Nicky Hayden at the Indy GP press conference.

OK, ladies and gentlemen, at the far end of the table again another American rider, probably happier to be in Indy than anybody else, Nicky Hayden, 2006 World Champion.

Nicky, it's a special day, isn't it?

NICKY HAYDEN: Yeah, it really is. I mean to be racing so close to home, it just doesn't even seem real. Yesterday driving up here, you know, I was halfway here before -- or most trips I would just be getting to the airport. I've never really road-raced any closer to home in my life. It's only like three, maybe three hours pushing it, no stops. Normally go to the airport, wait, fly to Chicago and then halfway around the world. Even growing up as a kid I didn't really road-race a lot real close to home once I started; I was already traveling. It's an awesome opportunity for me and also I think for MotoGP. There's a lot of people in the East Coast, you know, California is a long way away, they can't afford to go out there, even make the trip out to the West Coast to be able to come here to the East Coast. I think IMS and Red Bull and a lot of people have worked really hard to make this happen. Yeah, hopefully get some good weather and have a big weekend.

MODERATOR: And you personally fitness-wise, obviously missed Misano, we've seen you coming in on the crutches, how is the heel?

HAYDEN: It's all right; it's a little bit better than Misano, for sure. This track going left will be a lot better, but honestly I hoped to be more healed by then. I had some doctors saying it's going to take a while and being a racer you think, no, and go get another opinion and find somebody who says I'll be all right quicker. It's taken awhile, and it's just the wrong part of the foot that I broke. It's been slow but, yeah, I'll be all right here this weekend going left. So it's certainly been another tough year for me and probably the worst, honestly, if I'm honest, probably the worst season of my career so far. So things change quick in racing and no better time to try to turn it around than right here at home. I know we have a few things going against us, but hopefully this weekend coming to the track -- I think racing inside an oval, this feels natural to me. I grew up Vegas, Daytona, a lot of tracks inside an oval like this. So should feel pretty comfortable.

MODERATOR: And the future, Nicky, I don't expect you'll tell us at this moment, but we thought there might be an announcement this weekend, can you tell us time scale?

HAYDEN: It's looking like World Superbike with Aprilia. (Laughter)

MODERATOR: Could you have a word with Colin first?

HAYDEN: It's no secret; everybody knows where my next stop is going to be. But officially we're waiting on to do it the right way until the releases come out because there's teams and stuff. I'm looking forward to it. I know it's going to be a big change for me, and hopefully probably in the next, you know, announcement will be coming soon. But still, there's five races to go this season. That's a lot of racing. I have had a long history with Honda, and I don't have -- sure, things here lately have kind of went, you know, kind of turned ugly with everything going on, all the drama. But still, we've had a lot of good races together, won championships in the AMA, and obviously the World Championship was the big one. Sure, every day wasn't just a big holiday but we had some good days, and I'm really grateful for the opportunity they gave me. But I think it's, you know, it's time to move on, try something different. But we'll worry about that later and for now just focus on this weekend and try to go out in a good way together.

MODERATOR: Nicky, thank you. We look forward to the announcement. Thank you very much.

HAYDEN: All right. Thanks.

MODERATOR: Any questions, ladies and gentlemen?

Q: One question for Nicky. I wanted to know what do you think about Dani Pedrosa and the Bridgestone tires and if you asked for the last five races.

HAYDEN: Well, I mean that's quite a touchy subject, but I mean, I was shocked like when everybody else -- but no, I wasn't asked and I just kind of heard it on the street. In Misano before the race they told me. I couldn't, you know -- yeah, I think I couldn't believe it, about like everyone else. So, yeah, I'm not really sure what's there to say. Don't really change a whole lot for me. You know, it's one less rider on Michelin, which I think hurts. It's getting close to being spec tire now, you know. There's really only five or six guys left that aren't on Bridgestone. So, yeah, it really don't change a whole lot other than the wall down the middle of the garage. Honestly, there was already a bit of a wall there. So not a lot's changed. I think it will be certainly a lot of drama. And just MotoGP, never a dull day. There's always something going on.

MODERATOR: Anybody else, ladies and gentlemen?

Q: Question for Dani. Dani, you tested the new engine, as well, in Misano? Will you have it here? Are you going to ride it or will you have one old and one new bike?

PEDROSA: No, for the moment two new ones.

Q: Nick, do you expect to do the rest of the season with Honda? There are rumors that you guys are going to split.

HAYDEN: No, I expect -- I mean unless they tell me, no, I don't have any intention not to do the rest of the season. I mean that seems crazy. I honestly haven't really -- that's what people thought after Misano and everything had happened, but no, I plan on -- I owe it to Honda to go out. I think they know that, at least the guys in my team know I'm not going to lay down until the very end, until Valencia. So, no, I fully plan on doing the whole season unless they lock the door over there on me, I plan on going in there and getting on the bike. (Laughter)
That could happen. I mean, you know. There's probably people in that box that if I didn't show up probably would never notice. (Laughter) But I plan on going.

MODERATOR: Anybody else, ladies and gentlemen?

HAYDEN: I'm not trying to be funny or giving one-liners.

EDWARDS: No, that was funny. (Laughter)

anyone got a video of this?