Yamaha-mounted privateer Mike McCormack broke through for a first-career E1 class podium during round three of the Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship at Hedley last weekend – a “sweet feeling!” for the younger brother of CDR Yamaha factory rider Tom McCormack.

In his fourth year racing as a senior, Mike, 20, finally nailed his first podium position after finishing with a total time of 3h43m39.327s, to finish behind Active8 Yamaha Yamalube’s Josh Green and Tom Kite.

“I’m so stoked to finally finish in the top three,” said the privateer Yamaha rider on Saturday. During his career so far, McCormack was 11th in the 2013 standings and improved to sixth in 2014, which was won by his brother Tom.

McCormack told MotoOnline.com.au that does prefer the three-hour Cross Country format races as he can ride at 75-80 percent for most of the race, rather than the single-lap Sprint race format style.

“I do struggle with outright speed a little, but that’s something I can work on,” he continued. “From now until the next round that’s something I will be working on, as there is another three Sprint rounds to come in the season.”

In round four yesterday, McCormack brought his Yamaha WR250F home in seventh place in the E1 class, with his best lap time coming in the first heat of the day.

“By the late afternoon the track was physically demanding, which did beat me up a bit towards the end of the test,” McCormack added. “I’m not making any excuses; I just didn’t have the fitness to put in a solid day yesterday. With a bit more training and bike time, I’m sure I’ll be fine come the next round at Karoonda.”

McCormack sits in fifth place in the E1 championship fight with 57 points to his name. With that type of improving form, he now has pinned his hopes on finishing in the top three in this year’s E1 title chase.