Don Schumacher Racing opened a shop in 1998 in Indianapolis big enough for a one-car team for Tony Schumacher, who drove to the 1999 NHRA Top Fuel title.

Team owner Don Schumacher has announced plans for major improvements to the 120,000-square-foot headquarters he built in 2005 that's DSR's home to seven NHRA Top Fuel and Funny Car teams.

The location in Brownsburg, Indiana, about 10 miles west of downtown Indy, unveiled the first phase of expansion plans that has begun with an addition to its machine shop for four state-of-the-art CNC (Computerized Numerical Control machining) units including an Okuma MA-60HB II that is capable of machining six engine blocks out of billet aluminum blocks in a continuous run. DSR currently has 12 CNC machines.

DSR currently has 125 full-time, year-round employees including those on its seven race teams, fabrication and machine shops, hospitality, merchandising, graphic design, marketing, public relations and management.

 When DSR heads to 24 Mello Yello events across the country, its convoy includes at least 19 18-wheelers, seven SUVS and a traveling staff of nearly 100.

"Don Schumacher Motorsports builds nearly 400 parts for professional drag racing teams and we will grow that number with our new machine shop, and we are exploring expanding that business into other high technology industries," said Schumacher, a hall-of-fame drag racing team owner and driver who won the NHRA U.S. Nationals Funny Car title in 1970.

"We have the best machinists in not only racing but in the industry, and our success on the track certainly has proven that," he said Friday before the announcement during the 10th annual DSR Open House to benefit the Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health. DSR has raised more than $300,000 for Riley Kids.

DSR will start the four-day 61st annual NHRA U.S. Nationals ranked 1-2 in Top Fuel and 1-2-3 in Funny Car. Through the first 17 races of the 2015 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, DSR has won 13 Funny Car titles and eight Top Fuel titles along with resetting the four NHRA world records within the past month in the premier Mello Yello categories.

DSR has a total of 13 world championships - including eight by Tony Schumacher in the U.S. Army dragster that began in 1999 with his first - and a record 261 NHRA event titles.

 While the machine shop expansion has begun, Schumacher plans major changes to its existing structure at the east end of the building.

 "We want to be able to further expand our operation if the opportunity arises," said Schumacher, who stated in March that he would like to add a fourth Top Fuel dragster team.

 "I've always said the harder you work the luckier you get and at DSR all my wonderful staff believe in making their own luck."