Inside Elite Toyotas: Pirch, Prince, Cherry and Sumrall

“Besides overall performance and comfort, my purchase decision was based on Toyota Bonus Bucks,” said Bassmaster Elite Series pro Clifford Pirch. Toyota Bonus Bucks is the only program that pays anglers to fish. Qualifying owners earn tournament contingency bonus cash when they place highest in a tournament, and among other program participants.
“Besides overall performance and comfort, my purchase decision was based on Toyota Bonus Bucks,” said Bassmaster Elite Series pro Clifford Pirch. Toyota Bonus Bucks is the only program that pays anglers to fish. Qualifying owners earn tournament contingency bonus cash when they place highest in a tournament, and among other program participants.
Clifford Pirch calls Tow Haul a favorite feature of his 2018 Toyota Tundra. Pirch lives in Payson, Ariz., altitude 5,000 feet, and he frequently uses Tow Haul. The feature boosts performance in towing situations, which increases pulling, stopping and steering power by holding gears longer when the truck speeds up or slows down.
Clifford Pirch calls Tow Haul a favorite feature of his 2018 Toyota Tundra. Pirch lives in Payson, Ariz., altitude 5,000 feet, and he frequently uses Tow Haul. The feature boosts performance in towing situations, which increases pulling, stopping and steering power by holding gears longer when the truck speeds up or slows down.
Pirch operates a successful outfitter guide season in the off-season. Clifford Pirch Outdoors provides fishing and hunting adventures in the Arizona canyon rim high country. “The four-wheel drive in my Tundra gets a workout. I have hauled out trophy elk in the truck bed, and never have a problem with traction, control and handling in the high altitude.”
Pirch operates a successful outfitter guide season in the off-season. Clifford Pirch Outdoors provides fishing and hunting adventures in the Arizona canyon rim high country. “The four-wheel drive in my Tundra gets a workout. I have hauled out trophy elk in the truck bed, and never have a problem with traction, control and handling in the high altitude.”
Pirch has over 65,000 miles on his 2018 Toyota Tundra. Getting to work on the tour means traveling long miles between his home in the Arizona rim country to events as far away as upstate New York state. “I’m 5' 7
Pirch has over 65,000 miles on his 2018 Toyota Tundra. Getting to work on the tour means traveling long miles between his home in the Arizona rim country to events as far away as upstate New York state. “I’m 5′ 7″ and sleep in the backseat in this sleeping bag to catch a nap or get a night’s rest along the way,” Pirch said. He also likes the roomy cab. “I put in a lot of really long days and I’m never fatigued from sitting behind the wheel.”
Pirch travels farther than most pros on the Bassmaster Elite Series. This photo was taken in Plattsburgh, N.Y., 2,500 miles away from his home in Payson, Ariz. That is for just one of the nine seasonal events. On his dashboard are mementos to make his 2018 Toyota Tundra feel like home. Pictured are his daughters Kailee and Cassidy, and his wife, Alicia. “The girls painted the strawberry that is shaped like a rock.”
Pirch travels farther than most pros on the Bassmaster Elite Series. This photo was taken in Plattsburgh, N.Y., 2,500 miles away from his home in Payson, Ariz. That is for just one of the nine seasonal events. On his dashboard are mementos to make his 2018 Toyota Tundra feel like home. Pictured are his daughters Kailee and Cassidy, and his wife, Alicia. “The girls painted the strawberry that is shaped like a rock.”
Floridian Cliff Prince is fishing his ninth season on the Bassmaster Elite Series. He first became a Toyota Tundra owner in 2007 and has owned five since then. “Brakes, oil change, tires. Just routine maintenance for all of them. That’s saying a lot, considering what I put them through towing a boat.” Prince trades every three years when the odometer reaches 100,000 miles.  A 2019 Toyota Tundra SR5 CrewMax with the 5.7L V8 is his latest ride. It has 50,000 miles, with 40,000 of those towing his bass boat.
Floridian Cliff Prince is fishing his ninth season on the Bassmaster Elite Series. He first became a Toyota Tundra owner in 2007 and has owned five since then. “Brakes, oil change, tires. Just routine maintenance for all of them. That’s saying a lot, considering what I put them through towing a boat.” Prince trades every three years when the odometer reaches 100,000 miles. A 2019 Toyota Tundra SR5 CrewMax with the 5.7L V8 is his latest ride. It has 50,000 miles, with 40,000 of those towing his bass boat.
“The Tow Haul Package is impressive.” Bassmaster Elite Series pro Cliff Prince lives near the Atlantic Ocean, where he fishes for fun when home in Palatka, Fla. “It’s got the stopping and pulling power to pull anything.” Anything includes his bass boat or a 30-foot center console offshore boat. When fully loaded that includes 200 pounds of fuel, the same amount in ice, the boat and twin outboards all riding on the trailer. “Most owners of that size boat pull it with a three-quarter or one-ton pickup. I don’t need it. The Tundra can handle it all.”
