Frankie Muniz made his 'dream' NASCAR debut

Remember Frankie Muniz? Yes? No? Maybe?

Well, if you don't know, he's the (now grown-up) child actor that we all knew and came to love from the Malcom in the Middle TV series.

But now, after making a career U-turn, he's a professional NASCAR racer. Wild, right?

A fresh-faced 14-year-old Muniz, or 'Malcom' as we came to know him, first aired on screen in the first episode of Malcom in the Middle on 9 January 2000.

His character quickly became a relatable icon for many teens across the globe, with the intro song; 'Boss of Me' by They Might Be Giants turning into the anthem of a young nation - particularly youngsters who were feeling feisty while getting a grilling from their parents.

Proving that certainly nobody's the boss of him now, Muniz recently took part in his NASCAR racing debut and placed way higher than the middle.

In fact, he nearly reached the top 10 race car drivers at a semi-pro series this weekend.

Muniz raced at the ARCA Menards Series at the Daytona International Speedway in Florida this Saturday (18 February), making his first time on the track as a professional racer a memorable one.

The 80-lap circuit was greeted by 40 drivers, all eager to place high in the race ready to make their opponents eat rubber. Muniz beat 29 of his competitors, placing 11th overall and climbing back from 12th place in a dramatic final lap.

Muniz managed to keep his cool during his debut, even cracking the top 10 on several times throughout the race.

An ecstatic Muniz is still buzzing from the thrilling first run he's had, taking to social media to write: "Holy moly!!! That was the most insane thing I've ever done. Got up into the top 3 before getting turned and causing damage.

"Went to the back and went from 24th to 11th in the final 2 laps. I'm so grateful to my team and @hairclub and sponsors for making my dream a reality!"

37-year-old Muniz was even able to avoid what could have been a major accident during the race, which he received props for from commentators.

Though Muniz has raced as a hobby for quite some time now, it's only recently that he decided to turn it into a full-time passion, taking the foot off the gas with his acting career and replacing it with... well, a literal gas pedal.

TMZ Sports spoke to the actor-come-sportsman last month about his decision to switch things up and he described how he plans to take things seriously with his new racing opportunity.

However, this might not be the last we've seen of Mr Muniz on our screens, as fellow MITM actor Bryan Cranston has recently hinted at the potential of a Malcom in the Middle movie in our midst.

Talk about nostalgia. Maybe life isn't unfair after all!