History

Don Schumacher worked on racecars in the garage behind his parent’s house in the late 1960s.

He couldn’t have been happier.

He never imagined then that in about 40 years later he’d have a team of 120 professionals working on his seven NHRA drag racing teams in a 120,000-square-foot shop he built near Indianapolis.

Or that he would own and manage the biggest professional team in drag racing that owns nine world championships.

DON SCHUMACHER RACING

Don began drag racing in 1963 with his street car at the U.S. 30 Drag Strip in Gary, Ind., but 11 years later he quit racing to focus on his family’s Schumacher Electric Corporation, that was founded in 1947 by his father, Al Schumacher, and Otto Woodward in Chicago.

But in the early 1990s, Don's interest in drag racing was peaked again when son Tony began racing NHRA Sportsman cars in amateur events. After watching Tony's continued success at various levels, Don decided to re-enter the NHRA racing community as an owner and formed Don Schumacher Racing.

Don translated his business acumen to building a Top Fuel Dragster team for Tony.

In addition to campaigning Tony’s U.S. Army dragster, DSR fields six other NHRA professional teams including the Aaron’s Dream Machine/Mopar Dodge Charger R/T with 2011 NHRA Funny Car champion Matt Hagan.

Other teams are: Jack Beckman/Valvoline NextGen, Ron Capps/NAPA AUTO PARTS and Johnny Gray/Service Central in Funny Car; and Antron Brown/Matco Tools/Aaron’s and Spencer Massey/FRAM-Prestone in Top Fuel dragsters.

DSR’s facility, about 15 miles from downtown Indianapolis, builds all race car chassis and houses a CNC and machine shop, fabrication shop and room for 14 18-wheel racecar transporters to pull inside with room to work on the racecars in between.