Frankie Muniz Taken to Hospital After Crash in Daytona Practice
Frankie Muniz, the Malcolm in the Middle actor turned race car driver, was taken to a Florida hospital after crashing in practice at Daytona International Speedway on November 11, 2026. His team said he was awake and alert. The cause of the crash has not been disclosed.
Frankie Muniz, the 40-year-old Malcolm in the Middle actor turned race car driver, was taken to a Florida hospital on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, after crashing during practice at Daytona International Speedway. His team said he was awake and alert.
Muniz was preparing for Ford's Proud to Honor Veterans Day Classic at the track in Daytona Beach. The cause of the crash has not been disclosed, and officials have not said whether he was hurt.
What the team said
"Frankie Muniz was involved in an incident while practicing for today's Proud to Honor event at Daytona International Speedway," Team Reaume said in a statement. "He was transported to a local medical facility for further evaluation. He is awake and alert."
The team said it will share updates on his condition as they become available. It thanked fans for their support and asked them to respect Muniz's privacy.
The event he was practicing for
The exhibition race was set to feature 12 drivers in six teams, one for each branch of the US military: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Space Force. Each team drove a Ford Mustang Dark Horse R styled after its branch.
Muniz was due to represent the Air Force alongside NASCAR driver Austin Cindric. Other drivers expected to take part included Brad Keselowski, Ryan Preece, Joey Logano, Ty Majeski, Noah Gragson and Layne Riggs.
Ford Racing organized the event to raise money and awareness for groups that support veterans and military families. It was billed as a 30-minute race with music and other Veterans Day celebrations, broadcast nationally on USA Network at 8 p.m. ET.
A personal motive
Muniz had spoken warmly about the race in recent weeks. His father, Francisco, spent more than 20 years in the Navy and Air Force as a mechanic, and his grandfather, John Preli, served in the Navy in World War II.
"We all owe so much to live in this amazing country to the military," Muniz said in October. "It's going to be an ultra-competitive race because we're race car drivers, and that's how we roll."
Racing career
Muniz began competing in the ARCA Menards Series in 2023, then moved up to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. This season he drove 16 races for Reaume Brothers Racing and earned 182 points, finishing 25th.
Last month he helped TechSport Racing win the Pirelli GT4 America Series Am class championship at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He drove in four races for the team.
He returned to television this year in the Malcolm in the Middle revival, Life's Still Unfair, with former co-star Bryan Cranston. Muniz has said racing gives him a thrill acting never did.
"The thought of stopping racing scares the heck out of me because I do get so much joy and happiness," he said.
