It’s not easy going from Hollywood sets to roaring engines, but Frankie Muniz has been doing just that. The Emmy-nominated actor turned part-time racer made headlines last week—not for a podium finish, but for all the wrong reasons at Bristol Motor Speedway. And the NASCAR world came down hard on him.
Muniz, best known for his role in ‘Malcolm in the Middle,’ has been racing part-time in the 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series for Reaume Brothers Racing. His best finish since his P10 at Daytona this year has only been two 24th place finishes at Las Vegas and Homestead.
From Daytona Highs to Bristol Blues for Frankie Muniz
Last Friday, things spiraled out of control. Thanks to a rain-soaked track, there was no practice or qualifying at Bristol. So, when the green flag waved, it was chaos for everyone, especially Muniz. Just 18 laps in, he got lapped. But after a caution, he got lucky and was able to get back into the lead lap. But that luck didn’t last long.
With just 13 laps to go in the first stage, Muniz was hit in the rear by Ty Majeski, which made him spin out, collecting not only himself but also front-runners Stewart Freisen and Brandon Jones. Needless to say, fans—and drivers—were not happy.
Majeski wasn’t shy about it either, reportedly screaming at Muniz after the incident. Online, things got even uglier. On the ‘Beating and Banging’ podcast with Kyle Dalton, he mentioned, “It’s one of the first times I’ve gotten a ton of s*** – excuse my French – online from the fans,” about receiving hate from NASCAR fans.
The Hollywood star didn’t hold back his emotions. “So, my whole life I’ve also had people talk crap about me online – warranted or not or whatever. I’m used to letting it go. But it does affect you,” he admitted. ” I’m telling you; it affects me because we haven’t had things go our way.”
Ty Majeski, Brandon Jones, and the Aftermath
Muniz tried to explain that he was simply trying to move into a lower line when Majeski came up behind and bumped him. In his eyes, it was more of a racing incident than anything else. Still, the floodgates of hate had already opened.
Interestingly, Jones took a more sympathetic stance in a post-race session. While he understood the frustration, he pointed out, “Half of me sort of feels for him, because who’s there to help him? Nobody. It’s him trying to figure it out on his own.”
Muniz is not part of a powerhouse team. He’s grinding it out, learning each race, and doing it all while balancing a crazy acting schedule. Just this week, he was back on a film set after that brutal Bristol night.
Despite the storm, Muniz isn’t backing down. In fact, he’s fired up for the Rockingham race this weekend. Say what you want about him, but the man’s chasing a dream, one lap at a time.