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Dave Wilson
CHRISTOPHER LATE COMES from a distinguished lineage of Texas automotive dealers. His grandfather established Broncho Chevy in Odessa. His granduncle, Frank Late, who owned Late Chevrolet in Dallas, emerged as one of the southwestern United States’ foremost automotive tycoons. Christopher’s father, Steve Late, ran a BMW dealership in Austin.
Christopher, who heads Vanguard Auto Group with five dealerships, also stems from a proud family of Longhorns, continuing a beloved tradition. His father played a vital role in launching the Big Wheels initiative at UT, wherein car dealers supplied vehicles for coaches to utilize as they travelled in pursuit of recruits.
However, Christopher, now part of a modern wave of Texas car dealers, no longer relies on coaches for Longhorn recruitment efforts. Thanks to NIL, he has become the leading Big Wheel.
In 2021, Late received a call from Scott Freeman, a college friend engaged with the Texas One Fund, the Longhorns’ NIL consortium, shortly after a disappointing 5-7 season. Quinn Ewers, a former top-ranked recruit who had initially pledged to Texas before opting for Ohio State, was entering the transfer portal, and Texas sought Late’s assistance in bringing him to Austin.
Ewers, who bypassed his senior high school year to sign NIL contracts reportedly valued at $1.3 million before stepping onto a college football field, had limited playtime during his freshman season and chose to transfer. He even filmed a clip returning the keys to his elevated, supercharged Ford F250 Tremor to the dealership that signed him post-high school.
Hard not to think of what could have been… now they are just memories… ��. Thanks Quinn for everything, it was a fun few months, best of luck in Texas! Now Go Bucks! @QuinnEwers @ricart #NoLongerPoweredByRicart pic.twitter.com/JbWKUMScpY
– Rick Ricart ������ (@RickRicart) December 10, 2021
Understanding that the Ohio State NIL arrangement set certain expectations for Ewers, Freeman inquired if Late could secure him his dream car and facilitate his move to Texas.
«Absolutely, that’s a simple task,» Late responded. He reached out, inquired about Ewers’ preferences, and fulfilled the request. «He was determined to have a Corvette: black on the outside, red inside,» Late noted. «I met him at Austin Country Club and unveiled his car.»
Cars have held an enigmatic allure in college football for ages. Pre-NIL, subtle hints of impropriety surfaced through murmurings, forum postings, and social media images hinting at the questionable practices of benefactors.
Paparazzi-esque images surfaced in publications, as seen in 1979 when Eric Dickerson’s golden Trans Am gained national attention, becoming iconic in college football lore, rivaling even the Ramblin’ Wreck of Georgia Tech.
Today, countless players mirror Dickerson’s experience. Athletes now pose legally with their new sports cars on dealership Facebook pages. Although this diminishes some nostalgia associated with the past, it signifies the inevitable intertwining of athletics and business. A Pontiac now seems almost quaint in hindsight. Nationwide, college football parking areas could easily be mistaken for those outside upscale venues.
Roschon Johnson, Jaylan Ford, T’Vondre Sweat, Kelvin Banks Jr., Colin Simmons, Anthony Hill Jr., Matthew Golden, Ryan Wingo, Malik Muhammad and DeAndre Moore Jr.
He provides the players with a budget range and asks what they desire, then explores used car auctions if a model is not available at his dealerships. This applied to Ewers, who eventually opted against the Corvette due to back discomfort.
Unable to tolerate that with his QB1, he consulted Ewers on other preferences. «How about a Porsche Cayenne GTS?» suggested Ewers. Consider it done.
For Late, it’s a mutually beneficial situation. His sons, ages 5 and 7, enjoy spending time with players who visit his home on Sundays for dinner, sharing game stories. They obtain sideline access and foster relationships with players and coaches whom he hopes will remain loyal clients.
