AMA Supersport Championship leader Roger Hayden will not attempt to race this weekend at California Speedway. Hayden broke his right tibia and fibula and dislocated his right foot in a crash during the AMA Superbike race April 23 at Barber Motorsports Park, after he won the second AMA Supersport race of the season and extended his Championship points lead. He had surgery at the hands of Dr. Arthur Ting to screw and plate the fractures back together April 24 and immediately began working toward racing at California Speedway with a goal of at least riding around to salvage some Championship points from the event. In the end, however, Hayden chose not to try and race. “I’m done,” Hayden told Roadracingworld.com Saturday evening in the paddock of California Speedway. “I knew it was going to be a long shot to ride this week, but I just wanted to keep trying and not give up until the last minute. Now, we’ve reached the last minute, and it just can’t be done. “Safety, that’s the main reason. The breaks aren’t my problem, because they’re screwed together, but the ligaments are messed up. The doctor said I risked never being able to move my ankle again, which would mean I wouldn’t be able to get my knee down. So it’s just not worth that risk at 22 years old. So I have to sit this one out. “It’s really unfortunate for me and my guys, especially because we were making a big run at Supersport. It would’ve been a lot of fun racing Jamie (Hacking). It was gonna be a good series, but now it’s going to be a lot harder, if not impossible (to win the Championship). But you can never give up, and hopefully I can ride at Sears Point (Infineon Raceway), that’s what I’m going to try and get ready for now. “It’s just a bummer for it to happen the second race of the season, but that’s racing. I can’t sit around and piss and moan. All I can do is work to get better and stronger and come back ready to go and see what happens. It could always be worse, that’s the way I look at it.”
I’m Done: Roger Hayden On Riding At California Speedway
I’m Done: Roger Hayden On Riding At California Speedway
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