SOme bad news about Magoo for all the Old school guys on here, he just passed away! Another great and way ahead of his time. More heart than most riders then and now! I was fortunate to see him at Redbud in the 70s. RIP
http://www.cyclenews.com/articles/motocross/2010/05/05/danny-magoo-chandler-passes
http://www.vitalmx.com/forums/Motodrive,19...d,913629?page=3
Some good video of him and Steve wise dicing during the superbikers! The Juevos those guys had was unreal! Out side pass at 100Mph Playing tag with Haybales, the guy was all Juevos!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUEyWgyQOKg
Heres a post that someone else made on another website, Mogoo was a Intsrutor also. Pretty good tribute!
http://www.pwctoday.com/f61/remembering-le...ler-275682.html
Remembering the legendary mx superstar - Danny Magoo Chandler
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
People sometimes ask me why I life with a "one day at a time" approach...
Answer - because thats how life comes at you - one day at a time, and because we never know when that last day is I try and make every one count. Take tonight for example...
Tonight I attended the City of Marysville city council meeting to provide information about upcoming series race #3. Prior to my speaking, there was a large debate over who is going to run, or take over, the "E Street " motocross park. There were several motocross promoters onhand to express interest in taking over management of the site. I met one, who happens to run numerous races per season at Argyle park in Dixon, which was one of our proposed sites for this year.
I told promoter Mike Sexton I raced "back in the day" and that one of the guys I rode with was a phenominal kid named Danny Magoo Chandler. Danny was one of the most explosive, talented, incredible racers to hit dirt in the late 70's and 80's but he could also at times be known as "reckless". Slow or boring were never words to describe Danny. More often than not the phrase would be something like an amazed "HOLY F*^K DUDE - YOU BELIEVE THAT SH**!!!???
We both rode for the same shop in Concord and I owe every trophy and prize I ever won to him. Magoo made me go from being an average racer, to becoming a top 3 racer, by challenging me to push harder and harder every sunday I raced. At Sandhill Ranch there used to be a double downhill jump on the backside that everyone would take one at a time (so that they could live to talk about it), but Danny would launch off the first, clear the second, pitch the bike over sideways 40 feet in the air, flash a peace sign to the crowd of spectators, and then land at the base of this giant downhill like he was on level ground the whole way. Danny spent hours helping me overcome the urge to back off, but more importantly, showed me how to ride the edge while still staying in control and "back in the day" I was hitting that jump like Danny Magoo Chandler.
The last race I saw Magoo in, was in the early 80's right after he got picked up by Honda and he made his debut at a supercross stadium race in Anaheim. I was proud to sit in the stands and smile while watching my friend "ride it like he stole it". Danny hit the national circut and then ended up racing in Europe representing the USA.
At a race in France he did one of his famous showboat tabletops across the finishline jump, misjudged the landing, and bit it hard when he landed in the haybales. In a fluke crash - Danny broke his neck and became a quadriplegic confined to a wheelchair the rest of his life.
For Danny, being in a wheelchair was like cageing a wild animal and he went through the long but natural stages of denial, anger, and then acceptance of his fate.
Magoo started a motocross safety school, and became an advocate for motocross safety on and off the track. He made numerous appearances at hospitals as a positive role model to those with spinal cord injuries. He promoted and held charity motocross races to raise funding for his injured rider foundation and although he has had many ups and downs he has always managed to stay positive.
A couple months ago my brother sent me Danny's biography video appropriately titled "Magoo" - the Danny Chandler story. I watched it 4 or 5 times in a row and was amazed at how many awesome memories it brought back. After seeing the video, I thought it would be cool to hold a 2 day race at Argyle park, to benefit the Magoo foundation for injured racers and I put it on my list of things to do to call him because I wanted him and Brad Lackey to be there for a outlaw jetski race on saturday, and a motocross race on sunday - with proceeds going to Danny's foundation. I never got the chance to make the call.
Getting back to my conversation with promoter Mike Sexton... Mike thought it was a great idea and said he would dig setting up a full weekend of jetski and motocross racing to benefit Magoo's foundation. We exchanged numbers and promised to get in touch later in the week to start talking particulars...
Coming down I-5 near Elk Grove, my phone rang and it was a number I didn't recognized but I answered thinking it might be one of you guys... It was Mike who said he had bad news. How could this guy have bad news - I just met him an hour ago. I was shocked as he told me Danny Magoo Chandler had died at his home 5 hours ago. Mike had just got the word and thought I would want to know since I had gotten so fired up talking about him an hour ago outside the meeting.
Don't know the particulars - don't know the reason.