«I wasn’t primarily doing this for profit,» Late explained. «My intent was genuinely to support the university and assist in re-energizing Texas to attract top talents. However, after three or four years, we’re finally witnessing a shift where friends and families of these athletes are reaching out to the dealership for car purchases. Even after leaving Texas, the players contact me for assistance in buying vehicles because they trust me to look after them.»
Throughout this journey, the Longhorns progressed from a 5-7 record to an 8-5 finish, culminating in a Big 12 championship and two consecutive College Football Playoff semifinal showings.
«It’s quite remarkable,» Late remarked, «to consider that I played a small part in rejuvenating the program.»
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«They assist me with tickets, and I support them with their vehicles,» he once conveyed to The Washington Post. «That’s just how things operate in Texas.»
In the pre-NIL era, automotive dealers frequently acted as intermediaries, the essential contacts capable of facilitating deals to secure players for their uniforms. They orchestrated transactions incessantly, and their clients were never more eager than when a high-profile recruit sought a specific model.
«A car signifies status,» Heitmann stated. «At the age when an average kid is struggling to obtain a decent vehicle, these athletes sit at the pinnacle. They do not require a Rolex. This is their necessity.»
Furthermore, it enhances business prospects when thousands of alumni recognize that these dealers are the ones backing their teams. In a field where products are consistent, reputation and name recognition become the distinguishing factors that provide dealers an edge over rivals. Hence, dealers invest in branding through video boards at high school stadiums, supply convertibles for parades, and vans for youth sports outings, and are often local college sponsors, whether connected to junior colleges, small colleges, or Texas or A&M, irrespective of alumni status. Both Kyle Field in College Station and Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin have end zone lounges named after automotive dealers.
«This is their essence and their function,» stated Wolters, who compiled extensive research on the family dynasties in Texas’s automotive sector. «Dealers in virtually every town have ties to either high school or college football, which has been our principal sport for over a century. In my perspective, the most pivotal institutions in any community are churches, schools, and automobile dealers.»
In Kilgore, Texas, Bill Wilson owned the Pontiac-Buick-GMC dealership situated on the main road in the town of 11,000 residents. He held the titles of mayor, chamber of commerce president, and was involved in nearly every local board. He served as TADA president. He was also my father.
He spent his youth in hardship and did not finish college but developed a passion for Texas A&M, joining the Aggie Wheels Team, which provided vehicles for assistant coaches to drive, an arrangement that then-coach R.C. Slocum opined was essentially a method to give a coach a salary increase without incurring extra costs for the university.
My father usually supplied modest vehicles — an assistant coach once declined the practical $18,000 Buick Century he allocated to College Station. After a preset mileage, A&M would return the vehicle, and he sold it as a «demo,» short for «demonstrator» in dealership jargon, which allowed the manufacturer to subsidize the dealer due to the mileage on the car, all aimed at increasing their models’ visibility. In exchange, he received premium game tickets and enjoyed road trips with the team. He savored the sense of importance even though the whole arrangement incurred minimal costs for him.
In comparison, he wasn’t exactly Red McCombs, but few were. In the 1960s, McCombs emerged as one of the largest car dealers nationally from his San Antonio base, a colorful figure whose worth was approximated at $1.7 billion by Forbes in 2022, and at one point controlled the sixth-largest dealership group in the nation, alongside the San Antonio Spurs (twice), the Denver Nuggets, and the Minnesota Vikings at different times.
«I’m grand, and I live grand,» declared McCombs, who authored a book entitled «The Red Zone: Cars, Cows, and Coaches – The Life and Good Times of a Texas Dealmaker.» «I relish engaging with others and thrive in crowds. When I’m in high spirits, the natural volume of my voice can scare birds away from tall trees.»
He was a giant for a generation of contributors demanding their voices resonate within their school’s programs. When Texas appointed Charlie Strong in 2014, McCombs notably reacted negatively and faced backlash for his remarks regarding his lack of involvement in the selection process after advocating for Jon Gruden’s hiring.
