It is with heavy hearts that we share that a beloved drag racer featured on a popular reality TV show has tragically died in a car accident.

Nathan Schaldach, known to fans as Cali Nate from the Discovery series Street Outlaws, was involved in a fatal crash on a Saturday night in southwest Texas.

His girlfriend, Courtney Paulshock, broke the devastating news in a heartfelt message on Facebook, referring to him as her “soul mate.”

“I feel incomplete. I’m completely shocked,” she wrote on Sunday. “My heart feels like it’s breaking.”

Schaldach had been racing near Eagle Pass, roughly two hours west of San Antonio, when the accident occurred. Despite his friends’ efforts to get him to the hospital, he could not be saved.

Paulshock mentioned that she was unable to share further details about the cause of the crash or the events leading up to it.

“Seeing his mom and sister again made him so happy,” she said. “He was always following his passions.”

“It was truly a blessing to experience the love Nathan gave me every day.”

Schaldach had appeared in the fourth season of Street Outlaws: Fastest in America, a show where eight drag racing teams compete for a $100,000 prize. His season wrapped up in May of last year.

The current series follows the legacy of the original Street Outlaws, which showcased daring street racers risking it all to compete.

In drag racing, two cars race on a short, straight course, each aiming to be the first to cross the finish line. While professional drag racing is generally safe, street racing is so dangerous that it’s illegal in most countries.

Tragically, Nathan’s death comes after another cast member, Ryan Fellows, died in a car crash in 2022 while filming Street Outlaws. During a race in Las Vegas, Fellow’s car overturned and caught fire. Discovery expressed their grief over the loss.

Texas police have been contacted by The U.S. Sun for more information regarding Nate’s accident.

“Never fall in love again”

As news of his passing spread, friends and fans of Schaldach expressed their sorrow and condolences online.

Chris Frank, a close friend of Schaldach, shared that he barely slept after hearing the terrible news. In a Facebook video, Frank said, “Those who raced against him feared him, and those who knew him loved him. Racing is always risky, and we all know that any ride might be our last.”

He added, “Nate was one of the last true racers who genuinely understood and loved the sport.”

Paulshock left Schaldach a parting message, vowing to always love him. In their last exchange, he told her, “Garth told me to tell you I love you very much just in case tomorrow never comes.” This race turned out to be his last.

She shared a screenshot of their text exchange, captioned, “Please wake me up from this nightmare.”

Later that day, Paulshock also shared the song “I’ll Never Love Again” by Lady Gaga from the movie A Star Is Born as a tribute to Schaldach.