http://www.usatoday.com/sports...x.htm


Hayden hopes to raise MotoGP's U.S. profile

By Jim Hawver, USA TODAY

The "Kentucky Kid" is growing up.
One year ago, 24-year-old Bluegrass State native Nicky Hayden claimed his first victory in the world's top motorcycle series,MotoGP, at the circuit's first race on American soil in 11 years.

Now, more than halfway through the 2006 season, Hayden leads the MotoGP in overall points as he tries to defend his title at Sunday's Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix in California and move closer to dethroning a racing king.

Italian Valentino Rossi, "The Doctor," has dominated the series, winning the last five overall world championships.

"I feel like a bit of an underdog," says Hayden, who through 10 of 17 races has 169 points, 26 ahead of second-place Rossi. Hayden, known in the series as "Kentucky Kid," has only one victory this season but has finished in second or third place 12 times in his last 14 races dating to last year.

MotoGP is popular in Europe, especially in Spain and Italy, where Hayden has quickly become a superstar. He posed in the Italian versions of Vanity Fair and Sport Week magazines and most recently on the cover of Men's Health Italia.

Last year, that celebrity spread to this country, as People magazine named Hayden to its list of "Hottest Bachelors."

Founded in 1949, the MotoGP circuit is the oldest international motor sports series. This year, 15 countries are hosting races, including Spain, Qatar, Turkey, China, France, Italy, the Netherlands, England, Germany, the Czech Republic, Malaysia, Australia, Japan and Portugal.

Hayden's recent success, coupled with the return of MotoGP to the USA, has him hoping international motorcycle racing will begin to grow in his home country.

"I want to see it blow up and become huge," he says.

In 2005, the 17 race weekends averaged about 120,000 spectators each. Mazda Raceway at Laguna Seca in Monterey, Calif., drew more than 153,000 fans. Among them were Michael Jordan and Brad Pitt, who after the race sought out Hayden to congratulate him on his first series victory.

"It was the best day of my life," he says, also because his brothers, Roger Lee, 23, and Tommy, 28, finished fourth and sixth, respectively, in an American Motorcyclist Association Superbike race earlier.

Hayden got his start in professional racing on the AMA Superbike circuit, an 11-race series that tours the USA, winning the 2002 championship before moving to the international scene.

The previous two years, Tommy and Roger Lee finished first and second overall in the AMA Supersport division, winning a combined 15 races in the series over that time.

All three brothers will be back this weekend at Laguna Seca, which after last year's win has been called "Hayden's House."

 

That link's not working for me, but it looks like got the whole article there, anyway.

I will be be rooting for #69 from the corkscrew this weekend

 

Sure it might have been hayden's house last year...but honestly...I just feel an overboding sense that the doctor is going to own. I mean I want nicky to win and dominate, its just I get this feeling...and can't count out MotoCysz (note; Carcasm).