Image: Octopi Media.

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki rider Jo Shimoda is inching closer to his first podium in Pro Motocross, notching a career-best finish of fourth overall at Thunder Valley.

After a disappointing 10th place overall to start to the 2021 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross season, Shimoda rebounded well to put together a solid day for round two, taking home 6-4 moto scores.

“The track was really challenging and I didn’t make it easy with my starts,” Shimoda explained. “I’m really happy to ride well and have it pay off with a fourth place.”

The career-best result wasn’t easy, Shimoda starting both motos from outside of the top 10, forcing himself to work his way through the pack in both motos. He later admitted that he’ll need to make changes to be competitive as the season rolls on.

“At the first round I really didn’t get strong motos in, I had bad starts and crashed both motos, so I just didn’t really put it together. But today I feel like I had a solid ride, but still bad starts. If I want to finish in front I definitely have to fix that.

“I don’t know what’s happening, practice days I’m fine, but when I come to the race I get 25th place starts. I will practice so much, working on the starts, but when I come to the race it’s just not working, so we have to change something for sure.”

Now with a weekend off before round three, Shimoda and the rest of the crew will put in work before the series gets back under way at High Point on 19 June in Mt. Morris, Pennsylvania.