For the first time since 1997 when he climbed on board a Muzzy Kawasaki ZX-7R factory Superbike Tommy Hayden will not be racing at Daytona International Speedway when the AMA Pro Road Racing season opens this coming weekend. “I definitely won’t be there racing, and I’m disappointed about that,” Hayden, age 33, told Roadracingworld.com Monday. “I would like to be there, but it’s not going to happen.” After a five-year relationship with Yoshimura Racing and American Suzuki, Hayden has been left on the sidelines due to the decline in the American motorcycle market, dramatically reduced marketing budgets and vanishing sponsorships. Recognizing this trend, Hayden said he tried to put together a sponsorship package that would pay for his 2012 racing season, but he was unable to finalize anything significant in time to go to Daytona. “I felt like I was close,” said Hayden. “You never know when you’re working on putting sponsor deals together if they’re as serious as you think they are or what exactly is going on. I felt like I was pretty close a few times, I was told I was pretty close, but in the end we didn’t get things done.” Hayden said he is open to filling the unenviable role of a substitute rider in case a team loses a rider to injury during the season, but he said he would prefer to keep working on putting together a sponsorship package that would allow him to race at least a limited schedule in 2012 and hopefully continue in 2013. “Things are changing in our sport,” said Hayden. “That’s what I’m focusing on now, trying to work to find some outside-of-the-industry sponsors. And basically if you have those you can ride wherever you want in the world. The OEMs aren’t supporting racing as much as they were. I feel this is where the sport has transitioned to. It’s more kind of like NASCAR you find the money and bring it, and that’s how you’re going to make it – find more than you need. Again, as anyone who is trying to do this knows it seems almost impossible, but I think it is out there. It’s just a matter of staying persistent and finding the right people.”