"Malcolm" To Earn Racing Stripes

Mr. Kennedy

Shirley Temple became an ambassador. Macaulay Culkin wrote a novel. Frankie Muniz is going to race cars.

Faced with the end of his own child-star run, Muniz is set to debut as a driver in the Formula BMW USA series just days after Fox airs the May 14 series finale of Malcolm in the Middle, his prime-time vehicle of the past six years.

Calling the move to motor racing an "incredible opportunity," Muniz formally announced his sporting intentions last month. The story gained traction last weekend when Muniz, competing in the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race held in conjunction with the Grand Prix of Long Beach, made clear he considered the track his new full-time job.

"You can't really juggle both [acting and racing] because if you do, you just don't get enough time in the car," Muniz told the Associated Press.

Muniz's new boss said the on-hiatus actor has a solid shot at starring in an event such as the Grand Prix of Long Beach as soon as 2008.

"He's the got the basic ingredients: He's got intelligence and courage," said Eric Jensen, president of Jensen MotorSport, for whom Muniz has committed to professionally race for two years.

A noted car collector, including the VW Jetta from The Fast and the Furious, Muniz was first among all celebrity comers in the 2005 Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race. Last Saturday, Muniz, competing as a pro for the first time, finished 11th overall.

That said, Jensen said the Formula BMW series is the perfect place for Muniz to launch his racing career. He described it as a circuit primarily for "junior level guys," like Muniz, "who are actually talented."

Speeds in the cars, that to the untrained eye look like the ones that can be found zipping around at the Indianapolis 500, top out at about 125 mph. Among his fellow Formula BMW drivers, many of them teenagers, Jensen said, Muniz, at 20, will be the second oldest competitor.

As a pro race-car driver, Muniz is set to debut May 19-21 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, the first of seven Formula BMW events.

Next year, the plan is for Muniz to move up to the Champ Car Atlantic series, where the cars can reach speeds of 175 mph.

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Miakal

Muniz is going to smash up that little wonderful face of his.

Inogenius

You sir are wise beyond your years.