Nicky Hayden was fighting for a rare podium finish on the Ducati with the Yamaha of the World Champion elect Jorge Lorenzo. Afterwards, at the press conference, Nicky described his overtaking move as they raced side by side under the shadow the big wall through turns 13 and 14 as something his Dad Earl had taught him in their backyard back home at Owensboro, Kentucky many years ago. Earl as with most things in life turned into the perfect tutor and Nicky took just his second podium in third place on that tough period with the Ducati. It was just so Nicky and Earl – a combination that brought them that world title in 2006 but so much more. Humility, respect and humour in surely the toughest and certainly most dangerous of World sporting arenas. They were like a breath of fresh air in a paddock of intrigue and rumour but they took no gip or nonsense.