Four years after his tragic death – which took place in Italy in a road accident – and 15 after the conquest of an unforgettable world title that interrupted Valentino Rossi’s streak of triumphs, Nicky Hayden was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America. The ‘Kentucky Kid’, still loved today by many two-wheel enthusiasts, was the 269th person – a clear tribute to his race number, # 69 – to be included in this group of legends.
In 2018 Hayden was already inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, but the 2021 ceremony at the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America wanted to further honor the career achievements of the 2006 MotoGP world champion from an even broader perspective. Hayden’s family – Jennifer, Tommy, Kathleen, Roger, Rose and Earl – attended the 33rd Annual MSHFA Introductory Celebration held in Pontiac, Michigan. Nicky took the title aboard the Honda, bringing it back to the top of the World Championship for the first time since Rossi’s farewell. That would remain the last championship won by the Japanese company until Casey Stoner’s success in 2011.
“On behalf of the entire motorcycle community, congratulations to the Hayden family for this prestigious recognition of Nicky’s achievements on and off the track – said Bill Savino, Senior Manager of American Honda Customer Engagement – the Kentucky Kid will always hold a place in our hearts – as a driver, but most of all as a person – and we are delighted that the Hall of Fame also recognizes how exceptional he was “.