Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128354
Hayden Says, "I Can Do Better" D espite the rece nt 100-plus mph crash that he suffered while testing in jerez, Spain, on November 25, Repsol Honda 's Nicky Hayden said that he is optim istic about bringing home his first MotoGP vic- Honda team. "I think he has a bit to learn, but I really like his att itude ," Hayden said of Benson. "Maybe that's better for me , because I know I have tory and giving the competition a good run a lot to learn. Sometimes you get people with experience, which is for the championsh ip in 2005. "I have a new team , and things are definitely wo rking," Hayden told Cycle News in awesome too, but they get stuck in their ways. MotoG P is changing so a phone interview on December 2, one day much. so maybe we can learn it before embarking on a trip to japan. "Some days I feel like we're really close, and then some days I feel like we have a long way to go, but the main thing is to just keep the faith and keep believing. I'm definitely excited . I feel healthy, and I'm working with my new team. It's going to be a big help." Hayden's team has unde rgone a wholesale change for 2005, with five of six technicians being replaced . " I needed a change, " Hayden said. "Now some of my guys are just a little bit younger, with just a little bit more energy. They 're more my type of people , and hopefully I can feed off their energy and get the confidence to sometimes push that last little bit that makes a difference when you really believe in your boys and believe in your whole program ." Hayden offered especiallyhigh praise for crew chief Pete Benson . The New toget her. I don't want to throw anybody under the bus, but I don't think that me and my last crew chief [Trevor Morris] rea lly connected. That's such an important part of it, being on that same page. Zealander is a longtime Honda man who wo rked on the engine development team for Hond a's now-defunct Castrol World Superb ike program . He also spe nt two years handling data acquisition on Valent ino Rossi's championship-winning Repsol When you come in, the crew chief has really got to be able to look at the rider, look into their eyes and know what they need and what they want without the rider even telling them - just know what the rider wants. They can read the rider and put him at ease so that he can focus on what he does, pull the throttle." Hayden said his next test his scheduled for january 20, and he said that he is looking forw ard to it. "I'll be home for the holidays, and then we 'll get back at it," Hayden said. ''I'm not satisfied with what I've done so far, so I definitely want to try and ride like I know I can. I don't like losing, and so I have to do what it I have to do to improve and take that next step next year. I had some thirds this year, but I need to step up to that next level and win." A w inner in one of the toughest forms of competition in mo torcycle racing, AMA Grand National dirt track , and also a former AMA Superbike Champion, Hayden admits that the competition in MotoGP is the toughest he has ever faced. "It's harder than I had hoped , I've got to be honest with you," Hayden said. "Not to make e xcuses, but I've had a lot of little things along the way that happened to me that haven't helped - bad luck, injuries - but this year I feel like I gained a lot of momen- M SMA do not exercise their right to enter riders, Y outhstream may then complete the entry list; in this case, the FMNR and MSMA must inform Youthstream 15 days at the latest prior to the even t. Thirty riders will qualify via a Saturday qualifyi ng (preq ualifying pra ctice, Changes for Motocross Grand Prix 2005 He re is a list of changes for the 2005 World M otocross C hampions hip, as announced recently by Youthstream and the FIM: MX I class: 40 entries; 36 riders will be entered by Youthstream, two by the FMNR and two by MSMA (plus two replacement riders by Youthstream ). If the FMNR and/or MSMA do not exercise their right to enter riders, Youthstream may the n comp lete the 6 DECEMBER 15,2004 • e ntry list. In this case, the FMNR and MSMA must inform Youthstream 15 days at the latest prior to the event. Thirty riders willqualify via a Saturday time practice for the two GP races. MX2 class: 50 entries; 46 riders will be entered by Youthstream , two by the FMNR and two by MSMA (plus two replacement riders by Youthst ream). If the FMNR and/o r CYCLE NEWS tw o qualifying races, last chance qualifying practice) for the tw o GP races. MXI and MX2 classes: Two rese rve riders per class for the GP races w ill be selected from a support race on Sunday morning. (The 10 not qualified from MX I and the 20 not qua lified from MX2 may participate in this support race.) MX I and MX2 classes: All ent ries must be sent to Youthst rea m. The closing date for the first Grand Prix is january 31, 2005; the closing date of entries as of the second Grand Prix is four days before the event . Youthstream may appo int two replacement riders in each class. The final entry list will be published by the FIM. MX3 class: Acceptance of entr ies - eight riders per FMN, 10 riders from the FMNR (like 2004). No more entry restrictio ns for MX I riders . Minimum age of 16 years . 40 riders willqualify via Saturday's qualifying for the two races on Sunday (like 2004). 40th Anniversary Geo ff Meyer tum . It's been frustrating for me to feel like I haven't been able to do what I know I am capable of, but I love the challenge, and I love the racing. It's cool, and it will be a lot more cool when I start doing better." By that, Hayden means winning races and putting up a strong title fight. "I don't want to talk smack or nothing, but that's the goal," Hayden said. "Ho nda is a great company, and they're not happy about losing the championship." Scott Rousseau World Speedway Schedu le Announced The 2005 Individual Speedway Wo rld Championship Grand Prix will consist of nine ro unds, accordi ng to the FIM, w hile the Speedway World Cup will take place in three different countries - England, Sweden and Poland. The Speedway schedules for 2005 are as follows: Individ ual Speedway World Champions hip Grand Pr ix Wroclaw, Polan d April 30 May 14 Eskilsluna, Sweden May 28 Krsko, Slovenia June 11 Cardiff, England Copenhagen, Denmark June 25 Prague, Czech Republic Ju ly 9 Malilla, Sweden August 13 August 27 Bydgoszcz, Poland , September 10 Loingo Italy (to be confirmed) Speedway World Cup J uly 31 Round 1:TBA, England Round 2: Eskilsluna, Sweden August 2 Race-Off: Wrocklaw Poland , August 4 August 6 Final: Wrocklaw, Poland