Jo Shimoda Confirms Departure From Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki
As the off-season in AMA Supercross and Motocross gets into full swing, another rider has taken to social media to thank their team for the hard work and support during the last few years. Jo Shimoda has announced on Instagram he will not be racing for Mitch Payton’s Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki team in 2024, as we have heard from sources for several months now that the Japanese rider will be racing for another factory squad.
Shimoda earned his first professional podium with the Kawasaki team (third at the ’21 Indianapolis 1 SX) and went on to claim 23 more podiums between supercross, motocross, and the first ever SuperMotocross Championship (SMX) playoff rounds this year. Included in those 24 total podiums were his first ever supercross main event win (’21 Salt Lake City 1 SX), his maiden AMA Motocross overall win (2022 RedBud National)—as well as two more at ’22 Unadilla and ’23 Ironman Nationals—and his overall 250SMX win at the first ever SMX playoff round in North Carolina.
In his three years with the team, Shimoda finished top five in every championship (SX and MX in 2021 and 2022, then SX, MX, and SMX in 2023), except for the 250SX East Region Championship earlier this year as he only made four main event starts after missing most of the season with a broken collarbone. He finished second in the 2021 250SX East Region Championship, as well as in the 2022 Pro Motocross 250 Class and the 2023 250SMX championships, and there are high expectations for the #30 to be a championship contender all year long in '24.
As anticipated, the 2024 Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki team was announced on Monday as Levi Kitchen and Maximus Vohland joining returning riders Austin Forkner, Cameron McAdoo, and Seth Hammaker. And Shimoda confirmed he will not be on the team for next year, as he says in his Instagram video:
“So yeah, LA Coliseum, that was last race for me with Pro Circuit. Walking back from moto two, I told Mitch, ‘Yes, I’m sorry I couldn’t get it done tonight. I really wanted it for you.’ But he stopped me and said, ‘Jo, I know you’re not racing with us next year, but wherever you go, I will always support you. But, we will be racing hard with you.’ So, it was really, really tough decision for me to make, but I just want to shout-out to team and massive thanks to every single member that was behind me. And thank you for [the most] amazing experience I ever had.
Although nothing has been announced publicly yet from Honda HRC, we expect to see Shimoda lineup alongside Chance Hymas on a CRF250R, with brothers Hunter and Jett Lawrence both moving to the premier class full-time starting with the 2024 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship.
Shimoda's full Instagram caption reads:
“Thank you is probably not enough word to describe and so many ways that we can talk about negative about swapping teams, but to me how much I’ve experience and learned and accomplishments we made together this past three years with @pcraceteam is very special. Thank you Mitch never to forget.
Announcement and plans for 24 coming soon😜”
Read more about the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki team's 2023 season in the November 2023 issue of Racer X Illustrated.
The November 2023 Issue of Racer X Illustrated
Green Daze
Main image by Mitch Kendra
