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Post by truenorth on May 24, 2018 8:40:17 GMT -8
A Bronze Memorial Is One Of Many Tributes To MotoGP Legend Nicky Hayden Owensboro and the Hayden family have commissioned a statue to honor the late American motorcycle champion By Matthew Miles May 22, 2018 When Nicky Hayden was inducted as a MotoGP Legend in November of 2015—the Kentucky native’s final full season of Grand Prix racing—Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta first recognized Hayden’s notable accomplishments, including five pole positions, three race wins, 28 podiums, plus the 2006 world title, and then praised Hayden’s character. “It’s a great pleasure to give Nicky this award,” Ezpeleta told those gathered at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, Spain. Turning to Hayden, he added, “This is not just because you’ve been champion and you’re one of the riders with the most starts in the premier class, but also for your behavior over all those years, your sportsmanship, and your friendship.” Hayden acknowledged others had enjoyed greater on-track success. “I know there are people in this club with more illustrious careers and who have obviously won more than me,” he said. “Regardless, I got in there. For 13 years, it was eat, breathe, and sleep MotoGP. I’ve enjoyed every minute of it, worked with some great teams, and rode some great bikes.” In the year since the traffic accident in Italy that ultimately took Hayden’s life at age 35, many people around the world have made both private and public gestures to celebrate the extraordinary life and accomplishments of the popular American known affectionately as “The Kentucky Kid.” Here are four of the most recent highest-profile tributes: Nicky Hayden won three MotoGP races in Repsol Honda colors, with two of those coming at his “home” track, Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, California. This photo, taken by Gigi Soldano after the second of those victories in July of 2006, served as the basis for a life-size bronze statue of Hayden carrying an American flag that will reside on the front lawn of the Owensboro Convention Center in Owensboro, Kentucky. Gigi Soldano A bronze statue depicting Hayden completing a victory lap on his factory Honda following his win at the 2006 US Grand Prix at Laguna Seca Raceway will be unveiled June 8 on the front lawn of the Owensboro Convention Center. Mayor Tom Watson is expected to declare June 9—or 6/9, a reference to Hayden’s racing number—Nicky Hayden Day in Owensboro. “It is with great pride that we as a community have the opportunity to continue ‘The Kentucky Kid’s’ legacy in his hometown,” Watson said in a release. “We will have a lasting memorial to commemorate his accomplishments to not only OBKY but to the world. I want to thank the Hayden family for allowing us to partner with them on this truly eventful day.” Tommy Hayden “Nicky left us just under a year ago, and we still miss him every day,” added Tommy Hayden, Nicky’s older brother. “We appreciate the support that his fans have given our family during the past 12 months, and we look forward to seeing many of them as we unveil this beautiful tribute to Nicky. “We would like to thank the City of Owensboro for their support on this project. Nicky loved this city and took great pride in representing it in a positive way, so it’s appropriate that he’ll be memorialized here.” The full-size statue was created by award-winning artist George Lundeen of Lundeen Sculpture in Loveland, Colorado. The Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari di Imola is paying tribute to Hayden with a new photo exhibit, “A Million-Dollar Smile,” created by photographer Mirco Lazzari. The installation opened on May 10 in Plaza Ayrton Senna and runs until June. Lazzari began shooting MotoGP in 2002, one year before Hayden arrived in the series. Lazzari admitted he struggled to reduce the photo count to 69 images, all of which he said, like Hayden, were “special.” The Red Bull Honda CBR1000RR SP that Hayden raced in the first five rounds of the 2017 season in Australia, Thailand, Spain, Holland, and Italy—Imola was Hayden’s final race weekend—is also part of the display. Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas, which hosts April’s annual Grand Prix of The Americas, renamed Turn 18 as “Hayden Hill.” A large red, white, and blue number 69 was painted in advance of the MotoGP race weekend on the turf adjacent to the corner and in the shadow of the track’s signature observation tower. Hayden competed three times at COTA—2013, ’14, and ’15, finishing ninth, 11th, and 13th, respectively—the first year on a factory Ducati and the others on production Hondas. In 2016, Hayden moved from MotoGP to the Superbike World Championship with the Red Bull Honda squad, with whom he earned a victory in Malaysia. “Giardino Nicky Hayden,” a park funded through donations made by a number of Hayden’s friends, is under way near the area of Misano in which Hayden was cycling when he was struck by a speeding car on May 17, 2017. Work on the garden began in April with the hope of finishing it before the first anniversary of Hayden’s death.
