Jonathan Chandler is on the

fast track, and it's only going to get faster.

The Bandolero champion at Senoia

Speedway for 2003, the 13-year-old Fayetteville resident has set his sights

on the Pro Challenge circuit for next year. In his second full season

in Bandolero racing, he led all Georgia racers and was third in the United

States in points in his second full season in the Bandolero division.

He ran about 35 races this

year, mostly at Senoia and in Thursday Thunder at Atlanta Motor Speedway,

with a win in Mobile, Ala., as well as a second-place finish in a national

event in Orlando. Not bad for a guy who just started racing two years

ago, after he saw some racing when he was 11 and thought it might be fun.

Right now, the Flat Rock Middle

School eighth-grader is already planning for 2004, have just acquired

a new car for the move to Pro Challenge racing. Most of his Bandolero

races have been against drivers in the 12-16 age range, but some events

have attracted all ages, he said.

The Pro Challenge season starts

in the spring, but there will be plenty of practice time in Senoia before

that, along with preparations to be made to the car. Chandler does not

currently have a sponsor, but he is looking for one.

His big sponsors so far have

been his parents, David and Dawn Chandler. Dad is also his crew chief,

but Mom doesn't usually watch the actual races. "She just goes

somewhere where she can't see," Jonathan said.

The biggest expense by far

in this type of racing is the initial purchase of the car, Dawn Chandler

said. After that it's mostly basic tuneups, with a couple of notable

exceptions: the tires frequently need replacing, and the engine is usually

good for one season.

So it's not just an education

for the actual driver. "We have learned a lot about cars since he

started," said Dawn Chandler. "And we've met a lot of super

parents."

The most recent equipment upgrade

has been Jonathan's new helmet, which needed special modifications

including an airvent system. His new car will be much hotter than his

old one, his mother said.

For more about Jonathan Chandler's

racing career, visit www.chasingthecheckered.com.

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