Don't mess with Evan Knoll!

[Toejam]

I wonder with more teams expanding to more cars next season. Will they garner the same disdain that Team shoe has from the fans? Seems that no one has a Problem with JF owning 3 FC's do they.........

 

[PJ]

Money talks, and you know the rest. Right amount of $$$, Evan could get just about anyone.

I am available to to bought, I'll drive whatever

 

[Jamie]

Seems that no one has a Problem with JF owning 3 FC's do they.........

Yeah, why do you think that is Joe?

 

[DLB]

I wonder with more teams expanding to more cars next season. Will they garner the same disdain that Team shoe has from the fans? Seems that no one has a Problem with JF owning 3 FC's do they.........

Let's just take a look at this for a second, logically (

)...
DSR Camp: (What DON Owns)
2 T/F
3 F/C (4 Managed)
2 PSM
And anyone can explain what the deal is with the P/S Car's now, cause it don't really matter...he don't have two in his camp anymore.

So, for comparison:
Kalitta:
2 T/F (3 Managed)
1 F/C
JFR:
3 F/C
Worsham, Pedregon:
2 F/C
Vance & Hines:
2 PSM

Next Year:
DPM: 2 T/F
Two car's for Todd's team possibly...

See the trend?

I said all that just to say, NO, people are going to dislike DSR for some reason that they just can't say.
It's an anomoly. Everyone agrees he is great for the sport, and appreciates that he lives and breathes drag racing, and keeps people out there (like Evan Knoll), but they just don't like his large "umbrella".

Most everyone picks someone to dislike for some reason. I don't understand it.

I am not a blanket fan for ANY team.

Honestly, I like Tony Schumacher (the most), Doug Kalitta (a little-all point purposes aside), Tony Pedregon, Jim Head, Robert Hight, Tommy Johnson Jr., Cruz Pedregon, Jeg Coughlin, Jim Yates, & Greg Stanfield. Now, find a common thread across the board on that. But be it know that the only ones I don't really like are Jason Line and that one guy that used to drive a funny car that's going top fuel racing (never have, sorry - know he's nice and all, just not a fan...)

Most people can't rationalize with the thought of pulling for someone just because you like that driver/team - no strings attached. I am not a fan of the whole DSR outfit, but the 1 main person I pull for is out of that stable.

[/end jabber]

 

[Alan]

Knoll pays for that team to run he can do pretty much anything he wants if he pulled his sponsorship do you think Don would run that car next year?
That should answer your question.

So any sponsor of any team can do whatever they want? That's what is implied here. Don OWNS Melanie's team/car/assets. I know this for fact. That is his team, to do what HE wants with. I appreciate what Evan has done for the sport, but that car is not his to make decisions, associate sponsor or otherwise. And like someone else said, JR has Valvoline as an associate sponsor.

Now if Don manages Mike's car, but Evan owns it, then Evan can make decisions as he wants to. Much the same that Ken Black can do what he wants with Hillary's car, regardless of what the Kalitta camp thinks.

 

[Horsepower & Heels]

I can see where there is a problem...

Sponsorship isn't supposed to be all about someone just handing over money. Its supposed to be a 2-way street, where both the sponsor and the sponsoree benefit from a mutual relationship. IE: The company and branding exposure from being associated with said team. A sponsor depends on using its sponsored car as a vehicle and representative of their company. Now, what happens when the owner also signs another associate sponsor that has a conflict of interest? The exclusivity of the person sponsoring the car is one of the key benefits... I don't think you'd see a Miller Lite sticker on Bernsteins' operation. And if you did, wouldn't Budweiser have the right to be upset?

Business is business. You enter into a partnership of any sort, and you now have more people to be concerned with keeping happy than yourself. If you don't want outside input, then fund a team 100% out of your own pocket. Then there isn't anyone that can say anything about it.

 

[Alan]

Erica, you make a valid point. But I have a hard time understanding a conflict of interest when JR runs Valvoline sponsorship, and is sponsored by Evan. If that isn't a conflict of interest, then why would Melanie having Valvoline be??

Does anyone kow for a fact that this incident even took place? For all we know we may be spitting into the wind over nothing.....

 

[Horsepower & Heels]

I wasn't really addressing the Valvoline situation specifically since I don't have a clue about any of that, my comment was more about the sponsor's right to be considered and informed about what decisions impact the car that they are paying to be associated with.

 

[FalconRacer]

Erica, you make a valid point. But I have a hard time understanding a conflict of interest when JR runs Valvoline sponsorship, and is sponsored by Evan. If that isn't a conflict of interest, then why would Melanie having Valvoline be??

