Evan Knoll and Melanie Troxel team up for a second year of tribute to the National League of POW-MIA families and Vietnam Veterans

 

The Vietnam War proved to be an incredibly difficult time in U.S. history – particularly if you were stationed within the borders of South Vietnam between the months of January 1965 and March of 1975. Of those 2.6 million servicemen and personnel, only five to seven percent returned for a second tour of duty.

 

Consider Evan Knoll among that seven-percentile.

 

The veteran NHRA POWERade team owner will return for a second tour of duty in honor of the National League of POW-MIA Families and Vietnam Veterans, as well as veterans of all wars.

A SECOND TOUR OF DUTY FOR THE VIETNAM VETS

 

Evan Knoll and Melanie Troxel team up for a second year of tribute to the National League of POW-MIA families and Vietnam Veterans

 

The Vietnam War proved to be an incredibly difficult time in U.S. history – particularly if you were stationed within the borders of South Vietnam between the months of January 1965 and March of 1975. Of those 2.6 million servicemen and personnel, only seven percent returned for a second tour of duty.

 

Consider Evan Knoll among that seven-percentile.

 

The veteran NHRA POWERade team owner will return for a second tour of duty in honor of the National League of POW-MIA Families and Vietnam Veterans, as well as veterans of all wars.

 

Knoll will once again team with popular driver Melanie Troxel, who will make the switch over to the Funny Car division piloting a Dodge Charger under Mike Ashley’s Gotham City Racing umbrella, in presenting this honorable tribute.

 

“How can you work with such an incredible group of people like we did last year and end after just one season,” Knoll said. “We went into the POW-MIA/Vietnam Veterans program last season knowing that we have a large mission before us. While we covered a lot of ground last year in bringing out the veterans and providing a strong sense of pride among them, we knew there was so much more we had left to do.

 

“Bobby Bennett has been my large driving force behind the dragster that Melanie drove during the first tour of duty and just to think, it all came together during a brainstorm at 3 am before the season began. The program just took on a life of its own. We had a complete team that made it all work incredibly.

 

“Our program touched a lot of alienated veterans, but for everyone we reached, I understand there are three others we’ve yet to reach. There were so many things we wanted to do last season and essentially we did just that in giving these guys a welcome home.”

 

This time, Knoll says there’s another agenda.

 

“I wanted to honor those that are on wall in D.C.,” Knoll added. “I wanted to honor those that gave their lives and didn’t make it back. I want to let their families know, this car stands for them. This is our way of saying, ‘Job Well Done Brother.”

 

“How do you think about that and not have your eyes well up with tears. There’s a whole lot of political crap associated with that war, but one thing that can never be confused is that a lot of brave young men gave their lives in honor of this country. Our country called and they answered.”

 

Troxel drove a Top Fuel dragster last season that welcomed home those estranged veterans of the Vietnam conflict and honored those 2,700-plus members of the military still missing in action and those who were imprisoned. The initial tour, she said, opened her eyes to a lot of hardships experienced by the veterans as well as those families still missing loved ones.

 

“It’s not about being an A+ history student when you serve within this program,” Troxel said. “It’s about appreciation, compassion and recognizing the extreme sacrifice these veterans and their families made for our country. I met a lot of great people in serving with this program. I was sad at the end of the season when the program started to wind down because I had made a lot of friends along the way and met some great people as well.

 

“When Evan told me that we were doing this second tour, I got really excited because there are all kinds of things we can do this season to make this program even better. Evan Knoll is an incredible person and this car is just one of many examples why.”

 

Ashley plans to also compete in the Funny Car division during the 2008 NHRA POWERade Funny Car. He’s honored to be a part of this tribute.

 

“To watch the great things Evan Knoll, Latrell Preston and Torco Race Fuels do for our brave servicemen and their families says a lot about the great people they are,” Ashley said. “I’m honored to work alongside of them in 2008. It’s the least we can do for these brave members of our military and the unselfish sacrifices they have made for our freedoms.”

 

Knoll will once again donate the proceeds of all souvenir sales to the National League of POW-MIA Families as well as select veterans groups. He also contracted SinFuel Choppers to build a custom POW-MIA tribute chopper which will be raffled off and donated to the those same aforementioned charities later in 2008.

 

The POW-MIA/Vietnam Veterans tribute Funny Car will be unveiled during a special ceremony at the NHRA CARQUEST Winternationals in Pomona, Ca. during February.

 

“God bless the mighty U.S.A.,” Knoll added. “And most importantly, God bless those who fought for this country. They are my heroes.”