You may know him as “Malcolm in the Middle,” Agent Cody Banks, a “Dancing With the Stars” Bronze medalist, or even the drummer for the band, Kingsfoil. But Frankie Muniz wants you to know him as a professional race car driver.
The Scottsdale resident is entering his first full-time season in the NASCAR-owned ARCA Menards Series in the Rette Jones Racing No. 30 Ford. After finishing 11th in the season opener at Daytona in February, Muniz is back behind the driver’s seat for the first time at his home track, Phoenix Raceway.
Muniz, 37, has always had an affinity with motorsport. His racing career began in the 2004 Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race and won the celebrity category in 2005. The New Jersey native took a break from acting in 2006 to compete in the Formula BMW USA Championship and ChampCar Atlantic Championship. In 2009, Frankie sat fourth in the Atlantic Championship point standings with just two races remaining in the season until he sustained significant injuries in a wreck.
14 years after putting his racing dreams aside, the longtime Arizona Coyotes and GCU Lopes fan is back in the cockpit in search of the ARCA Rookie of the Year and Championship honors.
You can watch Muniz race at Phoenix Raceway for the first time on Friday, March 10, at 6:00 p.m. MST on FS2. Friday’s event also includes fellow Arizona resident, Bobby Hillis Jr., 61, and Phoenix native, Bradley Erickson, 16.
Devon Henry
