Jay Marmont looked comfortable in qualifying on Sunday but crashed out of contention in the opening moto after coming together with his teammate. Image: Jeff Crow/Sport the Library.

Jay Marmont is hopeful of turning his Monster Energy MX Nationals title prospects around after a crash in the opening Murray Bridge moto left the multiple MX1 champion struggling with severe pain.

Marmont made a good start to the day’s opening moto, quickly settling into third place, but his efforts came unstuck just a few corners later when contact with made with his Monster Energy Kawasaki teammate Adam Monea.

In a worse-case scenario for the team, both riders were taken out of contention – Marmont, suffering severe pain in his lower back, and Monea, retiring with damage to his water pump.

“It’s probably one of the worst days of racing I’ve had for a long time,” said Marmont. “I thought all of the boxes were ticked coming into the round but it just wasn’t to be.

“I got off to a good top three start in the first moto and then came together with my team-mate. I went a bit wide on the turn and Monz came up on me and took the line and blew me off my bike. I wasn’t able to get back on my bike, my back was really sore.”

Marmont was left bitterly disappointed with the outcome but is focusing on the remaining points up for grabs as he launches a fightback from 13th place on the standings.

“I raced the second moto in a lot of pain,” he said. “I got a bad start and worked my way up a little bit but couldn’t get into the top ten so I’m pretty disappointed.

“I’m in a tough position now in the championship. I’m outside the top ten but the championship is not gone.

“It’s a really disappointing day. We have to go out there at Wonthaggi, stamp our authority and start clawing our way back.

“There are still a lot of points up for grabs, it’s only round two. I’ve had my bad round now so I need to move on. We’ll come out swinging at Wonthaggi.”

Marmont is now eight points off the top 10 placings and has eight rounds to launch a fightback, beginning at Wonthaggi this weekend.