AARON PLESSINGER INTERVIEW: “IT HAS BEEN A LONG TIME COMING!”

Red Bull KTM’s Aaron Plessinger has long been a fan favorite. Now the Ohio native is not only a fan favorite, but he may also be considered a favorite to take the win. Grabbing his first 450 Supercross win this year in San Diego it has propelled Plessinger into a next-level fan favorite and a Supercross championship contender. Aaron’s 450 SXF carried the red plate for several rounds, and he looked like it may return to his bike at the recent Glendale Supercross until an early crash derailed his momentum. Whether Plessinger wins the 2024 Supercross championship can be debated, but certainly, he has found the form that earned him the 250 Supercross and outdoor motocross championship in 2018.

 

BY JIM KIMBALL

2024 ARLINGTON SUPERCROSS // FULL COVERAGE

---

With many laps led this year, Aaron Plessinger is looking to keep consistency and be a championship contender through all seventeen rounds. 

AARON, INITIALLY I THOUGHT YOU WOULD CAPTURE YOUR SECOND WIN OF THE 2024 SEASON AT GLENDALE. I was really annoyed about dropping it in the main event! I had been riding well all day. I hole-shotted my heat race and won from start to finish. I had a good start in the main and was trying to pressure Kenny (Roczen) early. Then I made that bonehead move and tucked the front end. It was so early in the race that the field was bunched up, so I dropped back to last. I did the best I could to get back up to tenth, and at least am still in the championship hunt.

ALTHOUGH IT HAS BEEN A COUPLE WEEKS, HOW WAS IT BEING BACK IN DETROIT? I love that place, man. Detroit has always been good for me. It was good to me until it was not last year, but I love this place. I think it has a great atmosphere. Good fans, who are super loud! We have a mix between the Northeast and Midwest, so it is awesome. I love it here. I always look forward to a good race there and getting some redemption back.

Riding with confidence Aaron has quickly become a fan favorite.

ALL 2024 SUPERCROSS TO DATE, YOUR RIDING REMINDS ME WHEN YOU WERE WINNING CHAMPIONSHIPS ON YOUR STAR YAMAHA 250F! Yeah, man, I feel like I am back to those days. It has been a long time coming! KTM has really stepped it up this year with bike set-up and I can go to the track every day and be excited to ride my dirt bike. And that is a really, good feeling, and I have not had that feeling since those 250F days. It is awesome. I am having a lot of fun riding my dirt bike. I had an awesome off-season, and it has just been really good. It has been really fun and like I said, every time I get on my motorcycle, I am excited.

YOU HAD THE RED PLATE FOR A COUPLE OF ROUNDS, HOW WAS THAT? It just reassures me that I am one of the guys and I think that is the reassurance that I needed. The confidence has not always been there,  I think it was good for me to have the red plate, especially recently. I hope to get it again soon,  and I am going to do my best to try and hang on to it.

Being able to hold the Red Plate through two rounds, Aaron has been the only rider to accomplish this so far this season. 

IT’S ALWAYS BEEN STATED THAT AS THE SUPERCROSS SERIES MOVES FROM WEST TO EAST, THE REAL CHAMPIONSHIP BATTLE STARTS. Hey, let’s go! I have always liked Arlington, so it is looking really, good for me. I just need to keep a level head, keep doing what I am doing, and keep feeling good and I think we have a really, good shot at this championship.  

Some bad luck in Glendale we saw Aaron unfortunately crash at the beginning of the main and had to work his way through the pack to salvage as many points as possible.

I AM ASSUMING YOU STAYED OUT ON THE WEST COAST DURING JANUARY AND HAVE NOW MOVED BACK TO FLORIDA. We just had our first week in Florida and it was great to get back home, to get back to my own house, and just chill. It was a really good week. Everything was dialed in. I had good motos and it was just a fun, fun week with the crew and just to get back with everybody. It was nice not to have all the extra outside noise as in California.

2024 ARLINGTON SUPERCROSS // FULL COVERAGE