Austin Cindric Wins Daytona's Veterans Day Classic for Team Air Force as Frankie Muniz Heads Home Sore but Safe

Austin Cindric took the checkered flag for Team Air Force on Wednesday night at Daytona International Speedway, holding off IMSA sports car racer Robert Noaker by 0.136 seconds to win the first Ford Proud to Honor Veterans Day Classic, a benefit race that put a dozen of Ford's drivers in identical Mustangs to salute the men and women of America's armed forces ^[1][2].

The best news of the night came from off the track. Frankie Muniz, who was supposed to share the Air Force entry with Cindric before a practice crash sent him to a hospital earlier in the day, was released Wednesday night ^[3]. In a statement released through Ford, the former child star turned racer said, "I am a little sore, but my Mustang did its job in protecting me." ^[3]

A Duel Decided in the Final Minutes

The format was short and fast: a 30-minute timed race on Daytona's 3.6-mile road course, which winds across the famous 2.5-mile oval and through the infield, with 12 drivers split into six two-driver teams, one for each branch of the military ^[1][2]. Every driver raced the same Mustang Dark Horse R race car, so the night came down to the drivers ^[5].

Cindric started from the pole, with Noaker, who was filling in for Ryan Blaney, alongside him on the front row ^[1][5]. Blaney received medical attention Monday night after a fall while out to dinner and missed Tuesday's NASCAR Awards, though he said he was OK and recovering, Heavy reported ^[2]. Noaker made the most of the opportunity. He dove inside Cindric early and cleared him as the field returned to the banking, according to Racing News' live report, and with 21 minutes to go he was five car lengths clear ^[5].

The race stayed green from start to finish. Coast Guard driver Ty Majeski spun under braking into the backstretch chicane and Noah Gragson narrowly missed him, but there was no caution ^[1][5]. Brad Keselowski drew a warning on the second lap for cutting the course ^[5]. Joey Logano lost a rear bumper on the tri-oval, and Cindric's own teammate, Jenson Altzman, spun at the exit of the backstretch chicane and fell back ^[1].

Cindric finally got by Noaker with nine minutes left, only to lose the lead again a lap later. He took it back for good with about four minutes to go and carried roughly a car length into Turn 1 on the final lap ^[1][5].

The Final Order

Behind Cindric and Noaker of Team Marines, Navy teammates Ryan Preece and Logan Sargeant finished third and fourth after battling each other through much of the race ^[1][2]. Keselowski, the 2012 Cup champion, was fifth for Team Army, followed by Layne Riggs of Team Space Force, three-time champion Logano of Team Coast Guard, Joey Hand of Team Army, Ben Hobson of Team Marines, Gragson of Team Space Force and Majeski of Team Coast Guard ^[1][2]. Altzman, a Ford Racing development driver who took over Muniz's car on short notice, finished 12th, a lap down ^[1][3].

For Cindric, the Team Penske driver and 2022 Daytona 500 winner, it was a sweet trip back to victory lane. He made the Chase in 2026 and finished 10th in the final standings, but went winless in points races with four top-five finishes and 10 top-10s, according to Heavy ^[2]. Earlier in the day, Ford also showed off the new Mustang body it will run in the Cup Series in 2027 ^[1].

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Sore, but Safe

The scare came hours before the green flag. Muniz, 40, crashed on a practice lap, and his Team Reaume crew said he was "awake and alert" as he was taken for evaluation ^[4]. Citing a photo shared by Entertainment Tonight, Motorsports Tribune reported that the roof of his car had to be cut away to get him out ^[3]. Neither the team nor Ford described a specific injury, and Muniz was released a few hours later, though he was not cleared to race ^[1][3].

The "Malcolm in the Middle" star has chased a racing career since 2006 and has made 117 Truck Series starts over the last three seasons, according to the Associated Press ^[4]. He finished 25th in the 2026 Truck standings for Team Reaume, with a season-best 12th at Talladega ^[3]. In his statement, he said he had been looking forward to honoring the service of America's veterans ^[3]. The team asked fans to respect his privacy as he recovers ^[4].

Why This Race Matters

There was no championship on the line Wednesday, and that was the point. The race benefits six nonprofits that serve military and veteran communities through the Proud to Honor Fund, according to a NASCAR release cited by the Associated Press ^[4]. The Zac Brown Band, Russell Dickerson, Jo Dee Messina, Brittney Spencer and Warren Zeiders performed for the crowd ^[4].

In a sports world that too often forgets who makes the games possible, this was a night that remembered. Twelve drivers raced in the name of the soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, Coast Guardsmen and Guardians who defend this country, and the fans got a real duel to the finish. The only thing better than Cindric's win was the word that Muniz was going home. Ford and NASCAR should make this one a tradition.