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Post by truenorth on Jun 6, 2018 6:50:55 GMT -8
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Post by truenorth on Jun 8, 2018 4:38:02 GMT -8
Nicky's statue ready to be unveiled in Owensboro, Ky
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Post by truenorth on Jun 8, 2018 15:55:53 GMT -8
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Post by truenorth on Jun 8, 2018 16:15:08 GMT -8
Kathleen Hayden Brother. You are so loved! #alwaysinourhearts
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Post by truenorth on Jun 8, 2018 19:43:45 GMT -8
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Post by truenorth on Jun 8, 2018 19:46:12 GMT -8
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Post by truenorth on Jun 9, 2018 4:20:14 GMT -8
Jonnum jonnummedia.com/blog/2018/6/9/working-it-outJune 9, 2018 WORKING IT OUT The author and Nicky enjoy a moment outside the hospitality before heading inside for a media scrum. (Andrew Wheeler photo) It was October 23, 2011, still only minutes after Marco Simoncelli’s life had slipped out of him on the asphalt between Sepang International Circuit’s 11th and 12th corners. Pit lane was silent, engineers calling on numb muscle memory to carry out their duties while riders simply sat and stared through blank facades of incomprehension. A small group of reporters approached the Ducati Team garage, recorders and notebooks in hand and, catching my eye, apologetically gestured at the young man in the box’s west corner, his red leathers still literally dripping sweat. Understanding their need to file stories on deadline, and my own role as press officer, I turned to him: “Nicky, I’m sorry to ask, but do you feel up to giving a comment to the press?” Without hesitation, he got to his feet, strode across the garage, and spoke at length with the appreciative reporters, his trademark Kentucky drawl only quavering slightly as he paid tribute to a fallen fellow racer. During a horrible, vexing occasion when less-than-admirable behavior would have been understandable, Nicky simply did his job, to the best of his abilities and without protest.For better or worse, working hard was the only way Nicky ever knew. His father Earl tells stories of his middle son refusing to come in from the family’s training sessions at Sunset Downs (the Haydens’ Owensboro, Kentucky, backyard track) until it was too dark to ride. Even when he became a world-famous factory racer, Nicky would invariably turn the most laps of any rider during the un-glamorous, monotonous days of testing, not even pausing midday for lunch in the hospitality, but instead wolfing down mouthfuls of pasta from a paper plate while studying time sheets in the garage. (“I don’t get ready,” he liked to joke: “I stay ready.”) Only once that I’m aware of did Nicky’s single-minded devotion to racing momentarily waver: In 2001, his dirt track teammate, Will Davis, was killed during a Saturday-night Grand National Championship race in Sedalia, Missouri, the same weekend that Nicky had an AMA Superbike round in Colorado. “The next morning was the only time I ever woke up and didn't care about going to the track,” Nicky told me for our 2007 Hayden biography, From OWB to MotoGP. But after a forthright conversation with crew chief Merlyn Plumlee (who himself would pass from cancer in ’07), Nicky won the Pikes Peak national and then commemorated the moment by riding a lap backward in his fallen teammate’s honor and taking on Davis’s “Chasing a Dream” motto for himself. I don't think anyone ever loved riding more than Nicky, but as his willingness to be interviewed at Sepang demonstrated, it wasn’t only the relatively enjoyable work of turning laps that he readily assumed. He embraced the entire job of being a professional racer, even the menial promotional duties. Having worked with him as a journalist, author, and fellow team member, I’ve had countless occasions to experience his punctuality and engagement during such tasks, to the point that I’ve been inspired to raise my own level of professionalism. When Leukemia unexpectedly took my mother just over a year after Simoncelli’s death, I remembered Nicky’s actions in the Sepang garage and tried my best to perform my duties to him, the team, and my family, even in grief. I like to think his way of repaying those efforts was his staunch availability for the PR favors I regularly asked since then, even after we both left Ducati and went our own ways following the 2013 season. I’m convinced that Nicky’s 2006 MotoGP World Championship serves as a monument not to exceptional natural ability, but to how far hard work and belief in oneself can take a person. I’m also convinced that, had someone been able to get a 5-year-old Nicky off Sunset Downs long enough to make him an offer--that one day he could be a beloved World Champion with his own statue and a day named after him, but that in return he'd have to work harder than anyone else and then depart this earth at age 36—he’d have readily accepted. It’s fitting, then, that when it came time for Nicky to submit that second remuneration, he was doing his