Joshua Kurt "Josh" Hayes (born April 4, 1975 in Gulfport, Mississippi) is a professional motorcycle roadracer who turned pro in 1996. He currently races in the AMA Superbike series on a Graves Yamaha YZF-R1. Hayes is noted for his achievement in having won the 2003 AMA Superstock Championship riding Attack Suzuki's GSX-R750, and both the 2006 and the 2007 AMA Formula Xtreme Championship for Erion Honda on board the CBR600RR, and the Willow Springs Raceway Toyota 200 endurance race three times in a row.
In 2008, Hayes won the Daytona 200 but was disqualified soon after for an illegal crankshaft.
His wife, Melissa Paris, made her professional debut in the Daytona Sportbike class at the Daytona 200, with the couple racing against each other at the event. She will participate as a "wild card" rider at the World Supersport Championship race at Miller Motorsports Park in 2009 as part of the Superbike World Championship meet.
In 2009 Josh Hayes competed in the AMA Pro Racing American Superbike championship alongside Ben Bostrom. He also spearheaded the Yamaha Racing effort in the annual Daytona 200 race.
For 2010 Hayes is back with Yamaha in AMA Superbike. Riding the graves Yamaha R1 Superbike he convincingly clinched his first AMA Superbike Championship for 2010, with 11 podium finishes including seven wins.
He won his second AMA Superbike Championship for 2011 after a breathtaking last round.
Hayes made his MotoGP debut at the 2011 Valencian Grand Prix riding a Tech 3 Yamaha, replacing countryman Colin Edwards, who suffered arm injuries in the fatal crash that aborted the 2011 Malaysian Grand Prix. Having avoided a first corner crash that eliminated four other riders, Hayes finished the race in seventh place.
Famous quotes containing the word hayes:
“The [Loyal] legion has taken the place of the club—the famous Cincinnati Literary Club—in my affections.... The military circles are interested in the same things with myself, and so we endure, if not enjoy, each other.”
—Rutherford Birchard Hayes (1822–1893)