Jan 12, 2012, Arica-Arequipa
Connection: 120 Special Stage: 432 Total: 552 (km)

Trouble with Car 2 Overcome with Teamwork.
Both Trucks Arrive at Arequipa.

On January 12, contestants of the 2012 Dakar Rally entered Peru, the last country in the rally, and raced on a 432 km SS from Arica to Arequipa. The race has now reached the final stages, with only 4 stages to go, all of which are in Peru. When one considers the fact that the final SS leading to Lima is only 29 km long, and a goal ceremony is scheduled immediately after it, for all practical reasons, there remain only 3 days of racing including this day. The organizers have stated that they have included many dune areas, but it would be difficult to gauge how challenging the course is until the drivers actually drive the course as this would be the first time the Dakar Rally extended into this region. In any case, for HINO TEAM SUGAWARA, which fields two HINO 500 Series trucks in this rally, these 3 days will be their true test of mettle of whether they will be able to achieve their goal of winning the Under 10-litre class championship and coming in at high rankings in the Trucks category overall.

The Teruhito Sugawara and Seiichi Suzuki crew who pilot Car 2 beat many of its larger rivals in the Trucks category to come in at an amazing 9th place the previous day. Yoshimasa Sugawara and Hiroyuki Sugiura, the crew of Car 1, started later and did very well on the dunes but drove until after sunset towards the end of the SS, coming in at 33rd overall and 6th in the class for the SS the previous day. Both crews were committed to do their utmost in the first stage in Peru.

Today, the contestants first travel on a liaison route to cross the border from Chile into Peru. This is followed by a 2-part SS that would begin at Boca del Rio that is situated on the coast. In the first part, contestants quickly enter an inter-mountain area with thick fesh-fesh (powder sand). The route for the Trucks category then takes a shortcut around a short dune segment, which makes it approx. 46 km shorter than that for the Cars category. This is followed by a climb on a gravel road to 1800 m, with the first half ending at the 195 km point. At this point, a paved neutral zone begins which takes contestants to the 326 km point where the second half begins. The second half again takes the contestants across a dusty inter-mountain route at an elevation of around 1800 m and finally to their goal in Arequipa, after which they travel on a liaison route to the bivouac.

While Car 2 was the 9th to start this segment and was doing very well, its transfer hit a rock and was damaged mid-way on the course. It finished the first half towed by Car 1 which came later, and once in the neutral zone where servicing was allowed, an assistance team arrived to replace the transfer, allowing the truck to get back into the race. Car 1, which continued ahead of Car 2, finished the SS at 25th overall and 3rd in the Under 10-litre class. Car 2 also made it to the goal all in one piece at 30th overall and 4th in the class.

While Johan Elfrink's crew (Mercedes-Benz Axor), which tails Car 2 overall in the class, finished this SS at 1st in the class, Car 2 maintained its overall 12th position in the Trucks category, and still maintained a 1 hour 44 minute 56 second lead over Elfrink in the Under 10-litre class. Car 1 posted an overall 23rd ranking in the Trucks category, and maintained its 3rd position in the Under 10-litre class.

With large rocks dotting a brown inter-mountain landscape, the bivouac site in Arequipa resembled northern Morocco. For the Motorbikes category, this day was designated to be an unassisted marathon stage, and as their bivouac was set up at a different site near the coast, the number of race participants at the camp seemed somewhat sparse. While the Hino mechanics who made the transfer replacement in the neutral zone did not arrive at the bivouac until pm, they remained tireless and quickly began inspecting the trucks for the leg that would head out to Nazca on the 13th.

Yoshimasa Sugawara: Today's course was a very treacherous one for trucks. We had a full day, including having to tow Car 2, but I'm glad we made it to the bivouac safely.

Teruhito Sugawara: It appears we hit our transfer on a rock in the first half of the SS. We were leaking oil and our truck wasn't able to go any further once we got to the neutral zone. Car 1 towed us, and because the latter part of the neutral zone was the same as the assistance route, we had our transfer replaced and were able to continue the race. This work was in full compliance with regulations, so I'm relieved that we were able to reach the bivouac in good form.

(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.