FEATURE
NICKY HAYDEN MEMORIAL
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difficult years at Ducati, when sometimes we
would fight right down to the wire, maybe to get
the last place in the top five. Nicky often came
to the Ranch, where it was always spectacular
to watch him and try to steal some of his secrets
when we were battling, because he's one of the
fastest flat trackers in the world and before mov-
ing onto asphalt he won some of the biggest
American flat track races like the Peoria TT.
"But the best memory I have of him is when
he came to shake my hand after the unfortunate
race in Valencia in 2015, on the lap of honor.
For him it was a goodbye to MotoGP, and I had
just lost the World Championship. His look of
support from inside his helmet is one of the few
(Left) Look in his eyes. This is the moment Nicky
Hayden realizes a boyhood dream of winning the U.S.
MotoGP at Laguna Seca, circa 2005. (Below) He did
it again in 2006, heading an American 1-2 with Colin
Edwards in second place.
