On May 22, 2017, the world lost the “Kentucky Kid,” Nicky Hayden. With countless fans around the globe, the impact of Nicky’s death was felt far beyond Owensboro, the town he called home. On June 8, 2018, to honor Nicky’s life, the City of Owensboro and the Hayden family unveiled a bronze statue of the champion racer on the front lawn of the Owensboro Convention Center. At the unveiling, Mayor Tom Watson declared the following day, June 9, Nicky Hayden day, in reference to his racing number, 69.
Inscribed on the monument:
Nicky Hayden was born on July 30, 1981. He was the son of Earl and Rose Hayden the middle child of five, with two brothers and two sisters. Motorcycle racing was everything for the Hayden family. But that was especially true of Nicky. As soon as he could walk he was riding minibikes at the family’s home in Owensboro, Kentucky. Already declaring that he would become a world champion.
For an example of how far hard work and strong values can take a person, one need look no further than Nicky’s career, which evolved form amateur track and road racing to the AMA National Championship Series and eventually the FIM MotoGP and World Superbike Series. In 2006, he achieved his childhood dream of becoming a world champion.
Along the way, Nicky’s talent, charisma, dedication and kindness garnered legions of fame around the world. But even as an international superstar, his family was his anchor and the reason that he always returned to his beloved OWB.
On May 22, 2017, Nicholas Patrick Hayden’s life was cut short following a training accident on his bicycle in Italy.
This statue was created to help keep his famous smile alive for many years to come.