JO SHIMODA

Jo Shimoda could never be counted out. The Honda athlete had remarkable skill and talent on the motorcycle, and once more would put forth a world-renowned effort while stationed at Southwick. He displayed tremendous speed in practice, and appeared eager to succeed in the first moto...until crash amid starting sequences would deter him to twenty-eighth in the running order. It was then a process of moving forward as quickly as possible, making passes on multiple riders at one time, while also eliminating mistakes...and as the halfway point came to fruition, Shimoda appeared to have acquired the standing of twelfth. Though sand would be all over his goggles, and the elements of fatigue began to make their way into his riding abilities, the rider from Japan would persevere. He wanted to capitalize on the slower pace of others, especially as minutes continued to add-up, en route to the checkered flag. Once around Husqvarna’s Casey Cochran, it was then a process of selecting the right point on the racetrack to try and overtake Ryder DiFrancesco. And with calculation, he would surpass the GasGas athlete with around five laps to go...and now resided around Pierce Brown. But the Utah native was riding extremely well on his own behalf, and kept the Honda rider at bay through the checkered flag. Therefore at the conclusion of the moto, it was Shimoda who occupied a standing of ninth before returning to the gate for the second round of competition. Following the restart, Shimoda was able to launch into a territory of fourth, before moving past Levi Kitchen for third...while simultaneously inheriting another spot, due to Haiden Deegan’s crash. Once into second, Shimoda would hound Tom Vialle in every aspect of the course...remaining within striking distance, even as the KTM rider showcased phenomenal speed. Though once the twenty-minute mark had passed, and the thirty-minute mark neared, Jo would substantially close-in on Tom Vialle. This led to a brilliant pass being conducted by the Honda athlete, in the final right-handed bend before the finish line...while on the cusp of taking the two-lap board! Though a rebuttal of sorts was displayed by the French rider, Shimoda’s defense was top-tier — and maintained through the eventual checkered flag...defending the moto victory from both, Vialle and Haiden Deegan! And with this accumulation of results, his overall standing would be boosted to third!