From Malcom in the Middle to front of the pack. That’s where actor Frankie Muniz is hoping to be soon.
The 38-year-old, who starred as the titular character in the hit Fox series for seven seasons, has long been racing alongside his acting career.
Muniz has been racing alongside his acting career for 20 yearsGetty
He has dabbled at various levels over the past 20 years after starting out in 2004, and turning pro two years later.
Muniz entered 14 races in 2006 in the Formula BMW USA series, and the following year, he moved up to the Champ Car Atlantic Series.
He continued racing until 2009, when a crash left him with injuries that led to him stepping away.
The star has since returned to the track, and competed full time in the ARCA Menards Series in 2023, finishing fourth in the season standings.
And Muniz has this week announced an exciting career update, confirming he has landed a full-time seat in the NASCAR Truck Series for 2025.
He will drive in the No. 33 Ford for Reaume Brothers Racing.
“I don’t want to say it’s a long time coming, but this has been a dream of mine for forever,” he told People magazine.
“I started with doing the open wheel route. I thought I was going to go IndyCar, kind of the Formula 1 route, but I always had in the back of my mind that I wanted to try NASCAR.
“I wanted to do it. I grew up watching NASCAR. I was a huge fan, but it’s not something I necessarily thought that I’d ever get the opportunity to do.”
Muniz has already competed in limited races in both the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the Mustang Challenge Series, having joined Ford Performance in 2023.
Muniz has secured a full-time NASCAR seatGetty
He is now scheduled to race in Saturday’s Trucks race in Miami.
“I want people to know that I’ve literally dedicated my life to this,” Muniz added.
“You know what I mean? I love it.
“When I’m not in the race car, I’m thinking about being in the race car. I’m training, I’m in the simulator at Ford, the Ford Performance Technical Center.
“I’m working with my engineers and my crew chiefs and the team and doing everything I can. Watching tape, watching past races at the racetracks I’m going to just to be as prepared as humanly possible.”
Muniz, who is said to be worth $30m thanks to his successful acting and producing career, alongside his racing, now has his eyes on scooping hundreds of thousands of dollars in NASCAR truck series prize money.
Muniz will drive in the No. 33 Ford for Reaume Brothers RacingGetty
Despite committing to the track full-time, he has not closed the door on a return to the screen.
“I hope to just prove to people that I can do both. That’s all I can do. I can’t, but I hope I do, and I’m hoping I can do it this season.”
