Thousands Gather At The International Motorcycle And Scooter Show To Watch Nicky Hayden Clinch The MotoGP

Thousands of MotoGP fans gathered in front of the giant screen on the Blackhorse Stage at the International Motorcycle and Scooter Show on Sunday to watch Nicky Hayden win the 2006 MotoGP World Championship at the final race in Valencia. Rumours are now circulating that the newly crowned World Champion and his Honda team-mate Dani Pedrosa will be making an appearance at the Show next weekend. The atmosphere in the Arai Race Paddock was electric as bikers from across the country watched the nail-biting finale of one of the closest and most exciting MotoGP seasons in history. BBC presenter and Bike Show regular, Suzi Perry, greeted the crowds at the Birmingham NEC show in a personal video message from Valencia before the race got underway, and Hayden clinched his first ever World Championship after Valentino Rossi had fallen early on in one of the most dramatic season endings of all time. The race was eventually won by Australian World Superbike Champion Troy Bayliss on a Ducati.

Bike Show host and MotoGP presenter Steve Parrish’s BBC commentary was broadcast live to over 15,000 Show visitors in Birmingham and Parrish himself will be returning to the NEC to host a series of activities on the Blackhorse Stage throughout the remainder of Show, which runs until 5th November. Fresh from the drama in Valencia, Rossi’s Camel Yamaha team-mate and former World Superbike Champion, Colin Edwards, will be flying in to attend the Show on Monday 30th October to meet fans and sign autographs on the Yamaha stand. A host of other top racing stars are also set to appear at the Show later this week including former MotoGP rider Randi Mamola, four-times World Superbike Champion Carl Fogarty on Thursday 2nd and Friday 3rd November, and 2005 World Superbike Champion James Toseland on Friday 3rd and Saturday 4th.

Finlay McAllan, Managing Director of the NEC Bike Show organisers, MCI Exhibitions commented “I have never seen anything like this before at the Bike Show. It was amazing to see thousands of people glued to the spot and cheering on their heroes during the historic race. The atmosphere was electric.”

Tickets are still available to purchase at the Show. Standard ticket prices are £15 for adults, £13 for students, £5 for senior citizens and children between eleven and sixteen, and £35 for a family ticket. Children under the age of eleven are admitted for free.

Related Links
www.motorcycleshow.co.uk