One of the most important things to remember during racing is to never give up… to never quit. Sometimes, you can have a little luck on your side and the outcome of a race can quickly change in a heartbeat. Just because you have a bad start, doesn’t mean you have to finish how you started.
This was one of Terry Schulz’s best memory from competing in the 2016 JConcepts Indoor National Series, in which he was able to claim the overall title. Also, he was able to meet and race with NASCAR superstar Jamie McMurry…. another awesome memory. Read below and find more about JConcepts’ Terry Schulz and his road to victory lane.
Please introduce yourself…. Name, years racing, team/sponsors, and home track.
My name is Terry Schulz. I have been racing again for 4 years. I had raced for a couple of years as a teenager in the late 80’s and then for 3 years in the mid 90’s. I currently race for TLR, Horizon Hobbies, Spektrum, Team Orion, JConcepts, Lunsford Racing, Fantom Racing, Vision Racing, Schelle Racing, Dirt Racing Products and MIP. My home track is CGRC in Cottage Grove, Oregon.
Tell us about your INS experiences…….. What made you decide to participate in at least 3 of the 5 nationwide races? Which races did you attend?
I live in Springfield, Oregon so round 2 was held in Tacoma, WA. This is a 4 hour drive north of me and Scott Brown at TRCR does an amazing job of running a race so it was an easy choice to make the race at TRCR. Then July came and round 3 was in Chico, CA. Outback Raceway, in the back of the A-Main Warehouse, was also an amazing place to race. Kevin Jelic runs one of the tightest race programs I have ever raced at. The INS race was the last race held at this track and it will be truly missed. This is 6 hours south of me so my amazing wife and I packed up and went down. Then after the race went to Lake Tahoe for the rest of the week on vacation. Then I had the choice to go to round 4 or 5 to complete the series. We had a vacation to Florida when round 4 happened so that made the final at Speed RC in North Carolina my only choice.
What was your results in the races you attended (for the class(es) you prevailed as overall Champion)?
At Tacoma I raced 4 classes, 17.5 truck being one of them. I had a great weekend in truck setting TQ in every round and leading the entire A Main. The race in Chico I qualified well too. I started 2nd in the main. On lap 2 of the A main, I clipped the final jump in the double triple section and ended upside down. I think every truck was involved in the crash and unfortunately I was cornered last. I fought back to 5th and was pushing too hard. I made a couple of more mistakes and finished 10th. In North Carolina, I qualified 4th and finished 4th. I was able to win the overall in 17.5 truck.
What were some of the challenges you faced and how did you overcome them? Any secrets to your success?
My biggest challenge is myself. I get nervous and forget to breathe. Kelly Lunsford tells me to breathe deep and at the same pace throughout a run. I must sound like I am at a Lamaze class. LOL
Could you talk about your best memory from the series, your favorite battle on the track, or who your toughest competitor was during the series?
I have 3 great memories, one from each of the races that stand out. In Tacoma it was the dominance of truck. I’ve never had a perfect weekend since my return to racing. Another great memory was at the Chico race. I was in 40+ old man buggy mod and I qualified 8th and early on I crashed and went to the back to 10th. I never gave up and on the final lap passed 3rd to find myself on the podium. I also finished 2nd for the series in the 40+ mod buggy class. My last great memory was at the race in Mooresville at Speed RC. I got to meet and race with NASCAR great Jamie McMurry. We raced in 3 classes together and must have been in the same heat 10 times so I was able to chat with him a lot. What a nice guy. My toughest competitors in the series was Douglas Hobbs and Ryan Reavis….. both NW racers.
What JConcepts products did you use and what’s your favorite JConcepts product to date?
I used the S2 bodies on my buggies. On all of my cars I use Bullit wheels. I used the JConcepts Smoothies, Dirt Webs and Space bars throughout the series. My favorite JConcepts product to date is the Dirt Web. Such a great tire.
For other drivers that are on the fence about attending the JConcepts Indoor National Series in the future, what advice would you give them as a series champion?
Get to the track early and get your practice laps. Then race hard and clean and do the best you can. Be a good person and volunteer marshal when you can. Most important thing is to have fun.
Who would you like to thank?
I would like to thank Jason and Allison Ruona for all of their hard work in putting this great series together. I would also like to thank my sponsors TLR, Horizon Hobbies, Spektrum, Team Orion, JConcepts, Lunsford Racing, Fantom Racing, Vision Racing, Schelle Racing, Dirt Racing Products and MIP for helping me race at this level.
Awesome job Terry and keep it going in 2017!