Jay Marmont KTM Test Track

[Axel57]

Hey, just found this off transworld motocross website, has some footage of the KTM riders and the test track, Jay marmont's ride looks real nice and he is looking mega fast, is a great video so yeah enjoy it.... http://www.transworldmotocross.com/mx/slideshow/videos/0,20829,785482_955964,00.html

[Axel57]

Found this pic of the KTM team and Nate Ramsey's 250f....

[Axel57]

Hey just found an interview with him..... Seems like he is real happy with the team and everyone is making him welcome...

Jay, where are you from in Australia?
I'm from a place called Wollogong. It's just south of Sydney. Sydney is more south, but if you head up the coast north, towards Newcastle, that's where Chad Reed and [Craig] Anderson are from.

Did you surf at all while growing up?
Yeah, I lived right on the beach and I did a bit of surfing and wakeboarding.

When did you start riding motorcycles?
I started riding at the age of five, so I've been riding them my whole life. I also started racing at five.

Did you race all over Australia, or were you more of a local rider?
Pretty much local races to start off. But after that, I pretty much raced all the national races.

Did you advance in the sport quickly?
Yeah, my main competition growing up my whole life was Shane Metcalfe, Chad Reed and a few other guys. I was racing those guys pretty much every weekend.

You and Chad are pretty much the same age then, huh?
Yeah, I'm 21. Chad is like a year older than me, but we have always raced together. Whether it was 13 to 14 years-old or 14 to 15 years-old, it seemed like we were always racing against one another.

Do you know each other well?
Yeah, I've grown-up with Chad. He's been racing since the age of five, as well. We've been to many, many races together and we can share some major stories. My parents are pretty close to his parents and, yeah, we've been racing and growing-up together our whole lives.

How did this wave of Australian motocross riders come to be? You, Reed, Craig Anderson, Brett Metcalfe, Michael Byrne... Was it from racing against one another?
Yeah, I guess so. We have a lot of strong riders in Australia. We also have a sort of nice little supercross background. I think the Australian supercross scene is probably second best to only the United States. We have some good tracks and the promoters put on some pretty good events. I guess over here everyone just looks at the bigger scale and they just work so hard to get over here. There are a lot of guys that don't want to come over, but the ones that do, really put their heads down to try and make it worthwhile and to try and make it.

When did you turn professional?
At age 16. When I turned pro I didn't have a factory ride. My dad and I just traveled around to the races just trying to crack it. It took a little bit, but then KTM picked me up in 2001 and they put me straight on a 250 two-stroke. I think I might have been 18 then. I went from there and I think I got a couple of podiums that year. And then the next year I did pretty well again, but broke my leg. Then the next year, I came out and won a championship and won another championship and I just kind of went from there. I just kind of found my feet.

You've won the Australian Supercross Championship the last two years, correct?
Yes.

How many rounds make up the Australian series?
We do 10 rounds of supercross, and then eight to 10 rounds of motocross.

How many fans does a typical Australian supercross draw?
We get around 10,000 fans a supercross. I think the most we've had is 20,000. We get a lot of supporters and all that. It's the same as here - just on a smaller scale. All in all, it's the same deal.

Are the tracks similar in nature?
The tracks aren't exactly the same, but they're technical. They make big whoops and big jumps and stuff. They're not exactly the same, so that's why I had to come here a bit earlier: To get used to the tracks. They're a little bit different here, but pretty much the same as in Australia.

While I don't want to put words in his mouth, Chad Reed has pretty much said that he considers himself a supercross specialist. Do you feel the same way?
Uhm... In a funny way, yes. During the past couple of years, I've always been the bridesmaid to the King boys. They would come out from New Zealand and come and race motocross and they always got the upper hand on me. But as soon as we switched to supercross, things changed. Out of 10 rounds of supercross, I think I won seven or eight of them. It seems to be a different game to me. I just really enjoy supercross and for some reason I just seem to do better. I don't know what it is. I don't know if it's because I put more time in on the track or that I enjoy it more, but I know that my results show that supercross is where I have the upper hand.

