Bassmaster Elite Series pro Drew Benton is still not sure what random underwater object his Yamaha 250 V MAX SHO® hit amid a 40-mile run to his starting spot on Day 1 of the St. Johns River event, but he’s positive Yamaha’s durability is unmatched like that of his tow vehicle.

He’s also certain that registering for contingency programs such as Yamaha’s Power Pay program and Toyota Bonus Bucks program, provides the proverbial icing on the cake of both leading brands.

Benton finished 4th in the MAXAM Tire Bassmaster Elite at the St Johns River, which was good enough for cash bonuses from both Yamaha and Toyota that are available to anglers of all levels who fish tournaments and register for the respective programs.

“I’ve towed with various brands of trucks, and I’ll tell you straight-up that a Toyota Tundra is hands-down the strongest and most reliable gas-powered truck out there, with gas mileage that is on par with the diesel I used to drive. I love my Tundra’s Tow+ feature, and the huge 14” screen on the dash is fantastic for all the miles we travel while referencing GPS directions,” says Benton.

Benton puts his money where his mouth is. Not only did he buy a Tundra, but his wife, Morgan also bought a Toyota Sequoia recently. “Toyota supports bass fishing on so many levels. They do more for our sport than any other truck manufacture by a wide margin, so we’re going to be a Toyota family. It’s that simple,” says Benton.

His strong belief in the brands he runs is as clear as his world-class sight fishing skills, which might have been next to worthless, if not for his Yamaha’s ability to keep running after surrendering a piece its lower unit to the underwater object, and safely returning him to weigh-in for a top finish by week’s end. No to mention, the two beefy bonus checks he collected to make his success even sweeter.