Long before he started racing in the AMA Superbike Championship, before all those trophies and all those records fell one by one, a teenager from Gulfport Mississippi, got a streetbike, learned to ride, got his knee down for the first time in a parking lot, and transitioned to road racing, all in the pursuit of speed.

Josh Hayes started racing motorcycles a little bit later than most riders. But, what he lacked in an early start, he made up for with determination, a deep understanding of how motorcycles behave, and a relentless willingness to work harder than everyone else.

In the 1990s, Hayes fought his way through most of the AMA race classes, loading bikes into trailers, traveling endless highways, and racing wherever the opportunity presented itself. He became known for his smooth riding style and fearless racecraft. Riders respected him. Teams noticed him. But for years, the premier Superbike opportunity never quite arrived.

Instead, Hayes built his reputation one class at a time.

He raced for Honda, Kawasaki, and Suzuki during his ascent in AMA racing. Along the way, he earned success in Formula Xtreme and Supersport, proving he could win on nearly anything with two wheels and slick tires. But, still, the Superbike crown remained out of reach.

Then Yamaha changed everything.

When Hayes joined Yamaha’s official factory Superbike effort, his career exploded into the stuff of legends. Riding the Yamaha YZF-R1, Hayes transformed from respected veteran into unstoppable champion. Between 2010 and 2014, he captured four AMA Superbike Championships, becoming one of the defining riders of the modern American road racing era. His combination of precision, aggression, and consistency made him nearly unbeatable on race day.

Fans watched him dominate at tracks across the country—Road America, Barber Motorsports Park, Laguna Seca, New Jersey Motorsports Park, and others—carving through corners with his signature smoothness while riders much younger than him struggled to match his pace. He won races in the dry. He won races in the rain. He won races by applying his intelligence and race management acumen when outright speed was not enough.

At the apogee of his dominance, Hayes was not simply winning championships, he was rewriting the record books.

In 2012, he produced one of the greatest seasons in AMA Superbike history, winning 16 races and setting a new record for consecutive victories.

But, the story of Josh Hayes was never “just” about championships.

What truly separated him from many champions was longevity.

As the MotoAmerica era dawned, it was far from sunset for “The Mississippi Madman.” Hayes remained a symbol of old-school American determination and ingenuity—a rider who earned everything through persistence and passion rather than hype.

Younger racers studied him. Fans admired him. Rivals respected him.

Because no matter the class, no matter the motorcycle, and no matter the era, Josh Hayes found ways to win.

He battled future Superbike Champions like Cameron Beaubier and Josh Herrin while continuing to win races deep into his forties and even into his fifties. While many former champions retired, Hayes adapted. He continued to race in Superbike, then Supersport, and he’s still racing today.

Meanwhile, he has become a mentor, riding coach, muse, and dare we say, elder statesmen in the paddock.

In 2023, Hayes surpassed the legendary Miguel Duhamel to become the winningest rider in AMA road racing history. His career total has reached an astonishing 89 AMA race victories across all classes, and he is not done yet.

That’s why the story of Josh Hayes is not simply about his four Superbike championships.

It is about endurance.

It is about refusing to quit.

It is about a racer who started with raw talent and a burning passion to win, who became one of the greatest motorcycle road racers America has ever produced.

Joshua Kurt Hayes is our Grand Marshal for MotoAmerica Superbikes At Road America. Be sure to come for the racing, but stay for the Mississippi Madman.

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