On the heels of his first major professional racing championship, Jo Shimoda has signed a new deal with the factory Honda HRC Progressive team, American Honda confirmed today. The 23-year-old turned in a breakout season in 2025, consistently fighting for wins and podium finishes, and earning the SuperMotocross 250 crown. At the same time, he enjoyed a surge in popularity, as fans came to appreciate his fluid style and endearing personality.

Born and raised in Suzuka, Japan (where Honda has several important operations), Shimoda started riding at age 4 and, after earning early success in his home country, began honing his skills during increasingly frequent international forays.

He eventually landed a spot on the Honda-supported Factory Connection amateur program, which transitioned into a pro ride near the end of the 2019 season. He posted respectable results over the next two years, even earning the 2020 AMA Supercross Rookie of the Year Award.

Shimoda moved to another manufacturer when the satellite team shut down following the 2021 season, but he returned to Honda’s factory team in 2024. The 2025 season saw him take a major step forward. He won the AMA Supercross 250 West opener before a fluke hand injury affected the remainder of his indoor campaign, and he finished second in AMA Pro Motocross standings, taking a pair of overall wins along the way.

Then in the three-round SuperMotocross Playoffs, Shimoda took another two overall wins and wrapped up the title, becoming the first Japanese rider to win a professional AMA championship. Shimoda was also impressive while racing a CRF450RWE for the first time with Team Japan at the season-end Motocross of Nations, posting 2-6 results in his two motos.

“Since I was young, I’ve thought HRC is one of the most advanced teams in the whole motorsports industry,” Shimoda said. “To be a part of that is amazing. Where I grew up, they have the Suzuka Circuit, where Honda is all over the place—Honda Racing Corporation is right by my house! There’s a lot to it, and it means a lot to me.”

“On behalf of everyone at American Honda, Honda HRC Progressive and HRC, I’m extremely pleased to welcome Jo back for another season,” said Brandon Wilson, Manager of Racing & Advertising at American Honda. “We’re proud of the progress that Jo has made with his speed and confidence over the last couple of seasons, and he has played an important role in developing our CRF250RWE race machine. We’re excited to see what we can do next together.”