What Happened To Cali Nate? The Street Outlaws Star's Tragic Death, Explained

After appearing on the hit Discovery franchise, "Street Outlaws," Cali Nate, whose real name was Nathan Schaldach, passed away on April 6 in a street racing accident in Eagle Pass, Texas. The incident was confirmed by his longtime girlfriend, Courtney Paulshock, who shared the news of his passing on Facebook. While she kept the exact details sparse, she expressed her grief at losing someone she was so close with. Schaldach also left behind two children.

Cali Nate appeared on the "Street Outlaws" franchise representing the California team, as per his nickname. He was best known for driving a Mustang with the phrase "My Little Pony" emblazoned across the front. For Schaldach, he always maintained a love for street racing, as he told G2K in an interview in 2023, "Everybody comes out and is like, 'Oh, you're from 'Street Outlaws' this and 'Cali,' and I'm like, 'No man, I'm just like you guys. I just want to come out and have fun.'"

2024 has been a difficult year for the "Street Outlaws" community. "Street Outlaws" star Lizzy Musi tragically died from breast cancer on June 26 after making history as a streetcar driver. Both these passings follow the devastating on-set crash that killed "Street Outlaws: Fastest in America" star Ryan Fellows in 2022. 

Courtney Paulshock has continued to post regularly about Cali Nate in the months since his passing. In June, she gave fans an update by posting an Instagram video of a waterfall in Donut Falls, Utah, along with the caption, "I haven't gone on a walk since you passed. Today I hiked to the base of a waterfall and let the water roll over my feet. I couldn't get to the actual falls because of the water level, but you would have loved it. I sure do miss you." In addition to Paulshock, fans have expressed their support and heartache at losing someone who always seemed incredibly down-to-earth. 

For example, a Reddit thread materialized of "Street Outlaws" fans expressing their support for Nathan Schaldach's family and loved ones during this trying time. One post of support came from u/corhouse: "Omg this is tragic and heartbreaking so terribly sorry for Nate and his family I know the racing community will rally together to help Nate's family through this." This is just one sampling of the many posts that materialized following the news, as other racers and organizations posted about what a pleasure it was to get to know Schaldach in person.

Tragedy has followed "Street Outlaws" since its beginnings with the death of Tyler "Flip" Priddy, and one would hope the community would receive a reprieve from such events. Hopefully, Schaldach's passing serves as a reminder of the importance of racing safety.