“We’re Not Stupid F1”: Frankie Muniz Reveals the NASCAR Reality Check That Changed His Racing Approach

Neha Dwivedi | 06/09/2025
Feb 14, 2025; Daytona Beach, Florida, USA; NASCAR Truck Series driver Frankie Muniz (33) during qualifying for the Fresh from Florida 250 at Daytona International Speedway.

Unlike IndyCar or Formula 1, where deliberate contact can lead to penalties or suspensions, stock car racing embraces it as fair game when making a move or defending a pass. This has caught many by surprise, especially those transitioning from open-wheel racing, including actor-turned-driver Frankie Muniz.

Blocking, nudging the bumper, pushing rivals toward the wall, and even wrecking are all part of the NASCAR playbook. Legends like Dale Earnhardt and stars such as Kyle Busch, Kyle Larson, and Carson Hocevar have all leaned on those tactics to achieve success. Muniz, however, had no idea the sport allowed drivers to make such aggressive maneuvers.

On Joe Vulpis’ podcast, Muniz, who first rose to prominence in the sitcom Malcolm in the Middle, explained how the shift to NASCAR forced him to adapt to a much rougher style than what he knew from open-wheel racing.

Muniz recalled an eye-opening moment at Circuit of the Americas (COTA), where he asked the Truck Series director if there were rules against blocking, since he hadn’t heard any mentioned in the pre-race meeting. The response floored him. There were none.

“That was a big wakeup call this year,” Muniz said. “Even though I’ve been racing for years, like the type of I used to do more open wheel racing, Indycar racing, stuff like that, which you can’t touch each other. NASCAR is a full-contact sport, and they will push you out of the way… They don’t care if they wreck you…. But like they’re doing whatever they have to do to win, and there’s no rules saying they can’t.”

Muniz contrasted it with Formula 1, where even the smallest of contacts can lead to extremely harsh penalties. “In NASCAR, it’s almost like celebrated… I remember we were racing the first road course this year, and I went up to the series director and I was like, ‘Hey, I didn’t see anything in the driver video if there was a rule about blocking.’ He’s like, ‘We don’t have a block. We’re not stupid F1. You can do whatever you want,'” he added.

Breaking down the nuance, Muniz explained that it’s a skill to move someone without outright wrecking them. A slight tap to the right rear under braking can make a car lose grip and drift up the track, opening the door for the trailing driver to slip underneath. The move might spark tempers and even retaliation, but more often than not, it secures the position.

As the #33 Reaume Brothers Racing driver summed it up, in NASCAR, it’s not about whether the drivers move someone, it’s about knowing how to do it the right way so that the other driver does not get wrecked badly or injured in the process.

Post Edited By: Somin Bhattacharjee
Frankie Muniz

About the author

Neha Dwivedi

Neha Dwivedi is an experienced NASCAR Journalist at The SportsRush, having penned over 5500 articles on the sport to date. She was a seasoned writer long before she got into the world of NASCAR. Although she loves to see Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch win the races, she equally supports the emerging talents in the CARS Late Model and ARCA Menards Series.. For her work in NASCAR she has earned accolades from journalists like Susan Wade of The Athletic, as well as NASCAR drivers including Thad Moffit and Corey Lajoie. Her favorite moment from NASCAR was witnessing Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. win the championship trophies. Outside the racetrack world, Neha immerses herself in the literary world, exploring both fiction and non-fiction.

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