Frankie Muniz, the actor known widely for his roles in Malcolm in the Middle and Agent Cody Banks, has made headlines by finishing in the top 10 during his fifth NASCAR truck series race.
This impressive finish came at the end of the Truck Series in Daytona. Originally, Muniz finished in eleventh place but was promoted one place higher after the disqualification of Parker Kligerman, whose car was disqualified after it was revealed his rear suspension was running too high.
This event saw the actor’s best performance in NASCAR’s developmental series, showing that his motorsport journey is gaining momentum.
Since stepping towards a career in NASCAR, Muniz has faced a unique set of challenges. Having participated full-time in the ARCA series in 2023, Muniz proved his dedication by racing part-time across different series in 2024, including the ARCA, truck, and Xfinity series.
The actor-turned-driver seems determined to prove himself on the track, pushing through last year’s challenges, including a tough 2024 season that only saw seven races.
Muniz is currently driving for Reaume Brothers Racing, which is known as a smaller team in the sport. This team, with its No. 33 Ford truck, gave him a platform to demonstrate his racing potential, even if their resources might not match those of bigger teams.
“They don’t know what I can do… I want to earn their respect,” Muniz told Fox Sports’ Bob Pockrass, reflecting on the skepticism he faces and his want to prove himself on the track.
Flexibility is key as Muniz juggles his acting commitments and racing. He is part of a planned Malcolm in the Middle reunion series, which, thanks to a tailored schedule, allows him to act for the first half of the week and focus on racing from Thursdays to Saturdays. How he balances his responsibilities will be crucial given the demanding schedule of 25 planned races stretching from mid-February through early November.
“I couldn’t ask for anything better. I think this truck was so fast,” he said following today’s performance. “I know I have to prove myself here. Last year, I didn’t have the opportunity to do that. And not that this fully does that.
“This is great. This is a step. Hopefully, I earn respect. I’m in the Ford technical meeting with the other drivers, and… even though we’re manufacturer teammates… I still don’t think they know what I can do or not.
“I want to earn their respect. And the only way to do that is to do it on track.”
He ended: “I’m happy. This was, this was great. This was awesome.”
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