Jay Marmont And CDR Rockstar Yamaha Rewrite Record Books At MX Nationals

Jay Marmont produced a superb performance to win the final round of the 2011 Rockstar MX Nationals and in turn create history by being the only rider to win the conveted national motocross championship four years in a row.

Marmont takes championship # 4

Marmont entered the final round 18 points down on series leader and team mate Josh Coppins. But in typical, 'never say die' Marmont racing and with 'Queenslander' blazed across his racing pants, the 28 year old New South Wales rider produce four scintillating motos to win the final round and take the Pro Open championship.

Marmont racked up 1-2-1-1 results in the four races while Coppins fell early in race three and had to withdraw from a shoulder injury.

The four national motocross crowns now has him equal with motocross legends Stephen Gall and Craig Dack for the most wins in the premier division but the only rider to have won four MX Nationals Motocross Championships in a row. His name is now among the greats of Australia's sporting landscape and so is that of his team after success the past four years. Once again the CDR Rockstar Yamaha crew has proven to be the bench mark of Australian motocross.

"From where we started at the beginning of the year, it is hard to believe I have won it," Marmont says emotionally. "Even coming into today and with the form Josh has been racing with lately it was a long shot but I wanted to win the round and hope for a bit of luck."

"Unfortunately for Josh, his fall with another rider in race three was the bit of luck I needed and I feel for him as he rode a great championship and was a fierce competitor."

Marmont was as far back as ninth in the championship after the opening round and struggled to find his mojo in the early rounds. But extensive testing with the CDR Rockstar Yamaha team and development on his YZ450F was the catalyst to get Marmont back on track and he stormed home in the final four rounds, winning three and claiming second on the other to claim a popular and well deserved win that has seen Marmont lift his game to a new level.

"I can't thank my CDR Rockstar Yamaha team enough. The entire season they kept working to make the bike better and gave me everything I needed to go out and get the results I needed. The support of Dacka, Gary, Shaun and Jason has been vital in the success of this team and in this championship."

"I also need to thank my wife Abbey and my family for all their support and we are going to be back in 2012 shooting for number 5," Marmont finishes.

The hard luck story of the round goes to Josh Coppins. After the opening two legs in the morning session, Coppins maintained his 18 point gap and with two races to go, he looked at short odds to take the championship. But fate dealt him a nasty hand when a rider fell directly in front of him and as a result Coppins was part of the collateral damage. The fall popped his shoulder out of place and try as he might, he was unable to finish race three or race four and dropped to second in the championship.

Coppins debut year in the MX nationals has been nothing short of remarkable and even after the pain of his injury and the disappointment of his crash, Coppins was one of the first people track side to congratulate Marmont in a massive show of sportsmanship and a credit to his character.

"That's life! Coppins laments moments after the final race. "I gave it everything I had but sometimes things happen and I guess it just wasn't to be."

"I'm obviously upset about not winning the championship but well done to Jay as there is no one else I would rather see win it than him."

"But my goals are not over yet and I want to come back in 2012 and get this championship."

Team manager, Craig Dack, finished the day experiencing the highest highs and the lowest lows of racing as his team riders duked it out for the championship victory.

"Those final two motos were tough as I felt almost every emotion possible. The pain of Josh and his injury forcing him to not even be able to race for the championship while Jay taking the win and making it four in a row for him and the team."

"I am continually amazed at Jay Marmont the athlete. He is the warrior of Australian motocross and fights for every point on every corner of every lap of every race he enters. His fighting spirit has no end and as a result his ability to win championships is unmatched."

"Josh did everything right and was in perfect position to win this year. A rider fell directly in front of him and through no fault of his own he couldn't avoid the fallen bike and was taken down in the crash. It is a gut wrenching way to lose a major championship."

"But a 1-2 result is exceptional and a real credit to all the staff, sponsors and people involved in the team. I thank Yamaha for their continued support of this team and the opportunity to showcase their products. It has been a tremendously rewarding year for everyone at CDR and we look forward to the rest of 2011," Dack explains.