All I know is that I will never get to make that phone call to Magoo to tell him what we want to do for his foundation. I'll never get to thank him for bringing so much intensity and excitement to motocross racing. I'll never get to tell him thanks for all he taught me, and for not telling my brother and all my friends what a wuss I was about not wanting to go over that double jump in Magoo style. I can't call him and tell him thanks for being my friend - but hopefully, he knows.
To those of you who raced bikes back in the day, you know who the legendary Magoo is. To those of you youngsters who race now - maybe you've heard of Magoo, but if you'd like to know more about the incredible speed freak kid of the 80's - his website and intro about his video are listed below.
Life comes at you one day at a time and you never know what it will bring.
I certainly wasn't expecting the news I got tonight, but I am grateful for every day I got to spend trying to not be lapped by Danny Magoo Chandler (even though I think he lapped me thousands of times...) Magoo - you'll always be my hero, and I hope you'll be watching when we put that Argyle race together - because it will all be for you and what you represent.
Amazing person
Incredible racer
and someone you're proud to call a friend.
Rest in peace Magoo - and thanks for all the good times...
I will remember them forever.
Magoo: The Story of Danny Chandler
Danny "Magoo" Chandler is known world wide as one of Motocross history's most colorful riders.
Danny Chandler was known for always pushing the limit, riding on the edge, and scaring everyone else on the racetrack, the fiery red head from Forest Hill, California was a front-runner in the American Motocross scene throughout the 70's and early to mid 80's.
Danny "Magoo" Chandler astonished the world in 1982 by sweeping all four motos of the Motocross Des Nations, and Trophee Des Nations, the equivelant of the Olympics in 1980's Motocross, showing the world that the US was a dominant motocross force.
Tragically, Magoo crashed while racing in France in 1985, breaking his neck and leaving him a quadriplegic. Overcoming adversity, Magoo has learned to use his injury as an example of what can happen if one rides or lives irresponsibly.
Danny Chandler now runs his Motocross Safety School, puts on charity races and visits recently hurt individuals in the hospital, as well as being a spokesperson for spinal chord injuries and a martyr for safety on and off the racetrack.
With vintage race footage and all new interviews with racing legends Brad Lackey, Ricky Johnson, Jeff Ward, Magoo and others, Magoo: The Story of Danny Chanlder is a powerful story about racing motorcycles, the speed, the glory, the consequences, and overcoming adversity.
Coming to DVD soon, you will want to own this amazing movie about Danny's life. All profits from buying this DVD at Faster-Motocross.com will be donated back to Danny and his Motocross safety awareness activities.
The Official Danny Chandler web site: www.dannymagoo.com
http://www.cyclenews.com/articles/motocross/2010/05/05/danny-magoo-chandler-passes
http://www.vitalmx.com/forums/Motodrive,19...d,913629?page=3
Some good video of him and Steve wise dicing during the superbikers! The Juevos those guys had was unreal! Out side pass at 100Mph Playing tag with Haybales, the guy was all Juevos!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUEyWgyQOKg
Heres a post that someone else made on another website, Mogoo was a Intsrutor also. Pretty good tribute!
http://www.pwctoday.com/f61/remembering-le...ler-275682.html
Remembering the legendary mx superstar - Danny Magoo Chandler
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
People sometimes ask me why I life with a "one day at a time" approach...
Answer - because thats how life comes at you - one day at a time, and because we never know when that last day is I try and make every one count. Take tonight for example...
Tonight I attended the City of Marysville city council meeting to provide information about upcoming series race #3. Prior to my speaking, there was a large debate over who is going to run, or take over, the "E Street " motocross park. There were several motocross promoters onhand to express interest in taking over management of the site. I met one, who happens to run numerous races per season at Argyle park in Dixon, which was one of our proposed sites for this year.
I told promoter Mike Sexton I raced "back in the day" and that one of the guys I rode with was a phenominal kid named Danny Magoo Chandler. Danny was one of the most explosive, talented, incredible racers to hit dirt in the late 70's and 80's but he could also at times be known as "reckless". Slow or boring were never words to describe Danny. More often than not the phrase would be something like an amazed "HOLY F*^K DUDE - YOU BELIEVE THAT SH**!!!???
We both rode for the same shop in Concord and I owe every trophy and prize I ever won to him. Magoo made me go from being an average racer, to becoming a top 3 racer, by challenging me to push harder and harder every sunday I raced. At Sandhill Ranch there used to be a double downhill jump on the backside that everyone would take one at a time (so that they could live to talk about it), but Danny would launch off the first, clear the second, pitch the bike over sideways 40 feet in the air, flash a peace sign to the crowd of spectators, and then land at the base of this giant downhill like he was on level ground the whole way. Danny spent hours helping me overcome the urge to back off, but more importantly, showed me how to ride the edge while still staying in control and "back in the day" I was hitting that jump like Danny Magoo Chandler.
