{"product_id":"butch-the-california-flash-leal","title":"Butch “The California Flash” Leal","description":"\u003cp\u003eBorn and raised in central California, Larry “Butch” Leal\u003cbr\u003ewas obsessed with cars from a very early age. What began\u003cbr\u003ewith field cars turned into hard work and new Chevrolets.\u003cbr\u003eThis took place when the golden era of drag racing was in\u003cbr\u003eits infancy, and Leal joined with enthusiasm. He performed\u003cbr\u003ewell at the track with his early Chevys and had an impressive\u003cbr\u003enumber of wins before he was out of high school. His\u003cbr\u003esuccess brought him plenty of attention and collaboration\u003cbr\u003ewith other big names in the sport.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn 1963, GM pulled out of the sport on an official basis.\u003cbr\u003eAs a result, Butch (at age 19) teamed up with Mickey\u003cbr\u003eThompson and joined the Ford camp, securing a ride with\u003cbr\u003ethe factory team and its new Thunderbolts for 1964. After\u003cbr\u003ehis success that season, including winning the Super Stock\u003cbr\u003e(S\/S) class at the 1964 NHRA US Nationals in Indianapolis,\u003cbr\u003eChrysler came calling, and Butch signed on to race the new\u003cbr\u003ealtered-wheelbase cars in match races for 1965, as the\u003cbr\u003eNHRA did not have a class for these new “funny” looking\u003cbr\u003ecars. While Leal dabbled again with Ford and Chevrolet\u003cbr\u003elater, his relationship with Chrysler lasted well into the\u003cbr\u003efollowing decades, running both Funny Cars and Super\u003cbr\u003eStockers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePenned by talented automotive historian Bob McClurg,\u003cbr\u003ewho was there for it all, and featuring full collaboration with\u003cbr\u003ethe book’s subject, Butch “The California Flash” Leal covers\u003cbr\u003ethe span of his fascinating career during arguably the\u003cbr\u003emost interesting era in drag racing history. Butch was an\u003cbr\u003e11-time NHRA champion and 4-time recipient of Car Craft\u003cbr\u003emagazine’s All-Star Driver of the Year award in a career\u003cbr\u003ethat spanned the 1960s through the 1990s. It’s all here, the\u003cbr\u003eevents, great vintage photography, and the stories from one\u003cbr\u003eof the best storytellers the NHRA has ever known. Add this\u003cbr\u003eentertaining volume to your drag racing library today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e• This is the first ever biography on Butch “The California\u003cbr\u003eFlash” Leal.\u003cbr\u003e• It is filled with never-before-seen vintage drag racing\u003cbr\u003ephotography.\u003cbr\u003e• Leal is a great storyteller; he shared many stories for\u003cbr\u003ethis book.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"CarTech","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39665982439495,"sku":"9781613257104","price":31.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0057\/9813\/3831\/files\/9781613257104.jpg?v=1772281333","url":"https:\/\/www.midlifeclassiccars.com\/bs\/products\/butch-the-california-flash-leal","provider":"MidlifeClassicCars.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}