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THE END OF AN
ERA
ROGER HAYDEN
“This is not something I’ve decided lightly,” Hayden explained. “I’ve been thinking about this for a while. I’ve been going to races on the weekends since I was nine and I just thought it was the right time to move on to the next chap- ter in my life. I want to spend more time with my wife and maybe do some traveling and start a family at some point soon.”
After a long and fruitful business relationship with Yoshimura Suzuki, the Japanese manufac- turer is surely attempting to find a way in which Hayden could continue to participate in the sport and remain a member of the Suzuki family.
“I would like to stay involved in racing in some way. I enjoy working with the young riders com- ing up and we’ll see what the future holds,” he said.
The groundwork has already been laid by multi- time AMA Superbike Champion and longtime competitor, Josh Hayes, as he’s stepped into
a new role with the Yamaha Factory team as a rider coach, test rider, and ambassador. Roger’s veteran presence and countless years of ex- perience would undoubtedly be a great help to Suzuki or any other brand that would be willing to employ him in his post-racing career in order to pass down grassroots values and mentality that have spurred him along to a lengthy career as a professional.
Fans of Roger and the Hayden family will have the opportunity to show their support for Owens- boro native at the final two rounds of the Mo- toAmerica season. The penultimate round of the series at New Jersey Motorsports Park is set to take place on the second weekend of Septem- ber while the final round of the year at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama will take place on September 21 - 23.
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