Round Nine Results - Coolum
Pro Open

Rider	Manufacturer	Results	Points
1st Jay Marmont	Yamaha	1-2-1-1	97points
2nd Billy Mackenzie	Kawasaki	3-6-2-3	77points
3rd Todd Waters	Honda	9-9-4-2	64points
4th Lawson Bopping	Suzuki	8-8-3-4	64points
5th Cody Cooper	Suzuki	7-5-10-8	54points

ROCKSTAR PRO OPEN FINAL 2011 CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
1 Jay Marmont 682 Points
2 Josh Coppins 650 Points
3 Billy Mackenzie 636 Points
4 Dean Ferris 601 Points
5 Cheyne Boyd 537 Points
6 Michael Phillips 510 Points
7 Lawson Bopping 497 Points
8 Cody Cooper 449 Points
9 Louis Calvin 340 Points
10 Beau Ralston 246 Points

Championship Battles Loom For Yamaha Racing

Kirk Gibbs

Yamaha Racing enter the final round of the nine round 2011 Rockstar MX Nationals in the enviable position of battling for two championship wins and locking down two podium positions in what has been a successful campaign for Yamaha.

After eight rounds and 30 individual motos, only 18 points separate the CDR Rockstar Yamaha duo of Josh Coppins and Jay Marmont in the Pro Open class. 33 points is the gap Kirk Gibbs must bridge if he is to take the crown in the Pro Lites division while Luke Arbon and Shaun Redhead will look to put the finishing touches on their season and nail down second and third respectively in the Under 19 category. Add to that some serious challengers in the Veterans classes and it promises to be a huge weekend for Yamaha.

CDR ROCKSTAR YAMAHA
CDR Rockstar Yamaha is shooting for their fourth successive MX National championship in a row. That feat alone is remarkable and a credit to the entire team for their continued commitment to racing and the culture they provide for their riders.

Josh Coppins will hit the black soil of Coolum holding an 18 point lead over team mate Jay Marmont and trying to win his first Australian Championship. Coppins has been a model of consistency all year and his relentless pursuit of victory is what has got him to this position with one round remaining. With the Moree and Coolum round on consecutive weekends, Coppins stayed in Australia but maintained his regular routine.

"It's actually been nice to stay here and enjoy the warm weather," Coppins commented. "With the team also staying in Queensland I have been able to get some riding in and hit the gym so for me its business as usual this weekend and try and post the four best motos I can."

Jay Marmont is gunning for a record equaling four Australian motocross championships and a record breaking four in a row. Marmont has been the diesel engine of the championship, building momentum slowly but coming home strong and showing no signs of slowing down. His past three rounds have seen two victories and an equal first so his form is first class.

"Coolum has been a happy hunting ground for me the past few seasons and I always enjoy the weekend up there. I did a race at the track during the year and managed to win that so I'm looking forward to the race."

"I have nothing to lose, so it's all or nothing for me this weekend."

SERCO YOSHOMURA YAMAHA
After being as far as 80 points behind the championship leader, Kirk Gibbs has now reduced that margin down to 33. With four races and 100 points remaining the Pro Lites championship is well and truly alive. Gibbs is a fan of the Coolum circuit and was the round winner here just 12months ago and hopes to continue that form this weekend.

"My goal is nothing more than to win the round. There is no point working out points and positions so it's just win the day, get as many points and race wins that I can and see how we end up when it's finished."

"I like Coolum as it's a great track to ride and being close to the Serco team base, it's always good to do well there," Gibbs finishes.

Guest rider Luke Styke is also back for the final round and looking to improve on his ninth last weekend at Moree. Styke is filling in for the injured Jake Moss and now with a race under his belt and more seat time on the Serco YZ250F, he is looking for an improved performance.

"I was pretty angry after Moree as I didn't get the result I wanted. I have been hitting the practice track pretty hard this week to make sure I'm prepared for this weekend. The sandy surface of Coolum is to my liking and I want to give the Serco team a good result to thank them for the opportunity they have given me," Styke comments.

GYTR ROCKSTAR YAMAHA
With their championship aspirations exhausted, the GYTR Rockstar Yamaha duo of Luke Arbon and Shaun Redhead are out to restore a bit of pride this weekend. Both riders are hurting from the disappointing round at Moree and have had a week to regroup and come out swinging at Coolum.

"No one likes to be beaten like we were at Moree," Redhead states. "This weekend is all about gaining back some respect and showing everyone that Moree isn't what this race team is about."

VETS
The Coolum weekend will also see the 30 to 39years as well as the 40 plus class in veterans racing. Cameron Taylor, last years' winner in the 30 to 39 years group is back on his YZ450F and looking to make in back to back wins while New Zealand's ageless warrior Darryll King will be back to defend his 40plus championship.

The ever green King will also contest the Pro Open class and will no doubt get the iron man award as he will line up for eight races over the weekend.

