Frankie Muniz has one of the more unique journeys in the NASCAR garage. Most people still remember him as the star of Malcolm in the Middle, but long before Hollywood fame, he was a car guy at heart. After stepping away from acting in the late 2000s, Muniz dabbled in open-wheel racing, competing in the Atlantic Championship where he showed real dedication despite being a rookie in a tough field. Injuries from a crash and later health issues put his racing dreams on pause, but the passion never left.

Fast forward to 2023, and Muniz made headlines by jumping into NASCAR’s ARCA Menards Series. Driving full-time for Rette Jones Racing, he surprised a lot of people by not just holding his own, but stringing together solid finishes, including an 11th-place points run in his rookie season. What stood out was his attitude, he wasn’t there as a celebrity looking for attention, but as a racer grinding it out on short tracks and superspeedways alike.

By 2024, Muniz had worked his way into NASCAR’s national ranks, running part-time Xfinity and Truck Series starts, proving that his transition wasn’t a gimmick. He’s not chasing headlines anymore; he’s chasing checkered flags. But now a sudden tragedy has watered down his NASCAR title hopes.

Home accident sidelines Muniz’s rookie season

Frankie Muniz suffered a distal radius fracture in his wrist in an accident at his home in Arizona on Wednesday. As a result, he will not compete at Darlington. Mason Maggio will drive in his place for the Reaume Brothers Racing No. 33 team. The team’s official statement laid it out: “Frankie Muniz was involved in an accident at his home in Arizona yesterday morning where he suffered a distal radius fracture in his wrist. Currently there is no timeline for his return, our focus is on a speedy recovery and competing together again soon. Mason Maggio will race the No. 33 this weekend in place of Frankie.”

Muniz himself broke the news with his trademark humor mixed with heartbreak, he said that moments like his recent accident gave the phrase “FML” (Frankie Muniz’s Life) a new meaning. He explained that he would miss the upcoming race at Darlington, as well as several weeks beyond, because of a distal radius fracture he suffered after falling from the top of a ladder while changing the batteries in a Ring camera in his backyard.

Reflecting on it, he admitted that ignoring the ladder’s safety warning was a mistake and that using a taller ladder would have been smarter. Though disappointed to be sidelined, he was grateful the injury wasn’t worse, expressed sympathy for his team’s hard work this season, and thanked Ford Performance for their support. Muniz added that doctors expected a recovery timeline of six to eight weeks, and he planned to return to the driver’s seat as soon as he was cleared.

It’s a tough blow for Muniz, who’s in his first full-time season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with Reaume Brothers Racing. The 39-year-old actor-turned-racer has one top-10 finish so far and sits 24th in points, showing flashes of real potential despite the challenges of a rookie year. This freak accident at home, far from the track, means he’ll miss key races, including the playoffs opener at Darlington, and potentially more as he recovers.

Over $10 Million at stake as NASCAR Playoffs begin at Darlington

The NASCAR Cup Series has wrapped up its first 26 races and the regular season, with William Byron winning the crown of regular season champion. Now the top 16 drivers turn their attention to the final 10 playoff battles, beginning with the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington, the opener for the Round of 16. Victory there not only secures an automatic berth in the next round but also delivers a shot at the ten-million-dollar prize on the line for all competitors. This year’s Southern 500 doubles as a celebration of the race’s 76th anniversary, and with it comes a significant bump in purse money.

Bob Pockrass reported on his X feed that the Cup field will divide $10,447,135, covering payouts for performance, historical merit, points-fund contributions, and contingency bonuses. By comparison, last year’s purse, when the event closed out the regular season, was $8,644,143. In the Xfinity Series, the purse for the Portland race has been set at $1,651,939, with that division still in the thick of its regular season and two events, Portland and Gateway, left before drivers roll into the Round of 12 playoffs. Meanwhile, the Truck Series event at Darlington will award $782,900 to the winner.

Favorites for the NASCAR 2025 Southern 500 race include Hendrick Motorsports teammates Kyle Larson and William Byron, who enter the playoffs deadlocked atop the standings, yet their margin over the cutoff line sits at just 26 points. It marks the slimmest cushion any top seed has ever carried under the current format, shrinking what was once a luxury into little more than a thin margin from the outset.

Looking at the numbers, Denny Hamlin, third in the standings, arrives as the odds-on favorite. He boasts an average finish of 7.9 with five wins in 26 starts at the track, including a win this spring, and has collected stage points in all but six of the 30 stages contested. Hamlin has also led laps in 11 straight races at the venue, a streak stretching over five years and echoing Darrell Waltrip’s famed 17-race run in the 1970s and ’80s. His 23XI driver, Tyler Reddick, enters below the cut line with a 12.3 average finish on the track. Though winless in 12 starts at the track, Reddick has logged five top-five results.