Photos by: Hoppenworld
Heading into the 2016 Hangtown National opener, most of the attention under the Star Racing / Yamaha tent was focused on the returning Champion, Jeremy Martin, and the 2015 and 2016 Western Regional 250SX Champion, Cooper Webb, but Alex Martin and Aaron Plessinger showed four of the boys in bLU are in this to score podiums, win races and even possibly battle for the 250MX Championship. The talent runs deep over at Star Racing.
In moto one, Plessinger rounded the first turn around mid pack, but after thirty-plus-two, he had worked his way up to ninth behind his teammate Alex. It wasn’t where either of them wanted to be, and they made that crystal clear in moto two.
At the end of the first lap in moto two, Aaron was scored in eighth—just two spots behind Alex—but by lap three, the two teamed up and decided to push each other to the front. One-by-one, the Martin-Plessinger express picked off top riders—including returning Champ, J-Mart—and, on the final lap, were second and third chasing Monster Energy / Pro Circuit / Kawasaki’s Joey Savatgy. It was an awesome two-man surge forward, and everyone was wondering if they could complete that final pass.
In the end, the #26 and the #23 had to settle for second and third in the moto. Aaron’s 9-3 on the day was good enough for fifth overall points and a solid effort to build off of moving forward. After the race, I caught up with both Alex and Aaron in the Star Racing pits. You can read Alex’s interview here and check out what Aaron had to say below.
Aaron, fifth overall today at Hangtown. How are you feeling after the race?
I’m feeling great! I could probably do thirty-minutes more. (laughs) No, it was good. Practice didn’t go so well. I got off to a bad start in the first moto and worked my way up to ninth. Then, in the second moto I got off to a really good start. I think I was like fifth or sixth. I latched onto Alex [Martin], and he pulled me up to third; he got second. It was a good race.
What happened with you today in qualifying? I noticed you were way down in twentieth and remember thinking, “What’s up with Aaron today?” Was it just a slow start for you or issues with getting the bike set up for the conditions?
I think it was a little bit of suspension issues and the bike not mending too well. We came back, fixed all that and the second moto was priceless.
You were forced to fight back from bad starts in both motos. Is that something you’re getting used to lately. (laughs) Your starts have been a little rough.
(laughs) Yeah, I’m not the best starter, but I’m working on it; I’ll get up there. The second moto was a pretty good start. Sixth or seventh was way better than my other starts have been. I’m working on the starts, and I’ll get there sooner or later—hopefully next weekend, but you never know when anything will happen. It’s a long season, and fifth in points isn’t that bad.
Maybe eventually they’ll change these races to three hours and bad starts won’t matter. (laughs) You’ll be a huge favorite with your GNCC background.
Oh yeah! I’ll just have to click it up a gear and just cruise. (laughs)
Like you said, you and Alex Martin latched onto each other, but at times, there were three Star Racing / Yamahas battling for podium spots today. What’s it like battling with the teammates? Feel like your back at the test track?
Oh yeah, for sure. It felt pretty much like everyday riding. That made me more comfortable and made me go even faster. When me and Alex latched onto each other—like we do in practice all the time—it was like, “Look, another day at the practice track. Just stay here and you’re good.” (laughs) If you pass him, you pass him. If you don’t, you don’t!
We’re now heading to Glen Helen next week. How do like that place?
I really like it. I’ve come to like it over the last year. I wasn’t a fan of it last year. We got the bike dialed there, so it’s going to be a good race at Glen Helen.
Alright, congrats on a solid opening weekend, and we’ll talk to you next week.
Thanks.