job, devotedly following a training regimen on an Italian road in the midst of a difficult season—still Chasing a Dream. As it happens, I too was busy carrying out my obligations the day Nicky died, as I was working a press launch for a Honda side-by-side vehicle at a Texas ranch. Media functions are absurdly busy events for marketing folks, and like every fan of The Kentucky Kid, I was deeply affected by his passing. Still, I again thought back to that 2011 day in Malaysia and gamely shouldered the extra tasks of penning a eulogy and press release, and of preparing a tribute video. The year since then has been marked by occasional moments of profound heartache, along with the colossal workload familiar to anyone who has started a business. Fortunately, I’ve noticed that the latter seems to have helped assuage the former. Thank you for your example, champ, and happy Nicky Hayden Day. I hope I’m making you proud.
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Post by truenorth on Jun 12, 2018 6:09:23 GMT -8
Honoring Nicky Hayden: Crafting Kentucky’s Finest George Lundeen Immortalizes 2006 MotoGP World Champion, Nicky Hayden Krista Rudiger June 11, 2018 Circa-1974. MotoGP bikes racing flat out around a newly constructed Mugello track, while just over the hills in Florence, Italy, a young George Lundeen studies sculpture at the Accademia di Belle Arti. Every bit the struggling artist, he insists that even if GP tickets were 1,000 lire (about 50 cents), he wouldn’t have been able to afford a day at the races with the fastest boys on two wheels. Still, it’s comforting to know that the artist who would come to detail each and every one of Nicky Hayden’s features, along with the bike that raced him to World Championship status in 2006, honed his craft in the land where all-things motorsport reign supreme. Nebraskan born and bred, Lundeen and his studio now reside in Loveland, Colorado. So how did he develop a relationship with the city where Nicky was born and raised on flat-track bikes? It began when two of Lundeen’s sculptures were entered into the RiverArtes exhibitions, led by Owensboro’s Museum of Fine Art. After Nicky’s bicycle fatality in Italy last year, which devastated the entire motorsports nation as well as millions of “Kentucky Kid” fans ’round the world, the Hayden Family began working on a project to commemorate their son, brother, uncle and fiancé. Tommy, Nicky’s older brother, began asking for artist suggestions. The Museum’s Director, Mary Bryan Hood, says, “We introduced the Hayden Family to some of George’s sculptures and the family then selected him based on his work.” The Kid’s in the Details Tasked with memorializing the darling of Owensboro, Lundeen says it wasn’t as daunting as you might think, thanks to the endless reels of photos and videos that show Nicky racing from ages 5 to 35. To hear him tell it: “I didn’t have to ask anybody in town for an interview. You just mention to people that you’re creating this piece for Nicky, and everyone has a story about what a great guy he was. I was at the gas station when I asked a woman if she knew Nicky. She replied, “Know him? I babysat him!” After several meetings with Jackie Marin, Nicky’s betrothed, and Tommy, the family decided to use an image of Nicky celebrating his victory lap at Valencia. Apropos, to say the least. The 2006 Spanish GP where he clinched the World Title is not only the Holy Grail moment Nicky had worked for his entire life, it was also the nail-biting, down-to-the-wire season that would showcase a sold-out show to more than 145,000 fans and go down in history as one of the most spectacular races in the sport’s then-storied 57-year history. Lundeen recounts his sculpture process by explaining how he and his team start by creating several sketches. After that, they build the figure out of clay and steel armature. “We used a lot of foam as well as 3D sculpting for the bike… to make sure it was as detailed as possible,” he says. Now, it’s here that the essence of the bike is essential: That the ride bronzed solid beneath its irreplaceable pilot is a four-stroke 990cc – the last season of these bikes after the phasing out of two-stroke 500s, and before the reduction to 800cc – is a point only true MotoGP evangelicals will appreciate. Once the 3D portrait of Nicky was rendered, Tommy flew out to the artist’s Colorado studio to review and approve. From there, a rubber mold was made of the clay-and-steel structure. Wax is poured into that mold, and then it’s pulled off of the wax. Next, extremely hot bronze is poured into the mold, where it permeates every fissure of rider and trusty steed’s form. Once cooled, there were about 25 to 30 pieces that need to be welded back together. The seams are ground out, the piece is then buffed and polished, and finally patina is added to color the bronze. Lundeen adds that this piece has a very unique feature, “The statue has Nicky holding the American flag during his victory lap, and it will be a real flag attached to the bronze pole. I’ve never done anything like that before.” And how perfect is that. A uniquely brilliant statue for the one-of-a-kind Kentucky Kid.