«I consider it a slap in the face,» McCombs expressed in a radio interview. «We possess benefactors who have considerable insight into the game. When we resolved to hire Mack [Brown] — from the moment we opted for Mack to approximately 30 hours later for a press conference here and it was done — we had substantial input.»
McCombs also condemned Strong’s hiring, who had served as the head coach at Louisville and was about to become Texas’ inaugural Black football coach. «I don’t doubt that Charlie is a commendable coach,» McCombs acknowledged. «I believe he could excel as a position coach or perhaps a coordinator.»
He later extended an apology to Strong, informing the San Antonio Express-News that he was troubled by the implications that his comments were racially motivated.
«I wasn’t aware of the racial implications until they were highlighted,» he remarked. «It did not cross my mind.»
McCombs, who passed away in 2023, contributed $50 million towards what is now recognized as the McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas in 2000 and $3 million in 1997, which at the time was the largest collegiate contribution to women’s sports in American history, financing UT’s softball stadium, Red & Charline McCombs Field. In 2008, the Red McCombs Red Zone, featuring club-level seating, was inaugurated in the north end zone of Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. He also played a key role in the establishment of the Alamodome in San Antonio, home to UTSA football.
Each institution possesses its unique version of McCombs. They are accustomed to success in their personal endeavors, and they will take any necessary steps to ensure their alma mater thrives also. Moreover, their financial contributions often provide them the access they seek.
At A&M, the Bernard C. Richardson Zone was dedicated after the school secured a $6 million donation from Richardson, an Aggie who transformed Richardson Chevrolet in Houston into the most extensive Chevy dealership in the United States. J.L. Huffines, another Aggie who ran six automotive dealerships in the Dallas area and once co-owned the Dallas Cowboys, established an endowment for the Sydney and J.L. Huffines Institute for Sports Medicine and Human Performance at A&M, which collaborates with athletic programs.
Carl Sewell, whose family has been in the automobile industry in Dallas since 1911, has been one of SMU’s most dedicated supporters, having chairing the board of trustees for several years.
He assumed leadership of Sewell Village Cadillac at the age of 26 after his father’s untimely passing when it stood third among three Cadillac dealers in Dallas and grew it into an empire with 21 locations and 13 car lines. In 1988, while Village was the second-largest Cadillac dealer in America, he authored «Customers for Life,» a book that surpassed one million copies sold, was translated into 17 languages, and remains a foundational text for instructing customer service.
At a National Automobile Dealers Association conference I attended with my father years ago, I witnessed Sewell passionately pounded the podium like Nikita Khrushchev to emphasize his point. Addressing the leaders of every major automotive manufacturer in attendance, Sewell assertively conveyed that there was absolutely no justification for why he shouldn’t be able to place an order for a vehicle and receive it within seven days.
Years ago, General Motors urged dealers to remove their names from their signage and adopt more generic names such as «Hometown Chevrolet,» and Sewell contested this request vehemently.
«He insisted, ‘My name holds more value than General Motors,'» Wolters remarked. «And he was entirely correct.»
Sewell, now 82, could not be reached for comment for this article. However, he remains a revered figure in Dallas and an SMU trustee, forming part of the influential cadre of benefactors that helped SMU reclaim its standing in major college football. As the Mustangs marked their official entry into the ACC on July 1, 2024, then-athletic director Rick Hart acknowledged Sewell upon his arrival during the celebration.
«Welcome Mr. Sewell, thank you for your presence today, sir,» Hart stated from the platform. «One of the many legacies upon which we build.»
In Fort Worth, TCU stands at the intersection of Texana, automotive dealers, and football. Fin Ewing III, a dealer from Dallas, is a Horned Frog whose life has been intertwined with overseeing the Ewing Auto Group and engaging in college football, earning his induction into the Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame this year — alongside Jerome Bettis and Bo Jackson — for his lifelong dedication to the event. His dealership has been the second-longest tenured sponsor of the Cotton Bowl, following Dr Pepper, providing courtesy vehicles for team officials and guests for 84 years — 80 annually — and Fin boasts connections with nearly every significant coach nationwide.
