Roger Lee Hayden drops out of Daytona 200

Maybe he has figured out that the DMG and AMA don't give a rats ... about safety and is waiting for a better time to disclose that as his reason.

With rumors of the series making moves to tracks like Portland and other US road circuits that are no where near as safe as even Laguna, it shows that the series is trying to make inroads in areas that would love to have a race, but at the cost of rider safety.

Its a personal issue. I thinking we should leave it at that and save the implications to his career alone for the moment. Sometimes life interrupts career.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Hayden Fan @ Feb 28 2009, 08:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Maybe he has figured out that the DMG and AMA don't give a rats ... about safety and is waiting for a better time to disclose that as his reason.

With rumors of the series making moves to tracks like Portland and other US road circuits that are no where near as safe as even Laguna, it shows that the series is trying to make inroads in areas that would love to have a race, but at the cost of rider safety.
lol where the hell do you get your information? It would be cool if they went to portland though haha since i race there

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Noodlerizer @ Mar 1 2009, 02:10 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>lol where the hell do you get your information? It would be cool if they went to portland though haha since i race there

I heard it on some podcast. They mentioned the track as they were saying that the AMA were looking to expand to areas in the Pacific Northwest, New England, the central USA (Kansas,Dakotas,Nebraska), and doing so, could be dumbing down their safety requirements to run circuits like Portland, Watkins Glen, Lime Rock Park, Heartland Park (not a place bikes or cars should race. A bad circuit to begin with).

But as a rider, you do admit that Portland is not a very safe circuit. The final corner has no run off. It is like Indy. You have the wall. That is it. And a concrete wall is not very forgiving. Oh, you have the tires before the wall earlier into the corner. Oh, yeah, that'll keep a few less bones from breaking.

HF - what's your opinion of the Macau GP and Isle of Man TT safety-wise? Just curious...

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Mick D @ Mar 1 2009, 08:43 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>HF - what's your opinion of the Macau GP and Isle of Man TT safety-wise? Just curious...

Hell no! Running cars, let along bikes around Macau is not very safe. Isle of Man is unquestionably unsafe. Over 200 deaths in it's history just proves that safety record.

I am not saying every race needs to be a MotoGP event in the form of safety, but ...., it is people we are talking about. The AMA is a joke. Running races with tracks built with hay bails and traffic cones inside ovals is sickening for a pro series.

I look at the British SBK series. You could place a round of MotoGP at nearly every circuit and pass safety regulations. Outside Laguna (which had to re-built to meet rules, and is pushing the regs) and Miller Park, there is no tracks in the US that could do the same. That is the reason I feel Indy was chosen for the second US race. The promoters were willing to change the circuit. If Road American or Road Atlanta could have spent a little money to update their circuits, they could have had a MotoGP or WSBK round.

Bike racing in the US is a joke. I heard this the other day about the AMA. Road Racing in the US was pretty much created, not because of the demand, but because it felt like their just should be a series. For the first 15 or so years of the series, it was really nothing. Factory support was low, the talent pool was low. It was a mess that could have been killed off with little in the way to stop it.

And even now, it is only propped up by the factories. Once they pull out, DMG-AMA is dead.

Back to safety. You need to feel safe on the bike around a race track at 120 mph. You need to feel that if you fall, you have the runoff to avoid death or serious injury. And places like Portland (a favorite of mine when Champ Car ran the circuit) Watkins Glen, Lime Rock Park, just do not have those. I crashed on the final corner on Lime Rock in a car, and let me tell you, it hurt. I went through the foam, and the tires, tearing the Formula Ford style car apart, at over 90mph as the barrier was only about 20 feet off the race circuit. Now do that on a bike. They have track days at the circuit, but those are much different than race conditions. You go into a corner at a track day not thinking much of who's around you. You do not push to go over the limit. In racing conditions you do. You rub against each other. You drift into another riders lane. Watkins Glen has Armco barriers all around the circuit. Other than the paved first corner and the gravel covered heel of the boot section, there is no place on the circuit that has more than 10-20 feet of run off into a corner.

So what could possibly be going through the minds of those pro bike racers who choose to race at, and even enjoy the unique challenges presented by circuits such as Macau and IoM?

Mentioning expanding into New England. That might be Loudon. I live 2 hours from Loudon, and have done a 1/2 dozen trackdays there. There is a reason that AMA left there a ways back. Fun small track, but lots of concrete and walls that wiz by just feet away.

I dug around a little. The last test at Fontana the beginning of February, Roger was off the pace. Something is up. DOn't know if its nerves, or that he pissed at not having a ride in the premier series.

