The “warriors” who battled in the Dakar Rally, the world’s most tortuous rally, came together once again on March 24 at Hino Motors HQ in Hino, Tokyo to hold the HINO TEAM SUGAWARA Dakar Rally 2016 Report Conference.

In addition to securing a 1-2 finish and its seventh straight win in the Under 10-litre Class in the Trucks category, HINO TEAM SUGAWARA also marked its 25th straight finish since it first started in the rally in 1991^*. To give guests a comprehensive perspective on the rally, the report conference was held in a talk show format that featured the father-and-son driving team of Yoshimasa and Teruhito Sugawara, who, alongside mechanics and other team members, appeared with Tomoteru Sugiyama from TV channel J SPORTS, who provided extensive on-site coverage of the team. The special hall set up for the meeting was filled with 200 guests, including those from supporting companies, all of whom were introduced to a variety of anecdotes accompanied by dynamic video footage, making for a very lively event.

* This was Hino’s 25th finish in the race since 1991, not including 2008, when the race was canceled due to political instability.

“For this year’s trucks, we focused on upgrading their engines and suspensions,” noted driver Teruhito Sugawara. “We were also able to strengthen our bonds as a team at Rally Mongolia, which we entered before the Dakar Rally. So we were able to enhance our capabilities as a team both in terms of hardware and software, if you will. We can improve our time a lot more.”

Driver Yoshimasa Sugawara congratulated his team members, saying, “We had a lot of heavy rain this year, so it was quite tough mentally. And we were under pressure to deliver a solid race, particularly because this was to be our 25th anniversary. Everyone worked very hard, and thanks to that, we were able to finish the race.”

Touching on one of the particularly grueling aspects of the rally, navigator Hiroyuki Sugiura remarked, “Oxygen respirators are indispensable for the Andes crossings, where we climb to altitudes of up to 4,700 meters. It was tough to keep myself in good physical condition and battle altitude sickness at the same time.”

Engineer Katsuyuki Nagoshi didn’t hide his satisfaction as he remarked, “We made modifications to the computers’ programs so the engines wouldn’t lose power even at high altitudes. This gave us the ability to perform very well even under those conditions.”

“The rest day is a critical time for the drivers as well as for the trucks,” noted mechanic sub-leader Masaki Nakamura. “In addition to carrying out servicing work such as oil changes and suspension servicing, we also refresh all of the trucks’ equipment, such as polishing the shovels the crew use to dig sand.”

Tomoteru Sugiyama, the J SPORTS producer who was tasked with the role of commentator during the talk show, described the team’s accomplishment: “I was very moved at how the mechanics literally worked in pools of water that formed on the tarp from the heavy rain.”

Navigator Mitsugu Takahashi recalled his personal ordeal: “I was really hyped before the rally started, but once we were on the road, the non-stop, intense shaking and vibration were enough to make me regret at one point that I joined. But once we finished, it was that much more emotional and brought tears to my eyes.”

With an eye to what to expect going forward, mechanic leader Seiichi Suzuki remarked, “The trucks were faster, so while previously we could have probably finished two races on a single set of tires, this time, they were worn out by the middle of the race. Moving forward, we’ll be focusing on increasing the trucks’ braking capacity and making other upgrades to accommodate their greater speed.”

Expressing his gratitude to his juniors, mechanic Masaki Tagoku remarked, “I would like to thank everyone for giving me the priceless experience of taking part in a rally. What I would like to say to everyone who’s aspiring to become a mechanic is that this is something that you really have a chance to do at Hino Motors.”

“The bad weather was tough on us both mentally and physically, but we were able to stick to our mission, which was to service the trucks perfectly, and that’s what got us to the finish line,” recalled mechanic Masato Kondo.

With a renewed sense for the basics, mechanic Nozomi Tonoike remarked, “I’m very grateful to everyone at my company and in my family who sent me out to this rally, where I was able to experience things that I would never have experienced in everyday life. What I relearned in the rally was the importance of the basics, such as making verbal confirmations.”

Mechanic Hideyuki Sakaguchi related his expectations for the future: “Since we experienced Rally Mongolia beforehand, we were able to work well as a team in the Dakar Rally, and I think the communication between team members went very well, too. From here on, I’ll be relating my experience to my juniors and students so they might be inspired to join this team.”

Hino Motors Chairman of the Board Masakazu Ichikawa closed the meeting, saying: “Thanks to the generous backing from our supporting companies, we were able to construct exceptional trucks, and the team has also made significant enhancements to its capabilities. But we must keep in mind that our rivals also continue to evolve. I look forward to seeing the mechanics who have been trained in and graduated from the ‘Sugawara School’ as they display their capabilities in their respective workplaces and contribute to training new talents.”

Asuka Yuikawa emceed the event with her refreshing smile and soothing voice.