TMZSports.com
Frankie Muniz starred on a hugely popular TV show and has been nominated for Emmys and Golden Globes, among a host of other awards…but the star actor says if he could win an ARCA series race, it would be the greatest professional achievement of his career!
“I don’t know exactly how I’m going to react (to winning a race), but the way I’m feeling right now, even just thinking about it, would 100% count as the greatest achievement of… well, okay, maybe have a wife, have my son. But definitely number 3!” Muniz told Babcock on TV show “TMZ Sports”. (airs every night on FS1).
Muniz, 37, recently committed to racing full-time in the Rette Jones Racing #30 Ford Mustang car — a NASCAR-owned ARCA team — when the series begins at Florida’s Daytona International Speedway in mid-February.
Of course, Frankie starred as Malcolm on the hit TV show Malcolm In The Middle. He also played along “Big Fat Liar” and “Agent Cody Banks” among many other films.
Frankie, whose first love is cars/racing, couldn’t contain his excitement at the prospect of racing and even got emotional during the interview.
“I’m on cloud nine. I’ve been very fortunate in my life to do a lot of cool things, but this is something I’ve literally wanted since I was five years old. I’ve achieved it in the past, but I always knew I wanted to do stock car racing. I wanted to race NASCAR so I’m thrilled to be in the ARCA Menards Series this year and to finally announce it the other day. Felt really good because it’s something for us. I’ve talked about it for a long time and here I am.”
Muniz knows he still has a lot to learn as a newcomer to the track, but he’s more than ready to go.
“I still have a lot to learn and I know that, so I’m competitive, I want to win,” said Frankie, realizing he’s going to be up against riders with a lot more experience.
“I know I have to be a realist and I know this is going to be quite a difficult year for me. I’m more motivated than ever to be older, you know, 37 years old, which is pretty old to start in the stock car world,” Muniz said.
Bottom line for Muniz…this is his chance to fulfill his dream and he won’t let it pass without giving everything he has.
“I have this opportunity right in front of me and I will 100% take advantage of it. I don’t want to look back at the end of the year and say, man, I wish I’d tried harder, I wish I’d trained harder, I wish I’d spent more time on the ship with the guys doing some learn about the car and find out things.'”
Muniz will be making his ARCA debut in less than a month! Much luck!
