by
Cameron Hanson
| Sep 12, 2023
Chase Leonard remembers going to the Wisconsin Tow Show as a kid with his dad. The flashing lights, the colorful paint schemes and the big iron were always a sight to see. Now, as a third-generation tow operator, Chase is returning the favor, showing
off his company’s equipment and inspiring the next wave of towers.
His latest entry is a two-tone Vulcan V70 straight stick mated to a 389 extended hood Pete. Besides its custom paint job, the Zip’s-built heavy features underglow lighting, plenty of work lights and other personal touches. His family’s towing
company, Floyd and Sons, has been a customer at Zip’s for nearly 40 years, and Chase said he appreciates the effort put into his dream truck by sales rep Danny Mathews and the entire team at Zip’s.
“They pretty much gave me anything I asked for,” he said. “This truck is me. Everything on it was built to my spec, down to where the screwdrivers go to where the chains hang. It is my first new truck all to myself, and I am very proud
of it. That’s why I asked Zip’s to build it. They have superior builds with superior paint quality, and we have a pretty great salesman.”
A big fan of the V70 engineering and design, Chase said he built the Vulcan to work but also appreciates the attention it’s getting on its days off. At the Wisconsin Tow Show this past June, the truck earned the Best in Show distinction in the Heavy-Duty Wrecker division, and during the inaugural ZIPSYS Truck Contest last fall, the fan favorite won the Zip’s Choice Award and finished second in the People’s Choice category.
“I was very humbled to win the ZIPSYS because this truck is really not a show truck,” he said. “It works every day. But it’s fun to see your truck out there scattered all over the internet so your friends
and family can see it along with other towers across the country. It gives you bragging rights with your friends and other towing companies. I think my dad would be pretty proud we won.”
Along with his mother and brothers, Chase manages Floyd and Sons Towing in Racine, WI. The company was founded in 1959 by his grandfather and company namesake, Floyd Leonard. After an initial stint as a Texaco service station, the company entered the
full-time towing business in 1981, eventually expanding with a satellite location south in Kenosha in the mid-1990s.
Growing up in the family business, Chase said he and his brothers learned everything they could about the business from their father, Rick, and uncle, Skip. As kids, they helped out when and where they could, either grabbing a broom, cutting the grass
and washing the trucks before eventually wrenching on the fleet and working the winches themselves.
“My brothers and I have done every job in this place to help the business grow,” Chase said. “My father was here most of his entire life. He passed away six years ago. He was pretty much our fearless leader and handled everything, helping
to get us to where we are now.”
My father was here most of his entire life... He was pretty much our fearless leader...
—Chase Leonard
Taking over in his father’s absence, Chase currently serves as the terminal manager for the company, and when he’s not on a call himself, he oversees the day-to-day operations of the family business. He said it was an adjustment to step into
a management role following the death of his father.
“We learned a lot very quickly,” he acknowledged of the transition. “You’re the guy now. You’re the first call people make when they’re in trouble. If dad saw the business today, I think he would enjoy certain parts
of it and shake his head at others. We are two different kinds of people.”
Sandwiched between Milwaukee and Chicago, the company currently employs 16 people across both locations. Delivered last fall, their latest heavy-duty wrecker joins a fleet of 17 trucks, which includes a mixture of light and heavy wreckers as well
as a few car carriers. Chase estimates three quarters of the business is focused on heavy work.
“We continue to grow day-by-day, but predominantly, we are into heavy-duty towing,” he said. “I enjoy the rush and the steady work. You never know what you are going to get into. That keeps me going in the family business. It’s
important for me to keep our legacy going because we are three generations deep. I enjoy everything that comes with it.”
An inherited passion, Chase admits towing has always been in his blood, and the early memories of attending tow shows still motivate him. Their towing company belongs to the Wisconsin Towing Association, and its annual show around Father’s Day weekend
is a great way to honor his dad and bring back memories of attending shows together back in the day.
“My favorite memory growing up in this business was going to all the tow shows, especially the Wisconsin Tow Show,” Chase said. “To me, they were the best shows ever. As a kid, it was just amazing to look up at all the beautiful
equipment there.”
At the state level, Chase said it’s important to support the towing association because “we’re stronger together.” On the local level, Floyd and Sons also believe in community outreach, supporting local police efforts,
attending car shows and participating in youth events, such as Touch-a-Truck and Back-to-School events.
“We’ve been part of this community for nearly 65 years, and we still consider ourselves a local company, so we like to give back when we can,” he explained. “We want to be remembered as a company that does what they say they’re
going to do when you make the call.”
