Aaron Plessinger, affectionately dubbed the “Ohio cowboy” in the world of Monster Energy AMA Supercross, is known for his loud and unfiltered personality.
There isn’t much about the long-haired Ohio native that goes unnoticed.
However, among all the talk in the 450SX class about Eli Tomac’s return, Jett Lawrence’s rookie campaign, Ken Roczen’s rebound and Cooper Webb’s successful team switch, it seems Plessinger’s consistency has flown under the radar.
Of course, the Red Bull KTM rider was difficult to ignore during round three of the season at SnapDragon Stadium in San Diego, Calif., when he scored his first premier class victory after six years of trying.
But what’s easy to overlook is the fact that his performance wasn’t a “one-and-done.”
There has been a steady string of results logged by Plessinger that even his top competitors have found challenging to match, which also supports the idea that this may be the 28-year-old’s breakout year.
There was a time when the rider of the No. 7 steed struggled to make two podium appearances during the 17-race season. Now, seven rounds into the campaign, Plessinger has already filed a trio of top-three finishes.
Not only that, but six of his seven results are within the top six.
“The worst finish I had before Phoenix (where he finished 10th) was sixth, and that sixth was coming from the back of the pack, battling everybody — not starting up front and going to sixth,” Plessinger explained.
As the 450SX class rapidly approaches the halfway point of the season, Plessinger is third in the standings.
Ahead of Saturday’s race at Daytona Int’l Speedway, which marks round eight, Plessinger is only seven points behind class leader Lawrence — 128 to 135. Ranking below Plessinger is reigning Supercross champion Chase Sexton (fourth), two-time series titlist Eli Tomac (fifth) and 2018 champion Jason Anderson (sixth).
As expected, the consistent streak has simultaneously worked as a confidence booster for Plessinger, who has struggled to find his way in the 450SX class since advancing to the premier division in 2019.
“It does a lot for my mentality,” Plessinger said. “It’s easier being up with these guys. I don’t think it’s easier as in racing them, but it’s easier being around them and knowing that I belong being around them. I can race them hard and know that they’re not just coming by me and I’m falling backwards.
“It just makes me feel like one of the boys.”