It's official - Nicky Hayden on a Ducati in 2009

[Rich Rohrich]

This just in from Ducati Corse:

Monday Sep 15 2008
Bologna, Italy

NICKY HAYDEN TO JOIN CASEY STONER AT DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM

Full press release at Superbike Planet

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2008/Sep/080915d.htm

Cycle News Online story - http://www.cyclenews.com/ShowStory.asp?HeadlineID=12986


WOOO HOOOOO :yeehaw: :yeehaw: :yeehaw:

 

[jaction125]

Awesome news, but not much of a surprise. They sure did drag this announcement out.

Maybe he can finally put a Duc on top of the box.

:cool:

 

[SpDyKen]

Awesome news, but not much of a surprise. They sure did drag this announcement out.

Maybe he can finally put a Duc on top of the box.

:cool:

I don't think they put them any higher than Casey Stoner has in the last two years, IMHO.

I just hope Ducati Course gives Nicky what he needs to get the job done. Interesting that Honda waited this season, until Indy, to do so.

Rich, I bet it was impressive to be there, live, to experience it.

Nicky really showed his heart, skill, and determination, this weekend, from what I saw on the Euro-Sport broadcast. His last-lap, outside, late corner, re-pass on Lorenzo was bold, and really showed how bad he wanted to do well there, IMHO. :cool: :nod: :boss:

My congratulations to Ben Spies for his very competitive 6th place finish, as well. A very impressive finish racing against the best racers in the world. He is without doubt a rising star to watch.

Maybe Ducati will pick him up, as well. Wow, would that be a team; Casey, Nicky & Ben!

 

[jaction125]

I would say Ben's chances are almost nil for a GP ride at this point. His $2 million salary, no suzuki spots, among other issues that will keep him out of GP. He and Mladdin make more than any rider in the WSBK paddock. Next year will see a bunch of US riders heading to WSBK, and a bunch of WSBK guys heading to whatever the hell they are going to do with the AMA series.


My money says Ben ends up with a WSBK ride for '09.

 

[SpDyKen]

By the way, I do not think I have ever read more kind and respectful words in a press release announcing the departure of a rider from a team, as what I read here: http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2008/Sep/080915a.htm

Nicky is a true gentleman, a good guy, and a great ambassador for the sport. I commend Honda for recognizing it when they wrote their press release.

It's been a class act by all involved. My hat is off to Honda. :cool:

 

[jaction125]

I agree, very nice printed words right there.


But, after winning a world championship for them, and the very next season sticking Nicky on the #2 bike, Honda can stick all the nice words they want where the sun don't shine. I heard there was literally a wall between the two bikes in the Honda pit at Indy.

They burned Rossi out of the tent also, and that was just plain stupid.

IMHO, of course.

;)

 

[SpDyKen]

I would say Ben's chances are almost nil for a GP ride at this point. His $2 million salary, no suzuki spots, among other issues that will keep him out of GP. He and Mladdin make more than any rider in the WSBK paddock. Next year will see a bunch of US riders heading to WSBK, and a bunch of WSBK guys heading to whatever the hell they are going to do with the AMA series.


My money says Ben ends up with a WSBK ride for '09.

I agree with much of what you say. You probably meant to say this, I would suspect: "I would say Ben's chances are almost nil for a GP ride next year, anyway, at this point."

Randy Mamola, Toby Moody, and (?) Julian Ryder said that they had heard that Ben has already signed to race in the US again next year. Like you, I too was expecting (& hoping,) Ben would end up racing WSB next year.

IMHO, Ben will end up racing in MotoGP, eventually. Mat Mladin has taught him well, however, to take care of business, first, and put his ego second. :nod:

 

[jaction125]

I agree with much of what you say. You probably meant to say this, I would suspect: "I would say Ben's chances are almost nil for a GP ride next year, anyway, at this point."

Randy Mamola, Toby Moody, and (?) Julian Ryder said that they had heard that Ben has already signed to race in the US again next year. Like you, I too was expecting (& hoping,) Ben would end up racing WSB next year.

IMHO, Ben will end up racing in MotoGP, eventually. Mat Mladin has taught him well, however, to take care of business, first, and put his ego second. :nod:

:nod:
Yup. 100%

 

[SpDyKen]

IMHO, Ben will end up racing in MotoGP, eventually. Mat Mladin has taught [EDIT;] Ben, and his Mom, Mary, well, however, to take care of business, first, and put his ego second. :nod:

Rumor is that Ben was close to signing a deal to ride a MGP bike, but that his mom 'interferred.'

May well be complete B.S., though.

Still someone to watch....

 

[Rich Rohrich]

I don't think they put them any higher than Casey Stoner has in the last two years, IMHO.

I just hope Ducati Course gives Nicky what he needs to get the job done. Interesting that Honda waited this season, until Indy, to do so.

Rich, I bet it was impressive to be there, live, to experience it.

Nicky really showed his heart, skill, and determination, this weekend, from what I saw on the Euro-Sport broadcast. His last-lap, outside, late corner, re-pass on Lorenzo was bold, and really showed how bad he wanted to do well there, IMHO.

Nicky was unreal during the dry qualifying on Saturday. He was at the top of the board for a good part of the session, and he was riding with a level of aggression I haven't seen since Rossi put that underpowered Yamaha on the top at South Africa a few years ago. The bike was slithering and sliding everywhere but he kept it wicked up. He rode no less inspired in the wet on Sunday. I'm convinced if the track would have stayed wet a little longer in the early laps then Nicky could have have beaten even Rossi. Nicky seemed to have everyone covered till his tires went off, and even with the tires fried he was driving it into the wet corners so hard and so deep even Chris Carr would have blinked.

The highlight of the weekend was the Mile race. Before the main they introduced Kenny Roberts and the applause was near deafening, when they introduced Nicky a little later and he hobbled up on stage with his crutches the roar was so loud the local airport complained about the noise. :)

It was great to hear Nicky say, this isn't like a race weekend appearance for the sponsors, no one had to twist his arm to come to the Indy Mile.

Dirt track is too cool and way too exciting to be treated as a second tier niche sport. Hopefully Mike Kidd can help move it forward. That totally packed house (it was JAMMED) at Indy Saturday night was filled with some seriously rabid fans, and I'm sure there are more out there just waiting to experience hard core American style racing. :cool:

I've seen a lot of dirt track races in my time but this was my first mile, but it won't be my last. I'll be there next year come hell or high water (oh wait, we already had that ;) )