Frankie Muniz’s First NASCAR Race Spoiled By Truck’s Mechanical Issues

Mar. 15, 2025

Frankie Muniz.Photo:James Gilbert/Getty

James Gilbert/Getty

Frankie Muniz’sNASCARTruck Series debut didn’t go according to plan on Saturday afternoon.

The 38-year-old actor-turned-professional race car driver finished in 33rd place out of 34 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. By the time winner Grant Enfinger crossed the finish line, Muniz was 29 laps back.

“I lost power! I lost power! I lost power! I lost power!” Muniz frantically shouted to his pit crew early in the race.

His team tried to calm him down, advising him to “recycle everything” to try to get the truck restarted.“Oh my god!” Muniz yelled before airing grievances about his spoiled debut.

“God d—,” he yelled, adding, “I don’t get why I don’t get a chance to even try to prove to myself that I can drive in this series. I just want one chance. I was catching people, you know?”

His team then reminded him that the race was just “a prelude to next year,” as this NASCAR season is near its end and Muniz, who announced his career change last week, was merely getting his sea legs.

Frankie Muniz.Malcolm Hope/Getty

Malcolm Hope/Getty

Munizexclusively told PEOPLEon Wednesday, Oct. 23 about his plans to become a full-time driver in NASCAR’s Craftsman Truck Series starting next year.

“I don’t want to say it’s a long time coming, but this has been a dream of mine for forever,” he told PEOPLE in an exclusive interview.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

“I started with doing the open wheel route,” he said. “I thought I was going to go IndyCar, kind of the Formula 1 route, but I always had in the back of my mind that I wanted to try NASCAR. I wanted to do it. I grew up watching NASCAR. I was a huge fan, but it’s not something I necessarily thought that I’d ever get the opportunity to do.”

Frankie Muniz.Albert L. Ortega/Getty

Albert L. Ortega/Getty

Muniz will drive the No. 33 F-150 truck next season forReaume Brothers Racing, who he drove with in Saturday’s race.

“I don’t want to just have made it to NASCAR,” Muniz told PEOPLE. “I want, when people think of the truck series, they think of NASCAR that they think of, oh, ‘I want to watch Frankie. He’s competitive. He’s this.’ “

source: people.com