Honda HRC Progressive announced that Jo Shimoda is slated to return to competition at AMA Supercross Round 7 in Arlington, Texas, after recovering from a serious neck injury. The team said Shimoda suffered two fractured vertebrae in a preseason testing crash in November, underwent surgery, and has been cleared by doctors to race; some outlets described the injury as a “broken neck.” Honda framed the Arlington appearance as a planned return rather than an automatic start and noted Shimoda has had limited time back on the bike, leaving his readiness largely untested in race conditions.

Honda confirmed Shimoda is entered in the 250SX East Division opener, a military-appreciation event, and said the signing immediately deepens the East field. Shimoda enters the Supercross season as the 2025 SMX 250 champion; he has three career main-event victories, 11 Supercross podiums, and won five of the final ten races last summer.

Honda positioned him as a central contender and signaled the manufacturer’s intent to challenge at the front early, and outside reporting said the return gives Shimoda a chance to salvage early points and re-establish himself as a title contender despite the layoff. The team’s media materials included visual details such as purple backgrounds on Shimoda’s bike for the Arlington event, and Honda issued the update in a Seattle post-race press release. Teams, fans and medical observers will watch the return both for its championship implications and as a test of how Shimoda handles race conditions after significant neck surgery.

Sources