Aaron Plessinger

Aaron Plessinger has made himself one of the sport's most genuinely beloved figures — not by being the most calculating or the most disciplined, but by being the most real. Born on December 12, 1996, in Hamilton, Ohio — a small city in the southwestern corner of the state — Plessinger never fit the California-based, facility-trained mold of modern professional motocross. He brought something different: an infectious energy, an almost physical inability to take himself too seriously, and a raw talent that in 2018 produced one of the most complete double-championship seasons any rider has put together in junior competition.

His 250SX West championship and 250MX championship in the same 2018 season stamped him as a rider capable of winning in any format on any surface. His transition to the 450 class was slower than expected — injuries played a significant role — but his 2025 Foxborough win reaffirmed that the talent never left. In 2026, managing a hip labral tear, he continues to race with the same attitude that has made him one of the paddock's permanent fan favorites.

Red Bull KTM — Three Seasons In

Now in his third season with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing alongside Eli Tomac and Jorge Prado, Plessinger occupies a unique role: he is one of the deepest program veterans while also being the team's most unpredictable asset. On a good night with a good start, AP7 can win — the 2025 Foxborough result proved that. The hip issue that has shadowed his 2026 campaign has limited his results, but limited Plessinger is still more entertainment than most of the field at full health.