Even with the 450 Class title already clinched by Jett Lawrence, the racing in the AMA Pro Motocross Championship has not lacked excitement. A bad start in the first moto by Lawrence left the door open for Adam Cianciarulo and Aaron Plessinger to lead some laps. Similarly, a bad first moto from Chase Sexton vacated his normal spot on the podium, allowing both Aaron Plessinger and Jason Anderson to score their second overall podium finishes of the season. Here is what the duo had to say at the post-race press conference.
Aaron Plessinger | 4-3 for 2nd overall
AP, our guy man. When you’re in it to win it, you are just a totally different rider. Does your mindset change around the first turn, from being mid-pack to maybe top fifteen, when you are in it you are definitely a different rider. Is that in your mind or just maybe something we are perceiving, maybe it isn’t even there but to us it just looks like you find another gear when you are in it from the start.
Aaron Plessinger: Yeah, I mean my starts haven’t been that great. I had two good ones at Washougal, and I think when you start up there it's easier to stay up there. That first moto today I got stiff around the 20-minute mark, 15-minute mark, and went backwards. But once you get the start, I mean I know I can run good laps with these guys. Obviously, I rode really good that second moto, but I don’t know, I don’t think anything changes I think I just get out front and kind of am able to do my own lines, ride my kind of race. When you start up front it's better than being in the back.
No question about that. No matter what the result is, you are always a fan favorite. You salute the fans every week, you appreciate the effort from those guys, and they appreciate the personality and the enthusiasm that you show and that has to be a big boost in your confidence.
Yeah, yeah for sure. When I am up front like that, they go crazy, and I try to return the favor on the podium. Anywhere I go, if I am up there, they make me feel at home so it's pretty cool. It's pretty cool to see, I love it.
Obviously you are finishing the season off pretty strong. Heading into SuperMotocross, talk about that transition and carrying the momentum into those rounds, starts, confidence and running up front.
Yeah, it's a good way to end the season, and one of my favorite tracks is coming up, so hopefully I can do something there and keep it on the box. Yeah, the transition [Pauses] it's going to be weird, a first for everybody. So, riding supercross again it's definitely wild. It's going to be fun, I am ready for it and hopefully I can carry the momentum into it. Hopefully I’ll be starting second, so I am looking forward to it.
I have heard your name is in the mix for Motocross of Nations, can you elaborate on that if you were to be picked, ahead of that announcement next weekend?
Yeah, I have heard talk, but nothing is set in stone yet. I didn’t even hear anything last weekend, so I am kind of in the dark. I know that I am one of a few that could go, if they pick me, I am down for it. Let’s go to France and let’s do our best. I have never been, the furthest I have been is Canada, I have never flown more than six hours so we’ll see about it.
What is your go-to meal during the day for motos, especially on the days where it’s really hot and humid? And then what’s your favorite cheat day meal? Dippers. [Laughs] No, I don’t usually eat too much if I’m doing motos because it’s not easy, you know, to scarf down a sandwich and then go back out in the hundred-degree heat. So, I just stick to a bar, and then uh…bad cheat meals–I like, I love a good pizza, man. A good pizza or anything with a lot of cheese. I kind of eat cheese, but like, anything with extra cheese, I’m going for it.
And for you Aaron, you and [Justin] Barcia were going at it, it was like 15 minutes, I thought you had him over and over and then even when you got him, he tried to come back so just take me through that battle.
Yeah, he was riding really good. It was, like Jason said, it’s so hard to pass out there because this track usually funnels into one line, and then obviously it was hard as concrete out there in some places. I just had to think. He made me think more than I usually think. [Laughs] And yeah, I mean, I got the pass and then he was trying and trying and trying to get me but I just, you know, I just said, "be perfect and hit your marks and everything" and I didn’t make mistakes, it was honestly probably the best last couple of laps of the moto that I’ve ever done just because I wanted it. But yeah, he was riding good, I was riding good, my bike was working unreal and yeah, luckily, I did get him for second because, you know, it feels good. [Laughs]
I want to ask about Ironman–I’ll let you answer this one Aaron since I know you love that track–just give us a preview of what you like about it and what Ironman’s like.
Ironman you know, it’s got a lot of big hills. You got a lot of ruts. I personally, I like the 2015 version of Ironman but it’s still good, it’s really deep. I think they brought a lot of sand and mulch and mixed it in with the dirt, so it’s got real loamy loamy dirt and yeah. It’s just a good track. Got good airtime, gets rough, good places to watch, good ruts, deep ruts, and, yeah, last year I got a podium there so hopefully again.
Jason Anderson | 2-5 for 3rd overall
Jason, we saw a huge improvement in you, just in aggressiveness and old school body style, back to the El Embre days no question. Looked like you were having a good time, looked like the bike was working better over the last few weeks and your confidence level really went up today.
Jason Anderson: Yeah, for sure today was better. My starts weren’t there, I think I started around eighth to tenth both motos and was able to work my way up to second the first one. Then the second moto, you know it's a lot of work, so I was only able to get up to fifth, but it was good enough for a podium. It was really nice I feel like putting two solid motos together for me right now is a step in the right direction, and being on the box is nice. But still, obviously, you want more, you know? You want to be up further. But I am just trying my best to make some progress, work on the bike and work on myself a lot.
Obviously you had an injury that kept you out for the first few rounds, now a couple of podiums, you’ve had the speed, but a couple of crashes hindered your results. Again, are you looking to carry some momentum into SuperMotocross? What are your expectations there?
Yeah, obviously I don’t think any of us know what we are getting ourselves into with whatever the format is, whatever the track is. It's like a two-day thing so for us I think we are going to all just play it by ear and kind of wing it. Right now, we are riding supercross some to try and get a set up for there but then also trying to ride that set up for outdoors, it's kind of confusing. But it's super cool and right now hopefully we will get our feet wet and understand what it is. But obviously there’s a lot up for grabs, and money that we’ve never really had in this sport so it will be cool to maybe make some cash.
So, me and my fiancé recently just had a newborn, she’s about a month old now–she’s a sweetheart. I was just curious, with you being so involved with moto and training and set-ups and everything, how do you manage both sides? As far as, being a great dad and working your hardest to try to be the best rider you can be.
I mean obviously for me I’m lucky that my wife is really helpful and on board and she’s a huge effort in my whole deal, you know. And my daughter, she makes it really easy on us. She just turned four months old, but she sleeps through the night, she’s very calm, easy to fly with, and I think that makes it very, very easy on us. So, she seems like she’s already, you know, a frequent flyer, and for me, just both of them, they let me do my work. And obviously there’s a little bit of give and take, but that’s just what it is. I’m excited to start this chapter of my life: having a kid, having a family, and still continue to live my dream, and they let me do that and support it too, so it’s really, really fun.
Just talk about the battles dude, you weren’t even here at the beginning of the year Jason–a couple guys weren’t, Barcia, Aaron’s good–the battles are pretty intense. That second moto there were like five of you, just take me through that second moto, it was nuts.
Yeah, for me, even first moto I think I was behind–I was in like eighth place behind [Garrett] Marchbanks and then Jett came going by me and I just tried to latch onto him and pick guys off. Yeah, I basically started tenth and had to work my way to wherever I was, and coming back you know, I feel like that second moto I got passed Adam [Cianciarulo] and I got into fifth and was a little worn out. After not racing all year and stuff like that, I feel like I’m still trying to build, you know, just to have two motos to where I could be all out but yeah I mean, today was a lot of battles, especially in our class I mean, the second moto I think Chase and Jett were quite a ways out front, but that first moto and behind those two in the second moto was an all-out battle. Track was really tough to pass on today, but it was fun.
