Nicky Hayden facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nicky Hayden
Hayden in 2016
Nationality	American
Born	(1981-07-30)July 30, 1981 Owensboro, Kentucky, United States
Died	May 22, 2017(2017-05-22) (aged 35) Cesena, Italy
Bike number	69 (retired in honor)
Website	nickyhayden.com
Motorcycle racing career statistics MotoGP World Championship Active years 2003–2016 Manufacturers Honda, Ducati Championships 1 (2006) 2016 championship position 26th (1 pts) Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points 218 3 28 5 7 1698 Superbike World Championship Active years 2002, 2016–2017 Manufacturers Honda Championships 0 2017 championship position 17th (40 pts) Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points 38 1 4 0 0 304 Supersport World Championship Active years 1998 Manufacturers Suzuki Championships 0 1998 championship position NC (0 pts) Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points 1 0 0 0 0 0

Nicholas Patrick Hayden (born July 30, 1981 – died May 22, 2017) was an American professional motorcycle racer. He was known as "The Kentucky Kid". Nicky Hayden won the MotoGP World Championship in 2006. He started racing motorcycles when he was very young. He began his career in road racing before moving up to bigger championships like the AMA Supersport and AMA Superbike.

Hayden won the AMA Superbike title in 2002. After this big win, the Repsol Honda team asked him to race for them in MotoGP starting in 2003. His first two years with Honda had mixed results. But in 2005, he won his first Grand Prix race at Laguna Seca. He finished third in the championship that year.

The next year, 2006, was Hayden's best. He won the MotoGP World Championship. This ended Valentino Rossi's five-year winning streak. Hayden stayed with Honda for two more seasons but didn't win any more races. In 2009, he moved to Ducati. He raced for Ducati for five seasons, but they were not very successful. His best finish was seventh place in 2010. After Ducati, he joined the Honda Aspar team in 2014 and raced there for two years.

In 2016, Hayden moved to the Superbike World Championship with the Ten Kate Racing Honda team. He finished fifth in his first season. A big moment was his win in Malaysia. He continued with the Red Bull Honda team in 2017.

On May 17, 2017, Hayden was riding his bicycle in Italy when he was hit by a car. He suffered a serious brain injury. He passed away five days later in the hospital. In 2018, Hayden was added to the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame.

Racing Career Highlights

Early Years in Racing

Nicky Hayden was born in Owensboro, Kentucky. He started road racing with the CMRA. He often raced against much older competitors. Sometimes, someone had to hold his bike up at the start because his feet couldn't touch the ground yet! By age 17, he was racing powerful factory Honda RC45 superbikes while still in high school.

In 1999, he won the AMA Supersport championship on a Honda. In 2001, he almost won the AMA Superbike championship in his first full season. He finished behind only the champion, Mat Mladin. In 2002, he won the Daytona 200 race. He became the youngest ever AMA Superbike Champion. He even raced in a World Superbike event at Laguna Seca, finishing fourth in one race.

Hayden also came from the American dirt-track racing scene. In 1999, he won his first Grand National Championship race. He was named the AMA's Athlete of the Year. In 2002, he won four dirt-track races. At one race, the Springfield TT, all three Hayden brothers finished in the top three: Nicky first, Tommy second, and Roger Lee third!

MotoGP World Championship

Racing with Honda (2003–2008)

2003: A Strong Start

Nicky Hayden (right) with Valentino Rossi on the podium in 2003.

After winning the AMA Superbike championship, Hayden joined the top team in MotoGP, the Factory Repsol Honda team. In his first year, he raced alongside the champion, Valentino Rossi. Hayden consistently scored points. At his first race in Japan, he finished seventh. He got his first MotoGP podium (top three finish) at the Pacific Grand Prix. He finished third after another rider was penalized. He then got another third-place finish in Australia.

Hayden finished fifth in the championship in his rookie year. He earned 130 points and won the Rookie-of-the-Year award.

2004: Learning and Growing

Many people expected Hayden to do even better in 2004. He started the season well with two fifth-place finishes. He got his first podium of the season in Rio de Janeiro, finishing third. He followed this with another third place in Germany.

However, Hayden had a tough year with five retirements due to crashes or mechanical problems. He even broke his collarbone and missed a race. He finished eighth in the championship with 117 points.

2005: First MotoGP Win

Nicky Hayden at his home race in the USA (top) and with Alex Barros in Great Britain (bottom).

