Team Chandler Kawasaki?

The facts of this matter have yet to be determined, but there has been talk lately that Doug Chandler will have a larger role in the Muzzy Kawasaki team in 1999 than he does right now. Three-time AMA Superbike champion Chandler currently is the A-rider on the Kawasaki factory team. There has been much talk of late that Chandler is taking over the team for 1999, is going to ride Superbike only in '99 and will help manage and coordinate the team, or that he may buy the team outright from Rob Muzzy.

Muzzy has a season yet to go on his existing contract with Kawasaki USA.

At Colorado, Muzzy stated to me that the talk of Chandler taking over the team is not true, but that Chandler has mentioned that he would like to move into a managerial role in the team after 1999. If that is the case, Muzzy says that he would like Chandler to start getting his feet wet in managerial waters next season. I honestly don't see a downside to this. On several occasions Muzzy has tried to entice riders into making long term commitments with his team by offering them future team managerial positions or the chance to outright buy the team. He did so with Russell in 1993. Thankfully that never came to pass.

Chandler has a season yet to go on his current Muzzy Kawasaki Superbike contract.

Of any rider in the paddock (along with Tom Kipp) Chandler is uniquely qualified to manage a Superbike team. He's a gear head supreme and really enjoys tearing into engines, working on chassis and tutoring young riders. I've stood in his garage in back of his house in Salinas (if you can call a 2200 sq. foot shop a garage) and it is a picture of cleanliness and well-managed space. I think Chandler has it in him to be a great team owner or manager, although there are aspects of the job that might surprise him. For one thing, if the operation is still located in Bend, Oregon, Chandler will have to actually visit the raceshop for once. When I stayed with Muzz' this spring, he said that of all the riders who have ridden for him, Doug is the only one who has not yet visited the raceshop in Bend.

And what *of* Muzzy? Regardless of his intentions beyond 1999, and the fact that he can at times be very frustrated by racing, since 1990 Muzzy has won the AMA Superbike championship four times, came close twice, and won the WSC championship (and Suzuka). Think about it. That's an enormously stout record that no one can match, the only one who can come close is Ferrach'. Muzzy may not like the racing life at times, but I'd be very surprised to see him not racing Superbikes until he's gone from this earth. And maybe what he needs after next season is a change, eh?

--Dean Adams