His father, Finley Jr., was one of Darrell Royal’s closest friends, providing him with a vehicle — although the coach preferred cars from an Austin dealer — and his family name inspired the title of the immensely popular drama «Dallas» in the 1980s after the show’s producer spotted a billboard for the Ewing Auto Group. Mercedes from the Ewings’ dealership frequently appeared on the show. For years, Ewing III has furnished vehicles for TCU coaches to utilize.
Ewing has a distinctive relationship with the current Frogs coach. Texas Tech coach Spike Dykes was a dear friend of Ewing’s, and in 1992, he requested Ewing for a favor. He desired to send his son, a Red Raiders baseball player named Sonny Dykes, to Dallas to instill some discipline.
«Spike instructed me to make it tough on him,» Ewing recounted.
«I was a janitor at Ewing Buick,» Sonny Dykes stated. «My father directed him to assign me the worst job in the entire establishment. And he did.»
Three decades later, Ewing was astonished when he learned that his former janitor was appointed the head coach at his alma mater. Presently, Dykes drives a Mercedes from Ewing’s Dallas dealership.
«A football coach has a flair for drama,» Ewing said. «And automobile dealers appreciate that showiness. Providing someone like that with a vehicle, whether a football coach or any celebrity, creates a bond. This connection is important to many. Although I would not give Nick Saban a car just to gain his friendship, I did offer vehicles to all those who were associated with TCU.»
Michael Taaffe has been among the beneficiaries thus far.
Such partnerships are not confined to Texas alone. Rick Ricart, an Ohio dealer who signed Ewers and standout wide receiver Jeremiah Smith to deals as freshmen, oversees the largest automotive complex in the U.S., featuring a 67-acre auto mall outside Columbus, and serves on the board of Ohio State’s collective, THE Foundation. Feldman Chevrolet of Highland, Michigan, provided freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood with a Tahoe RST, in addition to vehicles for his mother and father. Nationwide, college football parking lots are filled with Dodge Chargers.
Yet, some individuals express concern over the potential dangers of granting such powerful vehicles to teenagers, particularly following the tragic deaths of Georgia football player Devin Willock and recruiting staff member Chandler LeCroy in a collision during a racing incident in Athens in January 2023. Authorities reported that LeCroy had a blood-alcohol level exceeding twice the legal limit and was racing Jalen Carter at approximately 104 mph when his Ford Expedition crashed into two utility poles and two trees.
«Clearly, in this NIL era, individuals possess more financial resources at an early age than ever before, and increased wealth brings greater access,» stated then-Georgia quarterback Carson Beck, who was the owner of a Lamborghini, during SEC media days last July. «Having easier access to such high-speed cars likely contributes to these incidents. Nonetheless, that is not an excuse for the occurrences we have witnessed.»
David Lucsko, whose doctoral dissertation at MIT was titled «The Business of Speed: The Hot Rod Industry in America,» remarked that the blend of speed and youth has always been perilous, especially when a sense of ownership is absent.
«The fastest vehicle on the road is a rental, not your own,» said Lucsko, now a history professor at Auburn. «You can drive it recklessly without concern. I have a feeling this applies to gifted cars as well. I worry that you’re placing these shiny, stunning, advanced vehicles in the hands of young individuals, and naturally, they will experiment with them, occasionally at the expense of public safety.»
Late fully comprehends that apprehension and, similar to Lamborghini of Austin, collaborates with Texas to identify players he deems responsible enough to handle such vehicles.
«They all desire the Jeep Trackhawks, Dodge Durango Hellcats, and Dodge Charger Hellcats,» he stated, all sporting 707-horsepower engines. «I’ve encountered a few players who wrecked their cars. One of them led to us not renewing our contract after that. I heard too many reports of him driving around town showing off, and that simply didn’t align with my thinking.»
