AARON PLESSINGER - GRIT 239 450SX

GRIT-239 | 450 SX

Carrying the red-plate as engines revved at the Ford Field venue, many in the crowd would cheer for Ohio's Aaron Plessinger as action began for round five of this particular championship. Plessinger seemed to be excelling in every facet of the Supercross genre, and after flourishing through a multitude of different lines in qualification, he would turn his attention toward the opening gate drop...via heat one, as the 450cc division was designated to go first for the afternoon program. As the former 250cc champion navigated through the opening bend, he appeared to linger around a third-place registry; with Justin Cooper and Cooper Webb in front of him. Within bike lengths of the rear wheel (of the New Yorker, Cooper) he monitored where the 450cc rookie was efficient, and points where he (Aaron) could capitalize. While simultaneously, Cooper Webb seemed to be established out front...before tucking the front end of his motorcycle in the sand, as Aaron had also made his way around the number thirty-two! A three position swing of sorts, in Aaron's favor, enabled "AP" to finally receive an open race track. Upon leaping from the multitude of plateaus that were after the finish line, Aaron could hop aboard the tabletop(s) with a simple stabbing of the clutch to propel in an exiting fashion...using the extra RPM's as a boost to clear a couple of rather steep singles. After the lead was acquired on the fourth circuit, Plessinger remained polished through the tenth lap...which preceded an eventual checkered flag, and the series standout exited the raceway with a surge of instantaneous confidence. Clicking into gear for the main event, his jump from the grate along with proceeding first lap sequencing was rather dismal, when compared to his normalized championship standards. However Aaron knew what was at stake, and initiated forward action with a blitzing maneuver through the whoops; using the graded, outside lane of the sand as a means to accelerate and pass opponents. The outer berm acted as a wall of sorts, to soak-up momentum from the previous mogul bad, and to direct his wheels while leaning the chassis to the left...allowing Plessinger to inherit ninth by the time lap four was finalized. Once passing Hunter Lawrence for eighth, it was then a process of making a definitive move on Jason Anderson - which was a difficult task, with Jason refusing to let the position slip away. Back and forth they traveled, with around nine minutes to go; as Aaron leaped past Jason in the longest rhythm section (via a mistake from the New Mexico native), however the number twenty-one immediately countered via the next go-around, before the "SX" triple. The battle was a bit fatiguing on both opponents, though they prevailed en route to being solidified in fifth and sixth...residing here over the final double, where Aaron's (sixth place finish) kept him well within the points chase.

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