Shimoda Claims Victory, Takes Points Lead into Final Round
St. Louis, MO — Honda’s Jo Shimoda captured a crucial overall victory at the latest 250SMX event, positioning himself as a frontrunner in the championship battle. With this win, Shimoda now leads the points standings with 92, holding a 10-point advantage over second-place rider Haiden Deegan at 82 points.
The championship will culminate at next weekend’s finale, where Shimoda can clinch the title with a second-place finish, regardless of Deegan’s performance. The stakes are high, as the final round will award triple points.
Shimoda, struggling with illness, opted not to participate in the post-race press conference. However, Honda provided insight into his mindset through a post-race statement: “Tough day! I haven’t been feeling great; I had a fever going, and I was just trying to manage it. I just wanted to get a good start, ride 80 percent, do nothing crazy, and just finish it off. I’m very happy with the result going into next weekend.”
Lars Lindstrom, Team Manager of Honda HRC Progressive, echoed Shimoda’s sentiment in the team’s report: “I’m super proud of the team! The boys rode awesome, and we were able to take advantage of others’ misfortunes to go into the last round with a super strong chance at winning both championships! We’ll do everything possible to pull that off.”
As the series heads into a decisive finale, all eyes will be on Shimoda and Deegan, with the title hanging in the balance.
