Image: Supplied.

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki will face a race against time if the team is to compete in Houston after Jo Shimoda joined 250SX East teammate Seth Hammaker on the injury list this week.

While the team only announced it as a shoulder injury, it’s understood that 20-year-old Shimoda broke his collarbone on Thursday and will now take the required time out to recover.

“I’m doing my best to focus forward on my return to racing,” said Shimoda. “Our goal was to compete for the 250SX Eastern Regional Championship and I know we had been doing the right work to make that happen. Unfortunately, this crash will cause me to miss the start of the season, but I still aim to be back on the track racing for wins before the end of supercross.”

After finishing fourth in 250SX West standings last season, Shimoda raced his way to second overall in the Pro Motocross Championship after claiming two overall victories and nine podiums in total.

It’s been a disastrous start to 2023 for Mitch Payton’s Pro Circuit team, first with Austin Forkner being injured at Anaheim 1, followed by the injuries of both Hammaker and Shimoda – just one week out from the eastern regional opener of 2023 Monster Energy Supercross.