It turns out that some of NASCAR’s rising stars in the Craftsman Truck Series might not be as familiar with pop culture as you’d think—especially when it comes to Frankie Muniz, the former child actor-turned-race car driver.
In a recent series of interviews, several Truck Series drivers admitted they had either never watched or simply forgot they had seen Muniz on television or in movies. This revelation was both surprising and hilarious, given that Muniz starred in some of the most iconic films and TV shows of the early 2000s, including Malcolm in the Middle, Agent Cody Banks, and Big Fat Liar.
Wait… That’s Frankie Muniz?
Muniz, who is making a serious push in motorsports, recently competed full-time in the ARCA Menards Series and has aspirations of climbing NASCAR’s ranks. But when his name came up among some younger Truck Series drivers, the reactions were priceless.
For many, Muniz is known only as a race car driver—his Hollywood career almost an afterthought. Some weren’t sure where they had seen him before, while others were completely unaware he had once been one of the biggest young stars in entertainment.
One driver even asked, “Wait, he was in Malcolm in the Middle?”—a statement that left fans shaking their heads.
Racing Over Red Carpets
To be fair, Muniz has spent the last several years focused entirely on racing, stepping away from acting to pursue his passion full-time. But it’s still amusing to see NASCAR’s next generation so detached from early 2000s pop culture.
For those who do remember, the idea of Agent Cody Banks trading in spy missions for superspeedways is an unexpected career twist. But for Muniz, it’s clear where his priorities are: winning races and proving himself in the world of NASCAR.
And maybe, just maybe, he’ll take a few minutes to remind his fellow drivers that before he was behind the wheel, he was once a Hollywood superstar.
