CDR Rockstar Yamaha - Round 4
Jay Marmont came away from Toowoomba with the championship lead, despite what was, by his own high standards, a disappointing round.
Marmont's qualified an uncharacteristic eighth, fell in the first moto, but came good in an impressive final moto to post third overall for the round, which was enough to move the Wollongong rider into the series lead and run the coveted leader's red plate for the next round at Raymond Terrace.
"It was a hard-fought day today. I just couldn't get going in qualifying, then I was in a first turn crash in the first race and right at the back of the field", Marmont said.
"The boys were trying to keep my head up and get me positive, and Dacka (Craig Dack) grabbed me by the helmet and told me to go out there and do it this time, so I went out there and gave it everything I had.
"It was good to race one-on-one with Billy, I haven't seen him all championship. He's usually sprinting off at the start and I'm at the other end of the pack, but with Billy and Tye, there was some awesome racing out there.
"It's nice to grab the points lead and run the red plate, but it all means nothing if it isn't bolted to my bike at the end of the championship. We still have a long way to go and plenty of work to be done before we get carried away," Marmont added.
Team mate Cheyne Boyd missed a podium spot by just a single point in another solid day. Boyd actually out-qualified Marmont, but like his team mate, was back in the pack in a frustrating first moto. A ninth place finish was vastly improved upon in the following two stanzas, when Boyd charged home with 3-4 finishes to round the day out on 53 points and fifth overall for the round.
"I got a terrible start in the first race and found it hard to pass. But the next two motos saw my starts improve and I was able to run up front. But fifth isn't where I want to be so I will be doing plenty of work before the next round to ensure I get on the podium," Boyd said.
Boyd now sits sixth in the championship and is right in the thick of things in the points chase, with only a handful separating him from a top three position. With the series at the halfway point, Boyd is well placed to make his usual big run home.
CDR Rockstar Yamaha team owner, Craig Dack, was pleased to see his riders show some fighting spirit on the track and grind out a reasonable day given how things started out in qualifying and the opening moto.
"Both riders showed some heart out there today and managed to dig themselves out of a hole they created in the morning sessions," Dack said.
"Jay really dug deep in the final moto and was desperate for the win, while Cheyne also got the starts he needed and put himself in contention. We leave here with the red plate and also in a positive frame of mind for round five in two weeks time."