After a difficult 2004, Hayden's performance improved in 2005. He had consistent point finishes in several races. His big moment came at the United States Grand Prix at Laguna Seca. This track was new to many riders, but Hayden knew it well. He took his first ever pole position (starting first) in MotoGP. On race day, he led the race and won! This was his first personal victory in MotoGP.

He also earned his second pole position in Germany and finished third. Hayden finished the season strong with four more podium finishes. He ended the year third in the championship with 206 points, including one win.

2006: World Champion!

Nicky Hayden celebrating his world championship title in 2006.

The year 2006 was amazing for "The Kentucky Kid". He started with a third-place finish in Spain. He then got second place in Qatar and third in Turkey, taking the championship lead. He continued his strong run with a second place in China.

Hayden won his first race of the season at the Dutch TT. He had a thrilling battle with Colin Edwards, winning after Edwards crashed on the last lap. This win gave Hayden a big lead in the championship. He also won his home race at Laguna Seca for the second year in a row.

Going into the last race in Valencia, Hayden was eight points behind Valentino Rossi. Rossi needed to finish second or higher to win the title. But Rossi had a poor start and then crashed early in the race. Hayden finished third, which was enough to win the 2006 MotoGP title by five points! It was an incredible achievement.

2007: A Challenging Year

Nicky Hayden during pre-season testing in 2007 (top) and signing autographs (bottom).

As the reigning champion, Hayden used the number 1 on his bike in 2007. However, the new 800cc Honda bike was difficult for him. He struggled at the start of the season. He had his first podium finish in the Netherlands, taking third place. He followed this with another third place in Germany.

Hayden had a tough home race in the USA, retiring after a crash. He got another third-place podium in the Czech Republic. He also earned his only pole position of the season in Portugal. Hayden finished eighth in the championship with 127 points.

2008: Final Season with Honda

Nicky Hayden at the British Grand Prix in 2008.

In 2008, Hayden went back to his traditional number 69. He started the season with a tenth place in Qatar and a fourth in Spain. He had one retirement in Portugal due to a crash. He also missed two races due to a heel injury from a motocross crash.

Hayden had some challenges with his team, especially regarding tire choices. Despite this, he finished the season on a positive note. He took second place at the first-ever Indianapolis race in wet conditions. His last podium with Honda was a third place in Australia. Hayden finished sixth in the championship with 155 points. After 10 years with Honda, it was announced he would move to Ducati for the 2009 season.

Racing with Ducati (2009–2013)

2009: Adjusting to Ducati

Nicky Hayden at the French Grand Prix in 2009.

Hayden's first season with Ducati was difficult. He had problems with the bike during testing. At the first race in Qatar, he crashed during qualifying and needed stitches. He finished 12th in the race. In Japan, he was taken out by another rider on the first lap.

He slowly improved as the season went on. His best result was a fifth place at his home race in the USA. His big breakthrough came at the Indianapolis race. He finished third, earning his first podium with Ducati. This was a special moment, as he was the first Ducati rider other than Casey Stoner to get a podium in a long time. Hayden finished 13th in the championship with 104 points.

2010: More Podiums

Nicky Hayden at the Dutch TT (top) and on the podium at the Aragón Grand Prix (bottom).

Hayden started 2010 well, with three consecutive fourth-place finishes. He had a crash in Italy and another in San Marino, where he injured his finger. He then earned his first podium of the season in Aragón, finishing third. He passed Jorge Lorenzo on the last lap to secure the spot. This was also special because two Ducatis were on the podium (with teammate Casey Stoner winning). Hayden finished seventh in the championship with 163 points.

2011: Teaming with Rossi

In 2011, Hayden's former Honda teammate, Valentino Rossi, joined him at Ducati. Hayden started the season with a ninth place in Qatar. He then got his only podium of the season in Spain, finishing third. He stayed in the points for most of the season. He even set the fastest lap at the British Grand Prix.

Hayden had two retirements due to crashes. At the final race in Valencia, he was involved in a first-corner crash with Rossi and another rider. This left him with a broken wrist. He finished eighth in the championship with 132 points.

2012: No Podiums This Year

Hayden continued with Ducati in 2012. He consistently finished in the points for the first 10 races. His best finishes were four sixth-place results. He missed two races after a crash during qualifying in Indianapolis, where he suffered a concussion and a fractured hand. He returned for the San Marino GP, finishing seventh.

Hayden had another crash in Aragón. He finished eighth in Japan and Australia. His best finish was fourth in Malaysia. He crashed out of the final race in Valencia. This was the first season in his MotoGP career where he did not get a podium finish. He finished ninth in the championship with 122 points.

