Sam Drane won the 2026 Nicky Hayden AMA Road Race Horizon Award. Drane is the second racer to complete the feat in the last two years alongside Paige, a fellow Aussie.
This is a press release from the AMA…
Pickerington, OH (July 27, 2026) — The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) congratulates Sam Drane of Forbes, Australia—the winner of the 2026 Nicky Hayden AMA Road Race Horizon Award—alongside all the special award winners, which took place at the 2026 AMA Road Race Grand Championship at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.
Drane emerged from the pack of riders by showcasing the necessary skill, determination and demeanor that exemplified the late Nicky Hayden, an AMA Hall of Famer, and set him up to excel at the professional level of racing. He joins Dallas Daniels and Bodie Paige as the only riders to earn two Horizon Awards in one year—after he earned the 2026 Nicky Hayden AMA Flat Track Horizon Award at the AMA Flat Track Grand Championship—and is the second racer to complete the feat in the last two years alongside Paige, a fellow Aussie.
“Sam stood out for a variety of reasons, but his speed on the track coupled with his character made him the perfect choice for this year’s honor,” AMA Track Racing Manager Ken Saillant said. “Sam is well-deserving of this award and continues to make history as he gets ready to make the jump to the next level. I look forward to seeing Sam continue to race at a high level as a professional.”
Named in honor of Hayden’s memory by the AMA Board of Directors in 2017, the Nicky Hayden AMA Road Race Horizon Award is given to the rider that best represents Hayden’s qualities of professionalism, civility, grit and determination, in addition to their performance on the track.
As Drane raced his way to the highest honor in amateur road racing, a pair of other competitors were also recognized for their accomplishments during the AMA Road Race Grand Championship.
Additionally, the AMA congratulates AMA Amateur Road Racer of the Year Adam Beldyga and AMA Vet/Senior Road Racer of the Year Alex Irzyk.
For the first time in the event’s history, the AMA Road Race Grand Championship ran alongside Permco AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days presented by Turn 14 Distribution, with riders taking to the iconic 2.4-mile road racing course at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.
To learn more about the AMA’s road racing efforts, visit AmericanMotorcyclist.com/racing/track-racing/road-racing/ .
