Frankie Muniz on Why Race Car Driving is More Fulfilling Than His Hollywood Career

Frankie Muniz, the former star of the hit sitcom ‘Malcolm in the Middle,’ has opened up about why he finds professional race car driving more fulfilling than his career in Hollywood. In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, Muniz, now 38, explained that the objective nature of racing is a significant factor in his preference. “As an actor, like, I’ve been fortunate to do a lot of great things and people tell me, ‘I love your show, or I love this or love that,’ but, you know, it’s all based on opinion,” he said. “Where, as a race car driver, it’s not subjective. It’s in black and white. You either win and you’re the fastest or you’re slow.”

Muniz made the transition to professional racing after ‘Malcolm in the Middle’ ended in 2006. He competed in the Formula BMW USA Championship in 2006 and then in the ChampCar Atlantic Championship from 2007 to 2009. During his time in the ChampCar Atlantic Championship, Muniz achieved a fourth-place standing in the championship before a season-ending injury required multiple surgeries. He returned to racing in 2021 and currently competes part-time in various races.

Despite his passion for racing, Muniz admits he still misses aspects of his acting career. “When ‘Malcolm’ ended in 2006, that was the year that I started racing professionally. And at that time, I was like, ‘I don’t care what it is. I don’t care what offer it is. I don’t care how much money it is, don’t call me. I’m going racing. I want to focus,'” he recalled. Muniz believes this dedication has given him a greater appreciation for his past work in acting.

In addition to his racing career, Muniz has recently partnered with Spirit Airlines to promote their new #NotInTheMiddle ‘Go Comfy’ travel option. This campaign, created by Tombras, highlights the benefits of choosing a window or aisle seat with a guaranteed blocked middle seat, along with other perks such as priority boarding and complimentary snacks.

Muniz currently resides in Scottsdale, Arizona, with his wife Paige Price and their 3-year-old son. He has also been vocal about his preference for living in Arizona over Los Angeles, a sentiment that has sparked some controversy but is based on his personal experiences living and working in both cities.