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Post by truenorth on Jun 13, 2018 15:41:28 GMT -8
Rimini Chronicle Death of Nicky Hayden, the motorist sent to trial for road killing The American pilot invested while pedaling on his racing bike along the streets of Misano Adriatico Tommaso Torri june 13, 2018 He has been indicted on charges of street murder, and the 31-year-old Morciano, defended by the lawyers Pierluigi Autunno and Francesco Pisciotti, will be prosecuted with an abbreviated rite on October 10, which, on May 17, 2017, invested and killed the US motorcycle rider, Nicky Hayden. On Wednesday morning the hearing was held before the investigating magistrate who, in addition to the indictment, saw the lawyers choose the rite of the trial. A choice, that of the abbreviated, who did not agree Hayden's sister, presented as a civil party, then excluded from the criminal proceedings but who can claim in civil proceedings. The trial, which for the choice of the ceremony will see the 30 year old immediately benefit from the discount of one third of the sentence, will be based on what was rebuilt by the three experts . A pool of experts that sees the engineer Francesco Del Cesca for Hayden's family; for the Rimini Public Prosecutor the industrial expert Orlando Omicini, a former traffic police officer and expert in the reconstruction of claims; for the defense the engineer Alfonso Micucci, professor at the University of Bologna. From what emerges from the maps, the boy driving the car was proceeding along via Tavoleto towards the sea at a speed of just over 70 kilometers per hour, in a stretch of the road where the limit of 50 kilometers per hour is in force. According to what emerged from the first investigations, Hayden was riding his racing bike and, not respecting a stop sign, was mowed by a Renault at the intersection of Via Ca 'Fabbri and Via Tavoleto. A tremendous impact for the 36 year old who, in desperate conditions, was transported to the "Bufalini" in Cesena and, after an agony lasting 5 days, the doctors removed the machines that kept him alive not before, at the behest of the family and in an extreme gesture of generosity, of expanding its organs and giving hope to other people in difficulty . Hayden, who was riding his racing bike, would literally "burn" the stop at via Ca 'Fabbri at a speed of about 20 kilometers per hour . For the US pilot, therefore, there would be a competition of responsibility in the accident so that, the motorist, would have 30% of the responsibility in the fatal accident. Moreover, according to the prosecutor's expert, if the car had complied with the 50-kilometer-hour limits "both reacting and braking, and continuing at constant speed, the accident would have been entirely avoided" and Nicky Hayden would not have lost his life.
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Post by truenorth on Jun 13, 2018 15:44:19 GMT -8
With that ^ pretty rough translation is the original tweet
Tammy Gorali From what I understand from the RiminiToday : The driver who killed Nicky Hayden will be prosecuted for causing death as he was driving 20k faster than allowed, 20 less he would have been able to avoid according to the experts investigating.
