Slaw
Honda HRC confirmed on their social media account on Friday that 250 SuperMotocross champion Jo Shimoda was injured in a practice crash earlier this week at the The Dog Pound facility in Florida.
According to the post, Shimoda crashed and sustained two fractured and displaced vertebrae in his upper back and lower neck. Per the team, he underwent surgery at Tampa General Hospital on Wednesday and has full movement and feeling.
The team said Shimoda is expected to make a full recovery which can take up to three months.
This is awful news for a rider who enjoyed a breakthrough 2025 season, which included his first career 250 championship.
“It’s a shame to get injured as I was getting ready for the new season,” Shimoda said. “I’ve been riding well, and we’ve made good progress with the bike. I knew when I crashed that something was wrong, but it’s fortunate that the spinal cord is okay. Thank you to my doctors for the great care I’ve received. I feel motivated to start working on my recovery, and I hope it will go as quickly as possible.”
“I’m sorry Jo is having to go through this,” added Brandon Wilson, Manager of Racing and Advertising at American Honda. “He showed last season that he’s one of the sport’s top 250 riders, and pre-season testing was going well. Back injuries are always concerning, so I greatly appreciate how our team members and industry friends networked to ensure Jo was quickly in the care of top-level medical specialists. Everyone at Honda wishes Jo well, and we’re totally behind him as he begins working on a full recovery.”
Shimoda recently signed a new deal with Honda HRC.
We will have more information as it’s known.
