Doug Chandler was well on his way to becoming a star in road racing by the time he won the AMA Grand National on the Half-Mile at Ascot Park in May of 1989. At first Chandler only did select road races in order to score points in the AMA Grand National Championship. But in 1986 the AMA separated the two disciplines into distinct national championships and road racing was no longer part of the Grand National Series.

By that time Chandler had already established himself as an up-and-coming talent on pavement and in 1989 he was signed by Muzzy Kawasaki to contest the AMA Superbike Championship full time. So, on one of his off weekends from road racing in May of 1989 Chandler came back to win his final dirt track national. Ascot Park was a great venue for Chandler. He won the Ascot TT National there in 1984 and then took victory on the track’s infamous Half-Mile in 1986, ’87 and this race in 1989.

Standing on the podium in this shot is Ricky Graham, who finished runner-up to Chandler that night.

Doug Chandler was well on his way to becoming a star in road racing by the time he won the AMA Grand National on the Half-Mile at Ascot Park in May of 1989. (Mitch Friedman photo)