Unofficial Best Lap Times (as reported by each rider’s team):

1. Tommy Hayden (Suz GSX-R1000), American Superbike, 1:24.3
2. Neil Hodgson (Hon CBR1000RR), American Superbike, 1:25.0
3. Mat Mladin (Suz GSX-R1000), American Superbike, 1:25.3
4. Ben Bostrom (Yam YZF-R1), American Superbike, 1:25.64
5. Larry Pegram (Duc 1098R), American Superbike, 1:25.68
6. Blake Young (Suz GSX-R1000), American Superbike, 1:25.78
7. Josh Hayes (Yam YZF-R1), American Superbike, 1:26.5
8. Jake Zemke (Hon CBR600RR), Daytona SportBike, 1:29.3
9. Jamie Hacking (Kaw ZX-6R), Daytona SportBike, 1:29.4
10. Josh Herrin (Yam YZF-R6), Daytona SportBike, 1:29.7
11. Tommy Aquino (Yam YZF-R6), Daytona SportBike, 1:29.9
12. Chris Peris (Hon CBR600RR), Daytona SportBike, 1:30.2
13. Roger Hayden (Kaw ZX-6R), Daytona SportBike, 1:31.7
14. Tyler Odom (Hon CBR600RR), SuperSport, no time reported

Well I heard that Roger got sloppy seconds after Nicky got done banging Stoner's Wife, but forgot a rubber, Nicky offered his used, but Rog declined. Those STDs can really slow ya down.....

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Noodlerizer @ Mar 1 2009, 06:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Well I heard that Roger got sloppy seconds after Nicky got done banging Stoner's Wife, but forgot a rubber, Nicky offered his used, but Rog declined. Those STDs can really slow ya down.....
Sounds like you speak from experience. But really Noodez, it might be better to defer jokes until we know what's what. Its not like Roger to throw in the towel. He recovered from serious injury that would hav had anyone second guess, he came back and did well enough; and we know the guy has the guts and professionalism. Something is up, I don't know what, but I'm gonna cut the guy some slack.

Looks like AMA Red Bull Rookies cup Leandro Mercado will be riding the Attack Kawasaki at Daytona.

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2009/Mar/090302mm3ws.htm

Yeah. They actually tested at the same track where I do my trackdays. Nicky Hayden was here supporting his brother Tommy just last week. LINK

The Kawasaki's were here too, but oddly Roger Lee was absent. (Which alerted me to the subsequent announcement that he would withdraw from Daytona). This kid Mercado was riding the Attack Kawasaki, which I thought interesting at the time.

BTW, here is a pic of Nicky at the track that day.

6233:Nicky_at..._Springs.jpg]

Seriously, people are going to start thinking I stalk the guy. I can't help it though, they do alot of events just driving distance from my pad, so hey, it's like a motogp star in your backyard, who wouldn't go right?

So Jum, how long until NH gets the restraining order against you? I mean, he has to recognize you by now. How many times has he seen you lurking in the shadows, peering at him from a distance? Seriously, you've bumped into him 'by chance' on numerous occasions. Just admit it, Jum, you stalk the guy. I shouldn't talk though, if BBoz lived anywhere near me I'd probably be in a similar situation.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jumkie @ Mar 2 2009, 02:15 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Sounds like you speak from experience. But really Noodez, it might be better to defer jokes until we know what's what. Its not like Roger to throw in the towel. He recovered from serious injury that would hav had anyone second guess, he came back and did well enough; and we know the guy has the guts and professionalism. Something is up, I don't know what, but I'm gonna cut the guy some slack.
Yeah probably not good to joke around right now. I met Roger last year at Laguna and he is a really cool guy, he showed me his pinky stub haha. Anyways Roger could just need more time to get his body and head back into it. I had a bad crash the beginning of last year and detached a ligament in my thumb would made it impossible to grip the throttle. I was in a cast for 3 1/2 months and when i got back on the track I was way off the pace, getting lapped at the end, I even pulled in early on a couple races because I just could not get it going. It took me until November to get going again. It could be the same with Rog, he does not wanna get out there and get smoked.

Whatever is going on with him it seems to be temporary as I read somewhere that Kawasaki expect him back soon.
I can't help but think that maybe he got hooked on pain killers during his recovery and he just needs to get that out of his system. This is just my theory, I have not read or heard thats the issue nor am I saying that RL Hayden is a drug addict, it happens to everyone. If my theory is true, he has a great family and that will only help him get back to where he needs to be.

He does.

I hope it is not the case though. I've seen it with a mate who had a really bad accident (he had to jump out of a burning house) and it is really horrible, especially if you still have what are minor but chronic pains from the accident.

PS: Jumkie, I expect you to be at Daytona today stalking Nicky