Actor and racing driver Frankie Muniz was involved in a severe crash during practice for the Proud to Honor Veterans Day Classic at Daytona International Speedway. Safety crews had to cut the 40-year-old out of his Ford Mustang before transporting him to a local hospital.
The Crash and Hospital Release
Although he remained awake and alert, Muniz was taken to a local hospital for additional medical evaluation following the incident on the circuit’s infield road course, where his car collided nose-first with a tire barrier. Motorsport.com reported that he was discharged just a few hours later and issued a public statement expressing disappointment over missing the event while confirming that he was recovering well and feeling a bit sore.
Bryan Cranston, who played Muniz’s father in the television series Malcolm in the Middle, attended the Daytona event and provided an update to USA Sports prior to the race, confirming that his former on-screen son was doing well following the earlier accident.
Racing Career and Event Replacement
Before the crash, Muniz had recorded the second-fastest lap time among all drivers during practice. This year, the award-winning actor secured the GT4 America Am class title with Techsport Racing and also competed in the NASCAR Truck Series with Team Reaume, driving Fords in both categories.
Ford development driver Jenson Altzman took over Muniz’s spot on the grid for the charity competition. The exhibition race featured a lineup of prominent drivers, including three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano, road racing specialist Joey Hand, and former Formula 1 driver Logan Sargeant.
