Fresh off his BASS Federation Nation National Championship victory and 4th-place finish at the Bassmaster Classic, Idaho's Brandon Palaniuk begins his rookie Elite Series campaign this week at the Harris chain. The 23-year-old pro has traded time atop a bulldozer on an Idaho logging road for 40,000 miles along professional bass fishing's soul-torching highway. He sees it as a welcomed sacrifice for running down dreams, as long as one doesn't mind sleeping in a truck.
"The rumor of me sleeping in my Toyota Tundra throughout the 2011 Bassmaster Elite Series season is 100% true," Palaniuk said. "The Federation Nation has stepped up, and a few of the Federation Nation members are offering me a chance to stay in their homes when an Elite Series tournament's near them. There are also a few web forums that have sprung up since the Classic that are raising money out of their own pockets to book me a hotel, but there's sure to be nights where my Tundra becomes my hotel room."
Palaniuk's Toyota Tundra has also become a career-supporting investment through the Bonus Bucks program. "Between the Federation Nation events and the Bassmaster Classic, within the last 3 months I've won $14,000 in Toyota Trucks Bonus Bucks," he said. "In fact, Bonus Bucks was a deciding factor when I started looking for a new tow vehicle. Because of Bonus Bucks, I visited Parker Toyota in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, took a test drive and walked out with the keys to my new Tundra 3 hours later.
"My Tundra has unmatched stopping power and the most comfortable interior in the business, and trust me, when you drive 40,000 miles a year, and stand to fish 12 hours a day, those comfortable seats are a lifesaver. If I have to sleep in it during the year to come, that's fine, if that's what it's going to take for me to make it in this sport."
Becoming eligible to cash in on Bonus Bucks is simple. Drive a 2007 or newer Tundra, Sequoia, 4Runner, FJ Cruiser or Tacoma, send in your registration form, do well in your tournaments and you win the Bonus Bucks. To find out more and make sure you're signed up, visit ToyotaTrucksBonusBucks.com.
> A few interesting bio notes about Palaniuk: He loves to throw a 6" swimbait, listens to Johnny Cash and Jason Aldean when traveling, and invites BassFans to friend him on FaceBook.
