Two rounds of the 2018 Western Regional 250SX Championship are in the books and Monster Energy / Star Racing / Yamaha’s Aaron Plessinger has gone 2-1 and now heads back to Anaheim with the red background behind his #23. The last time the series went to Anaheim, the former off-road rider got a great start, but on the Anaheim soil he did not have anything for Troy Lee Designs / KTM’s Shane McElrath.
Fast forward to one week later and a much softer soil at the 2018 Houston SX and the kid from Ohio got through the first turn outside the top ten then proceeded to blow by every championship favorite for the third main event win of his career. On the rutted out circuit, Aaron used those long legs and off-road upbringing to pick the track apart and invent lines that none of us saw coming.
There are wins that build confidence and change a rider’s outlook on everything, and this for Aaron could end up being one of those rides. Being one of the biggest riders in the 250 class, Aaron has always struggled with starts, but if he now believes that he can win no matter where he starts, that kind of confidence could be lights out for everyone else.
The only issue we see standing in Aaron’s way is his history of inconsistency. While I can’t remember him ever coming from outside the top ten to win before, we have seen him win one week and finish 7th the next. In a short regional series, it is that kind of inconsistency that has kept him from calling himself a champion, but if we see that pattern leave his game in 2018, he will be a hard man to stop.
After the his post race celebration dance was over and the podium celebration concluded, Aaron answered the press’ questions about what was probably his best night of racing in his four-year career.
Aaron, congratulations on your win tonight and the points lead. You got a bad start and were buried in the pack. How did you get through the guys? How were the first few laps?
The first few laps were pretty crazy. I’m not real sure how I managed to get all the way up through there. On lap three, the only thing I knew was I was in like 5th or 6th place and I was catching those guys pretty significantly. I just put my head down and charged forward. This track was really really sketchy. I made some good passes and had some good lines. These guys were riding great, it was just my kind of track.
You alluded to the track being really rough. In every way it was completely different than what you guys faced last week with the dirt and the way the lanes were. Can you talk about how that challenged you because it went away really fast.
I just tried to pick smooth lines, and ride different lines than everybody else was riding. I just had to go lap by lap. It changed throughout the whole main event—throughout the whole day, actually. It was just crazy. You had to keep your eyes peeled and keep on your toes pretty much.
There was a triple on that first lane that you were connecting with pretty much throughout the main as well as in the heat races. Why did you continue with that lane that most people abandoned?
I don’t know. You’re talking about after the sand? I didn’t hit it all day. I went up in the stands after my heat race and my dad just told me it was a smooth line and a good and different change-up, pretty much. I just did it once and it was way smoother than double-double-double so I just kept doing it.
Could you explain the line you had through the whoops where you were basically just jumping through them in three hops?
(laughs) I actually figured that out in the main, too. I came around—I think it was the third lap—and I just kind of sent it into them. I was so far behind. I don’t know, I just had to try everything I could. I just wheel-tapped two in and then I think I went five after that, and then four out. It was a pretty fun line.
I saw something a little unusual that you were doing on the gate—on the metal grids. I haven’t seen anybody pack dirt under their back wheel. On the 250’s, is it almost too much traction with the grid?
I don’t know. As you can tell, it obviously didn’t work for me. I got off to a pretty bad start. I don’t know if it works or not.
Will you do it again?
I think, maybe. I don’t know. We’ve got to try everything.
There’s been a lot of changes as far as format goes, metal starting grids, and then the triple crown. Are there any changes that you guys would like to see in the future of the sport?
I don’t know.
All rutty tracks?
Yeah, that would be nice (laughs) I think the changes are good. I think they made quite a few changes this year, which will switch it up a little bit. I think this will keep us pretty switched-up for the next few years, so don’t make any more changes
One of the things I see consistently with you 250 guys are smiles on your faces> It’s really fun as we’re in the stands or down in the safety hold just imagining the grin on your face under your helmets. Is that true? Or is it just such intense competition at that point that even the smiles go away?
I think sometimes we’re smiling. Every time we go out there we look to have fun. That’s kind of the most important part of this sport, is having fun. I’d like to say I’m smiling every time I put my helmet on, but I know that’s not true. A lot of the times riding, we’re definitely having fun.
You have been at this for quite a while and only really in the last two years have been a solid, championship contender. Is that just something that you have to learn with experience? It seems like the era of some young kid coming in and just cleaning house is over.
In this class I don’t see that happening any time soon, but you never know. Anything can happen in this sport. I would like to team up with Joey and not let that happen. I’ve learned so much. I’m still learning and I’ll continue to learn. Every time I get out on the track, I’m learning. It’s not easy now. It wasn’t easy then. I don’t think it will get any easier.
Photos by: Garth Milan / Ryne Swanberg
