CDR Rockstar Energy Drink Yamaha's Jay Marmont broke through for a podium finish in the mud at home in Wollongong. Image: Rice Photography.

Home crowd favourite Jay Marmont admits that his third place podium finish in Wollongong’s round of Monster Energy Super X last weekend comes as a vital confidence boost in wet conditions.

Marmont and the CDR Rockstar Energy Drink Yamaha team has struggled in the mud throughout 2011, however a consistent performance in the lone 15-lap main event at WIN Stadium come as somewhat of a breakthrough for the 28-year-old.

“When the clouds rolled in and the rain bucketed down, I tried to stay as positive as possible and not ride the way I did last weekend,” Marmont said. “We made the call on the changes to the bike to suit the muddy conditions and then I just had to deal with the track.

“While it wasn’t perfect and I made plenty of mistakes, it was a much better effort than last week and a bit of a confidence booster for me in muddy conditions. I try to win every race I enter, so even though I didn’t get the win, I feel more satisfied with the way I raced and the result.

“It gave me a good boost up in the points for the championship.”

Marmont now sits fifth in the championship, just eight points in arrears of Wollongong winner and series leader Dan McCoy, eying the dream double crown if he can add it to the MX Nationals title he won earlier this year.

In the first official dry qualifying session and heat races of the year earlier in the night at Wollongong, Marmont proved his speed with the quickest practice time and his first heat race win of the year to commence proceedings before the rain came.

The series will continue at Campbelltown Stadium this weekend, marking the halfway point for the 2011 season.