Chandler driven to claim points championship

CEDAR RAPIDS - Brad Chandler's goal from the start has been an asphalt track championship.

After near misses in his four previous seasons, he seems to be in prime position to achieve it.

Chandler leads the hornets division at Hawkeye Downs Speedway, looking for his first season points championship at the track. He will attempt to claim his fourth feature win Friday night during the weekly race program, starting with pre-race ceremonies at 7:15 p.m.

The 22-year-old from Cedar Rapids owns a six-point lead over Derek Parrott with a little more than a month left in the season. Chandler's best finish was second to Parrott in 2008. Since then, he has watched his brothers, Dallas and Nathan, win track titles in the hornets division. Chandler, whose father, Merv, and youngest brother, Adam, have raced at Hawkeye Downs, contended both seasons, placing third and fourth in the final standings those years.

Each time either mechanical issues or an accident has wrecked his chances for a championship late in the season.

“The season is going pretty good,” Chandler said. “This is my fifth season and every year I seem to come up short. I've lost it to one of my brothers the last two years, and finally think this year is the year I'm finally going to win it."

Feature wins have been common, including multiple victories each season with as many as six  in a season three times.

“Winning races isn't as big of a deal as winning the championship," Chandler said. "That's my main goal this year."

The fact that Nathan and Dallas have championships and Brad doesn't has been a source of good-natured ribbing. Chandler is fine with it and is trying to bring it to an end.

“Coming into this year," Chandler said. "Dallas was giving me a lot of trouble, saying he was going to win it again.”

Chandler leads the division with three wins. He won on opening night and added consecutive feature wins June 24 and July 1. The most recent was impressive, starting at the rear of the field and maneuvering his way to the lead completing the worst to first victory.

“Anytime you can start in the back and make it to the front without getting in trouble it makes it fun and interesting,” Chandler said. “I never thought it would have played out like that.”

A track championship will be the pinnacle for Chandler's young racing career. The quest motivates him each week.

"To me, it would be like I finally accomplished the highest goal racing there,” Chandler said. “That's the main reason why I keep going back every year.

“Once I do, I'll feel like I've done what I had to do.”

All six divisions - hobby stocks, legends, hornets, modifieds, sportsmen and late models - will compete. The late model division will run two features, making up last week's race that did not run due to rain. Gates open at 6 p.m. with heat races set for 7:30.