VOL. 52 ISSUE 38 SEPTEMBER 22, 2015 P73
keep going. If not, we'll deal with
that, too."
Although not very realistic, a
return to AMA Pro Flat Track is
often brought up because a win
on a mile is something missing
from the former dirt tracker's
resume.
"Yeah, of course it's always
something I'd like [to do],"
Hayden said about winning a
mile. "It's kind of getting a little
far now. I never thought I'd be in
Europe this long when I wanted
to come back and get it. So now
I realize that's not something
you're just going to show up and
do and just pick one of those
up. People who think that don't
understand racing; 'all you got to
do is win a mile.' It's a lot harder
than it sounds."
Hayden still follows the series
when he can.
"I'm a dirt track fan," he said.
"With Fans Choice [online
streaming for the series] it's
great. When I'm Europe the time
changes isn't good, but if I'm in
the States I try to watch some
of the races, or, for sure, the
results and stuff. It's good. The
championship looks like it could
come down to the wire with two
different manufacturers."
Although he keeps up with the
sport, Hayden feels it is not easy
to accurately gauge the level of
the championship.
"It's hard for me to com-
ment too much because I'm not
there," he said. "I'm watching on
the Internet, watching from afar.
I truthfully kind of liked, back
when I was doing it [flat track],
when everybody rode Harleys,
and you just went to the track.
Everybody had real similar bikes
and you just rode it. Now it's,
one track favors one bike. I don't
know, I don't think those riders
are really getting paid real well
from the manufacturers.
"I'm a rider. I'm a fan of the
rider. I'd rather just let the best
riders line up and win, and all
be on similar bikes. But those
manufacturers need to be paying
good and helping those guys
make a good living and getting
them to the races and support-
ing them. If so, then I'm all for it.
"I would rather just watch all
the guys line up and best guy
wins instead of being on the
right bike for that right track.
There's such a difference be-
(Left) Always
a professional,
Hayden keeps
fighting despite
all the technical
issues.
(Right) It's
been a rough
road after his
2006 World
Championship.
