Jay Marmont has been one of my best mates since I can remember, meeting each other at the races as young kids and then spending many good times together away from the track as we laughed our way through our teenage years.

With a family that lives and breathes motocross, Jay and younger brother Ryan have risen to become some of Australian greatest champions both on and off the race track, hard competitors, yet admired by many for their approachable and friendly natures in the pits.

Now that we’re older in our mid-20s, I still rate him as highly as ever despite being busy with our schedules, and Jay has willingly helped build this very website’s popularity by contributing with a blog even though this year has been a difficult one for him to say the least.

The year has seen a new challenge for Jay and wife Abby after baby daughter Lila was born with heartbreaking health problems, passing away last Thursday just two days before the Canberra round of Super X.

Jay had already raced through the pain of Lila’s illness to win his second straight MX Nationals title, but for him to go out last Saturday night in Canberra and win the event just days after the tragedy was one of the most inspirational moments in the history of supercross worldwide. Yes, worldwide.

The pit was adorned with loving stickers in Lila’s memory as they featured on pretty much every rider’s bike or helmet, along with being plastered on the pit shirts of crew members throughout the paddock.

Even the King of Supercross, visiting American Jeremy McGrath, showed his support with a sticker on his lid.

Watching Jay go on to holeshot all three finals in the Triple Challenge format was surreal, with the overall round victory the icing on the cake on a night that will long be remembered in loving memory of his baby girl.

Jay’s success won’t take the unimaginable pain away from Lila’s sad passing, but the support from the motocross fraternity on that night and beyond for he and Abby, along with the rest of the Marmont family, will be something that they can cherish and remember forever.

As Super X announcer Adam Bailey said on the night, Jay Marmont is the toughest man on two wheels. He’s a champion in every aspect of his life – a life that has been highlighted by having amazing talent on a dirt bike.

Our thoughts are with the Marmonts as friends, fans and supporters. Rest in peace, Lila. You will be missed.