First year Funny car team owner Mike Ashley will campaign a second Funny Car in 2008 with Melanie Troxel as his driver. Ironically, this decision comes a full year after sponsor Evan Knoll granted Ashley permission and the necessary sponsorship funding to pursue team ownership.

“I basically told Evan last year if he’d give me the chance to own my own team that I’d build a solid foundation for a first class winning organization,” Ashley said. “He gave me that chance, and while we are far from perfect, we have had a good run of success.”

Troxel will fulfill her obligation as driver on the Vietnam Veterans/POW-MIA dragster for Morgan Lucas by driving for the rest of the season. She will run a 23-race schedule in 2008.

Troxel has already begun the crossover licensing process and hopes to complete the process soon.

“I went to about half-track in testing last week, and it felt really good,” Troxel, whose husband Tommy Johnson, Jr. also competes in the Funny car division. “I wanted to be sure that the things I remembered from my Alcohol Funny Car days were still the same, and the feeling was still the same.

First year Funny car team owner Mike Ashley will campaign a second Funny Car in 2008 with Melanie Troxel as his driver. Ironically, this decision comes a full year after sponsor Evan Knoll granted Ashley permission and the necessary sponsorship funding to pursue team ownership.

“I basically told Evan last year if he’d give me the chance to own my own team that I’d build a solid foundation for a first class winning organization,” Ashley said. “He gave me that chance, and while we are far from perfect, we have had a good run of success.”

Troxel will fulfill her obligation as driver on the Vietnam Veterans/POW-MIA dragster for Morgan Lucas by driving for the rest of the season. She will run a 23-race schedule in 2008.

Troxel has already begun the crossover licensing process and hopes to complete the process soon.

“I went to about half-track in testing last week, and it felt really good,” Troxel, whose husband Tommy Johnson, Jr. also competes in the Funny car division. “I wanted to be sure that the things I remembered from my Alcohol Funny Car days were still the same, and the feeling was still the same.

“I’ve always had interest in Funny Cars. I grew up around dragsters, so I knew dragsters. The first opportunity I had to drive a short wheelbase car was in Competition eliminator. I noticed a difference in the way the car handled and the way you got feedback from the car, and I liked it. That’s what originally struck my interest in Funny Cars.”

Troxel joins a team that has developed a penchant for delivering positive results.

Ashley has provided sponsor Knoll with two national event victories, a world speed record, five pole positions, eleven top-half qualifying efforts and handful of performance awards.  

“I’m happy with the way things have transpired and the season is still not over,” Ashley said. “I am starting to feel that vision of a world class organization is taking place. In that same spirit, I felt it was time to expand our efforts.”

Ashley said his team has a strategic plan that differs from the traditional sense.

“I’m not going to show my cards,” Ashley said. “I’ll just say that I have a strategic plan to run two cars that provide the best opportunity to win a championship. It’s certainly not the same as you would see with a Team Force or Team Schumacher.”

Ashley said his plan is for at least one Funny Car to contend for a world championship.

“Melanie was my first choice from the moment I asked Evan about running a second car,” Ashley said. “When I told him my choice was Melanie, he went from being happy to ecstatic. When I spoke to Melanie, she was excited. It was something we have been batting around for a while and we felt this was the best time to go forward and do it.”

Ashley, a successful mortgage banker from Long Island, NY, chose his driver utilizing the same management style that he runs his successful business principles with.

“In building a world-class organization, you want to study carefully every piece,” Ashley said. “You look at our crew chiefs Brian Corradi and Mark Oswald to all of the crew guys on our team. They are all first class. I wouldn’t add anyone to this team that doesn’t fit our culture.

“We have a special kind of culture that I am fiercely protective of. I believe this an integral part of our long term success. I wouldn’t put just any driver or crew chief into the mix.”

Ashley said that Troxel brings impressive professionalism to the mix.

“I am honored that she wants to race with us,” Ashley said. “By that same token, she’s earned that right. I wouldn’t just choose anyone. I won’t take someone because of their gender or just because they have a name. I have had some of the biggest names in the sport contact me when they found out I was fielding this car. It just had to be the right person for me. The same was true for crew chief.

“I think next year you will see a team that will deliver championship results on and off the track in the media. I think Evan Knoll deserves a championship kind of effort because he is a championship kind of person.”

Ashley said he felt Indianapolis was the best time to make the announcement so he could refocus on the 2007 Countdown to the Championship.  

Ashley has been the focus of many unsubstantiated rumors that suggest he’s retiring from driving following the 2007 season. He declined to address those issues at this time, but said that he would not be quitting as reported elsewhere.

“As it stands, my pans are to ensure that my team flourishes from the role of team owner,” Ashley said. “I plan on being out here for a long time as a team owner. My plan is to run a car full-time. I’m not ready to say that is definite. At this point, it is a good possibility.

“The rumors don’t bother me because everyone knows that I have a business to run and I am fiercely devoted to my family.”

Ashley also addressed the Dean Skuza issue. Skuza was reportedly one of the candidates for the job awarded Troxel.

“That probably hit the media a bit premature,” Ashley said. “He had tested in our car and we discussed the idea of him coming to drive. Dean is one of those guys who fit in our culture. We just made the decision to go with Melanie at this time.

“Dean had some things that he was working on his own that may come to fruition. Rather than him come and join our team, I felt it was better for him to continue pursuing his opportunity to be in my position.”

Ashley has yet to name a crew chief but said that Corradi will serve as an overchief.