250 East Pre-Season Interviews: Arlington
February 20, 2026
We're back in Texas for Round 7 of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship. It’s the first round of the 250 East Divsion; we caught up with Shimoda, Hammaker, Brown, Davies, and Dudney to talk about the upcoming season for them.
Jo Shimoda
I don’t think anyone expected you to be back this soon. How does it feel?
It feels good. Honestly, I didn’t expect it either. These injuries can heal quickly with today’s technology, and I had a lot of help from several doctors and treatments. I’m really grateful for that. I’m excited to be back.
How much time have you had on the bike?
Close to two weeks.
Do you feel up to speed? What are your goals coming in?
I felt pretty good at the practice track, but racing is different. We’ll see once we line up.
Do you feel like you need to ease into it, or are you setting specific goals right away?
The series is long, so there’s still a lot of racing left. If I can walk away with top fives, or maybe even a podium if I feel good enough, that would be great. My goal is to be consistent and build from there.
In terms of the injury itself, it’s obviously a scary one. Was this one of the worst injuries you’ve had? What was the crash and recovery like?
The crash actually wasn’t that big. It was just the way I landed that wasn’t ideal. It’s definitely a sensitive area. But in my case, I was really lucky. Everything has been checked by multiple doctors, and they’ve all said it looks strong and healed well.
Any injury is tough, but I feel fortunate with how this one turned out.
Does your neck feel totally normal now?
That’s the part where I feel most lucky. I broke my neck, but the location of the break allowed them to do the surgery from the front. If it had been in a different spot, it could have been much worse. Movement-wise, I have no issues.
That’s good to hear. Sounds like everything is progressing well.
Yeah, everything is going in the right direction.
You spent some time in Japan during the offseason. What was that like?
It was great. All my family is there. I’d love to have them here, but that’s difficult. I was able to spend close to a month with them. It’s a great way to recharge, go back home, see everyone, and then come back here ready to work. This is my job, so it was a really good reset for me.
Do you think you’ll eventually move back there when your career is over?
Yeah, I think so.
Seth Hammaker
How did the offseason go for you?
The offseason went really well. I had a little bit of a late start because I was recovering from a shoulder injury, but everything with that went smoothly. Honestly, two or three weeks into Supercross prep, I felt like I could have gone racing. I feel really good now: 100 percent, no excuses coming into this round. I feel ready.
When did you get back on the bike?
I got back on the bike at the end of December. I rode turn track for about a week, then a week of outdoors, and then started Supercross in early January.
Realistically, how much time do you need on the bike before you feel competitive?
Ideally, you’d always like more time, but honestly, the two weeks I had would be enough to be competitive. I just need that time to get my legs back under me, get the timing down, and build some fitness. Around two weeks is probably the minimum for me.
We were surprised to see Shimoda come back with about two weeks on the bike. But does that make sense to you?
Yeah, it does. If he’s had a couple weeks on the bike, why not race? Speed-wise, he probably won’t lose much. Maybe the top-end intensity is harder to replicate compared to someone who had a full offseason, but that usually comes back quickly once you’re racing.
You were really close in the title hunt last year. Is there a redemption mindset this season?
I definitely want the title really bad. But I’m trying not to put too much emphasis on that early in the season. I want to come in open-minded, see where I stand, focus on myself, put in good laps, and be consistent. Then toward the end of the season, we’ll see where we are. But yes, I want to fight for it.
Does it feel different this year knowing how close you were?
One hundred percent. Being in the title hunt last year wasn’t necessarily expected. Now I’ve been through it and gotten that close. It’s time to execute and make a real run at it.
Pierce Brown
We didn’t see much of you last year, but the last time we saw you in Supercross, you were riding well. Where are you at mentally heading into this season?
I had to take a lot of time off last year, and it wasn’t by choice. But I learned from it. I don’t resent it. It’s never ideal to miss a whole season, but coming into this year, I feel really good. I’ve been with the team since day one of the offseason program. We’ve had about four months of solid training, and I’d say I’m about as ready as I’m going to get. I don’t feel like I’m lacking anywhere.
For round one, I just want to take it for what it is and get through it. But I do believe I have really good speed right now. If the win is there, I won’t be surprised. I’m trying not to put too many expectations on it, but at the same time, there are always expectations at round one. I just want to make sure I’m in the fight this year.
Was there ever an option to race West since you had so much time on the bike, or was this always the plan?
