"And then this Playboy centerfold I was datin' at the time says, how about if I stand topless beside the track at Elkhart..."

1993 500 World Champion Kevin Schwantz on how important it is for a rider to get to Europe a few times before he takes up world championship racing full-time:

"I started racing Superbikes in 1985-we only did Daytona and the west-coast Superbikes races that year. I started racing Grand Prix in 1986 when I did three of them. I did three of them in 1987 too, and went over full-time in 1988. I was fairly comfortable with the scene in Europe at that point.

Is Nicky Hayden ready for Europe now?

"I think he's more than ready to start getting his feet wet over there. This year... when he was struggling he would come and ask me some questions. To me, what he asked made me think the kid has a good head on his shoulders and that he did a good job. He went good at Daytona (in March), crashed, went okay at Sears, and then could not find his ass with either hand for four races. He was struggling. He came to me and said, you know, 'I have more questions than answers'.

I told him that for me when things went bad, what worked was just at the moment I was ready to pack it in, was to slow down and think, go back to what's worked in the past. I think he did that and he got back to where he needed to be and then rode like a man possessed for the last half of the season.

"That shows me that he's ready. He knows how to win, and he knows how to lose. He knows things like how to finish races when you don't have the right package or it's not your day, which, maybe, I never learned. I was going to win and I'd be damned if I was going to do anything but win."

"I think he's good enough right now to raise his game to the next level whenever he needs to, a lot like Rossi does."

Is he ready for World Superbike and GP1 now?

"He's definitely ready for World Superbike right now, I think. Is he ready for the Biaggis, the Rossis, the Roberts of the GP world? I don't know. When they go to a common motorcycle to what he's riding now-then maybe we'll see. And after his contract is over with Honda after the last race next year, I'll sure see what I can do about getting him a ride on the Suzuki GP bike if he wants."

He's 20 now, 21 in 2002. If he signs a two-year deal to race 2003-4 in the US he'll be 23 when it ends. Would that actually be too old to go to Europe

"To start racing in Europe? Well, I was 23 in 1988 and turned 24 that year. Honestly, I think that was a little late to be learning the Grand Prix game. I think he needs to do a few GPs after the season ends, get on a big four stroke over there and start the process."

And like I said, if he's free to ride after the final AMA round in August, I'll try and get him a ride on a Suzuki GP bike organized."