Efforts Kick Off in Preparation for Dakar Rally 2017

Jun 21, 2016

―Team adds another training rally and selects dealership mechanics―

Dakar Rally 2017 course map
Dakar Rally 2017 course map

Dakar Rally organizers have finalized the host countries for the 2017 event, and HINO TEAM SUGAWARA has kicked off its preparation efforts as it aims for its 26th straight finish in the race, and eighth straight championship in its class. The team will be upgrading its trucks' performance and beefing up its summer training for the upcoming 2017 rally.

The team has been joined by its mechanics, who were screened and selected from among applicants from Hino dealerships nationwide.

We would like to thank you in advance for your enthusiastic support!

Outline of Dakar Rally 2017 Finalized

Organizers have finalized the host countries and route for Dakar Rally 2017, with Paraguay joining the ranks of host countries for the first time since the rally was relocated to South America in 2009. Together with Argentina and Bolivia, the event will be hosted by three nations in 2017.

The race is scheduled start off on January 2, 2017 from Asunción, the capital of Paraguay, and take contestants south toward the Argentinian border. Once in Argentina, the route will head north for Bolivian border. In Bolivia, the race will keep the teams at altitudes of no lower than 3,500 meters as they race north for La Paz, the country's capital, where they will take a day of rest on January 8.

At the beginning of the second half of the race, contestants will head south at 4,000-plus-meter altitudes along the eastern side of the Andes and skirt the Uyuni salt flats before re-entering Argentina. The Fiambalá desert in the western part of Argentina promises to be the highlight of the event.

Finally, after 13 torturous days of racing, contestants will finish in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on January 14, where they are expected to be cheered on by massive crowds at the winners' ceremony.

Spanning a total distance of over 8,000 kilometers and featuring four stages in the highlands of Bolivia, this Dakar Rally once again promises to be the world's most grueling race.

Route

You can scroll horizontally

DateStageStartFinish
January 2, MondayStart Ceremony and Stage 1Asuncion, ParaguayResistencia, Argentina
January 3, TuesdayStage 2ResistenciaTucuman
January 4, WednesdayStage 3TucumanJujuy
January 5, ThursdayStage 4JujuyTupiza, Bolivia
January 6, FridayStage 5TupizaOruro
January 7, SaturdayStage 6OruroLa Paz
January 8, SundayRest DayLa Paz
January 9, MondayStage 7La PazUyuni
January 10, TuesdayStage 8UyuniSalta, Argentina
January 11, WednesdayStage 9SaltaChilecito
January 12, ThursdayStage 10ChilecitoSan Juan
January 13, FridayStage 11San JuanRio Cuarto
January 14, SaturdayStage 12 and Finish CeremonyRio CuartoBuenos Aires

Team to enter Silk Way Rally 2016 Russia-Kazakhstan-China
―Added as a training race in addition to Rally Mongolia 2016―

For the first time in the team's history, HINO TEAM SUGAWARA will be entering the Silk Way Rally, scheduled to be held from July 8 to 23, 2016 in Russia, Kazakhstan and China.

In addition to Rally Mongolia, which it has been entering on a regular basis, HINO TEAM SUGAWARA will be entering the rally as part of its summer training in preparation for the Dakar Rally in order to improve the skills of its drivers and mechanics, as well as to test the performance of its upgraded trucks. The Silk Way Rally will see entries from many of the team's rivals, and feature a large number of desert stages.

The team will be entering one truck, the HINO500 Series Car 2, which will be piloted by driver Teruhito Sugawara and navigator Hiroyuki Sugiura. This year again, the team's mechanics will be headed by Seiichi Suzuki* and Masaki Nakamura as mechanic leader and sub-leader, respectively, along with four mechanics who have been screened and selected from among applicants from Hino dealerships nationwide, including one new member* from Hino Motors, all of whom will ride in three support vehicles to back the racing truck.

On June 5, HINO TEAM SUGAWARA conducted a shakedown of its finished HINO500 Series Car 2 at Hino Motors' Ibaraki Test Track, and was able to confirm the various upgrades made to its performance. The truck is currently awaiting its departure for Moscow, where the race is scheduled to kick off.

* Will not be taking part in Rally Mongolia.

HINO500 Series Car 2 being shaken down.
HINO500 Series Car 2 being shaken down.
Driver Teruhito Sugawara (left) and navigator Hiroyuki Sugiura (right) are committed to giving it their best.
Driver Teruhito Sugawara (left) and navigator Hiroyuki Sugiura (right) are committed to giving it their best.

