Page 42 - ISSUE_62

AARON PLESSINGER
250 SX / 6TH
IMAGE / KILPATRICK WORDS / MATTINGLY DESIGN / MOTOPLAYGROUND
>> Supercross as a whole, provides an aspect of creativity that most other sports don’t have. Not only are you racing over twenty different individuals, in comparison to one other team; but, the surface area, in which you compete is constantly changing. Every week, the layouts differ, and on an even smaller scale, no two laps provide the same grooves! With that being said, as a competitor, you have the opportunity to truly use the playing field as a canvas, putting your own pieces together to create a masterpiece of a finish. Aaron Plessinger’s style represents that of the most exquisite artists, sculpting each divot, rut, and crease of track, with the slimmest of strokes. Every move is calculated, and no piece of this blank portrait goes untouched. In practice for example, his lines made constant swoops, arcing the layout whenever possible, and sweeping as far and wide
as the eye can see. He felt the need to do this, as he wasn’t so certain as to what the night would bring, and his personality reflected the urgency to prepare. For moto number one, his line selection would pay off, as the first few laps created a log-jam scenario, and utter chaos in the opening turns, seemed to ensure a series of gridlock for the majority
of the moto. Never complacent, his attempts at tripling on to tabletop’s, and sliding with the rear brake around bowl turns would pay off, as he would slowly gain ground on the riders ahead. When all was said and done, although hitting the fifty-second mark, a sixth place finish was all he could muster. For moto number two, he began to loosen up, letting his shirt tail blow into the cool, crisp California wind, all the while ignoring the flashes of thousand’s of Iphone’s. He was ultra-quick in the roll, step-on, step-off combination fol- lowing the start, allowing him to make moves in the following right-hander. Using his legs as an extra set of shocks, his knees would act as springs, soaking up the far sweeper
of moguls. Throughout the longevity of this moto, he would remain consistent, providing fairly similar times throughout its’ duration; he would bring home the fourth place ride. It was now time for the final chapter, with the sun setting sail, and his mind on solidifica- tion. The bowl turns began to develop ruts in the latter angles, the footpegs beginning to really chew into this soil. His style began to switch, as his pure aggression conveyed into a swift, flowing ensemble, putting the brush stroke to ease. Battling with the likes of Old- enburg and Mellross, he could smell the scent of checkered from miles away. As always, charging to the finish from a disastrous eleventh, he would round up the tab in seventh place, finishing sixth overall.
42 GRITMOTO • JANUARY 21, 2018