PLANO, Texas (May 1, 2025) – After purchasing his first Toyota Tundra in 2010, Brandon Palaniuk officially joined Team Toyota prior to the 2025 season. Brandon is the newest angler to join Team Toyota and has long been a proponent and member of the Toyota Bonus Bucks program.

“I credit the money I made through Bonus Bucks with helping launch my professional career,” Palaniuk said. “I didn’t have sponsorship money coming in back in those days. I was working for a timber company in between tournaments to support my fishing, running heavy equipment building logging roads in the mountains, pretty much living paycheck to paycheck. The extra cash from Bonus Bucks checks here and there was a difference maker for me in being able to fund my first year on tour.”

Since those early beginnings supported by the contingency money provided by the Toyota Bonus Bucks program, Brandon has had an outstanding professional career that includes winning the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship in 2010, becoming a two-time Bassmaster Angler of the Year, and winning six Bassmaster Elite Series events, with his most recent win coming in February of 2025 on Lake Okeechobee.

“A big reason I bought that first Tundra was Toyota’s involvement in the sport and because I aspired to be one of the guys on Team Toyota,” Palaniuk recalled. “I wanted to be KVD, Swindle, Ike or Big Show. I was trying to emulate what they had. Fast forward over a decade, it’s incredibly humbling to be mentioned in the same conversation and on the same team as the anglers I idolized at the start of my career. It’s an honor that I don’t take for granted.”

Toyota has been a long-time supporter of bass fishing here in the United States. This commitment includes sponsoring numerous top-level tournament trails, the BassmastHER movement, and amateur anglers of all levels with the Toyota Bonus Bucks program. Brandon joining Team Toyota adds to that legacy of supporting bass fishing at all levels.

“Brandon joining Team Toyota is a full circle moment for our involvement in the sport” said Dedra DeLilli, vice president of marketing communications, Toyota Motor North America. “We are proud to have Brandon join Team Toyota and are excited to continue supporting his career.”