AMA Press Release: Chandler Out to Win Superbike Event at Brainerd

07/10/96

R96092				Contact: Larry Lawrence
July 8, 1996			Phone: (614) 891-2425
For Immediate Release		Fax: (614) 891-7368

        CHANDLER LOOKING FOR FIRST BRAINERD AMA SUPERBIKE WIN

	WESTERVILLE, Ohio -- Kawasaki's Doug Chandler has accomplished
just about everything accomplishable in AMA Superbike racing with one
notable exception -- winning an AMA Superbike race at Brainerd
International Raceway (BIR). Chandler gets another chance to win at
the central Minnesota road racing circuit on July 12-14 during round
eight of the AMA Superbike Series. Chandler, 30, of Salinas,
California, is reunited this year with Kawasaki, the first time he has
ridden the marque since winning the AMA Superbike title in 1990. The
union has proven a fruitful one for both -- Chandler has finished on
the podium at five of the seven Superbike events coming into Brainerd,
including a May 28 victory at Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey,
California.
	Chandler's history in AMA Superbike events at Brainerd include
a seventh-place finish in 1987 on a Honda, and 11th last season on a
Harley-Davidson. Chandler does know how to win on the three-mile BIR
circuit. In 1990 he won the U.S. round of the World Superbike Series
held at Brainerd that year. It was Chandler's first taste of
international competition. The next year he would go on to race in the
World Championship Grand Prix in pursuit of a World title, something
he chased for four season before returning to race in the United
States.
	The biggest obstacle facing Chandler in his quest to win a
second AMA Superbike title is defending champ Miguel Duhamel. A crash
while leading the Superbike final at Laguna Seca not only cost Duhamel
his series points lead, but dropped him all the way to sixth in the
standings. Since then Duhamel has charged back to second-place in the
standings, 15 points behind Chandler.  Duhamel, who is from Montreal
but lives in Los Angeles, will have to be perfect in the final three
Superbike races to have a chance to defend his title.
	Best known at Brainerd for his hard-charging style, Duhamel
won over the hearts of thousands of Brainerd racing fans in 1994 when
he put the then-new Harley-Davidson VR1000 Superbike in the lead of
the Superbike final. Duhamel later said he could hear the roar of the
crowd when he put the American bike up front (he eventually finished
fourth that day). It was a memory that will be forever etched in the
mind of Duhamel and the fortunate spectators who witnessed a special
moment in the history of the series. Last year Duhamel came back to
Brainerd and rode his Smokin' Joe's Honda to victory en route to a
record six AMA Superbike wins in a row.
	In the Pro Honda Oils 600cc SuperSport Series, it is Duhamel
again leading the series and trying to defend his title. Newcomers to
the class like Andrew Stroud of New Zealand and Todd Harrington, a
Chicago-area privateer, have risen to challenge Duhamel's dominance in
the class.
	In Teamline 750cc SuperSport action, Yoshimura Suzuki
teammates Aaron Yates and Pascal Picotte are locked in a tight battle
for the series title. With three wins, Picotte leads the 750cc
SuperSport series by two points over Yates, who has won four races so
far this season.
	Rich Oliver is three races away from setting his goal of
having an undefeated season in the 250cc Grand Prix Series. The
Northern California rider, who won the 250 GP at BIR last year, is
taking nothing for granted. In 1994 Oliver was forced to retire from
the race when his bike suffered mechanical problems.
	Ben Bostrom leads the Progressive Insurance Harley-Davidson SuperTwins
Series and is looking for his first win at Brainerd.
	The Performance Machine SuperTeams final at Brainerd last year
was the closest finish in the history of the series. Aaron Yates, who
rode for Ebsco Industries Suzuki last year, wheelied his bike past the
start-finish line in celebration of the win, but was apparently passed
in the last few feet by a charging Erion Racing. Erion was originally
given the win, but after viewing video the win was credited to
Ebsco. Both teams are back this year and once again battling it out
for the SuperTeams title.