• Respectable showing for the Japanese native at round 9
• Chance Hymas shows resilience after an early crash but ultimately records a DNF

Honda HRC Progressive took on the season’s first 250SX East/West Showdown in Indianapolis, where both Jo Shimoda and Chance Hymas represented the team on their CRF250RWE race machines. Shimoda battled near the front early on before finishing sixth, while Hymas fought through adversity after an early fall but was unable to finish. In the 450SX division, Honda’s satellite teams continued to lead the brand’s efforts while the factory riders remained sidelined with injuries.

In the 250SX East/West main event, Shimoda got a strong jump out of the gate and ran near the front early. After engaging in several battles on the soft, rutted, technical track, the Japanese rider crossed the finish line in sixth place. Meanwhile, Hymas experienced a challenging evening. A tip-over in the whoops set him back early, but he pushed forward with determination. Unfortunately, a late crash on the over-under jump ended his night before the race was finished. Phoenix Racing Honda’s Cullin Park finished 13th, with Quad Lock Honda Racing’s Carson Mumford and Phoenix Racing Honda’s Gavin Towers finishing 19th and 20th, respectively.

Phoenix Racing Honda’s Dylan Ferrandis delivered a solid performance in the 450SX main event, finishing eighth, while Quad Lock Honda Racing’s Shane McElrath claimed a top-10 result.

NOTES

• Honda HRC Progressive’s Jo Shimoda and Chance Hymas participated in Friday’s Media Day before joining other riders on the track for a practice session ahead of race day.
• Although Jett and Hunter Lawrence remain sidelined as they recover from surgeries, both brothers attended the Indianapolis round, engaging with fans, signing autographs, and supporting the team. Jett also stepped into the broadcast booth to provide commentary during the 250SX main event.
• In attendance at the Indianapolis race was a group of approximately 150 R&D staff from Honda’s plant in Marysville, Ohio, as well as some of their family members. Approximately 30 Honda associates enjoyed the race from a suite.
• Tom Wood Powersports, Indiana’s premier Honda Powerhouse dealer, set up a pop-up activation booth in the Honda HRC Progressive pits, where they displayed a CRF450R and a CRF50F, and engaged with fans and customers.
• In support of Supercross and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital’s #LoveMotoStopCancer campaign, Honda HRC Progressive sported custom Throttle Jockey graphics on their bikes, as well as special riding gear. The look was designed by St. Jude patients, adding a special touch to the event. The bike plastics will be auctioned off for the campaign.
• Shimoda posted the eighth-best time in the combined 250SX qualifying results, with Hymas 11th. Carson Mumford (Quad Lock Honda Racing) was 13th, and Lance Kobusch (SPR) rounded out the top 20.
• Shimoda finished fifth in the 250SX West heat, with Phoenix Racing Honda’s Gavin Towers finishing eighth to secure a direct transfer to the main event. In the 250SX East heat, Mumford placed seventh, followed by Hymas in eighth, both earning direct transfers. Phoenix Racing Honda’s Cullin Park advanced to the main via a third-place finish in the LCQ.
• In 450SX heat 1, Quad Lock Honda Racing’s Joey Savatgy claimed third, while teammate Shane McElrath finished sixth, both earning spots in the main. In heat 2, Phoenix Racing Honda’s Dylan Ferrandis secured third to transfer directly to the main. Red Rider Jeremy Hand (Valley Motorsports) claimed his spot with a third-place finish in the LCQ.
• On race day, Honda HRC Progressive riders Jett and Hunter Lawrence did a meet-and-greet with a group of 10 IndyCar drivers at the Honda rig.
• Commentator and former factory Honda rider Justin Brayton rode Jett Lawrence’s bike, fitted with Brayton’s #10, for a broadcast feature and first look at the track on Press Day.
• Next up, the series enters its first break of the season before Honda HRC Progressive returns for round 10 in Birmingham, Alabama, where racing resumes with 250SX East competition in a Triple Crown format.

Jo Shimoda 30 “Well, first of all, my hand is feeling much better, so I'm pretty happy with the healing process. Overall, I’m still struggling with decision-making with the motorcycle, and I think I couldn’t really perform like myself, so we're going to work on that. Four more rounds, and the goal is to win again–we have to keep working as a team, and hopefully it will get better.”

Chance Hymas 10 “The East/West showdown was a DNF for me, unfortunately. Honestly, the heat race was pretty bad on my part. I got a decent start, crashed, and then ended up eighth, so I had a bad gate pick for the main. I was around 10th, crashed in the whoops, and then worked my way up to 11th from dead last. Then I hit a Tuff Block on the top of the over-under, which caused me to fall from the top of it onto the ground. I knocked the wind out of myself, and that was the end of my night. Not a good night here in Indy; I need to bounce back in Birmingham, so I’m focused on recovering for that.”

Lars Lindstrom Team Manager “Results-wise, this wasn’t a race to write home about; I don’t think we showed what our guys are capable of. It was cool to have a lot of associates from Honda Ohio at the race, and to have the HRC U.S. IndyCar drivers and teams come by. It’s really cool to have that kind of connection to the four-wheel racing side of Honda HRC.”