Living the Dream - Dave Schultz Tells Us About His Drag Racing Career and working with FUELAB Fuel Pumps

Q: When did you start racing?
A: I was doing some racing in the early 70’s when in the service. By 1975 I was out of the military and there was a bad economic recession going on. I was raising a family, and racing was too expensive, so I gave up for a while. I got back into it in the late 80’s.

Q: What got you into racing?
A: Back when I was a kid in the 1960’s I thought drag racing was neat and would spend my 25 cents allowance to get Super Stock Magazine. A guy down the street had a maroon 1965 Chevelle SS that he transplanted a 427 and 4-speed into, and raced NHRA. That was a big influence. Also, I watched racing on the Wide World of Sports. I was one of those kids that would draw race cars in their notebook at school. Later, I went into the service and worked in the motor pool. Everyone had fast cars and that really got me into racing. It was mainly street racing.

Q: What was the first car you raced?
A: The first car I raced was someone else’s car. It was a ’69 Road Runner with a bench seat and 4-speed. He was having problems racing it because he had to have the bench seat moved up too far and it would get in the way when he shifted into second. I didn’t have that problem, so he let me drive it.

Q: What were some of the other cars you have raced?
A: When I was in the military I had a few cars I raced - a ’71 Torino GT, a ’68 GTO, and a slime-green ’70 Duster 340. I’ve also raced a ’65 Coronet (which Dave’s son Dallas still races) that ran a 580 ci engine with a 4-speed. Now I have my Mopar wagon

Q: What associations have you raced in?
A: I raced in the Texas Outsiders in 2003, 2004 and 2005. I’ve raced in the NMCA since 2006. I raced in the Monster Mopar Weekend and then it went to the NMCA. I raced the NMCA and NHRA combined NHRA Challenge and got two Wally’s.

Q: What have been your major racing successes over the past 5 years?
A: I won Wally’s at Houston and Joliet, I won NMCA Ambassador of the Year, a couple of Class Championships in Monster Mopar Weekend, and I won the NMCA Nostalgia Super Stock Championship in 2014. I’ve raced in every NMCA race since 2007, and have been in the top 10 every year.

Q: What do you like most about racing?
A: I like the adrenaline of going down the track. I like the comradery of the pits. Some of my closest friends are in Nostalgia Super Stock. After the races are over I enjoy getting together with them and popping open a frosty and grilling Italian sausage. My eldest son races too, and I get to spend quality time with him.

Q: Is your family involved in your racing efforts?
A: My son races with me. Also, my seventeen year old daughter comes to lots of races. She says she would like to race Vitamin-C (Dave’s back-up car), but school and volley ball keep her very busy. So, no racing for her yet. My eldest daughter did some racing years ago with a ’79 Dodge Aspen 360. But then she got married and stopped racing.

Q: How long have you used FUELAB?
A: We started using FUELAB in Dallas’ car (the ’65 Coronet) in 2013, and in the wagon in 2014. Also, we are going to be rebuilding another car we raced years ago, the Texas Thug, and will be putting FUELAB into that.

Q: Why did you start using FUELAB?
A: After seeing Andy Warren’s and Doug Duell’s success with FUELAB I was interested. The reliability was very good – both guy’s always got down the track. So when Brian (FUELAB’s President) asked if I wanted to run FUELAB I had no hesitation to use it.

Q: Was there a particular problem you were having that FUELAB solved?
A: Well there wasn’t a particular problem at the time. I had been using other fuel delivery system manufacturers’ parts. Some had problems, and a couple crapped out over the years, and some were better. The system I had been running was still operating OK, but was getting long in the tooth. So, the timing of the FUELAB offer was good. My son’s car did well with FUELAB, so I put it on my wagon, and now it’s going on the Texas Thug.

Q: How has FUELAB affected your racing success?
A: It’s been reliable, and I did win a Championship last year running FUELAB. So, far it’s been great, but I haven’t used it long enough yet to tell about long-term reliability. I do have to say it is the best damn good looking fuel pump I ever used!

Q: What FUELAB parts do you use?
A: I use a FUELAB prodigy fuel pump to supply 9 lbs. of pressure to two 800 cfm carburetors. I also use FUELAB pre-filter and after filter. The pump is better fitting than others – it hides on the frame rail just great. I don’t know of anything better.

Q: Where do you see yourself in racing in 5 years?
A: You know, one of the reasons I like drag racing is because there aren’t age limits like other sports. I used to play on a softball team that had an age limit of 40 years old. When they found out I was 42 I had to quit the team. That really bothered me. I was talking to Big Daddy Don Garlits the other day, and he is 84 and still heavily involved in drag racing. That’s the way I want to be. I see myself running Nostalgia SS when I’m 70. I live and breathe drag racing. I’m living the dream. Drag racing is my whole social life.

Q: What do you do in your spare time?
A: I’m into motorcycling and have a toy hauler. I take two one week rides a year. I’ll load the up the Harley’s and drive to a destination. Then take the bikes for day trips. I also have five kids and three grandchildren, and I spend time with them. I piddle around in the shop, and have thirty one collector cars – I swap off driving those. I’m also into photography.