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#4 Nicky Hayden
Nicknamed 'The Kentucky Kid', Nicky Hayden is the last American to have tasted considerable success in MotoGP. As a 21-year-old youngster, Hayden won the MotoAmerica Superbike Championships and his talent caught the eye of Team Repsol Honda who offered him a contract for the 2003 season.
In his very first season, he won the Rookie of the Year Award finishing 5th in the title race. It was only in 2005 when he really began to find his footing in MotoGP. He won his first MotoGP race in 2005 at Laguna, California. This made the win all the more sweet. He would finish third in the standings.
The crowning moment of Hayden's season came in the 2006 season. A mistake from his teammate Dani Pedrosa at Estoril and the ensuing crash that followed almost robbed Hayden of a sure shot title.
But lady luck smiled in Hayden's favour as Rossi was unable to capitalize by crashing in the final round which Hayden would go on to win. Hayden with only 2 wins to Rossi's 5 race wins pipped 'The Doctor' to the title.
Hayden would wind up his MotoGP career in 2016 after racing for Ducati and Honda Aspar. A move to Superbike World Championship followed. He tragically died in 2017 after being hit by a speeding car in Italy. His legacy will live on in the hearts of MotoGP fans the world over.