“The Tow Haul Package is impressive.” Bassmaster Elite Series pro Cliff Prince lives near the Atlantic Ocean, where he fishes for fun when home in Palatka, Fla. “It’s got the stopping and pulling power to pull anything.” Anything includes his bass boat or a 30-foot center console offshore boat. When fully loaded that includes 200 pounds of fuel, the same amount in ice, the boat and twin outboards all riding on the trailer. “Most owners of that size boat pull it with a three-quarter or one-ton pickup. I don’t need it. The Tundra can handle it all.”
Prince is from north Florida. That’s not centrally located to the nine annual Elite events, which means over 40,000 miles towing his bass boat. “My Tundra is roomy, comfortable for long road trips. Sometimes I drive 18-plus hours, stopping for rest along the way in the truck. That’s to the extreme of most Tundra owners, but I never get fatigued from the interior layout of the truck. Big, comfortable seats and all the interior accessories I need to make the trip easier. That’s what I like about the Tundra.”
Prince is from north Florida. That’s not centrally located to the nine annual Elite events, which means over 40,000 miles towing his bass boat. “My Tundra is roomy, comfortable for long road trips. Sometimes I drive 18-plus hours, stopping for rest along the way in the truck. That’s to the extreme of most Tundra owners, but I never get fatigued from the interior layout of the truck. Big, comfortable seats and all the interior accessories I need to make the trip easier. That’s what I like about the Tundra.”
Prince has a short playlist for the Audio Multimedia stereo system. Kelley Prince uploaded an entire Billy Joel album, giving her husband only one choice for his playlist. “We were uploading songs to listen to on the road. I got to upload a Hank Williams Jr. song, so about every other song that plays is a Billy Joel tune. Seriously though, the stereo and navigation system are top-notch and make the long road trips more enjoyable.”
Prince has a short playlist for the Audio Multimedia stereo system. Kelley Prince uploaded an entire Billy Joel album, giving her husband only one choice for his playlist. “We were uploading songs to listen to on the road. I got to upload a Hank Williams Jr. song, so about every other song that plays is a Billy Joel tune. Seriously though, the stereo and navigation system are top-notch and make the long road trips more enjoyable.”
Cliff Prince, like many of his peers, has family mementos and tokens of home riding along in his 2019 Toyota Tundra SR5 CrewMax. “This turtle rides along with me on the dashboard. It’s a reminder from my wife, Kelley, to not get in a hurry when it comes time to drive home from a tournament. I need the reminder. This truck has so much power that I can’t even feel the boat behind it.”
Cliff Prince, like many of his peers, has family mementos and tokens of home riding along in his 2019 Toyota Tundra SR5 CrewMax. “This turtle rides along with me on the dashboard. It’s a reminder from my wife, Kelley, to not get in a hurry when it comes time to drive home from a tournament. I need the reminder. This truck has so much power that I can’t even feel the boat behind it.”
Bassmaster Elite Series pro Caleb Sumrall likes his 2016 Toyota Tundra TSS Off-Road for more than just its great looks, reliability and towing performance. “This is my first Tundra. I have a special connection with this particular truck. I practically get paid to drive it.” The Toyota Bonus Bucks program pays tournament contingency cash to qualifying owners. “I’ve probably won $15,000 over the years.”
Bassmaster Elite Series pro Caleb Sumrall likes his 2016 Toyota Tundra TSS Off-Road for more than just its great looks, reliability and towing performance. “This is my first Tundra. I have a special connection with this particular truck. I practically get paid to drive it.” The Toyota Bonus Bucks program pays tournament contingency cash to qualifying owners. “I’ve probably won $15,000 over the years.”
Sumrall digs his 2016 Toyota Tundra TSS Off-Road package. “Other than being a powerful, reliable off-road truck, it just looks awesome. I bought it because it performs the job that I need it to do, which is to get me from home to tournaments all over the country.”
Sumrall digs his 2016 Toyota Tundra TSS Off-Road package. “Other than being a powerful, reliable off-road truck, it just looks awesome. I bought it because it performs the job that I need it to do, which is to get me from home to tournaments all over the country.”
Sumrall has over 171,000 miles on his 2016 Toyota Tundra TSS Off-Road package. “The turnkey reliability is the best. The only parts that I have ever replaced on my truck are the brake pads and brake rotors. That’s pretty amazing. If you tow a boat over 40,000 miles each year, then brakes will need replacing. But for me, that’s been it.”
