By Paul Carruthers
Photos by George Roberts
,and CarrUthers
10
I
oug Chandler is an anomaly. Th
average road racer - single, withou~
children and somewhat high strung
- would trade qualifying tires that
never wear out for a chance to jump
from his National series to the fame and)
fortune of big-time international racing.
For Chandler it's a case of been there
done that.
While a younger, and admittedl
hungrier Chandler was quick to scurr
off to Europe after winning the AMA
Superbike 'N'ational Championship in
1990~ he passed when the offer Jande
on his table 'prior to the 1996 season t
go back. Al~hough the 31-year-old California" had returned to the AMA ~
in '95 no.t as an old, battered an~
washed-~ racer but as a m~ with diI.J
ferent goals"",arid.a changed ol,ltlook, yo
wouldn'tiliave known it based on hi
tro.ubled season as a member of the fa ,.
tory Harley-Davidson team. It was
year that made Ch~ndler appear ver
ordinary.
But "Vha t a difference a year makes.
In 1996 it all came to fruition once again
when he rejoined the same group :-vith
which he'd met so much success si
years earlier - Rob Muzzy's factory
backed Kawasaki team'. After -bypassing
" an offer' from MuzZy'to rehimf
