Hayden dueled with Australian Mat Mladin in the closing laps of the race, coming up just a few inches short of victory in the second closest finish in the history of the race, which dates back to 1937.

"It was awesome," Hayden said. "I would have liked to have won it really but I think it was a great race and it set the tone for a great first season in superbike for me. I think if we had come in here and not had such a good result we would not have had such a good year. Running good here put the pressure on us for the rest of the year."

Hayden will be 19 when he competes in this year's 60th annual Daytona 200 By Arai on March 11. Even though he's too old to become the youngest winner of the Daytona 200, Hayden is still hungry to win.

"We gained a lot of confidence by having such a good run in the 200," said Hayden, who rides the factory Honda RC51. "One of my goals in 2001 is to come back here and win the Daytona 200. The race could have gone either way really. It's makes you want to come back and win the thing."

Hayden was raised in Owensboro, Ky., a town that has a penchant for producing racers.

On the stock car side, the town has produced three Winston Cup drivers -- Darrell Waltrip is a three-time NASCAR Winston Cup champion and 1989 Daytona 500 winner; Michael Waltrip followed in his older brother's footsteps and drives the No. 15 NAPA Chevrolet for Dale Earnhardt Inc.; and Jeremy Mayfield also competes in the Winston Cup Series driving the No. 12 Mobil 1 Ford.

Owensboro is also the home to the Green brothers, who all compete in the NASCAR Busch Series. Jeff Green won the 2000 NASCAR Busch Series championship, David Green won the 1994 Busch Series championship and Mark Green drives the No. 55 Davis & Weight Motorsports Chevrolet. Even Hayden's two brothers - Tommy and Roger Lee - will compete in this year's Daytona 200.

So what's in the water in Owensboro?
"I don't know what it is about my hometown that produces racers," Hayden said. "It's pretty neat though. In Owensboro, motorsports seems to be pretty big but it's more of a NASCAR town. Not too many people are into bikes but they love racing. "I try to keep up with the (Owensboro) boys and see how they're doing. The Greens had a charity golf tournament and my brothers went there and signed some autographs and donated some things. Mark Green has said that he follows some of my races and that's a good deal." 

Winning the Daytona 200 By Arai would definitely stir up the town of Owensboro and it's a victory coveted by Hayden.  "It's the biggest race in America. I grew up around the race watching it as a kid many a time. It would mean so much to me and Honda to win it."

Riders Preview the event
Mladin - Russell - Hayden - Duhamel

2001 Daytona Preview

The History of Daytona and past winners