Sumrall has over 171,000 miles on his 2016 Toyota Tundra TSS Off-Road package. “The turnkey reliability is the best. The only parts that I have ever replaced on my truck are the brake pads and brake rotors. That’s pretty amazing. If you tow a boat over 40,000 miles each year, then brakes will need replacing. But for me, that’s been it.”
You might think it odd that the four-wheel drive on his Toyota Tundra is a favorite feature of Sumrall. “We fish all over the country. There are a lot of remote boat ramps that are unpaved or on steep inclines. A two-wheel drive truck would get stuck towing a boat in those conditions. I never have to search for an alternate ramp, thanks to the four-wheel drive capability of my Tundra.”
You might think it odd that the four-wheel drive on his Toyota Tundra is a favorite feature of Sumrall. “We fish all over the country. There are a lot of remote boat ramps that are unpaved or on steep inclines. A two-wheel drive truck would get stuck towing a boat in those conditions. I never have to search for an alternate ramp, thanks to the four-wheel drive capability of my Tundra.”
“I can put just about anything in here.” Sumrall finds all the interior space he needs in his Toyota Tundra. “I can pack all my clothes, extra tackle and these 20 rod combos and still have plenty of room. It’s also very roomy and comfortable to drive on long trips.”
“I can put just about anything in here.” Sumrall finds all the interior space he needs in his Toyota Tundra. “I can pack all my clothes, extra tackle and these 20 rod combos and still have plenty of room. It’s also very roomy and comfortable to drive on long trips.”
When not crisscrossing the country to Bassmaster Elite Series events, Sumrall calls his Toyota Tundra his everyday truck. “My entire family of four, my kids Clelie and Axel, myself and my wife Jacie, we all ride in here on trips around town, to go fishing and take trips to the beach. My Tundra is roomy, safe and is reliable transportation for us all.”
When not crisscrossing the country to Bassmaster Elite Series events, Sumrall calls his Toyota Tundra his everyday truck. “My entire family of four, my kids Clelie and Axel, myself and my wife Jacie, we all ride in here on trips around town, to go fishing and take trips to the beach. My Tundra is roomy, safe and is reliable transportation for us all.”
Sumrall travels to 10 events each season. That requires packing all the tackle that he needs to be on top of his game. “I can’t leave anything at home, and there aren’t tackle shops in the remote areas we travel. That makes the size of the bed of my Tundra so important. I can pack everything, keep it organized and know what inventory I have available for any fishing situation. It’s all possible because of the size of this bed, and my DECKED Drawer System.”
Sumrall travels to 10 events each season. That requires packing all the tackle that he needs to be on top of his game. “I can’t leave anything at home, and there aren’t tackle shops in the remote areas we travel. That makes the size of the bed of my Tundra so important. I can pack everything, keep it organized and know what inventory I have available for any fishing situation. It’s all possible because of the size of this bed, and my DECKED Drawer System.”
Meet Hank Cherry, the 2020 Bassmaster Classic champion. The most coveted trophy in bass fishing rode home to North Carolina in his 2020 Toyota Tundra SR5 4x4 Double Cab. “Winning the Classic this year was a dream come true, something that I will remember for life.”
Meet Hank Cherry, the 2020 Bassmaster Classic champion. The most coveted trophy in bass fishing rode home to North Carolina in his 2020 Toyota Tundra SR5 4×4 Double Cab. “Winning the Classic this year was a dream come true, something that I will remember for life.”
Cherry, the reigning Bassmaster Classic champion, is a loyal customer of Scott Clark Toyota near Charlotte, N.C. “I like to let them choose the after-market accessories that best match my Tundra.” Having everything installed by the pros at the dealership is the benefit. The plan must work for others, too. “A lot of the Bassmaster Elite Series anglers buy their Tundras there.”
Cherry, the reigning Bassmaster Classic champion, is a loyal customer of Scott Clark Toyota near Charlotte, N.C. “I like to let them choose the after-market accessories that best match my Tundra.” Having everything installed by the pros at the dealership is the benefit. The plan must work for others, too. “A lot of the Bassmaster Elite Series anglers buy their Tundras there.”
The Toyota Tundra is a towing workhorse for Bassmaster Classic champion Cherry. “I never feel the boat behind me on the highway. The performance is just that good, even when I’m traveling near home through the Smoky Mountains of eastern North Carolina.” The Tundra is designed to tow, perform and provide safe stopping power, even with a boat and trailer.
The Toyota Tundra is a towing workhorse for Bassmaster Classic champion Cherry. “I never feel the boat behind me on the highway. The performance is just that good, even when I’m traveling near home through the Smoky Mountains of eastern North Carolina.” The Tundra is designed to tow, perform and provide safe stopping power, even with a boat and trailer.
Cherry likes the clean look of his Undercover cover. “It just fits the truck and makes it look cleaner without a topper.” Beneath the cover are the tools of the trade for the 2020 Bassmaster Classic champion. Spare tackle, essential gear and lots of lures are safely stored here for quick and easy access. “The bed length is just the right size, and I never have to leave anything at home.”