2013: Final Ducati Season

For 2013, Andrea Dovizioso joined Hayden at Ducati. Hayden started by scoring points in the first five races. His best finish was fifth in France. He had his first retirement of the season in Catalunya due to a crash. He continued to finish in the points in most races. He had another retirement in Malaysia due to engine problems. Hayden finished ninth in the championship with 126 points. He did not get a podium finish this season either.

Aspar Team (2014–2015)

2014: Moving to Aspar Honda

Nicky Hayden and Hiroshi Aoyama at the Grand Prix of the Americas in 2014.

In 2014, Hayden moved to the Aspar Team, riding a Honda bike. He started the season with an eighth-place finish in Qatar. He then had three eleventh-place finishes. He retired from the French Grand Prix after a collision.

Hayden missed several races due to a wrist injury that required surgery. He returned in Aragón, finishing ninth in tricky wet-dry conditions. He finished 16th in the championship with 47 points. This was his third season without a podium.

2015: Last Full MotoGP Season

Nicky Hayden at the Catalan Grand Prix in 2015.

Hayden stayed with the Aspar Team in 2015. He had a tough start to the season, often finishing outside the points. His best finish was 11th in France. He had two consecutive retirements in Italy and Catalunya due to crashes.

He struggled to score points in the middle of the season. He scored his last MotoGP points in Aragón and Japan. He retired from the Australian round due to technical problems. Hayden finished 20th in the championship with 16 points. This was his last full season in MotoGP.

Short Returns to MotoGP (2016)

Nicky Hayden and Jack Miller at the Australian Grand Prix in 2016.

In 2016, Hayden moved to the Superbike World Championship. However, he made two special appearances in MotoGP when other Honda riders were injured. He raced in Aragón, finishing 15th and scoring one point. He also replaced Dani Pedrosa at the Australian Grand Prix, finishing 17th after a collision with Jack Miller.

Superbike World Championship

2016: A New Challenge

On October 8, 2015, it was announced that Hayden would move to the Superbike World Championship for the 2016 season. He joined the Ten Kate Racing Honda team. He had strong pre-season tests. He finished ninth and fourth in his first race weekend in Australia.

At the fourth round in Assen, Hayden got his first Superbike podium, finishing third. His biggest highlight was a win in Sepang, Malaysia. He started fourth and raced brilliantly in damp conditions. He took the lead and held off strong competitors to win his first World Superbike race. This was also Honda's first win of the season. He finished fifth in the championship.

2017: Final Races

Nicky Hayden during Superpole 2 at Phillip Island in 2017.

Hayden continued with the Red Bull Honda team in 2017. The season started slowly with mixed results and three retirements. His best finish was seventh place in Thailand. Hayden's last race was on May 14, 2017, in Italy, where he finished 12th. He was 13th in the championship standings at the time of his passing.

Honors and Tributes

• In November 2015, the FIM named Nicky Hayden a "Legend" of motorcycle racing.
• In 2017, the AMA Horizon Award was renamed the Nicky Hayden AMA Horizon Award. This award is given each year to talented young amateur riders in dirt track, motocross, and road racing.
• At the 2018 Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas, turn 18 at the Circuit of The Americas was officially renamed “Hayden Hill” in his honor. His racing number, 69, was spray-painted on the turn.
• On June 8, 2018, his hometown of Owensboro, Kentucky unveiled a bronze sculpture honoring Nicky Hayden.
• In 2018, the Mayor of Owensboro, Tom Watson, declared June 9 as Nicky Hayden Day, celebrating his racing number 69.
• In 2018, the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame made an exception to its usual rules and inducted Nicky Hayden into the Hall of Fame, even though he had not been retired for five years.

Personal Life

Nicky Hayden grew up in a Roman Catholic family and stayed very close to them. He even lived in an apartment above his family's home. He had two brothers, Tommy and Roger Lee, who are also professional motorcycle racers. He also had two sisters, Jenny and Kathleen.

His famous racing number, 69, was the same number his father, Earl, used. His father used to joke that he picked 69 because it still looked right even when he crashed and ended up upside down!

Nicky Hayden became engaged to Jackie Marin in May 2016.

A Sad Farewell

On May 17, 2017, Nicky Hayden was riding his bicycle near Rimini, Italy. He was involved in an accident with a car. He suffered very serious injuries, including a traumatic brain injury and other broken bones. He was taken to the hospital and placed on life support.

After five days, on May 22, 2017, Nicky Hayden passed away at the age of 35.

