change his crew chief by hiring Rodney Childers. “Brad needs to hire Rodney next week,” a user posted. Notably, earlier this week, Rodney left his job at Spire Motorsports after a mutual decision. He is the second most accomplished crew chief on the grid and might help Keselowski make a comeback.

However, some see the issue is bigger than Keselowski. “RFK is a mess right now. Outside of the 12 and 22, Ford is a mess right now, too,” a user posted. That’s not just emotion talking—Ford teams have been inconsistent in 2025. Outside of a few strong showings, the blue ovals haven’t delivered. Still, fans haven’t forgotten who Brad is. The man who pulled off one of the gutsiest wins in Talladega history. The driver who once needed a miracle and delivered one. But with each race that passes without results, belief fades.