Posted on 10/23/2024 8:08:59 AM PDT by Red Badger
“Malcolm in the Middle” actor Frankie Muniz announced he’s making a major pivot in his career.
The former actor is shifting gears from Hollywood to the race track as a full-time NASCAR driver, according to a recent interview with People published Oct. 22. The 38-year-old started racing in 2004 and began his professional racecar driving career in 2006. He’ll be racing full-time for Reaume Brothers Racing in the No. 33 F-150 in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series’ 2025 season.
“I don’t want to say it’s a long time coming, but this has been a dream of mine for forever,” he said to People.
Muniz explained how his adventures behind the wheel have evolved into a new career path.
“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,” he told People.
“I was a huge fan, but it’s not something I necessarily thought that I’d ever get the opportunity to do,” Muniz said.
Muniz has already made quite a name for himself on the circuit. He raced in the 2023 ARCA Menards Series with one top-five finish and 11 top-ten finishes, which landed him in a fourth-place points finish at season’s close, according to the outlet.
He joined Ford Performance last year and raced in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the Mustang Challenge Series, People reported.
Muniz said racing in a NASCAR series full-time is “really exciting,” but admits he feels he still has “a lot to prove to myself and to everybody.”
Speaking with passion he said, “I want people to know that I’ve literally dedicated my life to this.”
“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,” he said.
“Watching tape, watching past races at the racetracks I’m going to just to be as prepared as humanly possible,” he told People.
Muniz says “closing the door” on his career as an actor was not a “topic of discussion,” but for now he’s “focusing on being a race car driver.”
Interesting.
Have to wonder what he went through growing up as a kid actor in Hollywood. Would explain him abandoning it now.
Didn’t he catch some weird disease that caused him to have amnesia?
Vaguely recall encephalitis making him forget something like a decade of his life.
I wouldn’t think a dangerous occupation would be a good idea.
Why not?
Noosecar went WOKE, DEI, and Hollywood, when Brian France became president, and ruined the sport.
Well, hopefully he won’t be stuck in the middle.
Answered my own question. He had what was thought to be a series of strokes that were probably severe migraines. Also one or more concussions. Some memory loss, but not as bad as reported.
Still a bad idea.
Interesting. He’s still young(ish), and very rich, but the passion he chooses to pursue is something that has way more chance of killing him than other pursuits or interests.
“but I always had in the back of my mind that I wanted to try NASCAR. I wanted to do it. “
He did the Xfinity series this year, 2 races. Average start #36, average finish, #32.
I heard he had a genetic disorder which stunted his growth and that he did not remember the filming of any of the episodes of Malcom in the Middle. I just hope he continues to be alive. A race car at 200 MPH?! Scary.
Ouch! LOL
well, I don’t think he could get so many parts as an adult.
he is not good looking, he is short and while a decent actor, is no Daniel Day Lewis.
he loves racing - so good for him that he’s found a career to be passionate about
It was either strokes or debilitating migraines. Also some concussions.
Don’t believe he has stunted growth.
Concur it’s a bad idea.
I do like his Porsche 550 he tools around in.
Malcolm in the middle actor is 38 years old...
That’s what I read in the story.
“A race car at 200 MPH?”
A race truck at 180 mph.
I don’t “follow” Muniz that closely, but I understand he has been racing for a while now. Moving up from the “midget” stuff he was doing to Trucks is not a huge leap. It’s likely a more cost effective way to get s team in the circuit than trying to break in with the stock cars.
And I am sure the NASCAR Truck Series is not turning away the media attention.
Good on him.
“I do like his Porsche 550 he tools around in.”
356 Speedster.
“Moving up from the “midget” stuff he was doing to Trucks is not a huge leap. It’s likely a more cost effective way to get s team in the circuit than trying to break in with the stock cars.”
He tried to break in with stock cars this year in the Xfinity series
One of the great situations is someone who has an expensive interest in life that they are all about in their private life, but they also have success as an actor which keeps them financially comfortable while also giving them a boost in their private pursuit, that must be a great thing, car racing, horses, real estate, ranching.
good for him, livin his dream.
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