Monster Energy®/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Jo Shimoda Earns Third Overall at Opening Round of 50th Anniversary AMA Pro Motocross Championship

2022-05-30 09:14
The opening round of the 50th Anniversary of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship kicked off Saturday at Fox Raceway in Pala, California, where record fan attendance, cool temperatures and a deeply rutted track greeted the world’s finest motocross racers. In the 250 Class, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider Jo Shimoda led the talented four-rider roster with 4-3 moto scores for third overall. Teammates, Austin Forkner (6-6) and Seth Hammaker (8-5) secured sixth and seventh overall. Cameron McAdoo retired from the race after an early crash in Moto 1. In the 450 Class, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson overcame adversity in both motos to claim sixth overall (4-8).

With overcast skies, cool temperatures and energetic fans, the stage was set for an afternoon of action-packed racing. In the first 250 Class timed qualifying session of the day, Hammaker showed he had the pace to battle for the win by setting the fastest lap time with a 2:13.063. McAdoo proved he could also run with the lead pack by recording a 2:14.821 lap time for fifth fastest. Fellow 250 Class teammates Shimoda (2:15.413) and Forkner (2:15.441) secured ninth and 10th fastest, respectively. The morning track conditions proved to be fastest with much of the field unable to improve their lap times during the second qualifying session.

The opening moto of the afternoon saw Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki athlete Hammaker emerge from the first turn in third with McAdoo running in fifth, Forkner sixth and Shimoda just inside the top-10. Known for his brilliant come-from-behind performances, Shimoda lived up to his reputation as he tenaciously moved past the competition ahead. Utilizing the exceptional power and handing of his KX™250 and his cunning race craft, the Japanese rider crossed the finish line in fourth with his teammate Forkner in sixth. The No.47 of Hammaker matched the pace of the lead riders while simultaneously withstanding pressure from behind before a mid-race mistake dropped him back to eighth where he would ultimately finish. McAdoo suffered an early crash while running inside the top five and retired from the race.

The second 250 Class moto saw Hammaker once again launch his KX250 out the gate to a top-three start. Shimoda emerged from the first turn in a much better position, running top five, while Forkner again secured a top-10 start. The Team Green™ trio remained inside the top-10 during the duration of the race with the No.30 machine of Shimoda quickly charging his way up the field once again. Roars from the crowd could be heard across the track as the Japanese sensation used his bike handling skills to maneuver past two riders and into podium position on Lap 5. Shimoda wasted little time closing the gap to the rider ahead and took over second place within three laps. On the final lap, Shimoda did his best to hold off a late-race effort from behind but crossed the line in third. After another superb start, Hammaker dropped down to sixth but continued battling forward, eventually taking firm control of fifth through to the finish. The No.33 of Forkner rode consistently all moto long, studying the competition’s lines until making his move into sixth on Lap 9 where he would ultimately finish the race. Shimoda’s 4-3 moto scores earned him third overall, while Forkner’s 6-6 finishes secured sixth and Hammaker’s 8-5 performances resulted in a seventh overall.

“I worked really hard during these last two weeks to prepare for the Pro Motocross season and to be standing on the podium. It feels so good seeing all that hard work pay off and I can’t wait to get another podium finish. We have a super stacked field this year. This is going to be a fun summer of racing for everyone.”
- Jo Shimoda

“I think sixth overall is a good result for the opening round and something we can definitely use to build on in the coming weeks. This is a long and physically demanding season so my goal for this round was to leave Fox Raceway healthy and with a good result. And we did just that. Thank you to everyone on my team for all the help. Now it’s time to focus on next week’s race at Hangtown.”
- Austin Forkner

“It feels really good to be back at the races again. It’s been a few months since I lined up to compete so I was expecting to have some nerves, but it all came back to me really quick. I’m pumped to have gotten fastest qualifier at the opening round too! We’re going to build on this performance as we prepare for next weekend and try to carry more of that qualifying speed into the motos.”
- Seth Hammaker
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Monster Energy Kawasaki racer Anderson was ready to carry his race-winning form into the AMA Pro Motocross Championship as he started the day by strategically attacking the track during qualifying and recording the third fastest lap time of the field with a 2:13.976. When final qualifying sessions were complete, Anderson’s first session time proved quick enough to qualify fourth overall.

The start of 450 Class Moto 1 saw Anderson launch out to a mid-pack start and emerge from the first turn running near 20th. The No. 21 KX™450SR rider quickly began to tear through the pack, moving up to 17th by the end of the opening lap. A persistent Anderson made passes through the field every lap as he worked up to 10th by Lap 10. As the race progressed, Anderson used the lapped traffic to finesse his way through the pack and capitalize on his competition’s mistakes. Anderson had the California crowd cheering at the top of their lungs as the New Mexico native moved past a former three-time AMA Pro Motocross Champion to move into fourth and make a late-race push for third. With an impressive race through the competition, the No. 21 would cross the line in fourth place.

In the second 450 Class moto, Anderson again faced adversity as another rider made contact with the front tire of the No.21 race machine and dropped him towards the very back of the field. Tasked with overcoming another challenging start, Anderson wasted no time cutting his way through the pack and back inside the top-20 within two laps. Anderson reached the top-10 by the halfway mark and continued to charge for more. The determined Anderson put on an impressive effort to complete his come-from-behind charge with a respectable eighth place finish, good for sixth overall (4-8).

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