News Release
[Topics / DAKAR] The Dakar 2010 Race Report (Stage 6)
January 7, Antofagasta (Chile) to Iquique (Chile)
Connection 180 km, SS 418 km, Connection 0 km, Total: 598 km
The vehicles drove steadily to Iquique, the northernmost point of the rally.
In this SS, for the first time in this rally, Car 2 came in 1st position in the class with an engine displacement of below 10 liters.
One week has passed since the Dakar 2010 started from Buenos Aires. On the 7th of January, the vehicles drove to Iquique in Chile, the northernmost location of the rally. This region, located in the northern part of the Atacama Desert, is known for saltpeter mining. The 418 km SS was held over highland at an average altitude of approximately 800 meters. The road surfaces this day were mostly covered with fesh-fesh (very fine powdery sand) creating a lot of dust at the beginning. The vehicles then experienced driving according to the directions by detouring off the main road. It was a day of diversified stages, as they then drove through dunes and during the last part, drove straight down decreasing their altitude by a few hundred meters, and finally arrived at the bivouac on the coast.
It was a highly risky SS. Many vehicles rolled on this course, but not Hino Team Sugawara's two Hino 500 Series vehicles, which were driven prudently with greatest concentration and high driving capability. Car 2 driven by Teruhito Sugawara/Seiichi Suzuki finished the stage 10th in the overall Truck Division, 2nd in the Production Vehicle Division, and in top position in the class with an engine displacement of below 10 liters, for the first time in this rally. Car 1 driven by Yoshimasa Sugawara/Katsumi Hamura, came in 18th in the overall Truck Division, 10th, and 3rd, respectively.
As a result, Car 2 kept its very high position, gaining 8th in the overall Truck Division, 2nd in the Production Vehicle Division, and 2nd in the class with an engine displacement of below 10 liters. Car 1 also maintained a good rank for the first half of the rally, coming in 12th in the overall Truck Division, 5th, and 3rd, respectively. Tomorrow they will challenge the last stage for the first half of the rally and the longest. A 600km SS set on the road returning to Antofagasta awaits the entrants. The team members were all braced up once again, as this SS is felt to have many dangerous areas. Although there might be vehicles arriving at the next bivouac late, this should have no impact on the overall rally schedule, as the following day is a rest day.
Yoshimasa Sugawara (Car 1 Driver)
My body has begun to get adjusted to the rally at last. As for our truck, we tried to keep the tires on the road to eliminate bouncing, and we were also very careful to drive around the potholes and ruts. Thanks to such close attention, our vehicle developed no problem at all. It seems that the current result we are showing is in a way too good considering that we are prudently keeping to a careful pace.
Katsumi Hamura (Car 1 Navigator)
We experienced all sorts of happenings today; for example, before starting the SS, a truck drove up to us and requested we stop on the side. We did as we were told, but when we started following this truck, we saw this truck stopped on the road ahead due to some trouble (?). Again, when we lost our sense of direction in the last part of the dunes, a helicopter came and lead us in the right direction.
Teruhito Sugawara (Car 2 Driver)
It was a day of rough road surfaces. We decided to drive at a much slower pace as it was dangerous to drive fast over the extremely bumpy roads. It was really scary heading straight down a very steep sand hill with an altitude difference of 1,000 meters in the last part of the SS today. Although the landscape was beautiful, I did not have the mental composure to relax and enjoy it.
Seiichi Suzuki (Car 2 Navigator)
There was a place along the way with an advised speed limit of 30 km/h, we drove 10 km/h faster without noticing it. Although the road surfaces were covered with sand, we found it relatively easy to activate our traction; this was good for the Hino 500 Series. As a navigator, there were areas where I found it difficult to distinguish piste from non-piste, as the piste appeared and disappeared.
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*The rankings at the time when the report was written might be adjusted afterwards.
Refer to the latest ranking list.
http://www.dakar.com/us/DAKAR/2010/live.html
Try to track the competitors by Iritrack.
(how to use)
http://www.hino-global.com/news_release/160.html
(URL of Iritrack)
http://tracking.dakar.com/ASO/index_us.html
Send the message to HINO TEAM SUGAWARA
http://www.teamsugawara.jp/cgi-bin/tsbbs10.cgi
HINO Dakar official site
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Refer to the Terminology page
http://www.hino-global.com/dakar/about/terminology.html
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| The Hino 500 Series vehicles driving up to the bivouac below the dune hills. |
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| Mechanics waiting as Car 2 reaches its goal. |
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| Mechanics checking the service areas. |
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| The bivouac scene with dune hills to the back. |
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| Antofagasta (Chile) - Iquique (Chile) |