It was never really discussed. Around December is when I started hitting my stride. The first month or two of riding in the offseason was tough. I had spent so much time off the bike that it took a while to get my legs back under me. I started feeling really good around January and just maintained from there. I think we took the right steps to get here, and I feel as prepared as I can be.
Do you feel like you’re better than you were last year?
Riding-wise, yes. I feel like I’m riding better than last year. But the level has also gone up. There are a lot of fast new guys coming in, so it won’t be easy. I’m one of the older guys in the class now, and I have a lot of experience. I expect to use that to my advantage.
Does the level in the class keeps rising every year?
Absolutely. Every year the 250 class takes another step forward. It comes with the new generations. You see guys like Cole [Davies] riding really well and bringing that next age group up with them. You can’t get comfortable.
What’s it like training with all the younger riders?
It’s fun. They’re excited every day. It’s cool having that energy around because some of us older guys have been doing this a long time. Without them, some days might feel like just going through the motions. But they never seem tired. It’s been good using that energy as motivation and a training tool to make all of us better.
Cole Davies
You got hurt at the end of SMX. What was the recovery like?
I had surgery the Monday after Vegas. After that, it was about four or five weeks off the bike. It was a solid recovery and honestly a bit of a reset. Once I got back on the bike, I’ve just been building step by step. It’s been a good offseason, and I’m ready to go.
Were you ever planning to race West Coast?
I was ready to race West and actually wanted to, but the team had other plans. The plan ended up being East.
Do you feel like you’re the title favorite?
You can think what you want, but I’m going for the championship. That’s the goal.
Is your mentality different this year with a championship as the goal?
Every year I’ve had a clear goal. In 2023 Futures, I just wanted to make a name for myself. I finished fourth and got signed to a team. In 2024 Futures, my goal was to win a Futures race. I won A2 and then won the championship in Salt Lake. In 2025, my goal was to win a Supercross race. I won two that year.
This year, the goal is the championship. That’s the natural progression.
What did you learn from last season?
Mainly experience and confidence. I gained confidence last year and just more overall race experience: learning the tracks, getting more seat time. I feel stronger coming into this season, so I’m bringing that into this championship.
East Coast tracks are different: softer soil, more ruts. How do you feel about that compared to the harder West Coast tracks that you race last year?
Last year I felt good in all conditions. I was strong at Glendale, which is hard-packed. I won in Philly and Seattle, which were soft and rutted. I also won in Arlington, which had a triple crown format. So I feel like I can adapt. I’m confident in all conditions.
Any particular East Coast venues you’re excited to visit?
Most of them I haven’t been to yet, so I’m just excited to see what they’re all about.
Caden Dudney
Were you planning on racing East?
Honestly, no, I was not. I was expecting to be at Daytona and finish out the Futures, then go pro outdoors first. But we’re here, so I’m just making the best of it and enjoying it.
Who made that decision?
Bobby called me Saturday night, right before the gate dropped, and asked me how I felt about racing East. I was all for it. The team was on board, so yeah, we made it happen.
Was that just last weekend?
Yeah, last weekend. We kind of made the final decision on Monday. I had to think about it for a second to make sure it was the right move this year. I only had two days on the bike, then we flew here.
How different is the bike compared to your amateur bike?
I wouldn’t say it’s much different at the moment. There are definitely some things you can do to change the feel, but I just put the motor in like I did for the last two outdoor rounds last year, and we’re running spec tires. Nothing too crazy. The tires are really the only thing that changes the feel so far, and honestly, it’s a lot better.
So there’s not really a learning curve on the bike?
No, I didn’t think so, at least not personally. I don’t know how other people feel when they make the transition from amateur to pro, but for me it felt pretty smooth. I didn’t feel like I had to figure out a whole bunch of stuff.
What are your expectations? Do you have any?
I wouldn’t say I have any set expectations. I just want to go out there, make the best of it, learn, and have fun.
You’re from Texas, right?
Yeah, from Athens, Texas. It’s probably about an hour and a half from here. This is really my home race. Everyone thought Houston was my home race, but this one is.
Did you grow up coming to Supercross races here?
Yeah, kind of. The last time I was in Arlington was two years ago, and I was just watching everyone race. I remember seeing guys like Haiden Deegan out there and thinking, “Oh man.” Now I’m lining up with them, which is pretty cool.
