CHRISTOPHER LATE COMES from a long line of Texas car dealers. His grandfather owned Broncho Chevy in Odessa. His grandfather's brother, Frank Late, who owned Late Chevrolet in Dallas, became one of the southwest's largest auto magnates. Christopher's dad, Steve Late, was a BMW dealer in Austin.
Christopher, whose Vanguard Auto Group consists of five dealerships, also comes from a long line of Longhorns and has built on another family tradition. His dad was an instrumental figure in starting the Big Wheels program at UT, where car dealers provided vehicles for coaches to drive so they could hit the recruiting trail in style.