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Springville,
Ala. – When 34-year-old Purolator pro Randy Howell ended
the 2007 Elite Series season in 40th place; three spots out
of the Bassmaster Classic, he did what most other successful
athletes would do; he got busy.
Howell, who has spent the past 15 years competing in BASS
events, has collected $912,053 in combined BASS and FLW
earnings and qualified for seven trips to the Bassmaster
Classic, has been very active since the season ended. He has
turned what could have been a very frustrating winter into
momentum heading into the 2008 campaign.
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Since the inception of the Elite Series, he has
been one of the anglers who has proven himself
adept at being able to navigate his way through
the business of fishing. For example, in
reaching his agreement with Purolator prior to
the 2006 season, Howell was the first to realize
the marketing potential of the Zephyr Travel
System. Not only did the Zephyr provide living
quarters with an enclosed trailer for towing his
Triton Boat and tow vehicle, but it also
provided maximum exposure for Purolator.
With the season about to begin Howell has
reached agreements with several new sponsors
that will be incorporated into his Purolator
graphics. With the Bassmaster Classic little
more than a week away, Howell contacted The BASS
ZONE to share the news of his new partners. |
Home Away from Home
Howell is one of the Elite Series pros who brings his family
to each event and camps while doing so. For each of the past
two seasons his rolling abode was his Zephyr Travel System.
But, he has decided on a new approach to mobile advertising,
and living.
Thanks in part to a new agreement with Camping World that
was facilitated by service and Parts Manager Tim Wharton at
their Syracuse, N.Y. location, Team Howell has a new
headquarters. “I fished with Tim as a Co-angler at Lake
Erie, and we hit it off,” Howell said. “He introduced me to
the Camping World Company, and Motorsports Marketing
Director John Cowart.”
The end result of the introductions was that Howell
conferred with Purolator about the possibility of making the
change in strategy, and when the agreed to the concept, he
made the switch to a 43-foot Fleetwood Revolution LE Motor
Coach. “Purolator said that they could get behind the idea
of me driving a diesel pusher as opposed to the Zephyr,”
Howell said. “Purolator is all about supporting the ‘do it
yourselfer,’ and campers are the sort of self reliant people
who go to Advance Auto Parts to get their own parts to fix
things themselves; it’s a great partnership.”
Howell said
that the partnership with Camping World will give anglers a
chance to take advantage of special discounts only available
by contacting Howell through his website. “Anglers can
contact me by visiting my website,
www.randyhowell.com,
and clicking the ‘contact’ button, I will get them a special
phone number to contact Camping World,” he told The BASS
ZONE. “By contacting me, they will be eligible for discount
at www.campingworldrvsales.com on new & used campers and.”
More Additions
Along with the new motor coach, and the relationship with
Camping World, Howell has also reached agreements with
several other new sponsors.
One of those new sponsors has enabled Howell to take part in
the Toyota Bonus Bucks program announced in December on BASS
ZONE .com. “I will be towing my Triton with a new Toyota
Sequoia SUV this year,” Howell said. “Thanks to Dale Benton
at Serra Toyota in Birmingham, I am eligible to take part in
the Bonus Bucks program.”
Howell said that Benton, who is a bass fisherman himself,
knew Howell, and knew about the Toyota Bonus Bucks program.
Most importantly, Benton went the extra mile to find Howell
the vehicle he needed. “The Sequoia is very popular right
now, and the demand made it hard to find, but Dale got me
what I needed and I am on the road again with Serra Toyota
being a part of my vehicle graphics and jersey art.”
Along with the
earlier announcement of him joining the Vertical Lures pro
staff, Howell told The BASS ZONE that he has also joined the
Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits team as well. “Yamamoto is
one of the premier brands in the industry,” Howell said. “To
have their products in my boat and to wear the Yamamoto logo
makes me really proud.”
He also announced that he has reached an agreement to
endorse Vitamin Water,
www.vitaminwater.com an agreement that came to him
through his friend, J.D. Blackburn of Pro Fishing
Management. “I had tried Vitamin Water before I joined their
pro team,” Howell said. “I love the product, and am proud to
be on their team, and am excited to show them our sport.”
Howell also signed on to endorse Costa Del Mar Sunglasses,
but the decision to promote them was an easy one for him.
“I’ve been wearing the glasses for some time,” he said.
“Their Costa 580 lenses are the clearest lens I have ever
worn, and it feels great to be working with a company who is
fully invested in our sport.”
Tools to Help
Along with the new additions, Howell said that
two of his existing sponsors have produced new
products that will make it easier for him to
compete.
“I will be running the Triton 20XHP with a
Mercury 250 Pro XS Optimax this year,” he told
The BASS ZONE. “Triton’s engineers did a great
job combining the attributes of the X boats and
the X2 to make this boat; it is a fast boat with
great fishability and storage.”
The other tool that he is employing is Quantum’s
www.quantumfishing.com new Superlight series
of fishing rods, and he says the lighter weight
is a huge difference. “I’m more excited than
ever to get back to competing,” he said. “The
feel is enhanced, and they make it easier to
fish hard all day long.” |
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Other News
Howell said that his website
www.randyhowell.com
is being re-designed by Alton Forthe of Big Fish Tools.com,
and while the site is active right now, it will be
completely new in a few weeks.
He also said that he will be taking his whole rig to
Hendersonville, Tenn. to be wrapped on Wednesday; the job
will be performed by American Outdoors Inc. “Johnny Poff and
his crew do great work, and have made my vehicles look good
for a long time.”
After getting the wrap completed, he will be gearing up to
go to the Classic to work for his sponsors.”
Additional Classic Info:
The BASS ZONE
on XM Sports Nation Channel 144 has confirmed the lineup for
the February 17th show. 2007 Bassmaster Classic Champ,
Boyd Duckett and local South Carolina Pro, Casey Ashley and
Mike Iaconelli will give the XM listeners and BZ viewers an
insight on the 2008 Classic after the official practice
period.
The BASS ZONE
on XM Sports Nation can be heard every Sunday at 6:00 and
8:00am EST with replays posted on The BASS ZONE every Monday
morning following the show.
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