Frankie Muniz Hospitalized After Daytona Practice Crash
Frankie Muniz, the 40-year-old Malcolm in the Middle actor and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver, was taken to a hospital after crashing in practice at Daytona International Speedway. His team says he is awake and alert.
Frankie Muniz, the Malcolm in the Middle star turned NASCAR driver, was taken to a medical facility after crashing during practice at Daytona International Speedway in Florida. His team, Team Reaume, said the 40-year-old is awake and alert.
Muniz was preparing for the Proud to Honor Veterans Day Classic, an exhibition race. He was due to drive the team's No. 33 Ford with co-driver Austin Cindric.
What the team said
"Frankie Muniz was involved in an incident while practicing for today's Proud to Honor event at Daytona International Speedway," the team said in a statement. It added that he "was taken to a local medical facility for further evaluation and is awake and alert."
The team promised updates and asked fans to respect his privacy. The official Craftsman Truck Series account replied to the team's Instagram post: "Wishing Frankie a speedy recovery."
The track was not open to the public when the crash happened. A photograph shared on social media appears to show the roof of his car cut away by rescue workers.
Race night plans
Bryan Cranston, who played Muniz's on-screen father in Malcolm in the Middle, was set to present the race. It was scheduled to air on USA Network at 11pm.
A full-time racing career
Muniz began racing in 2004 and has been a full-time stock car driver for three years. He drives a Ford F-150 in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, where his best finish is 10th, at the 2025 Daytona season opener.
He also ran a full ARCA Menards Series season in 2023 and recorded 11 top-10 finishes.
Muniz reprised his title role in the Hulu revival, Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair, whose four episodes debuted in April. Hours after it dropped, he was involved in a wreck with Tyler Reif and Timmy Hill at Bristol Motor Speedway, which knocked him out of that race.
Afterward he answered criticism from Reif. "I belong on that racetrack just as much as he does, just as much as the leaders do," Muniz said.
In October he told US Weekly there are only 100 drivers on the planet with a NASCAR license, "and I'm one of them."