Silk Way Rally 2016 Russia-Kazakhstan-China - Outline

DateJuly 8th-23rd, 2016.
CountryRussia-Kazakhstan-China
DistanceSpecial Stage/4,105㎞
Connection/ 6,675㎞
Total/ 10,780㎞

Route

You can scroll horizontally

DateStageStartFinishSpecial StageConnectionTotal (km)
July 8, FriCeremonial StartRed Square, Moscow---
July 9, SatStage 1MoscowKazan2852853
July 10, SunStage 2KazanUfa136486622
July 11, MonStage 3UfaKostanay200612812
July 12, TueStage 4KostanayAstana345510856
July 13, WedStage 5AstanaBalkhash569252821
July 14, ThuStage 6BalkhashAlmaty411445856
July 15, FriRest dayAlmaty-- 
July 16, SatStage 7AlmatyBortala77534610
July 17, SunStage 8BortalaUrumuqi257572829
July 18, MonStage 9UrumuqiHami384383767
July 19, TueStage 10HamiDunhuang340144484
July 20, WedStage 11DunhuangJiayuguan330259590
July 21, ThuStage 12JiayuguanAlashan425253678
July 22, FriStage 13AlashanWuhai367368735
July 23, SatStage 14WuhaiHonhot261513774
July 24, SunStage 15HonhotBeijing0490490
   Total4,1056,67510,780

Rally Mongolia 2016 - Outline

DateAugust 7th-14th, 2016.
CountryMongolia
Distance3,800km
RouteStart and Finish at Ulaanbaatar

Team Overview

VehicleOne HINO500 Series, Car 2
Assistant VehicleOne HINO Profia (FU), Two Hilux
Driver/NavigatorTeruhito Sugawara (JRM)*1, Hiroyuki Sugiura
Mechanic Seiichi Suzuki (JRM), Leader *2
Masaki Nakamura (Hino Motor), Sub-leader
Hiroyuki Azuma (Fukushima Hino Motors)*3, Koji Nakamura (Ishikawa Hino Motors),
Junya Inoue (Okayama Hino Motors)*3, Kenji Kunimoto (Hiroshima Hino Motors),
Yoichi Okabe (Hino Motors)*2
*1: JRM (Japan Racing Management Co., Ltd.)
*2: Will not be taking part in Rally Mongolia 2016.
*3: First time a Dakar Rally mechanic was selected from this dealership.

Team selects dealership mechanics who will be taking on Dakar Rally 2017

These dealership mechanics will be taking on Dakar Rally 2017.
These dealership mechanics will be taking on Dakar Rally 2017.
From left to right: Hiroyuki Azuma (Fukushima Hino Motors), Koji Nakamura (Ishikawa Hino Motors),
Junya Inoue (Okayama Hino Motors), Kenji Kunimoto (Hiroshima Hino Motors)

In late May 2016, Hino Motors held a screening event at its Hamura Plant to select four mechanics from Hino dealerships to participate in Dakar Rally 2017.

Since 1995, Hino Motors has been inviting Hino mechanics nationwide to apply for spots on the team as race mechanics as part of its efforts to improve its mechanics' servicing skills. To date, a total of 47 mechanics have taken part in the Dakar Rally, a number that will rise to 51 including the four mechanics selected this year.

The mechanics joined the team early in June to take part in vehicle construction and training races as the team prepares for the main event at the Dakar Rally.

HINO TOPICS

Hino Motors announces "Strategy of Hino towards Carbon Neutrality"

Others 2023.10.27

Hino Motors announces "Strategy of Hino towards Carbon Neutrality"

Hino Motors, Ltd. has announced its initiatives for carbon neutrality today.

View More

Changing Corporate Culture through Dialogue

Others 2022.11.2

Changing Corporate Culture through Dialogue

In order for the entire company to address the issues that have occurred, Hino believes that it is necessary to foster a company-wide corporate culture where people can have respectful dialogue as equals.

View More

Hino's New Corporate Philosophy: The "HINO Way"

Others 2022.11.2

Hino’s New Corporate Philosophy: The “HINO Way”

The new corporate philosophy, the “HINO Way,” disseminated within the company in June 2022, goes back to Hino’s original goal of contributing value to customers and society.

View More

Reform of Processes of Development, Regulatory Certification  and Quality Assurance

Others 2022.9.22

Reform of Processes of Development, Regulatory Certification and Quality Assurance

Hino aims to restore trust in the quality of Hino’s products by making and implementing development plans that are appropriate and practical based on its development capabilities and schedule, as well as ensuring the sound retention of data demonstrating compliance.

View More

Search within this website