Nicky Hayden hometown to unveil statue of champion

2006 MotoGP world champion Nicky Hayden’s hometown of Owensboro, Kentucky will unveil a statue of him later this year as part of what is set to become the annual Nicky Hayden Day to commemorate him following his tragic death last year in a cycling crash.

The statue, replicating Nicky’s iconic victory celebration on the slowing down lap of the 2005 American Grand Prix at Laguna Seca, was commissioned by the City of Owensboro and created by George Lundeen of Lundeen Sculpture in Loveland, Colorado.

It will be unveiled next month, with the 9^th June (6/9) set to become an annual commemoration of the AMA, MotoGP and World Superbike race winners’ life.

“Nicky left us just under a year ago, and we still miss him every day,” said Tommy Hayden, Nicky’s older brother. “We appreciate the support that his fans have given our family during the past 12 months, and we look forward to seeing many of them as we unveil this beautiful tribute to Nicky. We would like to thank the City of Owensboro for their support on this project. Nicky loved this city and took great pride in representing it in a positive way, so it’s appropriate that he’ll be memorialized here.”

“It is with great pride that we as a community have the opportunity to continue ‘The Kentucky Kid’s’ legacy in his hometown,” Mayor Watson said. “We will have a lasting memorial to commemorate his accomplishments to not only OBKY but to the world. I want to thank the Hayden family for allowing us to partner with them on this truly eventful day.”