Roger Hayden Talks Laguna
Andrea Wilson | July 18, 2015
PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN J. NELSON
MONTEREY, CA, JULY 18—Roger Hayden is long overdue for a Superbike win, could tomorrow’s MotoAmerica Superbike/Superstock 1000 doubleheader at Laguna Seca be the one?
The Yoshimura Suzuki rider has done well at the classic circuit in Monterey and the technical 2.238-mile track could level the playing field a bit against the dominant Monster Energy Graves Yamaha duo of Josh Hayes and Cameron Beaubier. He joins the pair on the front row in third, but the youngest Hayden brother acknowledged that while the track suits his bike, it was not going to be easy.
“Yeah, this track I think suits our bike pretty good, but taking it to these two [Josh Hayes and Cameron Beaubier] isn’t very easy at any track,” Hayden said. “I wish it would be easy but it never is.”
Even so, Hayden brings the confidence that comes with having a bike that’s on point and his team behind him.
“The bike’s working good,” he said. “The team’s constantly trying to find some things to make the bike better. Everybody on the team wants to win. I want to win. So we’re always pushing hard trying to catch these two.”
Laguna Seca has sentimental value for the Hayden clan as a whole, and his parents and older brothers are present this weekend to support Roger.
“Yeah, it sure is nice to have both my brothers here and our parents,” He said. “Laguna’s one of those special places. It just has that feeling when you pull in. It has a lot of history and stuff like that, so it’s always a little extra exciting to come here. This is a rider’s track I think. You got to ride it pretty hard. It’s a pretty physical track. It seems like you’re always working it.”
Andrea Wilson | Managing Editor
Andrea has been shooting everything from flat track to road racing in her job as a professional freelance photographer, but she's made the move to a full-time staff position at Cycle News where her love of all things motorcycling will translate well. Wilson has proven her worth as more than a photographer as she migrates to the written word with everything from race coverage to interviews.
