Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128406
Doug Chandler: Racing on the Brain It's been a long time since Doug Chandler won back-to-back AMA Superbike Championships in 1996-97. Since then, he has dabbled in supermoto on a KTM and ridden in the Fonnula Xtreme series on a Ducati 749R. But Chandler still has racing on his mind, and we're not just talking about supennoto - the retirement home of former AMA champions from every discipline of motorcycle racing. No, Chandler still wants to get back on a Superbike. He has a lot going on in his life, including the fact that his 15-year-old son Jett has taken to racing like a duck to water, and also the riding schools that he is involved in (including supennoto and road-race schools), which keep him busy in his spare time. Cycle News caught up with Chandler at the Autopolis Circuit in Japan, where he joined journalists for the press launch for the 2006 Kawasaki ZX- lOR. en: 50 what have you been doing for the past year? dougchandler: Well, I'm just trying to put something together to go racing. You know, growing up on a motorcycle, doing it as far back as I can remember, it's kind of hard to get away from. I started a road-race school so that I can keep myself riding the bikes, keep in tune, and [I'm] enjoying it. It also gave me the opportunity to get my son Uett] more involved and get his feet wet and see how he likes riding a road bike. That turned out to be a lot more fun than I expected. At first, it was just one of those deals to get back on the track in some way or form. Doing that, and getting him out there with me at the school, has kind of turned things around - it opened my eyes. I think I helped some people this year, and I'm going to continue to do it again this year, as well as trying to make it back to the track [racing] some way or another. en: Do you want to do more with supermoto or something else? dougchandler: Supermoto would be fun. To me, it's one of the better types of practicing that I can do in the wintertime. It's kind of the best of both worlds; you ride a dirt bike and the tracks are kind of similar to a really good n track and you're running on slicks that you would run on a road-race track. So it's just a good mix of riding. Some of the tracks are really enjoyable, and some of the tracks I have no desire to go and run. But my main focus is to get back to the road-race track. Either riding myself or starting a team and working with the younger riders. Doing my school helped me. I knew what I wanted them to be doing or changing, but being able to describe it to them in a form that they could interpret was kind of tough. Doing the school has helped me by working C a II Now: 1-800-831-2220 (Monday-Fnday 9-5 with these guys who aren't really sure what they should be doing, Iinewise and braking and stuff like that on the track. en: If you can get a ride in the AMA series, what class would you like to run? dougchandler: For myself, it would just be Superbike. Otherwise my intent would be to start with a younger rider in either the Supersport or Superstock classes. Bring them up, not really competing against the factories, but working with riders who may be potentially capable of moving up to a factory-level team, something not really high-pressure. I want to get a lot out of it as far as reward goes, bringing up some guys. Especially if they're half-sensible, good kids that are willing to listen and do what you tell them. To me, that is almost as much fun as getting out there and racing myself. en: Is it stressful having your son Jett out there, or just a lot of fun? dougchandler: I enjoy getting out there and riding with him and giving him grief. He's still at the point where he knows that I'm faster than him, and there is going to come a day when that is going to change, but I haven't told him that yet. It's been a lot of fun. There have been a lot of things that we've done together, but not a lot of things that we do togeth- er have we been so close on. Then he showed some interest with road racing, as well as doing some flat track, and I can relate to everything. We're not so much father and son, as much as buddies out there haVing fun. en: 50 ideally, what do you want to do In 2006? dougchandler: For sure, continue on with my schools as well as try to get to the racetrack at the Nationals, one way or another, either racing myself or being a part of a team. PaCifIC Time) Looking Back At Historical Moments Expert Opinions Weekly Event Calendar Bikes Of The Stars Weekly Championship Points Standings Classified Ads - Updatecl W.eekly _ 14 NOVEMBER 30,2005 • CYCLE NEWS / /