Why does his tragic passing make me think of Bob
Wollek's somewhat similar bicycling accident, whilst pedaling back to his
lodgings after practice for the 2001 12 Hours of Sebring event...
I first became aware of "the Kentucky
Kid's" unfortunate death whilst watching the Monaco GP race's replay
Sunday evening, (May 28) when one of the announcers noted how Lewis Hamilton
was sporting the #69 on his helmet in tribute to the passing of ex-MotoGP and
World Superbike's rider Nicky Hayden, for which I've subsequently learned occurred
on May 22nd.
Hayden, just over two months shy of his 36th
birthday died in hospital five days after having collided with an automobile
while out training on his bicycle in Italy.
Fortunately, I had the good pleasure of
witnessing Nicky in action twice at the top of his profession, i.e.; MotoGP,
albeit frustratingly for Hayden on the recalcitrant Ducati, first at Mother
Speedway in 2010 and then again at COTA, nee Circuit Of The Americas in 2014, languishing
towards the rear of the field on the Open Class Asper Racing Honda.
As Nicky was one Bad Arse Kneedragger,
becoming America's latest MotoGP world champion Wayback in Twenty-oh-Six when
he snapped The Doctor's nee Valentino Rossi's five year reign as Numero Uno!
Not to mention always being a threat at the legendous' Laguna Seca Raceway
where he won two-thirds of his MotoGP victories.
Yet for Mwah, in
spite of all his accomplishments On-track, when I think of Nicky, I tend to
recall him sporting a leather helmet atop a vintage Scooter' when taking some
ceremonial Demonstration laps around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in '08 to
help promote the arrival of MotoGP at the Brickyard...
R.I.P.
NICKY!