He wasn't just one of us, he was the best of us, on and off track. Still can't believe this is real. Fuck man. That guy was my hero. Like many others, "celebrity" deaths have never gotten to me. The closest thing to it is just when any racer passes, I could empathize more. But this just fucking hurts. RIP Nicky
The heart of a champion, a genuinely great person and some trendy hair hair through the years. RIP champ. Too soon.
Awesome rider and a worthy champion that represented the United States of America well. You may be gone but will not be forgotten. Godspeed Nicky
It's OK, I'm just back home again, time to fire up the videos, but we can still clink glass at 10 PM with everyone else too I'm confident it is a hard hard day too for a lot of journalists (yourself included) who had many talks with Nicky.
Terrible news. Man. Nicky was everything you imagined or wanted a racer could be. So many years cheering for the kid. I really don't know what to say. Godspeed.
My son is 7 years old. He is named Hayden, after our last World Champion. I am deeply saddened by the reality that my boy will never get to meet the man that inspired me to give him his name. I was hoping, like a lot of you that Nick would "come Home" in a few years. And be the Legend around the track like Nixon, or springsteen, or any other of the old guard that walk among us mortal folk. He was supposed to be the guy that would sit there and smile while men spin tall tales to their children about the hero that is mere feet from them. The kids would look at their fathers and roll their eyes in disbelief. The Dad would be awestruck with hero worship. The God among men would give a warm smile, a firm handshake, tousle the hair of the little kid, and be on his way to the next dad walking with a little kid. That is what was supposed to be the life of OUR CHAMPION. GodSpeed Nick. You are our Hero. Keep Smiling KentuckyKid
I have watched the MotoGP.com tribute video a dozen times and end up tearing up everytime. I will never look at my RC51 the same again and am already looking to change it to his AMA paint scheme. Godspeed Nicky.
This does sucks. Stuff happens too fast, last race I was already thinking what Nicky would be doing next year..... Gotta live in the moment. Only consolation is that Nicky lived more in his 35 years than most people will in a life time.
My last post on here was 2 years ago, this unfortunate event brought me back. I was lucky to be at the Laguna Moto GP in 2006 and see Nicky win, what an incredible day that was. From a fellow Kentuckian, RIP Nicky. I always pulled for you champ.
I ordered the Nicky Hayden 6 Arai to wear for the rest of the season and however many more to come. And a few 69 stickers for the race bike. While we've all been fans I think you'll see mementos all over the paddocks across the US for years to come. And as someone said it earlier, he was the best of us.
This one is cool. Brian J. is a great photog. 2002 http://www.motoamerica.com/brians-best-motoamerica-racing-photos-part-20 -jim
