A NASCAR driver who once won at Talladega and Daytona has died.

JR Motorsports announced the death Michael Annett on Friday. He was 39. Cause of death was not revealed.

A native of Des Moines, Iowa, Annett made 436 combined starts across NASCAR’s three national touring series, most prominently in the Xfinity Series where he made 321 starts.

Annett earned his career-best achievement in 2019, winning the series’ season-opening race at the famed Daytona International Speedway.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Annett family with the passing of our friend Michael Annett,” JR Motorsports said on X. “Michael was a key member of JRM from 2017 until he retired in 2021 and was an important part in turning us into the four-car organization we remain today.”

Annett was also a two-time winner in the ARCA Menards Series, riding into victory lane at Talladega Superspeedway in 2007 before winning the 2008 series opener at Daytona.

“NASCAR is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former NASCAR driver Michael Annett,” NASCAR said in a statement. “Michael was a respected competitor whose determination, professionalism, and positive spirit were felt by everyone in the garage. Throughout his career, he represented our sport with integrity and the passion of a true racer. NASCAR extends its condolences to Michael’s family and many friends.”

Rochester Hills native Brad Keselowski, 2010 Xfinity champion and 2012 Cup champion, sent out a tribute this week.

“Michael was an up-and-comer at the same time I was and he was looking really good,” Keselowski, co-owner of RFK Racing, wrote. “In the end, life took us different paths and all of us who knew him and the talent he had are sad to see him go.”

Before racing, Annett had a hockey career as a defenseman on the United States Hockey League’s Waterloo Black Hawks, but his small stature (5′10″, 180 pounds) made playing at higher levels unlikely.

Frankie Muniz is returning to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series for another full-time campaign in 2026.

The 40-year-old Hollywood actor, who is very well-known for his roles on such productions as ‘Malcolm in the Middle’ and ‘Agent Cody Banks’, will continue his latest endeavor of competing full-time in one of NASCAR’s National Series.

During a special appearance on FOX and Friends on Monday (December 8), Muniz confirmed that he would pilot the No. 33 Ford F-150 in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2026, driving for the newly-rebranded Team Reaume.

Aerial Titans and Morgan & Morgan will both serve as major sponsorship partners for Muniz during the upcoming NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series campaign. Additional partners will be announced at a later date.

In addition to his 25-race schedule in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, Muniz, a native of Scottsdale, Arizona, is adding something new to the fray: competing full-time in the SRO GT4 America Series with co-driver Tyler Stone.

Following his announcement on Monday morning, Muniz posted to social media with a message for his fans, saying “I thought I was done. I really did. I hung up the helmet, said ‘that’s a wrap’ on racing… then realized I’ve got may too much unfinished business on track.”

For the multi-talented Muniz, his journey to become a full-time driver at NASCAR’s National Series level began in 2023 when he partnered with Rette Jones Racing. Together, Muniz and RJR contested the entire 20-race ARCA Menards Series campaign and finished fourth in points on the strength of one top-five and 11 top-10s.

The following season, Muniz tried a little bit of everything — running two ARCA Menards Series events for Rette Jones Racing, three NASCAR Xfinity Series events for Joey Gase Motorsports, and four NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series events for Reaume Brothers Racing.

Muniz then made the decision to compete full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2025, taking over the reins of the No. 33 Ford F-150. While it was a massive learning curve for the rookie driver, the season did include some bright spots, like a top-10 in the season-opener at Daytona and a top-15 at Michigan after restarting inside the top-five late in the race.

At the tail-end of his rookie campaign, Muniz ended up missing four NASCAR Truck Series events after he suffered a distal radius fracture in his wrist, after an accident while attempting to change a battery in a Ring camera in his backyard.

The 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series campaign will begin at Daytona International Speedway on Friday, February 13 at 7:30 PM ET on FS1, NASCAR Radio Network, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Recommended Articles:

When you look at the landscape of young talent rising through the ranks of American motorsports, some names stand apart from the rest. They have that undeniable spark, the kind that makes you sit up and pay attention during a Saturday night dirt race or a Sunday afternoon asphalt showdown. Gavan Boschele is one of those names.

In a move that feels less like a gamble and more like a declaration of intent, Nitro Motorsports has officially signed Boschele for a 15-race schedule in the 2026 ARCA Menards Series. For those of us who have watched this kid wheel everything from karts to sprint cars, this announcement isn’t just news; it’s the next logical chapter in a story that’s been writing itself at breakneck speed.

Boschele Brings A Versatile Background To ARCA

It is rare to find a driver who can hop between disciplines with the ease of flipping a light switch, but Boschele has made a habit of doing exactly that. His resume reads like a wishlist for any team owner looking for raw, adaptable talent. We are talking about a driver who has cut his teeth on dirt ovals, mastered the precision of pavement, and battled in the trenches of national karting.

At just 17 years old, the Mooresville, N.C. native has already racked up numbers that would make veterans jealous. With 371 career wins and 31 championships, Boschele isn’t just participating; he is dominating. This versatility is exactly what Nick Tucker, co-owner of Nitro Motorsports, was looking for.

“We’re incredibly excited to welcome Gavan to our ARCA program for 2026,” Tucker said. “He’s one of the most naturally gifted young racers we’ve worked with fast on dirt, fast on pavement, and adaptable in anything he sits in.”

