Jan 6, 2012, Fiambalá-Copiapó
Connection: unknown Special Stage: - Total: unknown (km)

2012 Dakar Rally Reaches Chile
The Final Race of the First Half to be Fought in the Atacama Desert on January 7.

On January 6, contestants of the 2012 Dakar Rally crossed the Andes Mountains from Fiambala, Argentina into Chile to their first bivouac in Copiapo. However, organizers had been forced to cancel the scheduled 247 km competition as the border at Paso De Sanfrancisco, located at an elevation of 4,700 m in the Andes Mountains, was closed due to snowfall. Contestants passed this border, which was opened only for rally-related vehicles, and headed towards Copiapo entirely on a liaison segment. The two HINO 500 Series fielded by HINO TEAM SUGAWARA in the Trucks category arrived at the bivouac after 5:30 pm. The crew was in good spirits despite their having travelled through high elevations, and wasted no time in preparing for the last stage of the first half of the rally on the 7th which will take them on a loop course beginning and ending at Copiapo. This is a 419 km SS that is divided into two sections, and is expected to feature a large number of difficult dunes.

Yoshimasa Sugawara: We crossed the border at a leisurely pace today. I think it was a good thing for all of us that the SS was canceled. Tomorrow, we will renew our commitment and tackle the Atacama Desert.

Hiroyuki Sugiura: The border crossing was at an elevation of 4,700 m and I experienced a minor bout of elevation sickness. It was a great relief for me personally that the subsequent SS was canceled. It looks like we will be having a rough day tomorrow, so I will study the road book well to prepare myself.

Teruhito Sugawara: Although it's regrettable that today's SS had to be canceled when you think that tomorrow will be the end of the first half of the race, the only thing we can do is make the best of what is thrown at us. It looks like there will be some challenging sections towards the end of tomorrow's SS.

Seiichi Suzuki: We found cracks in Car 2's rear body again and repaired them by welding. Basic servicing has been completed last night so it was just inspections for today. I plan to rest well to prepare for tomorrow.

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(The rankings in parentheses are in the class with an engine displacement of below 10 liters.)
*The rankings at the time when the report was written might be adjusted afterwards.

Refer to the Daily Movies
https://www.hino-global.com/dakar/gallery/video_index.html

*The HINO vehicle referred in this news in relation to the rally is specially designed, tuned and modified for the Dakar Rally, and most of its specifications are different from those of the HINO vehicles sold in the market unless otherwise specifically mentioned.