look at what my brother Dan got me for Christmas!



it’s an official shirt from the now defunct Hayate Racing Team which carried on with the Ninja ZX-RR after Kawasaki withdrew from MotoGP at the end of 2008. Hayate’s existence only lasted for the 2009 MotoGP season during which they shut up their critics with an astounding second place finish by rider Marco Melandri at the French Grand Prix.

to me, Hayate embodied the true spirit of motorsport: they didn’t have the money, the factory support or even a terribly competitive bike but with sheer grit, determination, and talent, they managed to achieve some amazing results. watch out for them next year as they return to MotoGP under the Forward Racing banner with Colin Edwards on the BMW-powered Suter. i can’t wait.

i know i, for one, will be wearing this proudly at the Indianapolis Grand Prix next year.