Hacking buzzing about Laguna Seca opportunity

Deputising for recovering Kawasaki star John Hopkins at Laguna Seca this weekend the experienced AMA Superbike rider Jamie Hacking spoke to motogp.com on Thursday about how it feels to be getting a chance to sample Grand Prix racing aboard the Ninja ZX-RR on U.S. soil.

Hacking received the call-up to MotoGP during his 37th birthday celebrations two weeks ago and has already impressed Kawasaki in a two-day test at the Autopolis circuit in Japan on the 800cc prototype, where he broke the lap record.

The veteran rider stated, `This is incredible. It is a dream come true. It has just been a last minute deal with my team-mate (Roger Lee Hayden) being injured recently and then unfortunately John Hopkins getting injured a couple of rounds ago, so things kind of flew together pretty quickly.´

The three-time AMA champion arrives in Laguna determined to match, or even exceed, the performance of his regular Kawasaki AMA colleague, Roger Lee Hayden, who finished tenth as a MotoGP wildcard rider in this race twelve months ago.

Meanwhile, like his close acquaintance and AMA rival Ben Spies, the current American champion who is making a wildcard MotoGP appearance for Rizla Suzuki at Laguna Seca, Hacking will also be competing in the AMA Superbike round which coincides with the Grand Prix visit to California, making for a very busy weekend for the British born rider.

Hacking added, `Me and Ben are real good friends and I think that is the biggest question that everyone keeps asking, `who will win out of me and Ben?´ As for the goal for me this weekend, well last year Roger Lee did well and got a top ten, so hopefully that is our goal, to at least beat or match what he did, and if I can beat Ben too that´s even better! The main for us is to go out there and put on a good show for the U.S. crowd.´