When Frankie Muniz decided to jump from his acting career to a full-time racing career in 2021, it became quite apparent that stability was the last thing to be expected from him. And it turned out to be that way. He was quick to earn a full-time seat in the Truck Series, but at the same time, he found a role in the GT4 America series. And when it came to balancing them both, his priorities came as a shock to many.

Frankie Muniz makes an important choice ahead of the Truck Race

“Team Reaume confirms that Frankie Muniz will not compete in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event at Watkins Glen International.”

The statement that Reaume released on their social media appeared to be a bit confusing at first. However, it began making sense when they revealed their involvement in the GT4 America program.

The weekend on which the Bully Hill Vineyards 16 at The Glen will be held, Frankie Muniz will be a thousand miles away (quite literally) at the Sebring International Raceway in Florida, running the race for TechSport Racing. This would be the first race that he will miss this season.

He moved to GT4 full-time just this year, when TechSport Racing made a return. They partnered with Ford, and it has been going quite well for them so far. Muniz runs in the Am Class and has managed to pull off good results, much better than his NASCAR runs. He finished P2 (in his category) at the Sonoma race, clinching his first podium.

“You have no idea how much this means to me,” he wrote. “First podium after YEARS of grinding for this moment. Standing on that stage, spraying champagne with the trophy in hand… man, I can’t explain how good it feels! This one’s for everyone who’s believed in the journey.”

It hasn’t been easy for him to move to racing after years of acting. While he did also race early in his life, his larger focus was acting. He was also the protagonist in the sitcom, Malcolm In The Middle, through which he gained much fame.

As a racing driver, while he is not the best on the track, he seems to be leaning more towards GT racing than NASCAR. Understandably, too, considering the performance he manages to pull off in the series. But the fans have mixed reactions to this.

Fans react to Muniz missing the NASCAR weekend

“I’m guessing Frankie Muniz feels he’ll be more competitive in GT4,” this comment by a fan felt more like a statement, considering his GT4 runs so far. Not only has he been competitive, but also been one of the stronger drivers in the Am Class. This definitely invokes some confidence in him and his future.

“The championship is over,” wrote another fan, referring to his full-time run in the Truck Series. However, this is rather contradictory. Muniz hasn’t been half as competitive in his NASCAR runs compared to GT4. Some of it could be blamed on his lack of overall experience, but Reaume hasn’t been pulling off the best moves, either. They don’t appear as competitive on the track. “Why race for a win when you could drive a wheelbarrow to 28th instead,” read another comment with a hint of sarcasm.

But at the end of the day, Frankie Muniz seems quite clear with his priorities. Moreover, his team allows it, and the playoffs don’t exist anymore in the sport, so he wouldn’t have to worry about getting a waiver for the same. But as it seems, some fans want to extract the most jokes out of a situation, like this user wrote: “Going to be quite the playoff waiver discussion.”

Another comment, referring to his acting career, read: “They’re going to pick a random member of the Malcolm in the Middle cast to be his replacement.” This might as well be iconic, but it is doubtful if any of the more popular actors, especially the likes of Bryan Cranston, would be fit enough to race in NASCAR.

Frankie Muniz’s decision to dedicate more to his GT4 campaign. It’s new for him; he’s more competitive, and just missing a single race in the NASCAR run, where he’s already not very competitive, wouldn’t have a massive impact on his overall season.