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EXPOSURE
JO SHIMODA
BY JASON TODD
DOB: May 16, 2002
Hometown: Suzuka, Japan
Bikes: Honda CRF250R
Classes: Schoolboy 2, 250 B
Sponsors: Amsoil Honda, 6D, Alias, 100%, Alpinestars, Ethika, Asterisk, Yoshimura, Pro
Taper, Dunlop, Hinson, D’cor Visuals, Vortex, Renegade, DID, TM Designworks, Moto-
Stuff, Cycra, Moto Tassinari, Twin Air, Matrix, HPD Honda, Factory ConnectionJo Shimoda won several amateur Su-
permini championships during the 2016
season, which resulted in him earning
a ride with the GEICO Honda amateur
team for 2017. Having now moved up
to the bigger bikes, Jo shows no sign
of slowing down. We caught up with
him to talk about his season, living in
America, and more.Racer X: Jo, how has 2017 gone for
you so far?
Jo Shimoda: My 2017 is going pretty
good. I switched to [a] 250 this year
after Loretta Lynn’s. [I’m] just learn-
ing riding the 250 and trying to get top
three at every amateur national. For
me, switching to a 250 was pretty easy
because I was too big for the super-
mini, so when I hopped onto the 250, it
was super comfortable.
What’s your favorite thing about rid-
ing the bigger bikes?
My favorite thing about riding [my] dirt
bike is it goes fast!
Mammoth just wrapped up. How did
that go for you?
Way [more] difficult than last year, be-
cause when I raced last year on the su-
permini, the track wasn’t sketchy. Then
big-bike day, and the whole week I was
struggling with the starts but ended up
with second overall, so it was good.
Do you train at a facility somewhere,
or do you just do your own program?
The program that I do for the training
is I have a trainer. His name is Yannig
Kervella from Champ Factory USA, and
I do riding, gym, and go racing with him.
Do you get back to Japan often?
I visit Japan once a year, after Loretta’s.
Is your family here with you, or are
they back in Japan?
My family is in Japan, but my mom and
sister are staying with me.CUDBYCUDBY CUDBYCUDBY