Frankie Muniz to attempt NASCAR debut at Daytona
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Frankie Muniz will make the jump to NASCAR in 2024, starting with an attempt at his Xfinity Series debut in the season opener at Daytona.
Muniz will drive for Joey Gase Motorsports, piloting the No. 35 Ford Performance Ford Mustang. Daytona will be the first race in his limited Xfinity Series schedule this season.
“I am very fortunate to have the unwavering support of Ford and Ford Performance through my NASCAR journey. And I am very humbled yet excited to be teamed up with Joey Gase Motorsports to attempt my NASCAR Xfinity Series debut,” Muniz said.
JGM will have the owner points from the No. 35 team last year. The No. 35 team finished 25th in owner points. That means Muniz could fall back on points should he need it to get in the race.
“Joey Gase Motorsports is proud to welcome Frankie to the team. Undoubtedly, he brings a lot of attention to our team and the NASCAR Xfinity Series. But, throughout the last couple of weeks, I’ve never seen a driver more determined or focused than Frankie,” team owner Joey Gase said.
Gase will race the No. 53 National Crime Prevention Council car as a teammate to Muniz at Daytona.
Muniz finished 11th in his superspeedway debut last year in the ARCA Menards Series at Daytona. That kicked off his first full-time season in stock car racing which ended with a fourth-place finish in ARCA points.
“I know that moving up to Xfinity is a big leap for me, given my limited experience in stock cars,” Muniz said. “I understand the challenges ahead and know it will not always be easy. But, I want to thank Wayne Auton and Brett Bodine at NASCAR for believing in me and allowing me to compete in the Xfinity Series this season.”
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Jonathan Fjeld View All
Jonathan Fjeld is the co-owner of the The Racing Experts, LLC. He has been with TRE since 2010.
A Twin Valley, MN, native, Fjeld became a motorsports fan at just three years old (first race was the 2002 Pennsylvania 500). He worked as a contributor and writer for TRE from 2010-18. Since then, he has stepped up and covered 24 NASCAR race weekends and taken on a larger role with TRE. He became the co-owner and managing editor in 2023 and has guided the site to massive growth in that time.
Fjeld has covered a wide array of stories and moments over the years, including Kevin Harvick's final Cup Series season, the first NASCAR national series disqualification in over 50 years, Shane van Gisbergen's stunning win in Chicago and the first Cup Series race at Road America in 66 years – as well as up-and-coming drivers' stories and stories from inside the sport, like the tech it takes for Hendrick Motorsports to remain a top-tier team.
Currently, he resides in Albuquerque, N.M., where he works for KOB 4, an NBC station. He works as a digital producer and does on-air reports. He loves spending time with friends and family, playing and listening to music, exploring new places, being outdoors, reading books and writing among other activities. You can email him at fjeldjonathan@gmail.com