The impression that you leave on people is your reputation. Your achievements carry weight, but how you treated others and how they perceive your attitude and actions are what carry memories. For Nicky Hayden, those memories are of a champion who was personable, friendly, and a genuine friend to his peers and colleagues. Hayden succumbed to traumatic injuries received when his bicycle collided with a car in Rimini, Italy, where he had been after competing in a World Superbike race at Imola.
Nicholas “Nicky” Patrick Hayden started his racing career with the Central Motorcycle Roadracing Association at a young age and small size, going up against an older crowd while needing someone to hold up the bike since his feet didn’t touch the ground. By the time he was 17, he was running Honda racing bikes and in 1999, won the AMA Supersport Championship. His debut season racing superbikes full-time saw him come third in points for the championship, and the next year he took the crown. He also took the 2006 MotoGP championship and had ran dirt-tracks on the Grand National Championship circuit.
But the racing only tells one side of the man. The other side of Nicky Hayden showed through as the kid from Owensboro, Kentucky made friends in the paddocks and pits, checked up on their progresses and supported them in their down times. That is the element of Hayden that will be missed above all…the racer who could leave the competition at the track and be a gentleman to everyone around him.
Rest in peace, Nicky Hayden.
A nice tribute…a big loss in the racing world today .
Horrible news. Very sad to hear this.
crazy a guy can do something so “risky” for a career then be killed riding a bicycle.
Don’t take anything for granted. at least he got to do something that loved to do.
RIP Mr Hayden…. godspeed
So sad. Gone too soon.
Such a great loss to the world .Thank you for being such a great ambassador for our home state Kentucky . There will never be another KENTUCKY KID 🙁 Race in Peace 69.