The same concern extends to the adults. Ewing recalled that it was a total enigma regarding the whereabouts of the courtesy cars distributed for the Cotton Bowl. «We just handed out vehicles, and when they departed, we often discovered cars scattered everywhere,» Ewing shared. «Many were located outside Dallas, and we had to retrieve them all. Astonishingly, most had damage. Perhaps annually, there was a car we couldn’t locate, prompting someone to call us with updates, saying, ‘This is so-and-so from a bar over here. Your vehicle has been parked in our lot for nine months.’
Currently, they employ drivers along with the loaner vehicles. However, even the coaches occasionally provide their own vehicles. Joe Chastang, a Ford dealer in Houston, has been supplying cars to University of Houston coaches for over 20 years, assisting Art Briles, Kevin Sumlin, Tom Herman, and Dana Holgorsen.
When Herman departed for Texas, he allegedly abandoned his Ford Explorer, loaned by Chastang’s dealership, at the airport and disappeared. Chastang preferred to avoid talking about it but did not refute the claim.
«We have never sold a coach’s vehicle more swiftly than that one,» Chastang revealed. «A supporter of the University of Houston reached out to me immediately, requesting to purchase it for that specific reason. He still owns it.»
Sometimes, the narrative serves as the most effective form of marketing.
Chastang recalls a memorable Houston scene from his tenure at a GMC dealership on the Gulf Freeway, where they once utilized a crane to hoist a brand-new pickup truck atop a pole on the lot to serve as a landmark, akin to a guiding light for Texans seeking pickups.
«Yearly, people would shoot at that truck from the freeway,» Chastang recounted. «After it had been stationed in the air for a year, I assumed we would struggle to sell it. However, once we took it down, potential buyers would crowd the area to purchase it. Coaches’ vehicles evoke the same response.»
Kevin Jennings and the iconic 2025 Cadillac Escalade,» they noted. «The ideal fusion of power, precision, and style on and off the road.»
Dickerson’s «Trans A&M» will eternally possess an allure that today’s cars lack. It set the benchmark for audacious recruiting tactics of the past. It’s a different ball game when all parties recognize the dynamics.
Yet, for such a legendary story, there’s a notable absence: the conclusion. Dickerson’s «grandma» — in this instance, an SMU benefactor named George Owen — upgraded him to a Corvette for his final SMU season, and Dickerson stated he sold the Trans Am to Charles Drayton, his fullback and closest friend.
But what ultimately happened to it?
«I have no idea,» Dickerson shared with ESPN. «Charles had his leg broken, couldn’t drive, and left the car at home. He instructed Bobby Leach to return his car to campus and drop it off at SMU.»
Leach, who would later gain fame as the «Miracle Man» when he made a breathtaking kickoff return lateral for a winning score, had other intentions. He was romantically involved with a girl in Oak Cliff, a Dallas neighborhood known for its rough spots.
«Charles warned, ‘Bobby, do not take my car to Oak Cliff,’ but Leach responded, ‘No, no, I won’t do it,'» Dickerson chuckled. «So what did he do? He drove the car to Oak Cliff. The next morning, we received a call from Bobby Leach. I vividly recall, Charles Drayton was on the line. ‘Come on, Leach. Quit joking, man. Stop messing around, Leach.’ He handed me the phone and said, ‘Talk to him.’
Dickerson grasped the phone, with Leach on the line.
«Eric, I lost Charles’ car,» Leach admitted. «I knew I wasn’t supposed to take it over there.»
That marked the last chapter of the Trans A&M, lost to the sands of time. It predated VIN numbers, and Dickerson attested that neither he nor Drayton ever figured out a method to trace it.
«That car’s a phantom,» Dickerson remarked.
Nonetheless, its legacy endures throughout college football.
