Actor and Race Car Driver Frankie Muniz Hospitalized After Daytona Practice Crash

Actor and race car driver Frankie Muniz was transported to a hospital Wednesday following a practice crash at Daytona International Speedway that destroyed his Ford Mustang ahead of a charity exhibition event.

The 40-year-old Muniz, who competes in the NASCAR Truck Series, was evaluated at a local medical facility after his vehicle struck a tire barrier nose-first during the afternoon practice session.

The incident occurred during preparations for the Proud to Honor Veterans Day Classic, an event featuring 12 Ford drivers competing to honor military service members at the Florida road course.

Following the crash, Muniz was released from the hospital later that evening, though he was unable to participate in the race. He was replaced by Ford factory development driver Jenson Altzman.

In a statement released after his discharge, Muniz expressed his disappointment regarding his absence from the event. "I am disappointed I won’t be able to take part in Ford’s Proud to Honor event tonight," he said.

He added that he was recovering well despite the severity of the impact. "I am a little sore, but my Mustang did its job in protecting me," said Muniz.

Images from the scene showed the front of the vehicle heavily damaged after the collision. Entertainment Tonight reported that rescue workers had to cut away the roof of the car to reach the driver.

At the time of the incident, Muniz was performing well on the track. According to Speedcafe, he was the second-fastest driver in the session with 20 minutes of practice remaining.

The exhibition race continued as scheduled Wednesday evening, featuring six teams named for branches of the U.S. military. Austin Cindric, who was slated to be Muniz's teammate, ultimately won the event.

Muniz, known for his role in the television sitcom "Malcolm in the Middle," has focused on stock car racing since 2021 and recently secured the 2026 GT4 America Am championship title.

The circumstances surrounding the mechanical failure or specific cause of the crash remain under evaluation by his racing team, Reaume Brothers Racing, and Ford officials as they review the incident data.