After 16 seasons as a full-time BASS pro, Randy Howell’s ultra-thin frame and flat-top haircut still provide a youthful exterior to a very passionate soul inside. The 36-year-old father of two loves his faith, loves his family and loves his fishing. Howell’s also a talker. Ask him about any one of those topics and pull up a chair, because as they say in the South — you’re fixin’ to be there a while.
Howell also loves his Toyota, make that plural, Toyotas. And he’ll talk a while about Sequoias and Tundras, too, if you’re willing to heed his wisdom. “I’ve been pulling bass boats around the country for 20 years and there’s not a gas-powered truck out there that tows or brakes better than a Tundra. It’s not even close in my opinion. People ask me about the gas mileage. I have no complaints there either. My Tundra rivals the gas mileage of anything else I’ve towed with,” said Howell who finished the 2009 Bassmaster Elite Series season ranked among the Top 12 anglers in the business.
Randy puts his money where his mouth is. Toyota ownership is a multi-vehicle affair for Randy and wife Robin. They currently own a Tundra and a Sequoia. The Sequoia is the second one they’ve owned in recent years. “As a pro angler Randy thinks about towing power and braking with the Tundra, but as a mom, the Sequoia provides a luxury ride and a ton of versatility with its fold down seats for two kids and tons of cargo,” said Robin.
So where did this love of Toyota Trucks originate with the Howells? Randy explains. “A buddy of mine here in Birmingham works for Serra Toyota, and when I’d see him at the gym working out, he would always tell me I needed to be towing with a Toyota. Well, that was during the same period of time that Toyota started supporting our sport in a big way with the Bassmaster Angler of the Year and Bonus Bucks programs. I talked to some of the other pros that were towing with a Toyota and found out they loved their trucks. So I went and test drove one at the dealership, and three Toyota trucks later, here we are,” detailed Howell.
Through the Toyota Trucks Bonus Bucks program, Toyota ownership has actually served more like an investment for the Howells. Randy was one of the first pro anglers to sign up for Bonus Bucks — and because of his fishing success the past two years, the Bonus Bucks program has netted him $23,000 — just for towing with a brand of trucks he’s already passionate about. To make sure you’re eligible, and to get signed-up for Toyota’s Bonus Bucks program like Randy did, visit www.toyotatrucksbonusbucks.com or call Kendell at 918-742-6424.