Nicky Hayden’s Hometown Unveils Statue to Honour the Racing Champion
It was revealed recently that late MotoGP world champion Nicky Hayden will have a memorial statue set up in his hometown Kentucky.
(Image taken from Motorcycle .com)
Now, a month later, the City of Owensboro has unveiled his statue on June 8th. The statue was erected to celebrate the life and accomplishments of the motorcycle road racing champion Nicky Hayden, who was born and raised in the city.
Located at the front lawn of the Owensboro Convention Center, the ceremony was reported to be a part of a regular summer event called Friday After 5. Both locals and fans from as far as the U.K. attended the ceremony, where the Mayor Tom Watson also announced that June 9th will be Nicky Hayden Day - a reference to Hayden’s racing number, 69.
“We were proud to unveil the statue today honoring Nicky,” said Mayor Watson.
“He was not only a world-class motorcycle champion, he was a world-class person, and we are proud that he called Owensboro home. We know his legacy will live on forever.”
According to the press release, the statue was commissioned by the city and the Hayden family. The bronze sculpture - created by Loveland, Colorado’s George Lundeen - showed a smiling Nicky on his motorbike carrying the American flag.
Hayden’s older brother, Tommy, said: “This event and this sculpture mean a great deal to our family.”
“In the year since his death, we’ve been blown away by the outpouring of support from locals and people all over the world. A number of Nicky’s fans have told me that they would like to have a destination where they can pay their respects to their hero, and this statue will serve that purpose. In addition, I hope it will serve as a tangible reminder to Owensboro citizens that it’s possible to achieve great things while remaining true to your community, just like Nicky did.”
The statue is only one of the many tributes for the late racer. The American Motorcycle Association and American Honda will also be paying tribute to Hayden with two custom motorbikes, while Arai Helmet Limited is releasing a special helmet model to honour the former world champion.