Throwback Thursday: Doug Chandler Wins Ascot TT on Factory-Backed Honda (1984)
Larry Lawrence | February 22, 2024
Chandler raced a new radial valve Honda 600cc Single tuned by Jerry Griffiths to victory
In this week’s Throwback we go back 40 years to April of 1984 and that year’s Ascot TT, round four of the AMA Grand National Championship, held in Gardena, California. That night Doug Chandler raced a newly-designed Honda 600cc single-cylinder machine that featured a radial valve cylinder head. Chandler took over the lead on the fifth lap after fast qualifier Bubba Shobert was sidelined when his factory Honda broke. Alex Jorgensen challenged Chandler by running his 560cc Wood-Rotax deep into every turn and closing in on the more powerful Honda of Chandler’s coming into the turns. In the closing laps Chandler managed to open a small gap on Jorgensen, winning by just over a second. Scott Parker was third on his factory Harley-Davidson. This photo shows the podium celebration with Chandler (along with Miss Camel Pro Vivian Chadbourne) on the top rung with Jorgensen (left) and Parker (right) also with big smiles after their strong finishes.
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