Australian SX Nationals 2004

Motorex KTM rider Jay Marmont completed his first major 2004 task last weekend when he wrapped up the Australian Pro Open SX Nationals Title after yet another dominant win. This makes it two titles in a row for Jay who also won the Supercross Masters Title in 2003. Remarkably Jay managed to wrap up the championship with a round still remaining!

For Austrian manufacturer KTM this continues a stellar run of success which has seen them lift four Pro Open Titles in a row. Jay the winner of the last two, while prior to that Craig Anderson took back to back victories on the 250SX KTM in 2001 and 2002.

21 year old Jay can now look forward to even bigger and better things with a brief stint in America coming up in a couple of weeks. There he will ride a 125 for the Red Bull KTM squad at the Dallas and Salt Lake AMA rounds. Following that the Wollongong lad will be back to take his place as the spearhead of KTM Australia’s assault on the 2004 Australian Motocross Championships where Jay will switch to four-stroke machinery in the Pro Open class.

Jay Marmont, “I went out for the morning track walk with my mechanic Johnny DiStefano and we saw that the track was fairly tight, so I knew overtaking was going to be a problem. It was obvious that it would be important to get the holeshot and try to make a gap early when it came time for the final.

“During practice and the heats I tried not to give too much away as I explored different lines to work out which was the fastest way around the track, I played my cards fairly tight to my chest and saved the really fast laps for when it counted.

“I won the Superpole and then managed to score the holeshot. Danny Ham stayed with me for around five laps before I started to drop him off and pulled a good gap for the victory.

“I have been practicing recently on a 125 KTM which gave me some ideas of changes we could make to my Pro Open 250SX KTM to get it to steer better on the tight supercross tracks we have been riding. Those changes worked out and I have got my corner speed up a little.”

While Jay had a great night Cheyne Boyd again had no luck. The likeable Victorian showed great speed, won his semi in convincing fashion and was only a fraction of a second behind Jay in the Superpole event. But a couple of falls in the main event cost him dearly.

Cheyne Boyd, “I felt good today and after working through some changes early in the day I was feeling comfortable and confident for the final.

“But I got boxed out at the start which made things an uphill battle. This time however I decided to use my head and not rush my way forward, I was determined not to make any mistakes.

“I worked my way forward and closed on to the rear of Troy Carroll, I set him up for a pass and planned it a few corners earlier, but unfortunately we touched as I made the pass and I came off the worse. I was really quite mad at that as I really had took my time and planned the safest place to pass, but it was just so tight and in the end we couldn’t avoid touching.

“I am so mad that I fell again later in the race while trying to regain the ground I lost after falling the first time.

“This is really quite frustrating as I could catch those guys (Carroll and Taylor) so quickly, but I just couldn’t get past. I am sure if I had not gone down trying to pass Carroll I could have easily caught Taylor, and possibly challenged Ham for second later in the race.

“So today was a little hard to take as I really used my head, but still couldn’t make things fall my way.

“I am still in for a good chance for second place overall though and that is my aim for Melbourne this coming weekend. I will do my best to try and secure the Motorex KTM squad the 1-2 overall in the Pro-Open Championship.”

Ryan Marmont had a good night in Brisbane and heads to next weekend’s Pro-Lite final only one point behind Daniel Reardon. The Wollongong teenager, younger brother to already crowed Pro-Open Champion Jay, is quietly confident that he can make it a double for the Motorex KTM squad when the series wraps up in Melbourne next weekend.

Ryan Marmont, “I enjoyed myself tonight, I won my heat which put me straight in to the final.

“I got a good start but Reardon was a bit quicker early in the race which allowed him to pull away a little. It took me a couple of laps to really get on the pace and once Reardon had pulled that small gap I couldn’t quite manage to chase him down.

“Jay and I practiced together this week with him on my spare 125, that was great for the both of us, but particularly for me. No pressure now heading in to next weekend’s final, I just know I have to finish in front of Reardon for the title and I think we can do that.

“I have my speed up and at this round I made no mistakes, which is what I have been concentrating on trying to avoid. If I can do that in Melbourne next weekend then I am sure we can be in for a good shot at the title.”

Motorex KTM Team Manager Rob Twyerould enjoyed the Brisbane round immensely and is looking forward to the final round in Melbourne next weekend.

Rob Twyerould, “It is just amazing that we will go to Melbourne with the Pro Lites Championship going down to the wire between Ryan and Daniel Reardon. Melbourne is neutral ground while Brisbane was home ground for Reardon, so it should be good to see who comes out on top in Melbourne.

“Fantastic for Jay to do the back to back championship wins which makes it four in a row for KTM in the Pro-Open category.

“Boydy was fast all night and nearly got the superpole from Jay then when the gate dropped for the final he didn’t get away well and was pushed back to nearly seventh. But he dug in and fought his way back past Dorron and other riders before challenging Carroll for fourth with third place in his sights also.

“But the track was tight and slippery tonight and he went down trying to make the pass. He fell again later I think just from the sheer frustration of that first fall.

“We look to Melbourne now where hopefully we can help Boydy in to second place in the Pro-Open and all going well hopefully celebrate a Pro-Lites win if Ryan can get the better of Reardon.”