Action gets underway at 8.30am on Saturday morning at the Coolum pines circuit. Veterans and Quads will be on track Saturday as well as practice for the professional classes. Sunday will see the pros race in ager and the 2011 champions decided. Visit, www.mxnationals.com.au for more information.

Championship Standings - One Round Remaining

Rockstar Energy Pro Open
1 Josh Coppins 603 Points
2 Jay Marmont 585 Points
3 Dean Ferris 563 Points
4 Billy Mackenzie 559 Points
5 Cheyne Boyd 494 Points
6 Michael Phillips 460 Points
7 Lawson Bopping 433 Points
8 Cody Cooper 395 Points
9 Louis Calvin 313 Points
10 Daniel Reardon 226 Points

Motul Pro Lites Championship
1 Matt Moss 567 Points
2 Kirk Gibbs 534 Points
3 Brenden Harrison 478 Points
4 Phil Nicoletti 477 Points
5 Daniel McCoy 461 Points
6 Kade Mosig 440 Points
7 Josh Cachia 423 Points
8 Cody Mackie 419 Points
9 Justin McDonald 403 Points
10 Luke Styke 372 Points

Pirelli Under 19's Championship
1 Errol Willis 656 Points (2011 Champion)
2 Luke Arbon 550 Points
3 Shaun Redhead 466 Points
4 Dylan Peterson 425 Points
5 Jay Wilson 385 Points
6 Jake Emanuelli 380 Points
7 Kyle McKeddie 370 Points
8 Sam Martin 305 Points
9 Kale Makeham 280 Points
10 Dylan Long 270 Points

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Yamaha Racing Round Recall - MX Nationals, Coonabarabran

Re-live the action through Yamaha eyes as the 2011 Rockstar MX Nationals debuts at the Goanna Tracks circuit, Coonabarabran for round six of this years' championship.

Watch as CDR Rockstar Yamaha riders Jay Marmont and Josh Coppins claim first and third respectively in the premier Pro Open class. Jake Moss makes it three podiums in a row with his second place in the Pro Lites for Serco Yoshimura Yamaha and Luke Arbon claws back points in the Under 19 class as he claims second for the round on his GYTR Rockstar Yamaha YZ250F.

After six of nine rounds, Coppins and Marmont currently sit in third and fourth in the Pro Open class.

Kirk Gibbs holds down second in the Pro Lites.

Luke Arbon and Shaun Redhead are second and third in the Under 19 class.

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Yamaha Racing Primed For New Coonabarabran Tracks

Yamaha's Shaun Redhead

Excitement is high among Yamaha Racing's factory supported motocross teams as they prepare for round six of the 2011 Rockstar MX Nationals to be held at Gonna Tracks, Coonabarabran.

The Gonna Tracks circuit is new to the motocross tour for 2011 and it's the first time the majority of competitors have raced at this venue. With lap times over three minutes and long, fast sections of track, the Coonabarabran track is sure to become a favourite among the riders.

CDR ROCKSTAR YAMAHA
Josh Coppins and Jay Marmont enter the round sitting in third and fifth place respectively and still well and truly in the championship hunt. New Zealand based Coppins has been back to Australia since the previous round and completed a few test sessions with the team where the focus has been on getting himself and Marmont to the front of the pack and clawing back points in the title chase.

Both riders left testing with all issues answered and now realise the responsibility is on them as the CDR Rockstar Yamaha team has delivered the bike exactly to their requests.

"Since the Toowoomba round we have been able to continue testing with the team and feel we have made good gains. My lap times certainly improved during those sessions and now it's up to me to do it on the race track," Coppins explains.

But maybe the biggest hurdle facing Coppins is in the sky as the volcanic ash cloud continues to float around Australia and New Zealand causing flight delays and cancellations. But Coppins will do whatever it takes to make the start line on Sunday.

There has been no rest for Jay Marmont as he has competed and won in two high profile events since the Toowoomba round. He headed west to race the prestigious Manjimup 15,000 event and beat a top shelf international field before heading back to Queensland to compete in their state championships and race to another victory.

Marmont has long been the hunted in Australian motocross after winning three straight national championships, but he now becomes the hunter and is out to make his presence felt.

"A month is a long time between national rounds, so instead of just sitting at home or riding on a burnt out practice track, I decided to get some racing in and try and keep some momentum in my riding. Both events had good riders attending so it was good to get some wins under my belt and carry that confidence into Coonabarabran," Marmont said.

