Jo Shimoda Joins Honda HRC For 2024
Ryan Nitzen | October 18, 2023
Another silly season rumor came true today as Jo Shimoda officially signed with Honda HRC for the upcoming 2024 and 2025 SuperMotocross seasons. He’ll be the second 250 rider alongside Chance Hymas as both Jett and Hunter Lawrence are slated to race in the 450 class (Hunter’s announcement has yet to be officially confirmed). This is a reunion of sorts as Shimoda rode as an amateur for the Geico Honda team before leaving the Red Riders in 2021. During this time he was also teammates with the Lawrence brothers. Shimoda is set to sport number-30 and wear Fox helmet, gear, and boots along with Scott goggles.
Jo Shimoda joins Honda HRC for 2024. Photos: Honda
“I’m super-stoked to join Honda’s factory team,” Shimoda said. “I feel like I’ve progressed a lot since I was with Factory Connection, and I hope that I can take the next step in my career, to win an AMA championship. I’m friends with the Lawrence brothers since we were teammates at Factory Connection, and they’ve shown that the bikes are capable of winning at the highest level. We’ve already started testing for 2024, and I can’t wait for the season to start.”
Shimoda on his new CRF250R.
From Honda – Born and raised in Suzuka, Japan, Shimoda began riding dirt bikes when he was 4 years old. After earning early success as an amateur racer in his home country, he sought out stiffer competition internationally. He competed in Europe (even racing against Jett Lawrence on occasion) and in the U.S., earning the 2016 Supermini 2 AMA Amateur National Championship at Loretta Lynn Ranch, at age 14. He signed with the Honda-supported Factory Connection team’s amateur program in 2017, then turned pro near the end of the 2019 season.
Shimoda turned pro as a Honda rider back in 2019.
In 2020 (Shimoda’s first full year as a professional), he finished third in the AMA 250SX East Region final standings, earning the AMA Supercross Rookie of the Year Award. With the Factory Connection team closing before the following season, Shimoda signed with Pro Circuit Kawasaki. In 2021 he became the first Japanese rider to win an AMA 250SX main event, finishing second in the East Region final standings. Last year saw him become the first Japanese rider to score an AMA Pro Motocross overall win, earning second in the 250 final standings. He was third in the same series earlier this year, also taking second in the inaugural SuperMotocross 250 class. So far in his career, Shimoda has collected three 250 overall wins in AMA Pro Motocross, one 250 Regional win in AMA Supercross and one 250 win in SuperMotocross.
The new number-30.
Shimoda is the first Japanese rider to sign a factory contract with American Honda, although Honda has fielded top Japanese racers in MotoGP, World Trials and even Formula 1.
