‘Malcolm in the Middle’ aired for the first time 24 years ago, and its chief star has an undiminished drive to live life to the fullest. Frankie Muniz, who played Malcolm in the iconic American sitcom, is rolling up his sleeves for a career other than acting. Despite dabbling in racing for years since 2006, his motorsport ambition received a kick in 2021. From 2025, he will finally compete as a full-time NASCAR driver.

Yet the hands of time never stop as Reaume Brothers Racing’s No. 33 Ford driver is now nearing the end of his 30s. 2024 Cup Series champion Joey Logano is 34 – usually, ages 38-40 represents a prime period. Mark Martin’s most productive age was 39 and Dale Jarrett’s was 40, winning his first cup series title at 43 years old in 1999. But despite his late entry, Frankie Muniz is happy to be older as fans pour in their wishes.

Frankie Muniz has no regrets in gathering years

After all, the celebrity had a successful career on screen prior to this. ‘Malcolm in the Middle’ was a popular sitcom for seven seasons, and Frankie Muniz’s acting stint did not stop after that. For instance, he appeared in a series of TV shows in recent years, including Nora from Queens, New Amsterdam, and The Rookie. His racing interests kicked in back in 2006. He heavily engaged in open-wheel racing until 2009, when a crash left him with a broken back. Yet ‘Malcolm’ came back to the racetracks in 2021. He accrued one top-five finish and 11 top-10s in 20 starts in a full-time 2023 ARCA Menards season. Now in line to be a permanent fixture on the NASCAR grid, Muniz is happy to blow some candles.

Frankie Muniz turned 39 on 5th December and posted an emotional message on Instagram. Ford, his manufacturer for Reaume Brothers, presented a special gift. Muniz wrote, “Today is my Birthday. My final year in my 30’s. The big 39. One year closer to those senior citizen discounts. Also, I really love my birthday present @fordperformance . #MachE” Muniz’s ARCA results fetched him a 4th place finish on the standings and enough attention from the higher rungs. He made two starts this season in the Truck Series and both resulted in finishes outside the top-30.

However, Frankie Muniz is really glad to have his sights set on a blooming career ahead. He expanded on the uncertainty about his racing future recently in a Q&A with The Athletic in November. “It means so much more to me after this year. I was supposed to be full-time this year and that deal died like two weeks before Daytona (the season-opener) or whatever it was, and not knowing if I was going to be full-time again was hard… I was worried that maybe I wasn’t going to get back to full-time, and the fact that we’ve announced it now, three, four months in advance, allows us to really start just preparing.” 

Besides cherishing his NASCAR opportunity, Muniz can also enjoy the birthday wishes that fans showered him with.

NASCAR community wishes ‘Malcolm’

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Making the best of both worlds is a rare feat. And Frankie Muniz is close to doing that – after a thumping success in Hollywood, now he is pumped for a remarkable stint in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. So the actor-turned-racer harnesses the highest respect from NASCAR fans. Somebody wished him on his birthday, hailing his achievements: “Happy birthday! You made me whole childhood with Malcom in the middle . I hope your last year of your 30s is amazing and full of opportunities ❤️” Somebody else also trumpeted Muniz’s evergreen milestones, which do not cease to come. “Happy birthday bud! Just means better n bigger things!! Keep up what you’re doing man. We all love ya.”

Frankie Muniz’s youthful days were at a time when NASCAR legends roamed around. For instance, Mark Martin, Cale Yarborough, and Dale Earnhardt could be seen competing on tracks. So one fan counted themselves lucky for sharing that sweet time along with Muniz. “Happy Birthday fellow 80s baby. 🙌🏼 cheers brotha. May God bless you with many more to come.” Malcolm in the Middle aired first in 2000, so Muniz has been aging more and more since then. But a fan begged to differ with his ‘senior’ theory, claiming he still has youth in him. “You’ve got a long way to go till those discounts 😂 Happy birthday Frankie 🎂”

Muniz has a special connection with NASCAR. He drove the pace car for the 2001 Daytona 500, the infamous race that recorded one of the sport’s biggest tragedies with the passing of Dale Earnhardt Sr. Besides getting his M&M’s jacket signed by Mark Martin and Kenny Schrader, he also talked with Dale Earnhardt. Muniz reflected on this conversation, saying, “Yeah. I mean, it’s a weird thought to think that maybe minus his crew chief and family, I may have been one of the last people to talk to him.”

Muniz’s deep-rooted connection with the sport has fans always by his side and with his full-time seat confirmed, one fan rooted for Muniz’s racing ambitions, “Happy National Driver Frank Day 2024. Green Flag for next chapter. ❤️🙏🏼🥳🏎️”

Clearly, there is no dearth of love for an aging Malcolm. As Frankie Muniz straps up for 2025, let us see how he dazzles us on the racetrack.