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Post by truenorth on Jun 14, 2018 6:04:33 GMT -8
Inscription on plinth of Nicky's statue
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Post by truenorth on Jun 19, 2018 6:31:55 GMT -8
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Post by truenorth on Oct 10, 2018 13:03:13 GMT -8
The driver who hit Nicky Hayden has been sentenced to 1 year in prison and the withdrawal of the license, in addition to paying the court Costs. His vehicle was above the maximum permissible speed, key in the tragedy... Ride in Peace, Nicky
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Post by truenorth on Oct 10, 2018 13:23:52 GMT -8
Driver in Nicky Hayden Death Found Guilty of Homicide Asphalt and Rubber JENSEN BEELER 10/10/2018
It has been over a year since we had to report the passing of Nicky Hayden. Struck by a car outside of the Misano circuit, while he was training on his bicycle, Hayden’s death was felt around the world. Though always in our hearts, the motorcycle industry has begun to move on from the loss of its beloved world champion, but the legal proceedings in Italy have nevertheless been toiling away. There are two matters before the Italian courts. One, the criminal proceedings for the unnamed driver of the car that struck and killed Hayden; and two, a civil suit by the Hayden family against the car’s driver.
Now, the initial criminal proceedings of the incident have concluded, with the Italian court finding the driver of the car guilty of homicide. Given a suspended sentence of one year in prison (which is custom in Italy), the lost of his driving license, and required to pay the costs of the court, the case will go to appeal. “It was a drama for two families,” said Pierluigi Autunno, lawyer to the 31-year-old driver. “We will appeal, there are more reports and everything revolves around the causal link. We believe that my client has done everything to avoid the accident. We await the motivations with confidence and we will appeal.”
At the core of the judge’s decision is the finding that the car that struck Hayden was traveling close to 70 km/h in a 50 km/h zone, and that had it been traveling slower, the driver would have been able to avoid the accident, despite Hayden having rolled through his stop sign. The judge is expected to disclose his reasoning for the sentence in 90 days’ time, though we expect that this judgment was reasoned to show blame on the young driver, without substantial punishment. While the criminal charges continue to work their way through the legal system, the Hayden family continues to pursue a $6 million civil suit against the driver, the maximum covered by the Italian insurance policy.
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Post by truenorth on Oct 11, 2018 8:12:40 GMT -8
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Post by truenorth on Nov 3, 2018 14:10:38 GMT -8
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Post by truenorth on Nov 6, 2018 11:12:19 GMT -8
Nicky Hayden (Ducati) and Marco Simoncelli (Gresini Honda) at the Sachsenring, 2011
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Post by truenorth on Nov 7, 2018 10:48:18 GMT -8
NICKY HAYDEN: Inducted as MotoGP Legend In his 13 years in Grand Prix racing’s premier class, Nicky Hayden has had eight different teammates. Here, he shares some thoughts on each one. By Matthew Miles Courtesy of Aspar Honda November 6, 2015 Nicky Hayden was honored as a MotoGP Legend on Friday in Valencia, Spain, for his many accomplishments in Grand Prix racing’s premier class. The 34-year-old American is credited with 28 podiums, five pole positions, three race wins, and the 2006 world title. “For all of us, it’s a great pleasure to give Nicky this award,” Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta said. “This is not just because you’ve been champion and you’re one of the riders with most starts in the premier class, but also for your behavior over all those years, your sportsmanship, and your friendship.”
