The 2026 250SX East Division of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship fires into life this weekend in Arlington, Texas, and all eyes will be on the return of Jo Shimoda.
Round 7 of the season marks the first stop for the 250SX East Region and doubles as the annual military appreciation race, with Honda HRC Progressive confirming that Shimoda is planning to line up despite suffering a serious off-season injury.
The Japanese star sustained a broken neck during the break, an injury that initially appeared certain to sideline him for the entirety of supercross. However, following surgery and what the team has described as a relatively speedy recovery, Shimoda is now set to make his return far earlier than many expected.
In a statement released ahead of the weekend, the team said: “Up next for Honda HRC Progressive is AMA Supercross round 7 this Saturday in Arlington, Texas, which is a military-appreciation race. The event marks the first round of the 250SX East Region series, and Jo Shimoda is planning to compete. The Japanese racer suffered a neck injury during the off-season but has made a relatively speedy recovery from surgery. Everyone at Honda is happy to welcome the 2025 SMX 250 Champion back to racing.”
It’s a significant boost for the 250 East field, with Shimoda adding immediate depth and championship experience to the grid. As the reigning 250SMX Champion, he’ll carry the distinctive purple number backgrounds on his Honda, signalling his status as the current titleholder in the SMX postseason.
While he hasn’t had a great deal of time back on the bike, simply being on the gate in Arlington is a major milestone. With a full championship ahead, even consistent points in the early rounds could keep him within striking distance, and as history has shown in the ultra-competitive 250 class, anything can happen once the gates drop.
