Frankie Muniz is 'a little sore' after Daytona practice crash, released from hospital

Frankie Muniz is back out of hospital and says he's only "a little sore" after a scary crash at Daytona International Speedway in Florida.

The "Malcolm in the Middle" star, now 40, was released Wednesday night, hours after he smashed his Mustang into a tire barrier in practice.

What happened?

Muniz was preparing for Ford Racing's Proud to Honor event, a Veterans Day race. It was the first of its kind, with six teams each representing a branch of the US military, in support of service members and their families.

He crashed on the infield road course. According to Motorsport, safety crews had to cut him out of the car. Before the crash, he had been the second-fastest driver in practice.

A Ford representative said he was "awake and alert" as he was taken to a local medical facility for further evaluation.

What did he say?

In a statement released by his Ford Racing team, Muniz said: "I am a little sore, but my Mustang did its job in protecting me." He thanked Ford Racing, the speedway, the hospital staff and everyone who sent prayers.

He also said he was disappointed to miss the event. "I was looking forward to honoring the service of our veterans and racing against these other amazing drivers," he said.

He was due to race for Team Air Force alongside NASCAR driver Austin Cindric. Ford development driver Jenson Altzman took his place.

Why was this race personal for him?

Before the crash, Muniz had said the event meant a lot to him because of his family. "My dad was in the Air Force and the Navy, and my grandfather was in the Navy," he said.

He even admitted he once considered joining the Air Force himself. "I guess there's still time for that to be my next career!" he joked.

Where does he go from here?

Muniz started racing professionally in 2019 and moved to the ARCA Menards Series (a US stock car racing series) full-time in 2024. He has also worked in music and business.

He credits his "Malcolm in the Middle" co-star Bryan Cranston with introducing him to racing in 2004. Cranston was expected to attend Wednesday's event to cheer him on.

Muniz has a 5-year-old son, Mauz, with his estranged wife, Paige Price.