H
KIWI HERO CHANDLER LANDS
WILDCARD RIDE IN MOTO3
2016 and then finished runner-up in the 300cc
class the following year, despite his having to
skip a round of the New Zealand series when his
appendix burst.
He raced a Yamaha R6 in the Supersport 600
class at the nationals earlier this year, finishing
fifth overall.
“This was not the best result for me ... I had a few
crashes,” he explained.
“I injured my shoulder quite badly and couldn’t
even raise my hand above my waist for a while,
but still I managed to win the day at the final
round of the 2019 nationals at Taupo (in April). It
was a nice way to end a campaign that had been
ruined for me by injuries.”
His talent and potential was obvious to Malcolm
and Declyn, who now give him this opportunity to
become New Zealand’s first-ever Moto3 racer.
“They wanted a Kiwi rider in their team,” Chandler
e has been tearing up the tarmac around
New Zealand for several years and now
Upper Hutt’s Rogan Chandler is hoping he
can do it internationally as well.
The 22-year-old apprentice carpenter, who races
for Yamaha in New Zealand, has been offered a
wildcard ride in the Moto3 class at the Australian
Motorcycle Grand Prix at Phillip Island, near
Melbourne, on October 27 and he will shortly be
crossing the Tasman Sea to begin preparations for
the big event.
The offer came from owners of the Double
Six Motorsport Team, which is operated by
Aucklander Chris Malcolm and former Australian
professional racer Jack Declyn. Chandler will
conduct testing and set-up sessions with the team
and the Kalex Moto3 bike at Australia’s Eastern
Creek circuit, near Sydney, this coming weekend.
Chandler won the New Zealand 125 GP title in
KIWI RIDER 107