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AMA Pro Superbike
WHITE: Rog Hayden’s Love/Hate Relationship With BMP
Roger Hayden has mixed emotions about Barber Motorsports Park, the scene of some of the highest highs and lowest lows of his racing career.
National Guard Jordan Suzuki's Roger Hayden (Photo: Evan Williams)
If you think the history of a racetrack doesn't play into a racer's mind, think again.
#54 National Guard Jordan Suzuki rider Roger Hayden has an eventful history at Barber Motorsports Park. It starts back in 2004 when he overcame his brother Tommy in an epic Supersport battle to claim his first-ever AMA Pro race win by a scant 0.030 seconds.
Moving on down through the years, in 2006 he won the Supersport race at the track again only to suffer a broken tibia and fibula during a crash in the subsequent Superbike contest.
And in 2008 Hayden was hit by another rider during Superbike qualifying at BMP, a vicious incident in which he broke his back and pelvis and lost his left pinky.
Coming back to Barber after a year away racing World Superbike, I asked Roger about his thoughts returning to the racetrack. He admitted that it's always on his mind coming to Barber. He wants to do well and get out of here unhurt.
When Roger showed up and parked his rental car in the P1 lot this morning where the racers park, he was forced to walk right past the medical center on his way down into the paddock. He thought to himself, 'Tomorrow, I have to adjust my line in the parking lot. I'm going to park on the other side of the parking lot and walk down without looking at the medical center. No matter how beautiful the facilities at Barber Motorsports Park and how great the racetrack is, that's one place I don't want to see.'
It goes to show it's not just about the racer, his motorcycle, and his speed around a given racetrack -- a racer's past history at the venue plays a significant role as well.
PROGRAMMING NOTE: The AMA Pro Road Racing action from Barber Motorsports Park will air on SPEED at midnight ET Saturday night June 18th and midnight ET Saturday night June 18th.
The opinions reflected herein are solely those of the above commentator and are not necessarily those of SPEED.com, FOX, NewsCorp, or SPEED
#54 National Guard Jordan Suzuki rider Roger Hayden has an eventful history at Barber Motorsports Park. It starts back in 2004 when he overcame his brother Tommy in an epic Supersport battle to claim his first-ever AMA Pro race win by a scant 0.030 seconds.
Moving on down through the years, in 2006 he won the Supersport race at the track again only to suffer a broken tibia and fibula during a crash in the subsequent Superbike contest.
And in 2008 Hayden was hit by another rider during Superbike qualifying at BMP, a vicious incident in which he broke his back and pelvis and lost his left pinky.
Coming back to Barber after a year away racing World Superbike, I asked Roger about his thoughts returning to the racetrack. He admitted that it's always on his mind coming to Barber. He wants to do well and get out of here unhurt.
When Roger showed up and parked his rental car in the P1 lot this morning where the racers park, he was forced to walk right past the medical center on his way down into the paddock. He thought to himself, 'Tomorrow, I have to adjust my line in the parking lot. I'm going to park on the other side of the parking lot and walk down without looking at the medical center. No matter how beautiful the facilities at Barber Motorsports Park and how great the racetrack is, that's one place I don't want to see.'
It goes to show it's not just about the racer, his motorcycle, and his speed around a given racetrack -- a racer's past history at the venue plays a significant role as well.
PROGRAMMING NOTE: The AMA Pro Road Racing action from Barber Motorsports Park will air on SPEED at midnight ET Saturday night June 18th and midnight ET Saturday night June 18th.
The opinions reflected herein are solely those of the above commentator and are not necessarily those of SPEED.com, FOX, NewsCorp, or SPEED
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