They're Wheely Hot! 10 Actors Who Became Passionate Race Car Drivers

Mar. 15, 2025

Photo:James Gilbert/Getty

James Gilbert/Getty

Life in the fast lane doesn’t just apply to Hollywood for these 10 stars. They’ve hopped behind the wheel of some of the speediest cars on the track to pursue a passion for racing as well.Dating back to the 1950s and ’60s, these actors have taken their car craze to the next level, getting engines revving in a very different way than when they’re in front of a camera. From Paul Newman and Steve McQueen to Patrick Dempsey and Frankie Muniz, see how these stars have incorporated driving into their lives as Hollywood stars.

Life in the fast lane doesn’t just apply to Hollywood for these 10 stars. They’ve hopped behind the wheel of some of the speediest cars on the track to pursue a passion for racing as well.

Dating back to the 1950s and ’60s, these actors have taken their car craze to the next level, getting engines revving in a very different way than when they’re in front of a camera. From Paul Newman and Steve McQueen to Patrick Dempsey and Frankie Muniz, see how these stars have incorporated driving into their lives as Hollywood stars.

01of 10Frankie MunizFrankie Muniz in 2024.James Gilbert/GettyAfter beginning his professional racing career in 2006, theMalcolm in the Middlealum is joiningReaume Brothers Racingas a full-time driver of the No. 33 F-150 for the 2025 season of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.“I don’t want to say it’s a long time coming, but this has been a dream of mine for forever,“he told PEOPLE.“I want people to know that I’ve literally dedicated my life to this,” he added. “You know what I mean? I love it. When I’m not in the race car, I’m thinking about being in the race car. I’m training, I’m in the simulator at Ford, the Ford Performance Technical Center. I’m working with my engineers and my crew chiefs and the team and doing everything I can. Watching tape, watching past races at the racetracks I’m going to just to be as prepared as humanly possible.“While he is now focused on racing, he does say that “closing the door” on his acting career has not been a “topic of discussion.”

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Frankie Muniz

Frankie Muniz in 2024.James Gilbert/Getty

After beginning his professional racing career in 2006, theMalcolm in the Middlealum is joiningReaume Brothers Racingas a full-time driver of the No. 33 F-150 for the 2025 season of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

“I don’t want to say it’s a long time coming, but this has been a dream of mine for forever,“he told PEOPLE.

“I want people to know that I’ve literally dedicated my life to this,” he added. “You know what I mean? I love it. When I’m not in the race car, I’m thinking about being in the race car. I’m training, I’m in the simulator at Ford, the Ford Performance Technical Center. I’m working with my engineers and my crew chiefs and the team and doing everything I can. Watching tape, watching past races at the racetracks I’m going to just to be as prepared as humanly possible.”

While he is now focused on racing, he does say that “closing the door” on his acting career has not been a “topic of discussion.”

02of 10Patrick DempseyPatrick Dempsey.Rick Dole/GettyPatrick Dempseyfirst started racing in the early 2000s after growing up a fan of the sport,The New York Timesreported in 2014. After competing in races around the world, in part as a member of the Porsche team, theGrey’s Anatomyalum ultimately took a break from the sport in 2016 to focus on his family and acting career, he said in a statement at the time (perFoxSports).Despite his hiatus, Dempsey was still an owner of the Dempsey-Proton Racing team, theHighland News-Sunnoted in May 2024. After working on the 2023 filmFerrari, he was inspired to get back behind the wheel for competition.“Racing is like an addiction,” he said in aWright Motorsports press releaseahead of his return to the track with the team. “Once you start, it’s hard to stop. During pre-production on the recentFerrarifilm, I got a lot of seat time and fell off the wagon, of sorts.““Racing, for me, has been a really important part of my life.“Dempseytold PEOPLE last year,

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Patrick Dempsey

Patrick Dempsey.Rick Dole/Getty

Rick Dole/Getty

Patrick Dempseyfirst started racing in the early 2000s after growing up a fan of the sport,The New York Timesreported in 2014. After competing in races around the world, in part as a member of the Porsche team, theGrey’s Anatomyalum ultimately took a break from the sport in 2016 to focus on his family and acting career, he said in a statement at the time (perFoxSports).

