Nicky Hayden: AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Class of 2018

Nicky Hayden was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame during the 2018 American Honda AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Dec. 7 at the Hilton Columbus/Polaris in Columbus, Ohio. Known as “The Kentucky Kid,“ Hayden, of Owensboro, Ky., was a force on the American motorcycle racing scene before taking his talent to the world stage, ultimately winning motorcycle racing's grandest championship, the FIM MotoGP title in 2006. Born in 1981, Hayden raced flat track and road raced Yamaha YSR50s and then Honda RS125s as a youngster. With the full support of his family, especially parents Rose and Earl Hayden, Nicky Hayden's story was a classic tale of an American grassroots racer accelerating through the ranks. In 1997, he capped his amateur career with the first-ever AMA Horizon Award, presented for his triumphs in flat track. The award signified that Hayden had proven himself to be the amateur racer with the brightest potential for continued success in the pro ran