For some, Frankie Muniz lived a Hollywood dream, but now his focus has turned to the race track.
"I got to do the pro-celebrity race in 2004," Muniz says. "And I won that. That feeling of crossing the finish line first was the greatest feeling I’ve ever had in my life. Unlike what I’ve done in the past in acting, I could put in so much hard work and you see it and think ‘eh, it wasn’t that good.’ It’s subjective. In racing, it’s in black and white."
While filming Malcolm in the Middle, Frankie competed in a celebrity race. Won it. And was instantly hooked.
"Malcolm in the Middle ended in 2006 and that’s the year I started racing," Muniz says. "I actually told my agents and managers, ‘I don’t care what it is, I’m not doing it, I’m focused on racing.’"
Now, his only regret is that he didn't start driving sooner.
"I wish even in 2006 I started racing I came this route. The racing, I’ve done both now, is so much more fun," Muniz says.
Now he's all in.
"Right now my focus is 100 percent on racing," Muniz says. “If things came up and the schedule works out, I wouldn’t say no right away, but at the same time if I want to be a competitive race car driver, against competitive race car drivers, I have to just be a race car driver.”
And at age 37, he still goes by Frankie. So does he ever hear his full name Francisco or Frank?
“More family call me Frank, which is weird because my dad’s Frank," Muniz says. “My real name is Francisco, so if I have to order something at Starbucks or something, I’ll say Francisco. Now that I’m getting older - I always hated that name - I should just be Francisco. Or Cisco. Just be Cisco. Starting today I want to be known as Cisco Muniz.”
In his first look at the Milwaukee Mile, Muniz finished 12th in the ARCA series Sprecher 150.
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