Despite his hiatus, Dempsey was still an owner of the Dempsey-Proton Racing team, theHighland News-Sunnoted in May 2024. After working on the 2023 filmFerrari, he was inspired to get back behind the wheel for competition.

“Racing is like an addiction,” he said in aWright Motorsports press releaseahead of his return to the track with the team. “Once you start, it’s hard to stop. During pre-production on the recentFerrarifilm, I got a lot of seat time and fell off the wagon, of sorts.”

“Racing, for me, has been a really important part of my life.“Dempseytold PEOPLE last year,

03of 10Steve McQueenSteve McQueen circa 1966.Silver Screen Collection/GettyOscar nominated actor Steve McQueen, who raced under the pseudonym Harvey Mushman, entered nine races of the Sports Car Club of America in California in 1959 and following his first race in May of that year he was “hooked,“Porschewrote.“He loved racing. It was his drug,” McQueen’s son,Chad, said of his dad, per the car company.In addition to racing cars, which he did for years to come, McQueen also took a liking tomotorcycle racing.

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Steve McQueen

Steve McQueen circa 1966.Silver Screen Collection/Getty

Silver Screen Collection/Getty

Oscar nominated actor Steve McQueen, who raced under the pseudonym Harvey Mushman, entered nine races of the Sports Car Club of America in California in 1959 and following his first race in May of that year he was “hooked,“Porschewrote.

“He loved racing. It was his drug,” McQueen’s son,Chad, said of his dad, per the car company.

In addition to racing cars, which he did for years to come, McQueen also took a liking tomotorcycle racing.

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Paul Newman

Paul Newman in 1985.Brownie Harris/Corbis via Getty

Brownie Harris/Corbis via Getty

Paul Newman’s interest in racing came after landing his role in 1969’sWinning.

“I’d like to assume the role of elder statesman, taking walks in the woods and going fishing,” hetold PEOPLE, “but here I am, forever strapping myself into these machines.”

He began entering SCCA club races three years later and between the years of 1979-86, he won four national championships, perThe Daytona Beach News-Journal.

In addition to his time behind the wheel, Newman also co-owned the Newman/Haas IndyCar team with Carl Haas with his cars winning 105 races and eight championships, the paper highlighted.

05of 10Jason PriestleyJason Priestley.Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, IncJason Priestleyhad been racing for 10 years when he endured serious injuries in a crash at the Kentucky Speedway in 2002. The accident was the worst ever seen at the raceway,ABC News said.During the decade leading up to the crash, theBeverly Hills 90210alum had been making part of his living from racing, according to ABC News.Just after his crash,The New York Timesnoted that Priestley was “probably the highest-profile actor-turned-driver since Paul Newman.“According to theMidland Daily News, Priestley began his racing career in 1991 and won his first race at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in 1998.

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Jason Priestley

Jason Priestley.Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, Inc

Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, Inc

Jason Priestleyhad been racing for 10 years when he endured serious injuries in a crash at the Kentucky Speedway in 2002. The accident was the worst ever seen at the raceway,ABC News said.

During the decade leading up to the crash, theBeverly Hills 90210alum had been making part of his living from racing, according to ABC News.

Just after his crash,The New York Timesnoted that Priestley was “probably the highest-profile actor-turned-driver since Paul Newman.”

According to theMidland Daily News, Priestley began his racing career in 1991 and won his first race at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in 1998.

06of 10Paul WalkerPaul Walker.Evan Agostini/GettyTheFast and Furiousstar not only playeda racer onscreen, he was also one in real life.“Paul Walker has been compared to a modern-day Steve McQueen, who lived his passion for racing in every aspect of his life,” chairman and CEO of the auction company, Barrett-Jackson, Craig Jackson toldThe Hollywood Reporterahead of an auction of Walker’s collection of cars in 2020.This photo shows Walker after he competed in the third annual Cadillac Super Bowl Grand Prix in 2005. Tragically, Walkerdied in a single-car crash at age 40 in 2013.

