Hayes Cruises To Superbike Championship

Josh Hayes is the
new AMA Superbike Champion after two races closed out the 2010
season.
Hayes entered the weekend with a 22 point lead over Tommy Hayden,
who would have needed more than a little luck to close the gap on
the points leader. On Saturday, the two battled at the top of the
pack, with Hayden coming out on top and Hayes finishing second. The
win narrowed the lead to 18 points entering the final day and kept
Hayden's hopes alive, if only barely.
If Hayes crashed and earned no points, Hayden still would have
needed a third or better finish. When rain clouds opened on the
track, slippery conditions meant that the final race could be
interesting. Hayes had a brief scare when rider Brett McCormick
crashed in front of him on lap ten, but Hayes coolly went to the
grass to avoid him before getting back on track.
Hayden, meanwhile, was ahead of Hayes but not by enough. In the
end, he couldn't get by Blake Young, John Hopkins or Larry Pegram
and finished the day in fourth place, chipping just two points off
Hayes' big lead after the eventual champ finished seventh.