Chandler sidelined by mechanical failure, Bostrom takes AMA Superbike championship

Doug Chandler's bid for a record fourth AMA Superbike championship went up in smoke -- literally.

A bolt on the clutch cover of Chandler's Kawasaki broke midway through Sunday's Superbike finale at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, taking the three-time champion out of contention and allowing American Honda rider Ben Bostrom to lay claim to the 1998 series title.

Bostrom, a 24-year-old Californian, finished second behind race winner Mat Mladin and captured his first AMA national title in his first full season in the series. Bostrom's younger brother, Eric, took third in the 25-lap race.

"Part of the deal with winning the Superbike title is a lot of luck has to go your way," Ben Bostrom said. "I haven't really had any bad luck this season, other than crashing at Loudon (New Hampshire) earlier this year. I've just had a lot of luck this season."

The race within the race, between Chandler and Bostrom, was nip and tuck thought the first 15 laps on the 2.48-mile circuit, with both riders swapping fourth and fifth positions. Bostrom was running behind Chandler when fluid began leaking from Chandler's gearbox.

"I got a really good start and I was right behind (Chandler) and following him around for a few laps and I was, like, 'Hey, I'd better pass this guy and try to show him I have a little something for him,'" Bostrom said.

"He rode like a champion, he was stuck to my butt just like glue. He made a really good pass on me and then I followed him around for a couple of laps and I noticed a slight sprinkle happening on my lens and I knew he had a bit of a problem."

Chandler's Kawasaki began smoking as the fluid began leaking on his exhaust pipe and the 33-year-old fell to seventh place by lap 16 and to 10th by lap 18. Chandler eventually finished 12th.

"I powered by him down the straightaway ... he was still right behind me so I thought maybe the problem went away and it was going to be a great, great race now that both of us were trying to preserve our tires," Bostrom said.

"I thought the last 10 laps were going to be a race for the title, I had hoped ... but it just didn't pan out. It's not really the way I wanted to win the thing, but I'll take it any way I can get it."

Mladin, meanwhile, cruised to his first Superbike win of the season and his second in a row at LVMS. The 26-year-old Australian led all 25 laps and led by a whopping 13 seconds with two laps to go.

"It's good to win one," Mladin said of his first victory of 1998. "We had a good setup on the bike and I was pretty determined to win this weekend."

In Sunday's support races, Aaron Yates captured the Pro Honda Oils 600 SuperSport final, Kurtis Roberts won the Elf Race Fuel/Lubricants Grand Prix and Shawn Higbee took the checkered flag in the Progressive Insurance Pro Thunder final.

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