• Nicky won the “Rookie of the Year” award in his debut season in Moto GP, finishing 5th overall.
  • Nicky has won at Laguna Seca twice, taking his maiden win in 2005 and en route to his title in 2006. His 2007 attempt was spoilt as he collided with John Hopkins on the first lap and thus retired from his home event. Nicky’s younger brother, Roger Lee, also scored a guest “wildcard” spot in the race and had a much better run than his brother, finishing 10th for Kawasaki
  • Nicky was the last rider to win the Moto GP title in it’s 990cc format, and also the first rider to have beaten Valentino Rossi to the title since the Italian won his first Moto GP title in 2001
  • Nicky became the youngest ever AMA Superbike Champion in 2002 when he defeated 3 time champion, Mat Mladin.
  • Nicky only finished 40 points off 1st place in his first full season in AMA Superbikes in 2001
  • Nicky was named AMA’s athlete of the year in 1999. He also took out the Grand National Championship Rookie of the Year honors.
  • Nicky contested the American round of the World Superbike Championship at Laguna Seca in 2002. He finished a very respectable 4th in the first race before colliding with Nori Haga in the second race to end up 13th
  • Nicky only lacks a win at a mile track to join Dick Mann, Kenny Roberts Snr, Bubba Shobert and Doug Chandler in the prestigious “Grand Slam Club”
  • Nicky won his first Grand National Championsip race, the Hagerstown Half Mile, in 1999
  • In 2002, despite only being able to participate in a few dirt track events, Nicky still managed to win 4 races, including the Springfield Steeplechase, where all 3 Hayden brothers finished on the podium! (Nicky in 1st, Tommy 2nd and Roger Lee 3rd)
  • Nicky’s win at the 2002 Peoria TT is nothing short of legendary, as he broke Chris Carr’s string of thirteen consecutive wins at the venue, depite starting from the penalty line.
  • Nicky lists Bubba Shobert, Will Davis and Lance Armstrong as his heroes
  • Nicky’s favourite foods are pizza and his Mom’s cooking
  • He is a teetotaler
  • He is the middle of 5 children
  • Nicky’s trademark number 69 was originally used by his father, Earl, who joked that he chose it because he was forever crashing and the number could be read upside down!
  • Nicky is one day younger than double Formula 1 champion Fernando Alonso. Both won titles within a week of eachother in 2006, beating a 7 time world champion in the process
  • Nicky’s favourite music is rap and hip hop
  • Nicky owns a house in Newport Beach, California, with his brothers. He still lives at his parents’ house in Owensboro, in a double story garage he converted into his own home/office