Actor-turned-racer Frankie Muniz made a successful NASCAR debut in the ARCA Menards Series in 2023, and now, he’s announced plans to make the jump to the Xfinity Series in 2024, where he will compete part-time behind the wheel of the No. 35 NASCAR Ford Mustang in select events.
The No. 35 Mustang is fielded by Joey Gase Motorsports (JGM), and Muniz will make his first start in the 2024 Xfinity Series this coming weekend at Daytona International Speedway on February 17th. He finished 11th at Daytona in the 2023 ARCA Series, and hopes to build on last year’s success.
“I know that moving up to Xfinity is a big leap for me, given my limited experience in stock cars,” Muniz said in a statement. “I understand the challenges ahead and know it will not always be easy. I want to thank Wayne Auton and Brett Bodine at NASCAR for believing in me and allowing me to compete in the Xfinity Series this season. I know that I have an enormous amount to learn, but you won’t find someone more dedicated than I am when it comes to chasing a dream.”
As a reminder, Muniz had a successful acting career, starring in “Malcom in the Middle” and “Agent Cody Banks” before shifting gears to pursue his lifelong dream of racing in 2006. His motorsports career began in the Formula BMW USA Championship. He then competed in the ChampCar Atlantic Championship from 2007 through 2009. Muniz was performing well in the series, holding down fourth place in points, before a wreck put an early end to his championship bid and resulted in extensive injuries. He finished fourth in overall points in the 2023 ARCA Series, with one top five and 11 top 10s. His best finish was fifth at Michigan International Speedway.
The rest of Muniz’s 2024 Xfinity Series schedule will be revealed later this season.
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Congrats Frankie. Living the dream!