After his Hollywood career stalled, Muniz literally switched gears. However, not everything was smooth sailing. People were surprised when he made his ARCA debut at Daytona. Many thought this was just a publicity stunt, wondering if he was dabbling in racing for fun rather than competing seriously. But as he has made clear several times before, he is serious and working toward long-term goals. But that begs the question. Why did Muniz leave Hollywood and take the wheel of one of the world’s most dangerous sports?
Frankie Muniz talks about his monumental career change
Muniz’s involvement with racing dates back to the early 2000s, when he drove the safety car in the 2001 Daytona 500. But this race is memorable for one reason. That was the tragic death of Dale Earnhardt in a final lap crash. Muniz spoke with Earnhardt before the race and got the legend’s autograph on his jacket. “My daughter and I have become very close because of your show,” Earnhardt said. He was 16 years old at the time and couldn’t believe the love he was receiving from his racing idol. Twenty years later, Frankie has thrust himself into the spotlight.
Frankie made his stock car racing debut in 2021 at Kern County Raceway Park in Bakersfield, Calif., competing in the SRL Pro Late Model Series for High Point Racing. In a recent conversation, Frankie revealed what really drew him to the world of racing, and why he left behind a successful acting career to pursue a different kind of adrenaline.
For Muniz, it all started with a childhood passion. His passion was soapbox derby racing. he told Carla Gebhart on Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Dirty Mo Media. “I’ve always loved cars,” he said, recalling how racing has been his passion since childhood. “I got the racing bug while doing the Soapbox Derby.”
But what really attracted him was the objectivity of the race. “The amazing thing about racing compared to acting is that it’s less subjective,” Muniz explained. “In acting, you can think you did a great job, you can put your soul into the character, and people might still say, ‘Well, it was okay.'” With racing, it’s different. “If you’re good and you belong, you can get to the top of the leaderboard and at least have some idea of where you stand at all times. So I I love that.”
Despite his passion, Frankie Muniz faced a lot of skepticism when he announced his return to racing. “I think people thought it was just going to be publicity,” he revealed. “They thought I would run behind them and waste their money.” But Frankie was ready to prove them wrong. In his ARCA debut at Daytona, he set the fastest time in practice and showed his presence. “It was pretty cool to come out with a bang like that,” he said with a laugh. “I think it shocked others because I think it shocked me.”
In Muniz’s mind, the goal was not only to be recognized for his past as an actor, but also to gain respect on the racetrack. “I don’t want to tell people that I’m a race car driver. I want them to see it and believe it,” he stressed. “There’s a limit to what people can say about someone not belonging when they’re hitting on you, you know?” While continuing the trend of proving people wrong , Muniz is currently gearing up to race in a NASCAR Truck Series vehicle. Let’s see what it is.
