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Hollywood actor-turned-NASCAR driver Frankie Muniz is reportedly in talks to become the co-owner of the Xfinity Series outfit Joey Gase Motorsports, which is currently solely owned by Joey Gase.
Muniz made his Xfinity Series debut at Daytona International Speedway driving the #35 Ford for Joey Gase Motorsports, backed by Ford Performance as the primary sponsor. However, his night ended 37 laps into the race, as he was caught in a wreck and was classified 33rd in his maiden Xfinity race.
Following his debut with the team, it is now rumored that Frankie Muniz will join forces with Joey Gase to co-own the team. An image featuring Gase-Muniz Motorsports logo is making the rounds on social media and has sparked the interest of several NASCAR fans.
Joey Gase founded his eponymous team as an owner-driver in November 2021 and was later joined by Patrick Emerling as the co-owner, adopting the name Emerling-Gase Motorsports, before making its full-time debut in 2022.
Following two seasons together, Emerling announced his departure from the team ahead of the 2024 NASCAR season, leaving Joey Gase to assume full ownership of the outfit. The team currently fields #35 Ford on a full-time basis for various drivers and #53 Chevy on a part-time basis for Joey Gase.
The departure of Patrick Emerling has now opened up the opportunity for Frankie Muniz to co-own the Xfinity Series team, and simultaneously secure a ride in the second-tier series.
According to The Daily Downforce, reports from the garage area indicate that Muniz and Gase are working towards such a deal. However, no imminent announcement is expected about their collaboration at this time.
Frankie Muniz expresses disappointment after wrecking out on Xfinity debut
In the United Rentals 300 at Daytona International Speedway on February 19, the 'Malcolm in the Middle' star lined up 37th on the grid. Despite climbing as high as P13 during the race, his run was cut short when he got caught up in a wreck, bringing a premature end to his outing.
Richard Childress Racing driver Jesse Love spun his #2 Chevy on Lap 37, triggering a pile-up involving as many as 10 drivers including Frankie Muniz. Post-race, he expressed his disappointment to Sky News:
"(The crash) was unfortunate because we were trying to be cautious. Unfortunately, we're done early... we didn't do anything wrong I just got caught up."
He added:
"I was hoping my Xfinity debut would be better than this... I know I've got a long way to go, this is just the beginning."
Frankie Muniz is expected to make his second appearance for Joey Gase Motorsports in the Xfinity race at Phoenix Raceway on March 9.