Tucker hit on a key point there: adaptability. In the ARCA Menards Series, where track conditions change lap by lap, and the schedule throws everything from short tracks to superspeedways at you, the ability to adjust is what separates the contenders from the pack.

A History Of Breaking Records

To understand why the hype around Boschele is real, you have to look at the timeline. He didn’t just win. He won early and often. He was a four-time USAC Quarter Midget National Champion. He snagged the Micro Swift WKA Bridgestone National win in 2018.

But it was when he stepped into bigger machinery that people really started to take notice. At 14, he became the second-youngest victor in the history of the Tulsa Shootout, claiming the Stock Non-Wing title. That is not a race you win by luck. That is a race you win by having ice water in your veins when the pressure is at its absolute peak.

He followed that up by becoming the youngest winner ever in the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series. Then came the sprint cars, where he became the youngest-ever USCS Rookie of the Year. The kid has won at legendary venues like the Talladega Short Track and Spoon River. If there is a steering wheel involved, chances are Boschele has figured out how to get it to victory lane.

The Nitro Motorsports Connection

This partnership runs deeper than a typical contract signing. Boschele and Nick Tucker go way back, all the way to when Gavan was just a seven-year-old kid with big dreams and a heavy right foot.

“Since I was 7 years old, Nick and I have had a lot of success racing together,” Boschele shared. “I’m grateful for the trust and ready for the challenge. Stepping into ARCA with Nitro and Toyota isn’t pressure, it’s opportunity.”

That quote right there tells you everything you need to know about his mindset. Where others might see the weight of expectation, Boschele sees an open door. Reuniting with Tucker at this level adds a layer of comfort and chemistry that you simply cannot buy. They know how to communicate, they know what the other needs to succeed, and that head start is going to be crucial when the green flag drops at Daytona.

Looking Ahead To The 2026 Season

The 2026 season kicks off in February at the World Center of Racing, Daytona International Speedway. It is the biggest stage in the sport, and for a young driver, it can be intimidating. But looking at what Boschele has achieved so far, it is hard to imagine he will be anything other than ready.

Nitro Motorsports has been building a powerhouse program, developing a pipeline of drivers and refining its equipment to compete at the front. By adding a talent like Boschele to the roster, they are signaling that they aren’t just here to fill the field—they are here to chase trophies.

Final Thoughts

As we wait for the team to unveil more details about partners and paint schemes in the coming weeks, one thing is certain: 2026 is shaping up to be a breakout year. Gavan Boschele has spent his life preparing for this moment, and if history is any indication, he won’t be lifting off the throttle anytime soon.

Trackhouse Racing moved on from Daniel Suarez, replacing him with JR Motorsports sensation and Trackhouse development driver Connor Zilisch, following the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season.

And then Spire Motorsports moved on from Justin Haley, making room for Suarez in their three-car lineup for 2026.

But while those two teams made the necessary and expected changes to improve their respective driver lineups heading into next year, two other teams whiffed on the opportunity to make what would have been massive upgrades.

Two NASCAR teams that could have upgraded for 2026

First and foremost, there’s 23XI Racing. Everybody knew when they signed Riley Herbst that they did it for the money he brings from his family’s gas station chain through the Monster Energy sponsorship. He was never particularly impressive in the Xfinity Series, despite spending year after year in top-tier equipment, and his 2025 rookie Cup season went exactly as expected.

His best finish of 14th place was the worst best result among the 36 full-time drivers, placing him even below Rick Ware Racing’s Cody Ware. He also finished 35th in the point standings, ahead of only Ware, while teammates Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick not only made it to the playoffs but advanced to the second round.

The fact that Corey Heim, 23XI Racing’s development driver who entered 2025 with two full seasons of Truck Series experience already, wasn’t named the driver of the No. 35 Toyota was seen as a bad decision.

His ensuing 12-win Truck Series championship-winning season further backed that up, as did the fact that he ran four Cup races in a fourth 23XI Racing car, beat Herbst’s best finish of the year in two of them, and finished as the highest of the team’s four drivers in those same two races.

The fact that Heim was once again not named the driver of the No. 35 Toyota was seen as an even worse decision, and it’s even led to the suggestion that he should look to leave Toyota. He’s already believed to be blacklisted by Joe Gibbs Racing simply because of his ARCA feuds with Ty Gibbs, so the longer 23XI Racing put off a promotion, the more likely he is to get away.

Then there is Kaulig Racing. One of the great mysteries NASCAR fans can’t seem to figure out is how Ty Dillon continues to hop from team to team at the sport’s highest level, year after year after year.

No disrespect intended here toward Austin Dillon, who is a Daytona 500 winner, a Coca-Cola 600 winner, and always seems to find himself in or near the playoffs, but Ty is somehow doing it despite not driving for his grandfather’s team.

He is always well off the performance of his teammates, and his Las Vegas Motor Speedway crash, in which he took out an innocent bystander (and championship contender) in William Byron, was one of the single-most embarrassing moments of the entire season.

For him to act relieved over team radio that he was put out of his misery because his race was over says everything you need to know and more.

I get the fact that Matt Kaulig’s team is primarily focused on their move to the Truck Series; their new five-truck program with Ram Trucks even led to the shutdown of their Xfinity (O’Reilly Auto Parts) Series team.

But they dropped Daniel Hemric after only one full season in 2024, and he performed better than the far more experienced Dillon did in 2025. Surely they could have at least tried to make a change for 2026.