Rev Up For SuperMotocross World Championship In Las Vegas: 'No Racing Fan Will Want To Miss'

For any SuperMotocross fan, Saturday night's World Championship Final in Las Vegas brings a new level of excitement and anticipation. The big event, taking place at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on September 21 at 6:30 p.m., is winner-take-all excitement with high stakes.

Before the big event, Aaron Plessinger, who currently sits fifth in the 450SMX standings entering the Vegas finale, had a chance to chat with The Blast about the sport and the exciting finals. The Blast also got some valuable insight into the sport and Vegas final from Mike Muye, the Senior Director, Operations, SuperMotocross World Championship, Feld Motor Sports.

Saturday night's excitement begins at 6:30 p.m. for opening ceremonies. It's the culmination of multiple races that began in January.

"The SuperMotocross World Championship stands alone in the sporting landscape," Mike Muye, Senior Director, Operations, SuperMotocross World Championship, Feld Motor Sports told The Blast exclusively.

"This past January, the fastest, most talented off-road motorcycle racers on the planet began their 31-race journey to reach Las Vegas, beginning with 17 rounds of the winter Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship from the country's most well-known football and baseball stadiums, followed by 11 rounds of the summer Pro Motocross Championship from the most legendary motocross venues in the world."

Saturday night is the night racing fans have been eagerly waiting for.

"The 28-race regular season saw a champion crowned for each respective series, from which the top 40 combined racers earned their ticket to the postseason for the 3-round SuperMotocross World Championship Finals," Muye said.

"After two playoff races from zMAX Dragway at Charlotte Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway, we’ve arrived at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for a winner-take-all showdown to crown a pair of world champions, who will earn a combined $1.5 million bonus. This is the culmination of a dramatic and captivating season no racing fan will want to miss."

Racing in Vegas is a bit different than in other cities. Muye told The Blast that they "brought in 50 million pounds of dirt to convert the four-lane dragstrip into a one-of-a-kind hybrid racetrack that combines the high speeds of Pro Motocross and the technical obstacles of Supercross."

"It’s a truly unique challenge that will task both the racers and their race teams to determine the best setup to capitalize on the dynamic differences they’ll navigate, from sweeping turns and deep sand sections to air-inducing jumps and intricate corners that will challenge riders every step of the way," he explained.

"Adding to all that is the entertainment capital of the world that is Las Vegas, where spectacle and fortune combine for the most exciting city where dreams certainly can, and do come true. We’ll fulfill the dreams of two talented racers on Saturday night and there couldn’t be a better setting for our season to reach its climax."

And with the long, rich history of the sport in Sin City, it brings a level of excitement only found in Vegas.

"For decades we hosted the Supercross Finals at Sam Boyd Stadium, which cemented an indelible legacy for the sport. We’ve also been fortunate to host what you might consider jackpot-style races for big money with the U.S. Open, which was held at MGM Grand Garden Arena, and the Monster Energy Cup, which offered a $1 million payday at Sam Boyd Stadium," Muye said. "The SuperMotocross World Championship Final is just the latest addition to a city that has long been a fixture in the sport."

The 28-year-old Groveland, FL resident, who's currently sitting fifth in the 450SMX standings entering the Vegas finale, told The Blast that he got started in the sport because of his father, AMA Hall of Famer Scott Plessinger.

"I got started because my dad was a Grand National Cross Country (off-road) racer and I guess I took a liking to dirt bikes. He got me my first motorcycle and then my first ever race was a woods race like my dad competed in," he told The Blast. "I tried all the other sports, but I was never good at any of them other than motocross, so we stuck with it."

Plessinger went back and forth between woods racing and motocross until 2013. Then he chose to continue on the motocross path and did really well. But despite doing well, he didn't exactly see himself as taking on motocross as a career.

"I worked with a few of my buddies from time to time, but when 2014 came around, I think that's when it hit me that I'm getting close to maybe making a career out of this," he said. "After that, I really took it way more seriously than I had in the past. I went to the Monster Energy Cup in Las Vegas in 2014 and won both Amateur All-Star races. Then I went and started my first Supercross race the following year, so it was a pretty quick turnaround once I had the realization this was my career."

Plessinger shared some insight into how "gnarly" the sport really is.

"Given how physically demanding and dangerous the sport is, we don't get much time to recoup or recover, and I think if people saw the day-to-day life of what we do during the week, I think they would have a better appreciation for the sport," he told The Blast.

"I'd like to get it out there what we actually do away from the track because people just see us race on the weekends. Sure, they know we train, but they don't really know what all goes into it."

Plessinger said most people have no idea just how much they ride the motorcycle during the week or how often they are in the gym training.

"What we do at home, how we eat, or what we try to steer clear of, " he continued. "I think that behind-the-scenes stuff is what could draw more people into watching our sport."

He also shared some thoughts for anyone considering getting into the sport.

"Watch a few races and if you're into it, then watch some older races on YouTube.  Give it a real chance. Don’t sleep on it, because it's a really, really exciting sport. I’d also recommend watching podium interviews, especially at Pro Motocross. Watch the fan reactions. You’ll see how much passion there is," he shared.

"Honestly, try to find all the behind-the-scenes stuff that you can, because that's what is going make you even more of a fan. If you just watch the races and don't see us with our helmets off, or you turn the race off as soon as it ends, you might not like get a full understanding of the sport. I think if you really give the sport a chance and you see our personalities, how different we are, how we all approach our career, you’ll learn to truly love the sport and will appreciate what goes into being successful."

For more information about SuperMotocross World Championship Las Vegas final and tickets, visit their website.