Monster Energy Kawasaki’s multi-time Australian Motocross Champion Jay Marmont has had a rough shake of the dice the past couple seasons.

After battling through a knee injury last year, Jay has found regularly found himself in the unfamiliar position of fighting just to finish inside the top 10 in 2013.

MotoOnline.com.au caught up with the likeable bloke from Wollongong and asked him some tough questions starting with ‘why’.

Why are you currently sitting outside the top 10 in the 2013 MX Nationals MX1 points’ standings?

To be honest, I’m struggling this year. I started the season by taking a rock to the collarbone, then got taken out by Adam [Monea] at round two. It’s just tumbled from there. I’ve been going through a hard time with racing and nothing seems to work even though I’m trying harder than ever.

I’m struggling with my form and to gel with the bike. When I go to tracks I’m comfortable at, I feel really good, but when we face technical, wet tracks it hasn’t suited me. I’m in a dark place, but I’m slowly ticking the boxes and don’t want to roll over just yet.

Why has this mid-season break come at a good time for you?

I think I need to take a bit of a break and find the joy and positives in racing again. I’ll take a few days this week to work on my strength and want to get away for a few days with Abs and Jax to reset myself.

I just went to Manjimup on the weekend and had a great weekend there, and the Kawasaki boys will probably come down to help refine some of our bike settings during this mid-season break.

Why do you like Manjimup so much?

This was my fourth year there; I’ve won the last three years there in a row and was keen to make it four. A lot of people look past it and don’t understand the event, but you really need to go there and experience it for yourself. Todd [Waters] and Kirk [Gibbs] had never been there before and were blown away.

The track is amazing, with clay on top and the deepest sand you’ll ever experience underneath. The crowd is really appreciative when you make the effort to go and the four six-lap races is cool format. It’s one of my favourite races to go to.

Why are you gunning for podiums in the second half of the championship?

Round six of the series is at Appin and I’m pretty comfortable there. Even though I’ve never won at Appin I’ve put in a lot of laps and it’s my style of circuit.

If I can do well there it will give me a much-needed confidence boost and I can carry the momentum into the remaining rounds, where I’m aiming for consistent podiums. I want to get the Kawasaki on top, then roll into supercross and treat it as a fresh start.

Why don’t you want to end your career yet?

I’ve won six championships in five years and I’m only 30, so by no means have I passed my use-by date. I feel like these tough times are pushing me into the end of my career, but I still have a few good years left in me and I don’t want to bow out this way. It’s tough going into a weekend prepared to give it your all and find it doesn’t work out.

I’ve been speaking to a few people such as a sports’ psychologist and doctors and they tell me it’s common for athletes to experience a bit of depression. I’ve got a lot of loyal fans and people who want to see me succeed and it’s up to me to get through it and turn it around.

Motocross has given me so much and I don’t want to finish up as a top-10 guy; I want to battle with the guys up front and for podium positions and I’m still good enough to do that.