"A race an American rider can be proud of."

World Champion Nicky Hayden on his race of the year: What makes Laguna Seca so special for him – and why he wants “to race the best race of my life.”

For many reasons Laguna Seca is special for you. Firstly, it’s a GP on home turf, which you’re returning to as World Champion ...

… which is a big honor. To race a MotoGP and to get to come home and do it in front of my friends and family as the World Champion is something I don't take lightly. Sure there’s a lot of pressure, and so many people want a piece of your time – people I only see once a year and all my fans here. But above all I owe it to them not to get distracted and take on too many things and just focus on the racing. People who aren’t familiar with racing really don't know how much work is involved – with the rider and the team behind the scenes getting the most out of everybody for the race.

The race is also a “home game” from another perspective. Its official name is Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix. What makes this event particularly “bullish?”

They just do things the way you expect it from Red Bull – and by that I mean they do it big and do it best. When they get involved you know it’s all going to be first class and top notch. They make the race something an American rider and American fans can be proud of.

The third reason is your string of successes in Laguna Seca: This is where you had your first MotoGP victory in 2005 and then repeated it in 2006. Can you explain why this circuit suits you so well?

I don't think there’s a secret or anything like that, but it’s a very challenging circuit, without a doubt. Turn One on these bikes will separate the men from the boys for sure. And the corkscrew! There's not another corner in the world like it – or as famous. But at the end of the day, the rider's just got to twist the throttle and be aggressive in order to be fast here.

At Laguna Seca your younger brother Roger Lee will make his MotoGP debut as the wildcard rider for Kawasaki. What tips have you given him for his first race?

We haven't really talked a lot about tips. He just got home from Japan where he tested the bike, and he knows the track as well as I do – if not better.

The U.S. Grand Prix is also a popular meeting place for showbiz VIPs. Who did you run into last year and which celebrity would you really like to talk shop with about motorbikes?

I honestly just like the ones who really go for the racing and not just to party the best. Last year I met the dude off the show “Punk’d” named Dax, which was pretty cool – mainly because that was one of my favorite shows. But the stars I like the best are the past champions. MC is cool, and last year Damon Bradshaw, ‘the beast from the east,’ came by the pits, which was fun. Mainly because, where I come from, he was a bad boy. I also got to see Doug Henry, who’s a real American hero.

On July 30, a week after the Grand Prix, it’s your birthday. Share with us a wish you have that has to do with sport – and one that doesn’t have anything to do with motorbikes.

That's simple: win Laguna!! I'm going to have to do more then just wish for it. I’ll have to race the best race of my life if I want a chance at the hat trick. The second wish? I don't want to get greedy, so if I can win Laguna, I'll just save that wish for next year!