American Roger Lee Hayden will join the Pedercini Racing team to contest the 2010 Superbike World Championship this season, joining former MotoGP World Champion brother Nicky on the world stage after a solid career in the AMA.

The 26-year-old from Owensboro, Kentucky, has spent much of his career on Kawasaki machinery and in 2009 he participated in the Daytona Sportbike Championship on the Monster Energy Attack Kawasaki team on a factory-supported ZX-6R.

Hayden won the AMA Supersport championship in 2007, winning 13 races in his Supersport career before contesting the AMA Superbike Championship with the factory Kawasaki team.

“I am really happy to be participating in the World Superbike Championship next year with the Pedercini team,” Hayden said. “It has always been my goal to race in a world championship series and now I have the opportunity. It’s a big difference from what I did last year, but I’m ready and looking forward to taking that next step.

“I have experience on the Kawasaki Superbike, so that does not make everything completely new. It will be fun learning and racing at the new circuits and of course we have a home round in Salt Lake at Miller Motorsports Park. My first test will be at Portimao towards end of January and I can’t wait to get back on a bike again!”

Team boss Lucio Pedercini was also pleased with the signing of the youngest Hayden brother, the former racer still looking to add a second rider to his team for this year.

“We’re very happy with our signing of Roger. He is a young rider and we hope to realize his full potential and guide him through his debut in Superbike World Championship as we strongly believe that Hayden will put us in a good position to compete in the next Superbike World Championship,” Pedercini said. “He has been competitive on Kawasaki machinery in the USA, he knows the Kawasaki ZX-10R and we want to continue developing his career within Kawasaki. We understand that Roger may need some time to adapt himself to our team, the new circuits and to such a difficult and competitive championship as the world Superbike, but we are sure about his talent, motivation and determination.”