Shimoda on his injury


Jo Shimoda has revealed his disappointment at a crash beyond his control that resulted in a collarbone injury that means he will miss the start of the East coast season leaving Mitch Payton with no riders left fit for the new series in one week’s time after their other rider, Seth Hammaker, was also ruled out this week with a wrist injury.

A disappointed Shimoda said: “So yesterday morning I crashed on the jump, something I couldn’t control – it’s motor racing. I feel very sorry for everyone and feeling in a weird spot of knowing four months of work is wasted within a second.”

Carson Mumford was recently drafted in to replace Austin Forkner in the West Coast but wasn’t due to race until Oakland after the first two rounds of the East coast – but will he now be on the gate in Texas next weekend as PC Kawasaki’s sole representative in the series? Let’s wait and see, but for Hammaker and Shimoda, the emotional pain will be as bad as the physical. All that preparation for a title challenge down the drain just days before the series starts, that’s tough.

Text: Jonathan McCready

Image: Shimoda IG