The “luck factor” is often one aspect that gets easily overlooked in NASCAR. However, it’s proven to be just as important as having the fastest car or being the most skilled driver. If the racing gods aren’t on your side, everything can fall apart in an instant.
Just look at what happened to Ryan Blaney in this season’s spring race at Darlington. He had the fastest car and even took the lead late in the race. But then Kyle Larson and Bubba Wallace made contact, which triggered a caution.
Denny Hamlin capitalized on it with the fastest pit stop and went on to win, while Blaney had to settle for fifth place. What must have been especially frustrating for Blaney was that none of it was in his control.
That’s exactly what Hollywood actor-turned-NASCAR-driver Frankie Muniz seems to be feeling about his season lately. And, after what happened at the recent Texas race, Muniz appears to be running out of patience with how things have been going.
Frankie Muniz Seems to Be on the Verge of Giving Up
The 2025 season marks Muniz’s debut as a full-time driver in the NASCAR Truck Series. After a few starts last year, this is his first full campaign—and it actually got off to a promising start with a P10 finish in the season-opening race at Daytona. But that’s where the good news ended. Since then, Muniz has faced nothing but setbacks.
At the most recent race in Texas, with just 20 laps to go, his truck hit the wall in Turn 2, blowing his right front tire and resulting in yet another DNF—his fourth in just eight races. When he emerged from the infield care center, he looked completely drained.
“Let me wreck dudes, let me wreck myself, let me feel like I did something wrong.”
– @frankiemuniz frustrated by external issues that have taken him out of races. pic.twitter.com/pbEqZ3PY9c
— Frontstretch (@Frontstretch) May 3, 2025
While he wasn’t physically hurt, the mental toll was evident. In his post-race interview, Muniz didn’t hold back, telling Front Stretch that he wishes they would just “let me wreck.”
“I can’t catch a break,” Muniz said. “I mean, let me wreck some dudes. Let me wreck myself. Let me feel like I did something wrong. But, it’s hard to keep coming and like it’s not my team, it’s none of us, it’s out of our control, and things just keep happening.”
Setbacks Outside His Control: ‘Man, Give Me a Win’
Texas was just the latest chapter in a string of unfortunate events. Earlier in the season, he was caught in a multi-car wreck when Ty Majeski drove into the rear of his truck at Bristol. At Rockingham, he suffered a mechanical failure.
Since Daytona, the “Malcolm in the Middle” star hasn’t finished better than 23rd.
What makes it even more frustrating for Muniz is that most of these setbacks have been outside of his control.
“Honestly, I’ve got so much going on right now, and I’m like, man, give me a win,” Muniz said. “Like a win, like, feeling like we finished the race, I thought we were racing good and you know, doing alright. Just out of my control again. I’m over it, to be honest.”
Still, the bulk of the season is yet to be run. Here’s hoping Muniz can turn things around in the coming races. Otherwise, this tough debut campaign might also be his last in NASCAR.