Image: Jeff Crow.

Multiple Australian champion Ryan Marmont isn’t ruling out a return to racing in the 2014 Australian Supercross Championship (ASX) despite a mysterious mid-season exit from Raceline Pirelli Suzuki.

When the MX Nationals series resumed at Swan Hill following the annual layoff between rounds five and six, Marmont was a notable absentee in the MX2 ranks, but has stopped short of announcing his retirement amidst ongoing speculation.

While elder brother Jay attracted headlines with his high profile retirement announcement at Conondale earlier this month, Ryan is eyeing an opportunity to contest the ASX series before reevaluating his racing future – even considering continuing in 2015.

With the 2004 and 2007 Australian Pro Lites Supercross and 2006 Australian Pro Lites Motocross championships on his mantle, 29-year-old Marmont’s MXR&D business in Wollongong has become the priority for him and his young family this year upon a downturn of earning potential as a professional racer.

Financially it wasn’t viable to remain at Raceline for Marmont in the outdoors, and a lack of available seat time due to various reasons took its toll during the first five rounds as he aimed to balance business and his racing career. The controversial two-stroke/four-stroke saga also impacted RM-Z250 rider Marmont’s decision.

“Ben Lane was involved initially again this year and that was part of my deal, but when he was no longer there it left a big hole in the team to me,” Marmont said. “It was costing me to go racing, for one, and having to compete against two-strokes was getting frustrating. People say there’s nothing in it, well… yeah. It was getting more and more frustrating.

“And on the other token I have a business to run. When the enjoyment wasn’t there considering all the other pieces that go along with it, I thought it was best for myself and my family to concentrate on the business at this stage. But that’s not ruling out racing, I still feel like I’m competitive and have more in me. The plan is to try and get something on the table for supercross.”

Marmont finished third in last year’s Australian Supercross Lites Championship standings, scoring four podiums across the six-round campaign.