The opening round of the Eastern Divisional 250SX Championship in Arlington, Texas, delivered plenty of excitement, highlighted by an impressive comeback from Honda HRC Progressive’s Jo Shimoda. Racing for the first time since undergoing November surgery to repair two fractured and displaced vertebrae in his neck and upper back, the reigning 250 SMX World Champion grabbed the holeshot and set the early pace, firmly in control from the start.
Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Pierce Brown settled into second, followed by Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Daxton Bennick. Meanwhile, title contender Cole Davies was forced into recovery mode after a first-turn incident involving multiple riders dropped him well outside the top 20.
Shimoda quickly stretched his advantage to more than three seconds, settling into a strong rhythm through the early laps. However, an unexpected sequence dramatically shifted the race. As he approached the finish line, red medical lights were displayed, signaling that he could not jump any obstacles until the track was cleared. Shimoda rolled through to start the next lap, but both Brown and Bennick continued at full race pace. The discrepancy allowed Brown to erase the deficit and ultimately make the pass for the lead.
Once racing resumed at full speed, Shimoda mounted a sustained challenge. The Honda rider shadowed Brown throughout the remainder of the 15-minute-plus-one-lap main event and showed strong pace, but passing opportunities were limited. With under a minute remaining, Shimoda made an aggressive inside move for the lead, however Brown maintained his composure and extended his advantage in the closing moments.
Brown claimed the victory by 2.4 seconds over Shimoda, with Bennick completing the podium in third. Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Seth Hammaker recovered from early contact to finish fourth, while Davies delivered an impressive charge through the field to secure fifth.
The win marked Brown’s first Supercross victory in 33 career starts and came one year after a crash at the Eastern Divisional opener resulted in a fractured vertebra that ended his season. With the victory, Brown now leads the championship standings by three points over Shimoda and five over Bennick. It will also mark the first time he carries the red plate.
Quotes
Pierce Brown – 1st Place – Eastern Divisional 250SMX Class
“I don’t even know where to start. There were so many nights where I didn’t think this would be possible. Missing a year, especially with the injury I had, it’s pretty degrading. It’s a scary thing to come back from and there were a lot of doubts. I’m just thankful I never stopped fighting. Every day this offseason we put our best foot forward. Wow. This is…amazing.”
Jo Shimoda – 2nd Place – Eastern Divisional 250SMX Class
“I saw the red [medical] light come on and you’re not supposed to jump that, so I don’t know what happened. We’ll review it. Overall, it was a good one for me. I felt rusty all day, to be honest, but my adrenaline kicked in for the race. It’s a good way to start.”
Daxton Bennick – 3rd Place – Eastern Divisional 250SMX Class
“I turned a pretty bad day into a good day. I thought if I could be top five [in the main event] that’d be good for me. I struggled all day, but I’m pumped to come away with a podium. I dug deep in that race. We’ll keep digging this week and come out swinging next weekend.”
250SX East Main Event Results
| Position | Rider | Hometown | Bike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pierce Brown | Sandy, UT | Yamaha YZ250F |
| 2 | Jo Shimoda | Suzuka, Japan | Honda CRF250R Works Edition |
| 3 | Daxton Bennick | Morganton, NC | Husqvarna FC 250 Factory Edition |
| 4 | Seth Hammaker | Bainbridge, PA | Kawasaki KX250 |
| 5 | Cole Davies | Waitoki, New Zealand | Yamaha YZ250F |
| 6 | Drew Adams | Chattanooga, TN | Kawasaki KX250 |
| 7 | Coty Schock | Dover, DE | Yamaha YZ250F |
| 8 | Devin Simonson | Laurinburg, NC | Yamaha YZ250F |
| 9 | Cullin Park | Clermont, FL | Honda CRF250R |
| 10 | Kyle Peters | Greensboro, NC | Yamaha YZ250F |
| 11 | Nate Thrasher | Livingston, TN | Yamaha YZ250F |
| 12 | Derek Kelley | Riverside, CA | Kawasaki KX250 |
| 13 | Caden Dudney | Des Moines, IA | Yamaha YZ250F |
| 14 | Jeremy Hand | Mantua, OH | Honda CRF250R |
| 15 | Henry Miller | Rochester, MN | Kawasaki KX250 |
| 16 | Luke Clout | Sydney, Australia | Kawasaki KX250 |
| 17 | Luke Neese | Jamestown, NC | Honda CRF250R |
| 18 | John Short | Pilot Point, TX | Honda CRF250R |
| 19 | Bryton Carroll | Vineland, NJ | Yamaha YZ250F |
| 20 | Bryce Shelly | Telford, PA | Yamaha YZ250F |
| 21 | Jalek Swoll | Belleview, FL | Triumph TF 250-X |
| 22 | Marshal Weltin | Ubly, MI | Kawasaki KX250 |