On the occasion of this week’s induction of Nicky Hayden to the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America, American Honda congratulates the family of the late road race and dirt track star. While the Hall of Fame is located at Daytona International Speedway, this year’s ceremony was held at the M1 Concourse in Pontiac, Michigan.

The award was presented by former Honda team manager Gary Mathers and received by Nicky’s younger brother Roger Hayden; Roger also kicked off the event by riding a lap of honor aboard a Repsol edition CBR1000RR while carrying the American flag, as Nicky often did following his major wins.

Nicky Hayden rode for American Honda-backed teams in AMA road racing classes between 1999 and 2002, earning the AMA 600 Supersport Championship and AMA Pro Athlete of the Year Award in 1999, and the AMA Superbike Championship and Daytona 200 win in 2002. During part of that tenure, he also rode Hondas in a scrappy AMA Flat Track side project, famously joining brothers Tommy and Roger to lead a Hayden-family podium sweep of the 2002 Springfield TT. In 2017, Hayden tragically lost his life in a bicycle accident during a training ride in Italy. In 2018, Hayden was posthumously inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, one of the motorcycling world’s top recognitions.

This week’s honor is more mainstream, as the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America annually recognizes personalities from the entire world of motorsports – including many forms of auto racing, powerboats, aviation and motorcycles.

“On behalf of the entire motorcycling community, congratulations to the Hayden family for this prestigious recognition of Nicky’s accomplishments on and off the track,” said Bill Savino, Senior Manager of Customer Engagement at American Honda. “The Kentucky Kid will always occupy a place in our hearts – as a racer, but especially as a person – and we’re pleased that the Hall of Fame also recognizes how exceptional he was.”