Frankie Muniz Released From Hospital After Daytona Practice Crash

Frankie Muniz was released from hospital on Wednesday evening, November 11, after he crashed during practice at Daytona International Speedway. The actor and NASCAR driver, 40, crashed earlier in the day while practicing for Ford's Proud To Honor Veterans Day Classic, an exhibition race on the Daytona road course.

Ford and Team Reaume, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team Muniz drives for, said in a statement that he was taken to a local medical facility for further evaluation and was awake and alert. Team Reaume said: "Frankie Muniz was involved in an incident while practicing for today's Proud to Honor event at Daytona International Speedway. He was transported to a local medical facility for further evaluation. He is awake and alert."

The car and the crash

Muniz was driving the No. 30 Mustang Dark Horse R. The track was not open to the public at the time of the crash. Getty images shared by Entertainment Tonight showed heavy damage to the car and its roof removed.

NASCAR driver Brad Keselowski told reporters before the event that the crash was not due to a vehicle malfunction.

No further detail about the cause of the crash was given in the statements from Ford or Team Reaume. The facts confirmed on Wednesday were the crash itself in practice, the trip to a local medical facility for evaluation, his condition as awake and alert, and his release from hospital the same evening.

Muniz statement after his release

After his release, Muniz said he would miss the event he had come to Daytona to drive in. "I am disappointed I won't be able to take part in Ford's Proud to Honor event tonight. I am a little sore, but my Mustang did its job in protecting me. I want to thank everyone at Ford Racing, Daytona International Speedway and the staff here at the hospital," he said in a statement reported by USA Today.

His words confirmed two points from the team statements and added one of his own. He was sore after the crash. He credited the car with protecting him. And he thanked Ford Racing, the speedway and the hospital staff who treated him.

The event he misses

Muniz was set to partner with Cup Series driver Austin Cindric on a team representing the Air Force in the exhibition race. The race benefits six nonprofits supporting military and veteran communities through the Proud to Honor Fund.

The event went ahead on the Daytona road course on Wednesday. Muniz, released from hospital that evening, did not take part, by his own statement.

A second crash this season

This was not Muniz's first crash of the season. He also crashed earlier this season during an April NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway and walked away from that incident, Bleacher Report noted in its report of the Daytona crash.

The Daytona crash ended the same way in the most important respect. Muniz was awake and alert when he was taken for evaluation, and he was out of hospital the same evening, sore, thanking the people who helped him, and disappointed only to miss the race.