Double Top 10 ‘Like A Home Run’ For Reaume Truck Team

From left: Jason White, Frankie Muniz, and team owner Josh Reaume stand on pit road following Friday's NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series opener at Daytona Int'l Speedway. (Jacob Seelman/Race Face Digital photo)

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – No driver from the Reaume Brothers Racing trio found victory lane in Friday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series opener at Daytona Int’l Speedway, but you wouldn’t have known that from the smiles and positivity they exuded after the race.

After beginning the weekend with all three teams securing a spot in the Fresh From Florida 250 on speed, the small-budget organization with big dreams managed to escape the World Center of Racing without serious damage to any of their trucks.

Add to that the fact that two of their drivers walked away with career-best top 10 finishes, and the combination of good vibes felt like a win.

All eyes were on Frankie Muniz, as the ‘Malcolm in the Middle’ star went from full-time actor to making his first start as a full-time driver in the Truck Series.

The 39-year-old Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender posted the best qualifying effort of his young NASCAR career, and led the way for RBR in the starting lineup, by securing a 14th-place grid spot.

At the drop of the green flag, Muniz and his teammates, Josh Reaume and Jason White, stuck to their plan going into the 100-lap season opener by dropping to the rear of the field to stay out of trouble, while maintaining pace with the lead pack.

For the majority of the event, the driver of the No. 33 was like a caged animal, impatiently eager to let loose and charge to the front.

After pedaling around Daytona at 30-percent throttle for virtually the entirety of the race, Muniz was told he could let it rip for the final two laps and looked like a veteran the way he worked his way through the draft – even after receiving some damage to the front end of his Ford in an incident with 18 to go.

When it was all said and done, Muniz initially powered his way to a career-best 11th-place finish. However, winner Parker Kligerman’s truck was disqualified during post-race inspection, elevating Muniz to a top-10 finish in the first race of his full-time tenure.

“With three to go, we were pretty far back, but the truck was so fast,” Muniz said smiling. “I did two laps at 100-percent throttle, maybe … We literally drove by the second pack and I closed up like half a (straightaway) by myself. I can’t thank my team enough and Ford, obviously, for giving me the opportunity. This is my best career finish – hopefully until next week.

Frankie Muniz (33) leads teammate Jason White Friday night at Daytona Int'l Speedway. (Nigel Kinrade/NKP photo)

“I know I have to prove myself on track,” Muniz added after the race. “I don’t expect anybody to respect me as a driver until I do that, and I can tell you, I haven't done that. Tonight, obviously, is a step in the right direction, but there are a lot more tracks we need to go to that I need to be good at and earn respect from the other drivers. I’m thrilled.

“This is the first time I’ve gotten out of a race car in a bit where I feel really, really happy.”

Team owner Reaume was the lowest finisher of the evening for his organization after crossing the finish line in 18th. But that was the furthest thing from his mind as he joined his drivers Muniz and White by their (relatively) undamaged trucks following their strong finishes.

The bigger picture was all that was on Reaume’s mind at that point.

“ From a team owner’s perspective, this was like a home run,” Reaume said. “To have trucks that are not too badly damaged, make it on speed with all three trucks, that’s a huge feat for our team as we've continued to work on our qualifying program at superspeedways.

“We had really no crazy hiccups, we executed the race, we worked really well together as teammates to ride in the back (and) never were in jeopardy of losing a lap or anything. That’s a huge deal for us.”

Muniz met with Reaume for the first time at the end of the 2024 season and got the opportunity to race in the Truck Series finale at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway, where he crashed and placed 34th.

Although unable to make a good first impression on the track, there was a mutual respect between both parties in sensing the passion and motivation to succeed as a driver and team owner.

”The guy gets on an airplane and flies all the way from Phoenix to Charlotte to sit in a simulator for two hours and then turns around and flies back home,” Reaume said of Muniz. “I don't think there's a driver in this field that's more committed than that. He doesn't need to do this; he wants to do it.

“He’s passionate about it. He sees the passion in us, and I see the drive in him to be successful as a driver, so I think it’s a good pairing and we’re going to have a fun year.”

While only teammates for less than a year, one could easily sense on pit road that Muniz was very much family with Reaume and White, who’s been with RBR since 2018.

Although overlooked by most, due to the star power Muniz brings to the table, White silently led the charge for the team with a career-best eighth-place finish.

The 51-year-old couldn’t help but continuously embrace both his teammates after the race following the ride of his life, in which he escaped “The Big One” in cinematic fashion.

”(To get a) top-10, we’re happy no matter what,” White said. “I actually did the ‘Days of Thunder.’ I went straight for the smoke, and by the time I got there, they were gone. My spotter got me through there. It was awesome.

“I’m just so proud of RBR (and) Josh. I’ve been here since 2018, and we were ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’ (at the start), but now here we are, and we’re getting in on speed and we’re finishing in the top 10.”

While White isn’t headed to Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway with the rest of the RBR bunch – Keith McGee will take over the No. 22 entry for the Fr8 Racing 208 – Muniz and Reaume will look to build on the team’s early momentum and continue pushing forward toward even bigger goals.

“We hope this is only the start of great things,” Reaume noted.