Image: Octopi Media.

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Jo Shimoda sealed his first podium of the 2023 250SX East season with P2 in Nashville, the event marking his third round back since returning from injury.

Shimoda broke his collarbone prior to the opening 250SX East round of the season in Houston and finished fourth when he made his return at Atlanta.

A week later at MetLife Stadium, he rode to his first-ever heat race win before splashing to P9 in the 250SX Showdown in East Rutherford. On Saturday at Nissan Stadium, he qualified third fastest and finished P4 in heat two.

After completing the opening lap of Nashville’s 250SX East main in fourth, Shimoda ultimately charged his way forward to reach P2, overcoming Jeremy Martin (Muc-Off FXR ClubMX Yamaha) and capitalizing on a mistake from Jordan Smith (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) to achieve the runner-up position.

“I’m just kind of happy to be back,” Shimoda said. “Just to line-up on the gate. It’s good to finish on the podium, but for right now just to be travelling and being back to the races is super fun.

“It’s always going to be difficult, never easy, but when you join the races [later in the championship after missing opening rounds] you just don’t have the data from round one. To me, it feels like you kind of have to start a little behind, and it takes a couple of races to get that back.

“Just suspension, we did so much different testing after the first race, so just small things add up and it’s tough to be back and be strong again, it just takes time.”

Shimoda’s second place in Nashville marks his fifth career Supercross podium, with his next outing to come at Salt Lake City on 13 May, marking the final round of the 2023 Monster Energy Supercross Championship and the second 250SX East/West Showdown of the season.