The last race I saw Magoo in, was in the early 80's right after he got picked up by Honda and he made his debut at a supercross stadium race in Anaheim. I was proud to sit in the stands and smile while watching my friend "ride it like he stole it". Danny hit the national circut and then ended up racing in Europe representing the USA.
At a race in France he did one of his famous showboat tabletops across the finishline jump, misjudged the landing, and bit it hard when he landed in the haybales. In a fluke crash - Danny broke his neck and became a quadriplegic confined to a wheelchair the rest of his life.
For Danny, being in a wheelchair was like cageing a wild animal and he went through the long but natural stages of denial, anger, and then acceptance of his fate.
Magoo started a motocross safety school, and became an advocate for motocross safety on and off the track. He made numerous appearances at hospitals as a positive role model to those with spinal cord injuries. He promoted and held charity motocross races to raise funding for his injured rider foundation and although he has had many ups and downs he has always managed to stay positive.
A couple months ago my brother sent me Danny's biography video appropriately titled "Magoo" - the Danny Chandler story. I watched it 4 or 5 times in a row and was amazed at how many awesome memories it brought back. After seeing the video, I thought it would be cool to hold a 2 day race at Argyle park, to benefit the Magoo foundation for injured racers and I put it on my list of things to do to call him because I wanted him and Brad Lackey to be there for a outlaw jetski race on saturday, and a motocross race on sunday - with proceeds going to Danny's foundation. I never got the chance to make the call.
Getting back to my conversation with promoter Mike Sexton... Mike thought it was a great idea and said he would dig setting up a full weekend of jetski and motocross racing to benefit Magoo's foundation. We exchanged numbers and promised to get in touch later in the week to start talking particulars...
Coming down I-5 near Elk Grove, my phone rang and it was a number I didn't recognized but I answered thinking it might be one of you guys... It was Mike who said he had bad news. How could this guy have bad news - I just met him an hour ago. I was shocked as he told me Danny Magoo Chandler had died at his home 5 hours ago. Mike had just got the word and thought I would want to know since I had gotten so fired up talking about him an hour ago outside the meeting.
Don't know the particulars - don't know the reason.
All I know is that I will never get to make that phone call to Magoo to tell him what we want to do for his foundation. I'll never get to thank him for bringing so much intensity and excitement to motocross racing. I'll never get to tell him thanks for all he taught me, and for not telling my brother and all my friends what a wuss I was about not wanting to go over that double jump in Magoo style. I can't call him and tell him thanks for being my friend - but hopefully, he knows.
To those of you who raced bikes back in the day, you know who the legendary Magoo is. To those of you youngsters who race now - maybe you've heard of Magoo, but if you'd like to know more about the incredible speed freak kid of the 80's - his website and intro about his video are listed below.
Life comes at you one day at a time and you never know what it will bring.
I certainly wasn't expecting the news I got tonight, but I am grateful for every day I got to spend trying to not be lapped by Danny Magoo Chandler (even though I think he lapped me thousands of times...) Magoo - you'll always be my hero, and I hope you'll be watching when we put that Argyle race together - because it will all be for you and what you represent.
Amazing person
Incredible racer
and someone you're proud to call a friend.
Rest in peace Magoo - and thanks for all the good times...
I will remember them forever.
Magoo: The Story of Danny Chandler
Danny "Magoo" Chandler is known world wide as one of Motocross history's most colorful riders.
Danny Chandler was known for always pushing the limit, riding on the edge, and scaring everyone else on the racetrack, the fiery red head from Forest Hill, California was a front-runner in the American Motocross scene throughout the 70's and early to mid 80's.
Danny "Magoo" Chandler astonished the world in 1982 by sweeping all four motos of the Motocross Des Nations, and Trophee Des Nations, the equivelant of the Olympics in 1980's Motocross, showing the world that the US was a dominant motocross force.
Tragically, Magoo crashed while racing in France in 1985, breaking his neck and leaving him a quadriplegic. Overcoming adversity, Magoo has learned to use his injury as an example of what can happen if one rides or lives irresponsibly.
Danny Chandler now runs his Motocross Safety School, puts on charity races and visits recently hurt individuals in the hospital, as well as being a spokesperson for spinal chord injuries and a martyr for safety on and off the racetrack.
With vintage race footage and all new interviews with racing legends Brad Lackey, Ricky Johnson, Jeff Ward, Magoo and others, Magoo: The Story of Danny Chanlder is a powerful story about racing motorcycles, the speed, the glory, the consequences, and overcoming adversity.
Coming to DVD soon, you will want to own this amazing movie about Danny's life. All profits from buying this DVD at Faster-Motocross.com will be donated back to Danny and his Motocross safety awareness activities.
The Official Danny Chandler web site: www.dannymagoo.com