Does anyone kow for a fact that this incident even took place? For all we know we may be spitting into the wind over nothing.....

So your saying if say ummm OLD SPICE wanted to be an associate sponsor of DSR then BRUT would have no say in that sticker being put on the car they are the MAJOR sponsor of?? What is the MAJOR sponsor of JR's car? is it KNOLL GAS? TORCO PRODUCTS? or SKULL SHINE? If it's one of the first two then there could be a conflict. Just because Evan owns SKULL GEAR doesn't make Valvoline a conflict. Could it be as simple as DSR didn't ask before placing the stickers on Melanies car??

 

[Evan Knoll]

Hello to all here.
1st off on Mels car it was said from me that "no way" will the V sticker be put on that car and Mikes car also.
2nd. Don went out and got the V to sponsor his cars etc and that is true I dont own Mels stuff but the fact is anything on that unit must go thru me before its put on its my $$$$$$$$$$$ that is behind that team.
3rd. Lucas oil and the family is a great friend of mine and we do business togeather and to sell someone down the river for a few bucks after what that man has done in racing and FREE oil and additives and posting $$$$$ is not cool with me. Keep in mind this is being done Mid-Season and I beleave thats just wrong. I Heard about this when I was in Indy and I went in the lanes and started to take off the V stickers on Mels unit.
4th Don and I talked and its all ok now he can keep the V stickers on Mikes unit.
5th. Jr's dragster had the V sticker on it and the deal was DONE before I came into a sponsor realionship with them.
6th. I will be running another Top Fuel team with Lucas oil next year as a two car team.

Thanks Evan Knoll.

 

[Just Paul]

Thanks Evan.

 

[mick]

Mr. Knoll,
thanks for the insite.
wishing you continued success in your endeavors;
drag racing and otherwise.

 

["Dr. Dirt"]

Best of luck working with Lucas.
Another escapee?

 

[Alan]

Well there we have it.

Nuff said....

Thank you Evan

 

[Rajunz]

Melanie needs a new firesuit!

 

[hellfirejim]

You know it is pretty damn refreshing when people who know the truth come on and state it EXACTLY as it is without adding a buch of crap to it. Presented this way, "Here it is now make up your own opinion."

Evan, you are a stand up guy with integrity, I like and respect that.

jim

 

[DLB]

Thanks Evan Knoll for all you do and still taking time to post here.

 

[megadeth]

Hello to all here.
1st off on Mels car it was said from me that "no way" will the V sticker be put on that car and Mikes car also.
2nd. Don went out and got the V to sponsor his cars etc and that is true I dont own Mels stuff but the fact is anything on that unit must go thru me before its put on its my $$$$$$$$$$$ that is behind that team.
3rd. Lucas oil and the family is a great friend of mine and we do business togeather and to sell someone down the river for a few bucks after what that man has done in racing and FREE oil and additives and posting $$$$$ is not cool with me. Keep in mind this is being done Mid-Season and I beleave thats just wrong. I Heard about this when I was in Indy and I went in the lanes and started to take off the V stickers on Mels unit.
4th Don and I talked and its all ok now he can keep the V stickers on Mikes unit.
5th. Jr's dragster had the V sticker on it and the deal was DONE before I came into a sponsor realionship with them.
6th. I will be running another Top Fuel team with Lucas oil next year as a two car team.

Thanks Evan Knoll.

There you go!
I guess Mr. Knoll has answered everyones questions or speculations.
The only one left that he didn't answer and I don't expect him to is were will Melanie and Mike be next year care to speculate?
If she does move over to the Lucas team do you think Don will run that car he owns! NOT unless he gets someone to bring $$$$ to the table.
Mr. Knoll has said Melanie will have a ride next year with that said care to make a bet what team that would probably be?
Thanks Mr. Knoll for shedding some light on the situation as spectators we will just have to sit back and see how this all plays out.

 

[megadeth]

So any sponsor of any team can do whatever they want? That's what is implied here. Don OWNS Melanie's team/car/assets. I know this for fact. That is his team, to do what HE wants with. I appreciate what Evan has done for the sport, but that car is not his to make decisions, associate sponsor or otherwise. And like someone else said, JR has Valvoline as an associate sponsor.

Now if Don manages Mike's car, but Evan owns it, then Evan can make decisions as he wants to. Much the same that Ken Black can do what he wants with Hillary's car, regardless of what the Kalitta camp thinks.

So he can't do what he want's!
Well you were right it is Dons car but it's his $$$$$$ and anything he want's to do on his car has to be approved with who first...

 

[farmje]

Evan, you are a rockstar. Thank you for all you do, and for having the guts to come forth under pressure and make decisions, even though some may not agree.

You are the man.

Farmer