Do you remember the famous TV series ‘Malcolm in the Middle’? Well, you may not know that its protagonist, the actor Frankie MunizHe is a great fan of car racing and has made his ‘first steps’ in competition. In 2023 he will take that passion one step further and race full-time in the ARCA Menards Series.
The 37-year-old actor already has some experience on circuits. In 2001, at the height of the popularity explosion for ‘Malcolm’, Muniz had the opportunity to drive the safety car for the Daytona 500.
At that time, he was recording some documentaries for the MTV True Life program, and he was able to meet the historic pilot Dale Earnhardt before he suffered the accident in which he lost his life in that same race.
After participating in a Toyota Pro celebrity race for two years and finishing on the podium, Muniz signed with the Jensen Motorsport team to compete in the Formula BMW USA, where he faced drivers of the stature of Canadian Robert Wickens – who was champion -, Simona de Silvestro, Stefano Coletti or Sebastián Saavedra. Muniz finished thirtieth out of 32 participants.
From 2007 to 2009, he participated in another single-seater championship, the Atlantic Formula, where he came to finish second in a race and regularly add points. His progression, however, was interrupted with the cancellation of the 2010 season due to a lack of participants.
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In the ARCA Menards Series, a category below NASCAR, Muniz will return to racing full-time, something he hasn’t done in more than a decade due to the film projects he’s been involved in as well as health issues. He himself revealed some time ago that, after a transient ischemic attack suffered in 2012, he has had great memory loss.
This year, Muniz will take the wheel of the Ford Mustang number 30 of the Rette Jones Racing team, and will compete in circuits such as Daytona, Iowa Speedway, Pocono Raceway or Watkins Glen.
Being a pilot, Frankie Muniz’s childhood dream
“Since I was a child, my dream has been to compete in NASCAR.and it was important to me to partner with a team that was aligned with my long-term goals and vision, while offering me every opportunity to grow mentally and physically as a full-time racing driver,” Muniz said.
“I am looking forward to not only show my ability on the track and the seriousness with which I am progressing in my career as a driver, but also to show my son and my family what it is to follow your dreams and reinvent yourself,” he added.
Although Muniz is primarily known for the role of Malcolm In the series that became so popular in Spain, he has also starred in films such as the successful Super Agent Cody Banks and many others. A few months ago it was rumored that ‘Malcolm in the Middle’ could return... we’ll see if it fits into your plans as a pilot!