​Factory KTM announced on Thursday that Aaron Plessinger will sit out Rounds 23 and 24 of the SuperMotocross World Championship at The Wick 338 in Southwick, Massachusetts, and Spring Creek in Millville, Minnesota, in order to recover from a bruised tailbone. The team’s update followed Plessinger’s social media post a day earlier, which hinted that he might miss Southwick. After a crash at RedBud in the first moto, Plessinger shared an update on Tuesday, suggesting there was some doubt about his participation for the upcoming round, even though he did not explicitly declare a miss.
“First off thank you to everyone that has checked in on me and well RedBud did not go as I expected,” he wrote. “It’s such a bummer to go down like that without even a lap in. I ended up getting a decent jump out of the gate and going down in the first corner and as soon as I hit the ground I got hit from behind. It tore my pants and gave me a nice cut right on my tailbone.”
He continued, praising the Alpinestars Medic unit for their quick work: “The guys over at Alpinestars Medic unit got me cleaned up, stitched up and on my way, I want to thank them for that. As much as it sucks I’m glad it’s not worse and I’m glad nothing is broken. Gonna get this wound healed up and be back as soon as I can. Thank you everyone for your support! Hoping this black cloud I’m under passes by soon.”
Plessinger’s wording about returning “as soon as I can” created ambiguity regarding his possible participation in Southwick, a decision that carries significant implications for his path to the SuperMotocross World Championship Playoffs, which kick off September 12 at Historic Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. With a limited window to qualify for a guaranteed playoff spot, every race day becomes critical, and Plessinger cannot afford to miss additional motos if he hopes to secure a favorable position in the standings.
Currently positioned 13th in the combined SuperMotocross standings, Plessinger sits 77 points above the cutline. With six rounds of Pro Motocross remaining, that provides a cushion of 13 points per moto, a margin that could vanish quickly with further time off the bike. The timing of his injury is particularly challenging given the playoff structure, which adds pressure to perform in the remaining rounds to preserve or improve his ranking.
The road hasn’t been smooth for Plessinger this season. He missed the final rounds of the Monster Energy Supercross series after sustaining an injury in Birmingham, Alabama, which sidelined him for seven races. His Pro Motocross campaign has also faced setbacks, including a zero-point performance in the second moto at Round 2 and another zero in both motos at RedBud. Those results have contributed to the pressure he now faces as he tries to navigate the rest of the season while dealing with tailbone pain and the need for healing.
Looking ahead, KTM’s decision to hold Plessinger out of Southwick and Millville reflects a cautious, patient approach to his recovery. The team will likely reassess his condition in the days leading up to each round, weighing the risk of aggravating the injury against the potential benefits of racing. Fans and analysts will be watching closely to see if Plessinger can recover fully in time for future events and whether he can regain momentum in a season that has already proven unpredictable.
In summary, Aaron Plessinger will skip Rounds 23 and 24 of the SuperMotocross World Championship to heal a bruised tailbone, with the possibility of a race-day decision on his return for upcoming events dependent on his recovery progress. The situation remains dynamic, and KTM will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.