Later investigations into the accident showed that the car was traveling faster than the speed limit. Hayden had entered the intersection without stopping at a stop sign. The report indicated that both contributed to the accident.

Racing History

MotoGP

• Team(s): Repsol Honda, Ducati Corse, Drive M7 Aspar Team, Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS
• Motorcycle(s): Honda RC211V, Honda RC212V, Ducati Desmosedici, Honda RCV1000R, Honda RC213V-RS, Honda RC213V
• First MotoGP Race: April 6, 2003 – Suzuka – Seventh Place
• First MotoGP Podium: October 5, 2003 – Motegi – Third Place
• First MotoGP Win: July 10, 2005 – Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
• Number of MotoGP Wins: 3
• Number of MotoGP Podiums: 28
• Highest Championship Position: First Place (2006)

Superbike World Championship

• Team(s): American Honda, Honda World Superbike Team
• Motorcycle(s): Honda RC51, Honda CBR1000RR
• First Superbike Race: July 14, 2002 – Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca – Fourth Place
• First Superbike Podium: April 16, 2016 – Assen – Third Place
• First Superbike Win: May 15, 2016 – Sepang
• Number of Superbike Wins: 1
• Number of Superbike Podiums: 4
• Highest Championship Position: Fifth Place (2016)

AMA Superbike

• Team(s): American Honda, HRC
• Motorcycle(s): Honda RC51, Honda RC45
• First Superbike Race: April 18, 1999 – Willow Springs International Raceway – 12th Place
• First Superbike Win: June 11, 2000 – Road America
• First Superbike Podium: September 19, 1999 – Pikes Peak International Raceway – Third Place
• Number of Superbike Wins: 17
• Number of Superbike Podiums: 30
• Highest Championship Position: First Place (2002)

AMA 600 Supersport

• Team(s): American Honda, Erion Honda, HyperCycle Suzuki
• Motorcycle(s): Honda CBR600F3, Honda CBR600F4, Suzuki GSX-R600
• First 600 Supersport Win: April 26, 1998 – Willow Springs International Raceway
• Number of 600 Supersport Wins: 6
• Highest Championship Position: First Place (1999)

AMA 750 Supersport

• Team(s): HyperCycle Suzuki
• Motorcycle(s): Suzuki GSX-R750
• First 750 Supersport Win: April 19, 1998 – Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
• Number of 750 Supersport Wins: 5
• Highest Championship Position: Fourth Place (1998)

AMA Formula Extreme

• Team(s): Erion Honda
• Motorcycle(s): Honda CBR900RR
• First Formula Extreme Win: April 26, 1999 – Willow Springs International Raceway
• Number of Formula Extreme Wins: 7
• Highest Championship Position: Second Place (1999)

Career Statistics

Supersport World Championship

By Season

Superbike World Championship

By Season

Grand Prix Motorcycle Racing

By Season

By Class

Images for kids

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  Valentino Rossi (left) and Nicky Hayden on the podium at the 2003 Australian Grand Prix.

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  Nicky Hayden at the 2004 Australian Grand Prix.

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  Nicky Hayden at the 2005 United States Grand Prix.

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  Nicky Hayden and Alex Barros at the 2005 British Grand Prix.

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  Nicky Hayden celebrating his world championship title at the 2006 Valencian Community Grand Prix.

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  Nicky Hayden at the pre-season test sessions in Sepang, Malaysia.

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  Nicky Hayden signing autographs before the start of the 2007 Valencian Community Grand Prix.

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  Nicky Hayden at the 2008 British Grand Prix.

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  Nicky Hayden at the 2009 French Grand Prix.

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  Nicky Hayden at the 2010 Dutch TT.

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  Dani Pedrosa, Casey Stoner and Nicky Hayden on the podium at the 2010 Aragón Grand Prix.

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  Nicky Hayden during pre-season testing at Sepang for the 2011 season.

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  Nicky Hayden at the 2012 United States Grand Prix.

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  Dani Pedrosa, Cal Crutchlow and Nicky Hayden at the 2012 Valencian Community Grand Prix.

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  Nicky Hayden at the 2013 German Grand Prix.

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  Nicky Hayden and Hiroshi Aoyama at the 2014 Grand Prix of the Americas.

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  Nicky Hayden at the 2015 Catalan Grand Prix.

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  Nicky Hayden and Jack Miller at the 2016 Australian Grand Prix.

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  Nicky Hayden during Superpole 2 at Phillip Island in 2017.

See Also

• Daijiro Kato
• Grand Prix motorcycle racing