NASCAR’s Frankie Muniz on the mend after injury, pulls out of next few races

Frankie Muniz is currently on the mend this week after suffering from a distal radius fracture, or broken wrist.

The “Malcolm in the Middle” star shared the unfortunate news on Facebook on Thursday, announcing that he would be unable to race this weekend at NASCAR’s Darlington Raceway in South Carolina, as well as for the next few races.

“The phrase ‘FML’ (Frankie Muniz’s Life) takes on new meaning with moments like these,” Muniz humorously began his post.

He then detailed how he sustained his injury, writing: “I fell from the top of a ladder while changing the batteries in a Ring camera in my backyard. Note to self: heed the ladder warning that says, ‘Do not sit or stand on top step.’”

Muniz added that he was “gutted to miss the races” and expressed sympathy for his team amid his absence, who he said “poured their hearts into this season.”

He further added that his recovery is expected to take six to eight weeks, but that he will “be back in the driver’s seat as soon as I’m cleared.”

Muniz, who played the titular character on “Malcolm in the Middle” from 2000 to 2006, began racing around the same time.

According to Grassroots Motorsports, his first race was the 2004 Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race at the Long Beach Grand Prix, where he came in seventh place. The following year, he finished first in the celebrity portion.

He continued to enter races and establish himself, but after a wrist injury in 2009, he began to slow down. Muniz then took a decade-long break from racing altogether. In 2022, he made a major comeback to the racetrack, and just this year, he became a full-time NASCAR driver.

Although Muniz left Hollywood years ago, he hasn’t completely turned his back on acting. He is set to reprise his role as Malcolm in the upcoming “Malcom in the Middle” reboot.