Born in Charleston, West Virginia December 19, 1944, the son of a Civil Engineer with the US Geological Survey, John MacKichan grew up relocating around the country.  One of his old stomping grounds includes Ocala, Florida, where, early-on, he applied his skills of fabrication on home-built hotrods.

Known as “Florida John” in 1965 when he first arrived in Lincoln, Nebraska, John obtained a bachelor’s degree at UNL and various certifications from SCC-Milford.  He began work at Square D Corporation in 1971 where he proudly fabricated several patentable cleaning machines that remain in use today. As Plant Engineer, John embarked on an extensive program to improve the facilities and initiated the preventative maintenance program. As Fabrication Manager, he moved direct labor utilization from 25% to 96% and made the molding area more competitive due to process improvements.  In 2000, Schneider Electric presented John with the coveted “People Who Make a Difference” award for “focusing on internal and external customers by improving lean manufacturing processes, satisfying customers, generating employee involvement and improving safety.” Retiring in 2004, John became Curator of the Speedway Motors’ Museum of American Speed, which put him in regular contact with car clubs and racing associations throughout the country as well as many passionate car enthusiasts. On October 2, 2009, John was inducted into the Nebraska Auto Racing Hall of Fame, recognizing him as a Nebraskan who has made significant contributions to auto racing. John retired from the museum in 2017, but continues to be involved through special projects.

John spends his free time with his supportive wife Barbara, teaching their four children to be passionate in all their endeavors, including several family hotrod projects. Whether it is fabricating products needed to get his personal collection on the road such as a fixture to narrow Ford rear ends or items that will help him work more efficiently like his hot-water boiler system that heats his shop, if John can imagine it, he can create it. He designed and built a hydraulic trailer used for the Don Garlits Bonneville streamliner, then later used for his own streamliner.

John’s skills of fabricating and his passion for racing created opportunities to get involved with many different projects over the years. Some of the highlights include machining the rear outer hubs and repairing several magnesium swing axle outer bearings for Carson Smith’s Indy car and building the aluminum panels and fiberglass for Smith’s 1998 Pikes Peak Hill Climb car.  John also designed, engineered, and fabricated much of the MacKichan/Schulz Bonneville Streamliner, including the streamliner’s front independent steering and suspension, front aluminum wheels, chute linkage, rear-end, stabilizer, driver controls, and canopy hinges, as well as the long hydraulic floating-bed trailer, used to carry the streamliner to Utah’s Bonneville Salt Flats. The 26’ long streamliner has minimal frontal area and graceful contours that hug the salt track--all powered by a small block Chevy engine. To date, the fastest record was 328 MPH in the C/BGS Class in 2000. The exit speed was 346 MPH.  All the driving experience has been concentrated in one individual, Tim Schulz, who also builds the engines and oversees body work.  John has always been quick to mention the TEAM of dedicated and enthusiastic individuals who help with the effort.

The MacKichan/Schulz Bonneville Streamliner is an incredible machine of speed and power. Retired after the 2010 season, the streamliner is now on permanent display in Lincoln, Nebraska, at the Speedway Motors’ Museum of American Speed.

For a modest man, he makes giant footprints.