Phil “Firesuit” Pofahl, 70, of Kenosha, passed away Sunday, Feb. 20, 2011, at Aurora Medical Center.
Born in Kenosha Dec. 28, 1940, the son of the late Ralph and Luella (Fincannon) Pofahl. A lifelong resident of Kenosha, educated in local schools.
From 1963 until 1969 Phil was in the Air National Guard. Serving in the 128th Air Refueling Group.
On Jan. 19, 1963, in Kenosha, he married Barbara M. Eaves.
For 30 years he worked at American Motors/ Chrysler Corp, later he worked for ten years at Allen Bradley in Milwaukee until his retirement.
A member of Mid Century Mercury Car Club, Midwest Ford Club, Midwest Street Machines, AMO/AMX Club. He was proud to have been inducted into the Great Lakes Dragway Hall of Fame, and the Kenosha Legends. His greatest passion was drag racing, as “Firesuit Phil” in his 1946 Ford Gasser.
He was proud of his many trophies and awards. Phil had been featured in several magazines. Also a member of the American Legion and Masonic Lodge #47 F&AM. He enjoyed spending time with his family and friends. He spent many years fishing at his cabin in upper Michigan.
Many of the group have raced with Phil and he is missed and will always be missed in the pits. We keep looking down pit row waiting for him to come sipping down on his scooter. Not to mention all the great stories he would tell from him many years in the sport. Phil was a master machinest and made many of the parts on his ’46 that enabled it to keep running or maybe make it run the way it did.
Firesuit Phil has joined many of the other drag racing greats that have gone before us.
