Nicky Hayden is being inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America

THE Motorsports Hall of Fame of America is opening its door to honour the late, great, Nicky Hayden, otherwise known as the Kentucky Kid, in the class of 2021 inductees. 

You may be wondering if he’s already in a hall of fame - and he is, but that would be the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2018. This one is for Motorsports as a whole in America.

Sportsbikes 2021 Comparison

With a ceremony planned to be held at the M1 Concourse in Michigan, Nicky Hayden will be listed in the 2021 inductees list with the 33rd annual induction ceremony on the 29th of September. The 2020 class is being inducted a few days prior, due to Covid limitations restricting the event last year, with the event being held during a week-long American Speed Festival week.

Nicky Hayden will join other motorcycle legends in the Hall of Fame, including Kenny Roberts, with flat-track racer Chris Carr in the 2020 list. 

The names for each category are chosen by a vote between 200 motorsports experts, half of them being inductees themselves, and one motorsports legend is added to the hall of fame per year, per category. Other categories include Sports cars, Historic, Drag Racing, Open Wheel, and even a category for Media.

Nicky Hayden | Class of 2021 Hall of Fame

Nicky Hayden is fondly remembered as one of the greats of motorcycling, having won a MotoGP championship in 2006 with the Repsol Honda Team. The Kentucky Kid also has a number of other honours dedicated to him, including the FIM naming him a legend prior to the Valencian Grand Prix in 2015, the AMA Horizon award being named in his honour (presented to outstanding amateur riders), turn 18 of the Circuit of the Americas being renamed ‘Hayden Hill’ with 69 sprayed on to the track, and the Mayor of Owensboro renaming June 9th Nicky Hayden day.