Frankie Muniz hoped to honor veterans, including his father and grandfather. Instead, a Daytona practice wreck forced him out of Ford’s charity race.
ByBernadette Giacomazzo
November 12, 2026
Key Takeaways
- Frankie Muniz says he’s “a little sore” after a Daytona practice crash sent him to the hospital, crediting his Ford Mustang with protecting him.
- Muniz left the hospital Nov. 11 but missed Ford’s Proud to Honor Veterans Day Classic, where Jenson Altzman replaced him in the charity race benefiting military members and veterans.
- The crash follows an eventful year for Muniz, who won the GT4 America Am championship with Tyler Stone and returned for Hulu’s Malcolm in the Middle revival.
Frankie Muniz is speaking out after a frightening crash at Daytona International Speedway sent him to the hospital, and the Malcolm in the Middle star credits his Ford Mustang with keeping him safe.
The 40-year-old actor-turned-NASCAR driver was released from the hospital Wednesday, Nov. 11, after wrecking during a practice session ahead of Ford’s Veterans Day Classic. Although the accident knocked him out of the charity race, Muniz says he’s recovering with some soreness.
“I am a little sore, but my Mustang did its job in protecting me,” Muniz said in a statement released through Ford Racing to People. “I want to thank everyone at Ford Racing, Daytona International Speedway, and the staff here at the hospital. I especially want to thank everyone who has reached out and for all the prayers.”
The crash happened while Muniz was practicing on Daytona’s road course,where he was preparing to represent the U.S. Air Force alongside NASCAR driver Austin Cindric. Safety crews extricated Muniz from his Mustang after the vehicle struck a tire barrier. He was reportedly second-fastest in practice before the accident.
Team Reaume subsequently confirmed that Muniz had been transported for medical evaluation and was “awake and alert.”
Muniz was scheduled to compete in Ford’s Proud to Honor Veterans Day Classic, an exhibition benefiting six nonprofit organizations supporting military members and veterans. The event carried personal significance for Muniz, whose father and grandfather served in the military.
His former Malcolm in the Middle co-star, Bryan Cranston, was also expected to attend in his support. Instead, Ford development driver Jenson Altzman replaced Muniz in the race.
“I am disappointed I won’t be able to take part in Ford’s Proud to Honor event tonight,” Muniz said. “I was looking forward to honoring the service of our veterans and racing against these other amazing drivers.”
The Daytona wreck wasn’t Muniz’s first brush with danger behind the wheel. In April, he crashed his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Ford F-150 at Bristol Motor Speedway following a collision involving drivers Tyler Reif and Timmy Hill.
And racing is hardly a celebrity hobby for Muniz. After stepping away from Hollywood, he pursued motorsports professionally and eventually joined NASCAR’s Craftsman Truck Series. In 2026, he and co-driver Tyler Stone also captured the GT4 America Am championship, adding another accomplishment to his racing résumé.
The accident comes during an eventful year for Muniz, who returned to his signature television role in Hulu’s Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair. The four-episode revival reunited him with Cranston, Jane Kaczmarek, and much of the original cast two decades after the Fox sitcom ended.