Said Hayden, “I know there are people in this club with more illustrious careers and who have obviously won more than me, but regardless I got in there. For 13 years, it was eat, breathe, and sleep MotoGP. I’ve enjoyed every minute of it, worked with some great teams, and rode some great bikes. “I think MotoGP is in a great place. The sport is bigger and better than ever, the tracks are safer, and the young talent keeps getting younger and faster. So the future is very bright.” During his long career, Hayden rode for two factories—Honda and Ducati—and had eight teammates, five of whom are also world champions. “I could write a book on some of these guys,” Hayden quipped. “I would have some stories to tell.” Here, then, is a start, a thumbnail sketch, in Hayden’s own words, of each of those riders, four of whom are still competing in MotoGP: Valentino Rossi (2003/2011-12): “The first year at Honda we were on such different levels that we had a fine relationship. I wasn’t pressuring him, and by winning every week, he helped take a little pressure off me. “We didn’t talk a whole lot, but he looked out for me when he could. I got to watch and learn how seriously he took it as far as understanding the bike, team, and changes. He knew every detail. It was a real job, not just on the track but also in the box. “Who would have thought we’d be teammates again six or seven years later? Obviously, the Ducati days didn’t go well for him. They gave him everything he wanted, not just what he needed. “I saw how much he struggled, how much heat he took. The first three or four races, the fans were crazy for him. By the end of the second year, we could walk out of the back of the truck and nobody would be there. “To see him come back and do what he has done this year, at age 36, with his awards, his bank account, is very impressive. I have a lot of respect for it. The passion he has for the sport and riding motorcycles is clear.” Alex Barros (2004): “Barros was fast and a good guy—a little underrated. He was on the other end of his career. Incredible rain rider, probably one of the best I’ve ever seen. He was not good on qualifiers, definitely a better racer.” Nicky Hayden holding Legends name badge Max Biaggi (2005): “That wasn’t a great year for Max. The wheels started to come off for him in MotoGP. He got the ride he always wanted, and in the beginning, Honda gave him everything he wanted, but he wasn’t able to step up and win the title. “Everybody knows Biaggi is a bit special. Very fast guy. It’s no secret that he and I didn’t get along well. We had to be separated at a test in Jerez, and we ran into each other coming out of the pits at Sepang. “Teammates, sometimes, can act like it’s a love fest, but down deep everybody wants to beat their teammate. That’s not what the fans often see.” Dani Pedrosa (2006-08): “When Dani came in, people weren’t sure how he was going to be on a MotoGP bike, but he was immediately fast. He uses his size to his advantage. His strength is getting the bike picked up and fired off the corner. “We had a little issue at Portugal in 2006 that dampened our relationship. We were two young kids who both wanted to be HRC’s number-one rider and world champion. It’s no wonder we didn’t get along. Now we get along well and have a lot of time for each other. This year, when he was having issues with arm pump, he talked to me about it. I recommended the doctor he went to.” Casey Stoner (2009-10): “All riders have their own weird ways that normal people shake their heads at, and Casey is no different. He moves to the beat of his own drum. “Casey was incredibly fast. The thing he was so good at—the best I’ve ever seen—is getting up to speed on a new or dirty track or right after it rained. He was immediately on pace. “I came home from my first Malaysia test with Ducati, and I told my brother, Tommy, and Dan Fahie that Casey was the fastest guy I’ve ever seen. They looked at me, ‘Really? Casey Stoner?’ “Now I think people understand.” Andrea Dovizioso (2013): “We really wanted to beat each other. That was worst year for the Ducati, when Bernhard Gobmeier was still in charge, and things were really going downhill. “Between Dovi, Andrea Iannone, and me, the goal was to be the first Ducati. I hate to say that because it sounds stupid, but that’s what we were racing for. “On track was really fierce, and we had quite a few last-lap duels, but we always shook hands afterward and went about our business.” Hiroshi Aoyama (2014): “I’ve been around Japanese riders, mostly test riders. Aoyama was at his best on Sunday. On Friday and Saturday, he wasn’t too fast, but on Sunday he was a hard guy to beat. That’s why he was a 250cc GP world champion. “Aoyama was a better rider than some people give him credit. Very focused, in shape, got there early, stayed late. As far as being a professional, he pretty much wrote the book.” Eugene Laverty (2015): “Eugene is a rookie, and he has shown flashes of speed. This bike has not been easy for any of us to get good results. “Eugene won 13 World Superbike races, so let’s wait and see what he does on a better bike before we judge his true potential. “He beat me one time this year, at Motorland Aragon, by a tenth of a second, which I don’t like. He comes from a racing family, which is similar to me.”
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Post by truenorth on Nov 16, 2018 10:12:39 GMT -8
roger hayden Every year when motogp races at Valencia makes think about being there in ‘06 and nicky became world champ. Was special then to watch someone who dedicated there life to something and… http://instagram.com/p/BqPkBXNACLw
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