A SECOND TOUR OF DUTY
Mon, 2007-12-17 13:08
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.”
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