Frankie Muniz was taken to a medical facility on Wednesday, Nov. 11 following a practice crash at Daytona International Speedway prior to Ford’s Proud To Honor Veterans Day Classic, as reported by USA Today.
Ford and Team Reaume, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team Muniz drives for, said that the 40-year-old driver was awake and alert following the incident. Images shared by Entertainment Tonight showed heavy damage to the racecar and its roof removed.
Actor and NASCAR driver Frankie Muniz was taken to a medical facility after an incident during practice at Daytona ahead of Ford's exhibition race. https://t.co/ycXIc5l3u6
The track was not open to the public when the crash occurred during practice. Muniz will not participate in the exhibition event, where he was scheduled to partner with Cup Series driver Austin Cindric on a team representing the Air Force.
Ford development driver Jenson Altzman will replace Muniz in the race. Altzman is a 24-year-old who competes in IMSA.
Frankie Muniz is in the hospital after he was involved in a crash at the Daytona International Speedway. ET was on site to interview Frankie, who was set to drive for Team Air Force at Ford's Veterans Day Classic, when he crashed during a practice lap. The speedway was not… pic.twitter.com/6XxUDbu7je
Data Rules Out Car Malfunction
Speaking to reporters prior to the exhibition race, Brad Keselowski indicated that the crash was not caused by a mechanical failure. Ford Racing personnel analyzed the vehicle data to determine the cause.
“The team here at Ford Racing looked through all the data and didn’t find anything happened to the car,” Keselowski said, according to USA Today. “I think we’re all pretty comfortable.”
Muniz Transitions from Acting to Stock Car Racing
Before entering stock car racing, Muniz worked as an Emmy-nominated actor starring in “Malcolm in the Middle.” He also appeared in films such as “Agent Cody Banks,” “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story,” and “The Black String.”
Muniz began stock car racing in 2023 in the ARCA Series before moving to a full-time role in the Truck Series with Team Reaume in the No. 33 Ford. He notched seven top-20 finishes over the past two seasons. He had four top-20 finishes in the Truck Series this season.
Frankie Muniz was involved in an incident while practicing for today's Proud to Honor event at Daytona International Speedway. He was taken to a local medical facility for further evaluation and is awake and alert. We'll share updates as they become available. Thank you for your… pic.twitter.com/WL3lQNtomL
Earlier this year, Muniz and Tyler Stone won the Am Class championship in the GT4 America Series with TechSport Racing. Plans for 2027 include Muniz continuing to compete across both NASCAR’s Truck Series and the GT4 America Series.
Daytona Race Schedule Details
USA Network broadcast live coverage of the exhibition race on Wednesday, Nov. 11 at 8 p.m. ET. The event serves as the first of its kind for Ford, showcasing the manufacturer’s top drivers while also honoring the military.
Other drivers competing in the Mustang Dark Horse Rs include Joey Logano, Ryan Preece, Layne Riggs, Noah Gragson, Ty Majeski, Joey Hand, and Logan Sargeant. Bryan Cranston, Muniz’s co-star from “Malcolm in the Middle,” was expected to attend the event.
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