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‘Malcolm in the Middle’ Star Opens Up About His “Swagger” Interaction With NASCAR Legend Jeff Gordon at Talladega Following His Unprecedented ARCA Feat

Published 05/07/2023, 8:48 PM EDT

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Over the years, there have been some Hollywood actors who tried their hand at motorsports, or racecar driving in particular. There’s Steve McQueen with his short stint in endurance racing, there’s Paul Newman with his impressive resume across many forms of motorsports, and now there is Frankie Muniz, the current leader of the NASCAR ARCA Series.

Of course, the ‘Malcolm in The Middle’ star may not be as commanding a name as McQueen or Newman in Hollywood, but behind the wheel of a racecar? He’s killing it.

And he is getting the attention he deserves. Think about it, when was the last time you heard Jeff Gordon being psyched for a racecar driver (other than a Hendrick one of course)?

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Frankie Muniz reveals how he feels about him being the leader in ARCA

Ahead of the race at Kansas, Muniz revealed how the newfound swagger of being the points leader in ARCA is something which “feels cool.” 

“Everyone coming up and saying, ‘Oh points leader.’ Talladega, at the Cup race, I was in the pit lane before the race and Jeff Gordon came upto me and he was like, ‘Dude points leader, oh soo cool..’, I talked to him for a while, that’s really cool,” he described.

“So yeah, there’s definitely some swagger that comes along with it.”

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Muniz is finally realizing his NASCAR dream

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In an interview with GQ, Muniz opened up on what him finally racing in NASCAR and towards his goal means to him. “I’ve wanted this for so long, and now it’s finally sinking in that I’m a real racecar driver,” he said.

“The fact that they feel confident enough to put me in a race suit—that people would understand this is what I do now—is a really cool feeling.”

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And for those who think Muniz is doing this as a ‘stint’, he clarified that isn’t the case. In fact, he has some big aspirations along with a very feasible plan considering where he is today.

“This isn’t a hobby for me,” he claimed. “I want to race in the Daytona 500 in two years, which would make me the oldest rookie ever in the NASCAR Cup Series.”

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“That’s my goal.” 

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Written by:

Shaharyar

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Shaharyar is an experienced Senior NASCAR writer at EssentiallySports. A journalist by heart and profession, he has been at the ‘wheel’ for nearly a decade after starting with Formula 1. He has penned over 1,700 articles on the sport.
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