The Questions With Nicky Hayden
What was yourwelcome-to-pro-motorcycling moment?
Standing on thepodium in Australia midway through my rookie year [2003]. It was a goodfeeling, seeing the huge crowd and watching them raise my flag.
Your mostembarrassing moment?
Racing inWisconsin, I jumped the start. Not by a little--I jumped way too big. I made agrade-school error and got to look like a fool on live TV.
If I weren'tracing motorcycles, I'd be ...
That's tough.I've been racing my whole life. So have my brothers. My dad did it. I triedother sports, but I didn't have a good jump shot and I couldn't hit a fastball.In school I was pretty terrible--so this has been my meal ticket. I guess I'dbe back in Owensboro, Kentucky, working at my dad's used car lot buffingcars.
If I werecommissioner for a day, I'd ...
add another racein the U.S. [to two per year]. Spain's got three races. We could have one inFlorida or Atlanta--somewhere close to home.
LAST WEEK
Hayden's July 23 victory in Los Angeles kept him in first place in the MotoGPstandings--the only U.S. rider in the top six.
THIS WEEK
Hayden, 25, will be training at home in Owensboro, in advance of the Aug. 20Czech Grand Prix.
PHOTO
TOM HEVEZI/AP (HAYDEN HEAD SHOT)
PHOTO
TONY AVELAR/AP (HAYDEN RIDING)