Freddy Lee Sibley

Freddy Lee Sibley, age 91, of Elkhart, IN passed away on Friday, February 13, 2026 at the Center for Hospice-Esther’s House in Elkhart, IN. Fred was born on March 13, 1934 to Ervin and Frances Sibley in Dowagiac, MI. He married Rowena Shank in the 1950’s. Later in life he married Roberta “Bobbie” Fojut.

Fred Sibley senior started working on cars when he was around 14 years old, not to go racing but simply to repair them. He attended the local drag strip the first year the NHRA Safety Safari came to Indiana and was hooked on the sport. His first race car was a set of rails powered by a modified four-cylinder Model A Ford engine. His next move was to replace the four-banger with a stout GMC six-cylinder powerplant. That was okay but like every racer he believed he needed more power to go faster so in 1951 he built a new "slingshot" dragster that was powered by a 12-cylinder Ranger Aircraft engine. By this time Fred was working with Art and Walt Arfons at their shop so he was exposed to the jet powered vehicles they were racing. In 1951 he followed the Ranger powered dragster with his first jet car.

In 1964, Fred took over some of the driving chores for Arfons jet powered "STP Special" dragster but preferred to build and drive his own cars. In fact, Fred debuted the first jet powered funny car which boasted a sleek Plymouth Barracuda body wrapped around a J-46 jet powerplant. After the Cuda Fred switched from funny cars back to dragsters when he built his famous

"Quarter Horse" J-46 powered dragster. After the Quarter Horse, Fred introduces a string of jet powered dragsters that carried names that are still legends and this arena, names like: "The Hugger", the J-33 powered "Fat Albert", "Gypsy Moth", and "US-1" a car that was formerly owned by Bill Fredrickson and rebuilt by Fred.

Always looking to introduce something different and unique, Fred introduced his first jet powered truck, the “Maxi Taxi” in 1980 which he still drives at exhibitions and the nostalgia events today. Fred hasn't confined his driving to jet drag racing, in 1964 he said a class record of 353 MPH at Bonneville and later made a run in the "Goodyear Wingedfoot" streamliner of 421 MPH.

Fred's contribution to the sport extends beyond just building and driving classy, exotic racecars, he and Jim Hollinger teamed up to design and build the first "roller starter", a Chevy powered set of rollers that was installed at the starting line and eliminated the old push-starting process. Fred also worked with Jim Deist in developing different parachute designs and other pieces of safety equipment.

At 76 years old Fred still actively participated at various events, driving his jet powered truck and the US-1 at nostalgia events. He also still has the original V-12

Ranger powered dragster that is in mint condition in which Fred will give a demonstration run with if asked to do so.

Fred was inducted into the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame. He raced the STP Special, Smokie the Barracuda, 68 Mustang Roadster, US #1 from 1968- 1985 this was his longest touring car, the Enforcer, The little Red Beer Hauler, Maxie Taxi, Green Monster, Quarter Horse, The Hugger, J-33 Fat Albert and the Gypsy Moth just to name a few.

Fred lived a fast life, he was known as the old man, airplane Fred, cigar chomping Fred Sibley, and to those who loved he was husband, dad and grandpa. He loved his family and his friends and will be sadly missed.

Fred is survived by his wife, Roberta “Bobbie” Sibley of Elkhart, IN., his son Freddy Lee Sibley of Pinellas Park, FL., his grandchildren, Hallee (Richard) Ellis, Zach (Laura) Estes, and Stephanie (Nick) Ratcliff and his great-grandchildren, Zoey, Lacey, Karlie, Jack and Silas, his brother Eddy Sibley of Detroit, MI his niece and caregiver Vicki Secrest of Elkhart, IN and his friends. Fred is preceded in death by his parents, and his daughters Ginger Sibley and Amy Presswood, his brothers Floyd Leroy Sibley, Farris Lawrence Sibley and Francellia Sibley. Fred was preceded in death by his first wife, Rowena Sibley on October 28, 2020.

There will be a celebration of life service for Fred at a later date. Stemm-Lawson-Peterson Funeral Home, 1531 Cobblestone Blvd., Elkhart, IN 46514 is assisting Fred’s family. Memorial donations in memory of Fred may be made to Drag Racing Association of Women “ Fast Help for Fast Friends” www.drawfasthelp.org Online condolences may be made to his family at www.stemmlawsonpeterson.com