Driver

When AHRA officials bumped his supercharged ’23 T up a class in 1964 for being “too fast,” Wiebe decided to go Top Fuel racing “to make sure that wouldn't happen again.” “Kansas John” stunned the drag world by immediately joining the then-exclusive 200 MPH club. He won his first AHRA national event in 1969 and captured his first of three AHRA Top Fuel championships the following season (1970, 1975, 1976). He came within a round of the 1970 NHRA title and was named Mike Sorokin Driver of the Year. In 1971 inductee Ed Donovan chose Wiebe to debut his 417 at the Supernationals, the first commercially available all-aluminum drag racing engine. The new mill grabbed low ET and runner-up honors. Switching to a rear-engine rail in 1973, Wiebe beat Don Garlits in the Springnationals and collected a decisive win on Long Island at the 1974 National Challenge race. Wiebe retired in 1977 after 12 pro campaigns and consecutive AHRA titles. He was inducted into the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame in 1994.