The SPRY Spring Nationals at Dragway at The Bend will mark a pivotal moment for the Schulz brothers, with Karl chasing an Australian title in his final Aeroflow Sportsman Junior Dragster season and younger brother Jacob continuing to build his own racing credentials.
The 17-year-old Queenslander heads into the 2026 NDRC Aeroflow Sportsman Series Grand Final firmly in contention, determined to fulfil a lifelong ambition before moving on from the bracket.
Sitting second in the championship standings, Karl knows the stakes are high.
With a strong field of competitors to contend with, including good friend and championship leader Zayne Condello, the Grade 12 student is determined to make his final season in the bracket one to remember.
With a Winternationals victory in 2025 and Queensland Track Championship titles in 2023 and 2025 already to his name, he has established an impressive record in Junior Dragster, but one achievement remains in his sights.
“As this is my last year in Juniors, my parents have allowed me to contest the championship and travel the country, and my goal is to walk away from Juniors as the Australian Champion,” Karl explained.
“I have achieved success at Track Championship level twice, but to be the Australian Champion is the ultimate goal.”
Karl is confident heading into the SPRY Spring Nationals, although he is under no illusions about the challenge ahead.
“I am feeling confident but wary of the strong competition I am facing. There are plenty of good racers that are going, but my eyes are set on my good friend Zayne.
“We have raced four times this year already, and I am expecting to race him again at this event.”
Drag racing has been part of the Schulz family for as long as Karl and Jacob can remember.
With their mother, uncle and grandfather all involved in the sport, attending race meetings was simply part of growing up.
For Karl, that upbringing led to his first Junior Dragster experience at nine years of age, when he began racing in the C/JD class in the bracket.
“I have been involved in drag racing since I was born, attending with my parents as my uncle, Poppy and mother race,” Karl said.
“Drag racing is in my blood, as I have spent most of my spare time at the track.”
That family connection has remained central to the brothers’ involvement, providing a pathway into racing and an appreciation for the people and friendships that make sportsman drag racing special.
For both Karl and Jacob, the appeal of dial-your-own racing goes well beyond the pursuit of a trophy.
“It is not just about the fastest car and biggest budget. It is a family sport, as our own family is involved, and I have also made lifelong friends,” they explained.
Their inspiration has also come from watching their uncle, Matthew McKnight, compete successfully across several categories, from Super Street to Supercharged Outlaws.
Watching McKnight’s racing journey helped shape their own ambitions and showed them what they could achieve through dedication to the sport.
His advice has stayed with Karl throughout his career.
“Uncle Matt has always told me you will always lose more than you win, so enjoy the experience of driving and always have fun,” Karl said.
Karl arrives at The Bend following a strong 2026 campaign that has kept him in championship contention.
His season began positively with a Top Qualifier performance at an NDRC event in January, where he remained in contention for victory before rain brought racing to an early conclusion.
He returned to the winner’s circle at the Gulf Western Oil Nitro Champs in May before adding a runner-up finish at the Gulf Western Oil Winternationals to his results.
Those performances have put him in a position to challenge for the Australian championship, building on the momentum of a breakthrough 2025 season.
Winning the Winternationals last year remains one of Karl’s proudest achievements, made particularly meaningful by the memory of his late grandmother.
“Winning Winters last year was the highlight of last season, as I was racing for my Nanna, who had passed away 12 months earlier,” he said.
Karl has continued to build his experience this season, including taking on the considerable demands of travelling interstate to compete.
Recent trips to Alice Springs and Sydney have required careful planning around his schooling and family commitments, with the financial demands of racing also presenting challenges.
The trip to Alice Springs was particularly demanding, with Karl’s mother unable to make the journey due to budget constraints.
The family continues to seek additional sponsorship support and shared the trip with another Junior Dragster family to reduce expenses, with Karl’s father taking on the driving duties.
Karl also competed using a borrowed engine with unknown performance, adding another variable to the challenge.
Balancing racing with his Grade 12 studies has not always been easy, particularly as he also begins a school-based apprenticeship as an auto electrician.
However, the opportunity to contest the championship and travel around the country has made the sacrifices worthwhile.
While Karl chases an Australian title, 14-year-old Jacob Schulz is continuing to develop his own skills and ambitions behind the wheel.
Currently in Grade 8, Jacob drives a 2006 Weston Junior Dragster powered by a 500cc Terminator engine.
He has recorded a personal best of 7.91 seconds at 83mph and is determined to keep improving as he gains experience in the category.
One of his standout achievements came at an NDRC event at Benaraby in a previous season, where he recorded a perfect 0.000 reaction time twice during the same event while also claiming Top Qualifier honours.
Jacob has progressed through the B and A brackets, adapting as the car became quicker.
“Last year I stepped up from B and A, so I had to get used to the car reaching faster,” he explained.
“Although I was not successful, my drive to win keeps me going.”
Jacob is drawn to the technical demands of bracket racing, where reaction times and consistency are crucial to success.
He particularly enjoys the fact that races are decided by more than outright speed, requiring drivers to understand their cars and deliver when it matters.
His approach is guided by a simple piece of advice that has stuck with him: “Respect your car and your car will respect you back.”
For Karl, the SPRY Spring Nationals will mark the end of his Junior Dragster national championship career, but his involvement in drag racing will continue.
Next season, he plans to step into his mother’s Super Street car while his next race car is being built.
Details of that project are being kept under wraps for now, but his long-term ambition is clear.
“The end goal remains to compete in Supercharged Outlaws,” he said.
Away from the driver’s seat, Karl has also been developing his skills in another area of the sport: commentary.
He has been given the opportunity to join the commentary team at Willowbank Raceway and regularly calls the action at local Street Series events.
A major highlight came at this year’s Gulf Western Oil Nitro Champs, where he met renowned drag racing announcer Alan Reinhart before getting the opportunity to commentate alongside him at the Gulf Western Oil Winternationals.
But before the next chapter begins, there is unfinished business in Junior Dragster.
The SPRY Spring Nationals will bring together the country’s leading competitors for the Aeroflow Sportsman Series Grand Final, and Karl will arrive with a genuine opportunity to finish his time in the category at the very top.
The SPRY Spring Nationals at Dragway at The Bend from 22 to 25 October will host the 2026 NDRC Grand Final, with Australian titles decided in BLAHST Top Fuel, XPRO Nitro Funny Car, Top Doorslammer, Pro Mod, Pro Stock, Pro Stock Motorcycle, Top Fuel Motorcycle and Pro Alcohol. The Aeroflow Sportsman Championship will also stage its Grand Final.
Event information is available at springnats.thebend.com.au, with championship information at ndrc.tv.