I started to hear your name a lot in the past two years. How did you end up coming here to America?
It's just like you said. I guess people hear your name and teams say, "Who is this Jay Marmont in Australia that is doing all this winning? How is he going? How old is he?" I guess they just start asking questions. Last year the Motorex KTM team got me a ride at the Paris Supercross and Kurt [Nicoll] hooked me up with a bike and got me a mechanic. I got some good results there, and I also got some good results in the German series. Then I got some contracts thrown at me. I looked them over and I think I chose the right team.

When did you officially sign with KTM?
I came here earlier this year and raced some races in Dallas, Salt Lake City and Vegas. Larry [Brooks] just wanted to make sure everything was okay. He asked me if I liked it over here and showed me where the test track is based, and what races the team does, and asked me if this this is what I wanted to do. I said, "Yeah, this is it. This is what I have dreamed of my whole life and what I want to do." So I signed a contract right then and here I am.

How did you do in the three American supercross rounds?
I did pretty good. I'm not a 125cc rider. I had been riding a 250 all year and I came straight over here to ride the 125. At Dallas I finished fourth, which was a pretty good result - I almost made the podium. At Salt Lake City I didn't get the best of starts, but I was working my way up pretty good and then I crashed. Vegas was a whole new experience for me. I'm not sure what I finished there (Note: 15th), but I think I was out of the top 10. I was pretty happy with my performance in the three races, but I'm sure I can do a lot better with this new bike and a little bit of testing and practicing on the tracks and I think I should be okay.

Do you like the bike?
The bike is awesome. I think it's a perfect bike. Some people might say a 250 two-stroke is a little bit too quick or that a 125 is too slow, but this seems like a nice in-between bike with plenty of horsepower that I think can do any jump that a 250 two-stroke can do.

Chad Reed has told me that as a kid, Jeremy McGrath was his hero and that he dreamed of racing supercross in America. Was it the same for you?
My one hero while I was growing-up was Jeremy McGrath. When I was eight, nine, ten, 13 or 14, he was the guy who was winning every race. Just watching him and pulling his Nac Nacs and winning races was so impressive. We used to drive to meetings on the weekends just watching him. Nobody else. If I had an idol, it was him.

What did you think when Chad won the 250cc Supercross Championship this year? Were you envious at all?
Yes and no. I know how quick Chad is. At times, he's the fastest rider on the track. When I sit back and watch him battle with Ricky or with Windham and they pull away, I just think to myself, "Man, if I know how quick Chad is, how fast are these other guys?" So I have a lot of respect for the other guys, as well, but at the end of the day I see how quick Chad is and how determined he is and it's no wonder that he won a championship. He's just that sort of guy.

Do you know which coast you'll ride in supercross in 2005?
I'll ride the West Coast and my ultimate goal is to win it, just like everyone else. But that's what I'm training for and that's what the team signed me for. But if I can go out there and get in the top three and get some good results and get this bike up there on the podium, I think that'll boost me and make me feel good.

[Axel57]

....

[Robbo66]

Sweeet! Best of luck to him!

[stavross]

when did nate dog go to ktm? he was shreading it on the honda crf...

jay has really supprised me with his finishes in america. thought he would have got his ass wooped

[StoneColdCrazy]

nate ramseys 250f, i thought ben townley road the sx250f this year and won a world motocross title??

[FoXRaCiNG.2]

the champ is here!!! the champ is here!!

[redbull_fmx]

Best of luck to jay an hope he wins.

His a,stars gear is rad

[ad_man53]

Originally posted by StoneColdCrazy
nate ramseys 250f, i thought ben townley road the sx250f this year and won a world motocross title??
Ben Townly rides for a team in europe on the 250f.
All the redbull ktm guys in America in the pro lites are running the 250f

[Axel57]

Some of the KTM guys played a trick on Jay and hid one of his alpinestar tech 10's and he thought he had forgotten it, this is him looking for it.....

[StoneColdCrazy]

sweet, i thought they just had ben on a prototype testing it or something haha.

[Lee_250f]

I am so gonna get a 250sxf when the come into production. They look so mad. Best of luck to Jay, hope he shows the yanks some aussie styles and whoops their arses.

[tc_fmx]

go marmont!!!!

[sexy_az]

i love his gear

[mrwhippee]

thats sick as

[cam-1]

Yeah well if jay can keep up with the u.s tracks he is a major threat to getting a podium. I am sure the 250f will do him well.

[twitch_420]

gota luv marmont hes a champ!

[Todd106]

thats so nice gear i want it, best of luck to him.