Cherry likes the clean look of his Undercover cover. “It just fits the truck and makes it look cleaner without a topper.” Beneath the cover are the tools of the trade for the 2020 Bassmaster Classic champion. Spare tackle, essential gear and lots of lures are safely stored here for quick and easy access. “The bed length is just the right size, and I never have to leave anything at home.”
“I look back here to see if the boat is still there,” quips Cherry about the towing power of the Toyota Tundra’s 5.7L Aluminum i-Force V8. “Actually, what I do like are the oversize side view mirrors. I get an expanded view of the rear while driving.” The Bassmaster Classic champion checks out the view while driving 60,000 miles each year on the Bassmaster Elite Series.
“I look back here to see if the boat is still there,” quips Cherry about the towing power of the Toyota Tundra’s 5.7L Aluminum i-Force V8. “Actually, what I do like are the oversize side view mirrors. I get an expanded view of the rear while driving.” The Bassmaster Classic champion checks out the view while driving 60,000 miles each year on the Bassmaster Elite Series.
Everyone in Cherry’s family has a designated seat in his Toyota Tundra. The 2020 Bassmaster Classic champion gets the driver’s side, while his wife Jaclyn has the front passenger seat. Their children, Bella and Christian, get the rear passenger seats. “Seeing their names on the doors makes me homesick, but I also see it as a reminder of what awaits me when I return home.”
Everyone in Cherry’s family has a designated seat in his Toyota Tundra. The 2020 Bassmaster Classic champion gets the driver’s side, while his wife Jaclyn has the front passenger seat. Their children, Bella and Christian, get the rear passenger seats. “Seeing their names on the doors makes me homesick, but I also see it as a reminder of what awaits me when I return home.”
Cherry spends nine months a year behind the wheel of his Toyota Tundra, traveling between home in North Carolina and destinations on the Bassmaster Elite Series. “What I most like about the interior is there is plenty of space, and not just for storing things. It’s really comfortable to drive on long road trips. I never get fatigued due to the truck.”
Cherry spends nine months a year behind the wheel of his Toyota Tundra, traveling between home in North Carolina and destinations on the Bassmaster Elite Series. “What I most like about the interior is there is plenty of space, and not just for storing things. It’s really comfortable to drive on long road trips. I never get fatigued due to the truck.”
Cherry’s Toyota Tundra does double duty. His son Christian, 10, plays some serious travel team baseball, and it puts a smile on dad’s face when he sees the bat bag leaning beside the Tundra. Dad also played some serious collegiate baseball, too.  “When home, I never miss a game.” Riding in dad’s wrapped tournament ride is a bonus. “My kids, Christian and Bella, would rather ride in my truck than anything else, and there is plenty of space in the rear for their gear, be it for sports, fishing, anything.”
Cherry’s Toyota Tundra does double duty. His son Christian, 10, plays some serious travel team baseball, and it puts a smile on dad’s face when he sees the bat bag leaning beside the Tundra. Dad also played some serious collegiate baseball, too. “When home, I never miss a game.” Riding in dad’s wrapped tournament ride is a bonus. “My kids, Christian and Bella, would rather ride in my truck than anything else, and there is plenty of space in the rear for their gear, be it for sports, fishing, anything.”
Cherry likes the Apple CarPlay feature of his Toyota Tundra (and it’s Android equivalent). “I don’t listen much to music, but I use it all the time for my GPS map app.” All the time literally means what he said. Cherry puts about 60,000 miles on his Tundra over 10 months of traveling between home and the Bassmaster Elite Series. “We go to so many places that it’s a must for me.”
Cherry likes the Apple CarPlay feature of his Toyota Tundra (and it’s Android equivalent). “I don’t listen much to music, but I use it all the time for my GPS map app.” All the time literally means what he said. Cherry puts about 60,000 miles on his Tundra over 10 months of traveling between home and the Bassmaster Elite Series. “We go to so many places that it’s a must for me.”
“I have owned eight Toyota Tundra pickups and each one has been just as reliable as the other. There is no other truck I would think of driving.” Cherry calls out the superior towing capabilities, braking, handling, comfortable ride (inside and out) and all-around good looks as his favorite features of the Tundra. “It’s proving something when more Bassmaster Elite Series pros choose a Tundra over any other brand.”
“I have owned eight Toyota Tundra pickups and each one has been just as reliable as the other. There is no other truck I would think of driving.” Cherry calls out the superior towing capabilities, braking, handling, comfortable ride (inside and out) and all-around good looks as his favorite features of the Tundra. “It’s proving something when more Bassmaster Elite Series pros choose a Tundra over any other brand.”