Hollywood star Frankie Muniz\u2019s career U-turn onto the NASCAR circuit will continue in 2026, with the Malcolm In The Middle star set for a second full-time season in the Craftsman Truck Series alongside a new racing venture.<\/p>\n
A Golden Globe and Emmy nominee as a youngster, Muniz first dipped his toes in the racing waters in 2004 with Toyota Pro\/Celebrity Race, and it seems to have struck a chord. Having taken on various series between then and 2011, Muniz threw his full weight behind a career in racing in 2021<\/a>, two years before first joining the NASCAR<\/a> circuit with the ARCA Menards Series, racing full-time in 2023, finishing fourth in the series.<\/p>\n In 2024, Muniz drove a part-time schedule in the Craftsman Truck Series with Reaume Brothers Racing and in the Xfinity Series with Joey Gase Motorsports, going full-time with RBR in 2025 at the wheel of the No. 33 Ford F-150, barring a four-race stint away from the track due to an unfortunate injury suffered in a bizarre at-home incident<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Muniz finished the year with a season-best 10th-place finish at the season opener at Daytona, after which RBR struggled at times with a plethora of issues, leading to just a further four top 10 finishes.<\/p>\n Now, having recently turned 40, Muniz has announced that while he believed his racing days were done, he\u2019s back with the now-renamed Team Reaume. In a post on social media, he wrote: “I thought I was done. I really did. Hung up the helmet, said \u2018that\u2019s a wrap\u2019 on racing\u2026 then realized I\u2019ve still got way too much unfinished business on track.\u00a0<\/p>\n Sign up to our NASCAR newsletter here.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cSo here\u2019s the news I\u2019ve been dying to share… I\u2019m coming back FULL TIME in 2026. Full season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with my @TeamReaume family. Couldn\u2019t be more pumped to be home. AND full season in the SRO GT4 America series in a @FordRacing Mustang GT4 with @TechsportRacing, co-driving with my dude Tyler Stone.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re hunting podiums and we\u2019re not asking nicely. Thrilled to have @forthepeople and Aerial Titans back on board as well as many soon to be announced new partners.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe still have some opportunities available if you’re interested! 38 races + the Malcolm in the Middle reboot dropping next year<\/a> = the busiest, craziest, most fun year of my life so far. I\u2019m not just back\u2026 I\u2019m all in. 2026, let\u2019s gooooo.\u201d<\/p>\n In a team statement, Reaume said it was \u201cproud to announce that actor turned racer Frankie Muniz will make his highly anticipated return to the organization for the 2026 season, marking an exciting new chapter in the team\u2019s competitive growth and driver lineup.<\/p>\n \u201cMuniz will also bring strong partner support into the 2026 season, backed by Morgan & Morgan, Aerial Titans, and Levrack. A group of sponsors that reinforce the momentum behind his return and the program\u2019s competitive goals.<\/p>\n \u201cMuniz will pilot the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series No. 33 entry in 2026. His return aligns with the team\u2019s ongoing strategic rebrand and expanded focus on competitive performance as we head into 2026.\u201d<\/p>\n Looking ahead to his 32-race calendar for 2026, including his seven outings in SRO America, Muniz said it would be \u201cpretty intense\u201d in an interview with PEOPLE<\/a>, where he reiterated what he said in his post – that he genuinely believed his racing days were up \u201cbecause of the amount of time and focus and everything that goes into being a driver at the top level.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cSo when I did my last race in Phoenix a month ago, I had this thought like, ‘Well, this could be the last race I ever do as a NASCAR driver,’\u201d Muniz recalled.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd it was really in that moment that I was like, ‘No way. I’m not done with this. The story is not done. I haven’t accomplished the goals that I want to accomplish in it.’ There’s still a lot of unfinished business.\u201d<\/p>\n Looking ahead, Muniz said, \u201cWhen I’m done with it, I wanna look back and go, ‘Okay, I gave it 100% and gave it a real honest try and I’m happy with what I did.’<\/p>\n \u201cI don’t know exactly what that level of success looks like … I think I’ll know it when I accomplish it.\u201d<\/p>\n