I have so many great memories of Nicky. Probably my favorite was from back in 2007 when some buddies & I were camped at Mid-Ohio for the AMA Superbike weekend. After the track activities for Saturday were wrapped up we took a stroll through the paddock and we heard that familiar thick Kentucky drawl. Here's the reigning world champ standing there in a t-shirt & shorts, just shooting the bull with the guys. His brothers Tommy, and Roger were both racing that weekend, and since it was a off weekend for MotoGP, Nicky flew in to hangout with his brothers (and the rest of his old AMA colleagues) for the weekend.
I was wearing (and still have) a ball cap that was produced by Arai helmets decorated in his 2006 helmet colors, and he, Tommy, and Roger all signed it for me. It was a regular part of my race day strip when attending a motorbike race, sadly now its been retired.
Fax