“I want to win the championship”: Frankie Muniz is just getting started after becoming the ARCA points leader at Talladega

You might recognize him from "Malcolm in the Middle," as Agent Cody Banks, as a bronze medalist on "Dancing With the Stars," or perhaps as the drummer for the band Kingsfoil.

However, Frankie Muniz desires that you recognize him as a skilled racing car driver. During his debut season at the ARCA in Talladega, he is leading the points board.

Frankie Muniz might be leading the leaderboard, but Jess Love went ahead and won Saturday's race. Venturini Motorsports has gotten back on track in the ARCA Menards Series after missing out on the past two superspeedway triumphs, finishing 1-2 in the General Tire 200 at Talladega Superspeedway on Saturday.

After a strong final restart at the 2.66-mile track, Jesse Love, the team's sole driver competing for the title in the ARCA Menards Series this season, took the checkered flag in the No. 20 Yahoo! Toyota Camry.

It was more challenging to run and make passes while in the draft in the final circuits of the race since the field had effectively split in half, leaving only eight cars in the lead draft. Dean tried to make an outside move into turn three on the last lap of the race, but was unable to gain the assistance he needed to pass the No. 20.

Sean Corr, driving the No. 8 Chevrolet SS for Empire Racing, finished inside the top five after almost losing the draft at the white flag. The top 10 was completed by Jason White, Jack Wood, Taylor Gray, Scott Melton, Frankie Muniz, and Jack Wood.

The largest collision of the race occurred on lap 24, when Jason Kitzmiller's failed shift caused an eight-car collision on the restart that involved Mandy Chick, Logan Misuraca, Jon Garrett, Tim Richmond, and other drivers.

"Being the unofficial points leader is insane. I want to win the championship. You know what I mean, I'm gonna do everything I can to try to stay there..." Muniz said during the post-race interview.

As the ARCA Menards Series prepares to drive to Kansas, its first intermediate track of the season, Frankie Muniz maintains a three-point lead over Talladega victor Jesse Love as the series leaves Talladega, the third of 20 events on the 2023 schedule.

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Frankie Muniz claims it was simple to switch from Hollywood to NASCAR

Frankie Muniz doesn't mind if you still remember him as Malcolm, the wisecracking main character of the famous comedy "Malcolm in the Middle," which made him a worldwide sensation throughout its seven-season run.

The Emmy and Golden Globe winner stated earlier this year that he will race full-time in NASCAR's ARCA Series. Muniz stated that his comeback to racing isn't simply for enjoyment; he's there to compete and, perhaps, win.

The lifelong racing enthusiast has spent more than two hours a day in the gym conditioning his body for the physical requirements of driving a racecar, plus many more watching videos each day.