SERCO YOSHIMURA YAMAHA
Kirk Gibbs is now in sight of the championship lead in the Pro Lites class after round six and since the Toowoomba round hasn't been sitting idle either. Gibbs headed south to compete in the New South Wales State Motocross Championship last weekend and came away with three wins and the lead in both the Pro Open and Pro Lites class.

"This year I have been searching out new competition and new tracks to race to mix things up a bit and gain as much experience as possible. So far it seems to be working but myself and the team needs to keep working hard and try and get a hold of this red plate before this championship ends," Gibbs explains.

Team mate Jake Moss has been lying low since the Toowoomba round but as managed to get plenty of time on the Coonabarabran circuit when his father hosted a riding clinic at the track. Now completely recovered from injury and with two podiums from the last two rounds, Moss is looking to hit the top step of the podium this weekend.

"I have lucky enough to do some riding at the venue and really like the track. It's big, fast and wide and should make for some great racing. I am fully fit, the bike is great and it's time to out the Serco Yoshimura Yamaha out front," Moss said.

GYTR ROCKSTAR YAMAHA
Yamaha's Under 19 team is well placed as the championship just ticked over the halfway point, with Luke Arbon in second and Shaun Redhead third. But both riders realize it's time to pour on the pressure as the series heads for home if they have any chance of taking home the number 1 plate.

"It's time to bring my A game and get after this championship," states Arbon. "There is no time for top five finishes; it's about race and round wins and just going wide open."

Redhead will be full of confidence after a strong showing at the recent Queensland Motocross Championship and he also won the last race of round five.

"I think I have been riding pretty well lately but I need to turn those good rides into race and round wins. I am yet to win a round and that is my goal this weekend."

Action gets under way at Coonbarabran at 8am this Sunday. For more information, www.mxnationals.com.au

Championship Standings- After Round Five

Rockstar Energy Drink Pro Open
1. Dean Ferris 379
2. Billy Mackenzie 370
3. Josh Coppins 350
4. Cheyne Boyd 328
5. Jay Marmont 324
6. Michael Phillips 291
7. Lawson Bopping 251
8. Cody Cooper 213
9. Ryan Marmont 206
10. Louis Calvin 193

Motul Pro Lites
1. Matt Moss 347
2. Kirk Gibbs 320
3. Daniel McCoy 295
4. Brenden Harrison 283
5. Josh Cachia 266
6. Phil Nicoletti 244
7. Keiron Hall 244
8. Cody Mackie 238
9. Justin McDonald 235
10. Luke Styke 230

Pirelli Under 19s
1. Errol Willis 407
2. Luke Arbon 356
3. Shaun Redhead 307
4. Dylan Peterson 272
5. Jake Emanuelli 249
6. Kyle McKeddie 241
7. Jay Wilson 208
8. Kale Makeham 159
9. Dylan Long 159
10. Jacob Mcleod 153

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Jay Marmont Wins 2011 Manjimup 15 000

Three time Australian Motocross Champion, CDR Rockstar Yamaha's Jay Marmont added to his legendary status by winning the grueling Manjimup 15 000 event in Western Australia over the weekend.

Jay Marmont takes out the Manjimup 15000

Long seen as one of the toughest and most challenging events in Australia, the Manjimup 15 000 isn't for the weak, the unfit or the faint hearted as it pits the best riders in Australia in a four moto shootout on one of the toughest tracks going round. That is the perfect scenario for the never say die, tough as nails Marmont.

Jay Marmont battled with an international field that included the UK's Bryan Mackenzie and Jamie Law, the USA's Bryce Vallee and Michael Phillips from New Zealand as well as a host of East Coast and local hot shots to take the victory and write his name on the trophy for a record third time, the only rider to have won the event three times.

Marmont claimed three race wins, including the all important double points final race, and a second to take the victory on the day, 13 points clear of Bryan Mackenzie.

"I love racing at this event," Marmont said after a long day. "The track is easily one of the best in Australia, the club do a great job promoting it and there is always a good atmosphere here."

"Winning an event like this is just what I needed to get my season back on track and get some momentum going my way in the MX Nationals."

"I now head back to Queensland where I'm going to race at a local event up there before heading to Coonabarbran for round six of the MX Nationals.

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Manjimup 15,000 - 2011 Results
1st Jay Marmont - 122 (CDR Rockstar Yamaha)
2nd Bryan Mackenzie - 109
3rd Michael Addison - 100
4th Jamie Law - 94
5th Louis Calvin - 76

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