Dakar Rally 2013

Car 1

Team director and driver.
Yoshimasa Sugawara

Director and chairman of the Japan Racing Management Co., Ltd.
Born on May 31, 1941 in Otaru, Hokkaido

(Race history)
- A record 20 consecutive finishes at the Dakar Rally.
- A record 30 entries (and counting) in the Dakar Rally
- The only Japanese racer to have raced in all categories(Bike, quad, car, and truck)
- Six-time overall 2nd place finishes in the truck division. Seven-time champions in the under 10-litre class.
- Finish percentage in the truck division: 95% (19 out of 20 entries)

Navigator
Katsumi Hamura

President, Just Speed
Born on September 3, 1966 in Koganei, Tokyo

(Racing history)
Hamura has been Yoshimasa Sugawara's exclusive navigator since 1992 and has supported him in his many finishes at high rankings. He focused on the support and training of his successors in 2011 and 2012, and will be rejoining the team this year to provide an extra boost to the team's capabilities.

Car 2

Driver
Teruhito Sugawara

President of the Japan Racing Management Co., Ltd.
Born on July 13, 1972 in Minato-ku, Tokyo.
Second son of Yoshimasa Sugawara.

(Race history)
- 1998: Took part in the Dakar Rally as a mechanic.
- 1999: Took part in the Dakar Rally as a navigator.
- 2003: Took part in the Pharaons Rally as a driver, and won the overall championship in the truck division (first for a Japanese).
- 2005: Took part in the Dakar Rally as a driver.
- 2007: Champion in the under 10-litre class in the truck division.
- 2012: Won his 3rd consecutive championship in the Under 10-litre category.

Navigator
Hiroyuki Sugiura

Japan Racing Management Co., Ltd.
Born on May 6, 1984 in Kitaku, Tokyo

(Racing history)
- 2010: Took part in the Rally Mongolia as navigator for Yoshimasa Sugawara.
- 2011: First participation in the Dakar Rally as navigator
- 2012: Took part in the Dakar Rally as navigator

Mechanic

Mechanic leader
Mitsuhiro Urabe

Marugame Sales Office, Kagawa Hino Motors, Ltd.
Born on February 14, 1973 in Kozainishi-machi, Takamatsu, Kagawa

This will be his second participation in the Dakar Rally since his first in 2009 when the race was first held in South America.
He will be leveraging his daily experience in servicing trucks to ensure that the first truck for the team with an electronically controlled engine finishes.

Seiichi Suzuki

Japan Racing Management Co., Ltd.
Born on January 30, 1961 in Minato-ku, Tokyo

(Racing history)
Suzuki has participated in a large number of international rallies as both navigator and mechanic.
(16 times in the Dakar Rally, 7 in the Rally Mongolia, twice in the Egypt Pharaoh Rally, and once in the Australian Safari)

Takahiro Kikuchi

Sapporo Kita branch, Hokkaido Hino Motors, Ltd.
Born on March 22, 1975 in Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido

Kikuchi acquired his HS-1 qualification, a prerequisite for a position on the team, to take part in the Dakar Rally. He has also posted good performances in the Hino Motors Nationwide Servicing Skills Contest, and has continued to hone his servicing skills in preparation for this race.

Takeshi Koiso

Yokohama branch, Yokohama Hino Motors, Ltd.
Born on March 8, 1978 in Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa

Koiso aspired to become a mechanic when he saw Hino win the overall championship in the 1997 Dakar Rally. He will be taking part in what has been his 15-year long dream since joining the company the following year of that win.

Yoshiaki Sakai

Head office, Tokushima Hino Motors, Ltd.
Born on July 22, 1974 in Ishii-cho, Myozai-gun, Tokushima

While he had no mechanic experience when he joined the company, he has earned his HS-1 qualification in only 7 years. He was the first applicant for the team from Tokushima, and also became the first to actually take part in the race.