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Paul Walker

Paul Walker.Evan Agostini/Getty

Evan Agostini/Getty

TheFast and Furiousstar not only playeda racer onscreen, he was also one in real life.

“Paul Walker has been compared to a modern-day Steve McQueen, who lived his passion for racing in every aspect of his life,” chairman and CEO of the auction company, Barrett-Jackson, Craig Jackson toldThe Hollywood Reporterahead of an auction of Walker’s collection of cars in 2020.

This photo shows Walker after he competed in the third annual Cadillac Super Bowl Grand Prix in 2005. Tragically, Walkerdied in a single-car crash at age 40 in 2013.

07of 10Michael FassbenderMichael Fassbender.Hoch Zwei/Michael Kunkel/picture-alliance/dpa/AP ImageMichael Fassbenderwas in his third season racing with the European Le Mans Series when he made his debut atthe Le Mans 24-Hour race in 2022. The actor chronicled his years-long practice for the race on Youtube. His team ultimately finished 51st out of 62 teams competing.The following yearhe returned to the race, though crashed out during the last fifteen minutes of his six-hour turn.“Acting is something that is my job,” he toldEurosportin 2022. “I’m more used to it and at home with it – it’s like my natural office, but racing was always my first dream as a young boy.”

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Michael Fassbender

Michael Fassbender.Hoch Zwei/Michael Kunkel/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Image

Michael Fassbenderwas in his third season racing with the European Le Mans Series when he made his debut atthe Le Mans 24-Hour race in 2022. The actor chronicled his years-long practice for the race on Youtube. His team ultimately finished 51st out of 62 teams competing.

The following yearhe returned to the race, though crashed out during the last fifteen minutes of his six-hour turn.

“Acting is something that is my job,” he toldEurosportin 2022. “I’m more used to it and at home with it – it’s like my natural office, but racing was always my first dream as a young boy.”

08of 10James DeanJames Dean in his Porsche 550 Spyder.Bettmann/GettyThoughJames Deanis arguably one of the most recognizable faces in the history of Hollywood, he was also passionate about racing cars.“Racing — that was really his primary focus toward the end of his life,” Dean historian Dorothy Schultz told theIndyStar. “Not really acting, like most people thought. Racing was his passion.“Dean purchased his first Porsche, a 356 Super Speedster, in 1955. After competing in three California races, he bought a second Porsche, a 550 Spyder, later that year. Sadly, he would die behind the wheel of the Spyder later that year, at age 24.

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James Dean

James Dean in his Porsche 550 Spyder.Bettmann/Getty

Bettmann/Getty

ThoughJames Deanis arguably one of the most recognizable faces in the history of Hollywood, he was also passionate about racing cars.

“Racing — that was really his primary focus toward the end of his life,” Dean historian Dorothy Schultz told theIndyStar. “Not really acting, like most people thought. Racing was his passion.”

Dean purchased his first Porsche, a 356 Super Speedster, in 1955. After competing in three California races, he bought a second Porsche, a 550 Spyder, later that year. Sadly, he would die behind the wheel of the Spyder later that year, at age 24.

09of 10Rowan AtkinsonRowan Atkinson in 2012.Andreas Rentz/GettyIn addition to his endeavors as an"historic” race cardriver, theMr. Beanactor is a car enthusiast with animpressive collection of wheelsthat includes a Jaguar MkVII saloon that has been an award-winning car for him,British GQnotes.

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Rowan Atkinson

Rowan Atkinson in 2012.Andreas Rentz/Getty

Andreas Rentz/Getty

In addition to his endeavors as an"historic” race cardriver, theMr. Beanactor is a car enthusiast with animpressive collection of wheelsthat includes a Jaguar MkVII saloon that has been an award-winning car for him,British GQnotes.

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Cameron Diaz

Cameron Diaz behind the wheel in 1995.Mitchell Gerber/Corbis/VCG via Getty

Mitchell Gerber/Corbis/VCG via Getty

source: people.com