News Release
[Topics / DAKAR] The Dakar 2010 Race Report (Stage 13)
January 15, San Rafael (Argentina) - Santa Rosa (Argentina)
Connection 76km, SS 368km, Connection 281km, Total: 725km
The vehicle cleared the last difficult SS, keeping top position in the Production Vehicle Division.
We will finally arrive at Buenos Aires tomorrow.
On the 15th, a 368 km SS was set up between San Rafael and Santa Rosa. The SS, which started from the mountainous area in the south of San Rafael, had highly difficult dune sections for a short while at the beginning. As the course was mainly on relatively easy pistes (unpaved roads) after that, this dune marked the last truly difficult special stage. This was the same dune that tortured many entrants during the last rally, and even this year. Many vehicles got stuck climbing the steeper side of the high dunes into a strong wind. Although this difficult section was only about 10 km, relatively short, it widened the time differences between many vehicles. Car 2, driven by Teruhito Sugawara and Seiichi Suzuki of Hino Team Sugawara, fully utilized the superior mobility of the Hino 500 Series vehicles to steadily clear this stage, finding appropriate routes based on their unerring judgment. Starting today's SS 7th, Car 2 passed the CP 1 (Check Point 1) in 6th place, finishing the SS at their own good pace to come in 6th in the overall Truck Division, 1st in the Production Vehicle Division, and 1st in the class with an engine displacement of below 10 liters. The cumulative result of Car 2 that arrived at the bivouac in Santa Rosa after driving the 281 km connection is 7th in the overall Truck Division; it also kept top positions in both the Production Vehicle Division and in the class with an engine displacement of below 10 liters. The vehicle will be on the alert driving the last course to Buenos Aires tomorrow on the 16th. Santa Rosa, which was the first bivouac last year, is the last bivouac of this rally. The 5 Hino mechanics who have supported the drivability of the Hino 500 Series vehicles, providing precise service activities, went through all inspection and service items in order to take all possible measures.
Yoshimasa Sugawara (Car 1 Driver)
To be honest, I felt a sense of relief when Car 2 safely cleared today's dunes. However, we cannot put our minds at ease until the end, as there was one entrant in the Dakar rally that stopped a few hundred meters before the goal. We will follow Car 2 to Buenos Aires even tomorrow.
Katsumi Hamura (Car 1 Navigator)
I checked the drivability of Car 2 at the CP 1 (Check Point 1). We then took a different route to the bivouac. It was a really hot day.
Teruhito Sugawara (Car 2 Driver)
Although there were steep dunes, we did not drive straight up then, but tried to choose an easier course by studying the surrounding terrain. They were in a way similar to the dunes in Africa. We will drive steadily tomorrow, our one thought being to complete the rally in Buenos Aires.
Seiichi Suzuki (Car 2 Navigator)
As the GPS way points were well joined and located on the course, we tried to drive keeping track of the course without being too conscious of them. Other than the dune sections, the course was flatter and easier than we anticipated. We do not think we have any damage to our vehicle.
Takayuki Monma (Mechanic, Hino Motors, Ltd.)
We were relieved that we could drive through the stage without any problem, as we heard in the beginning that today's stage was difficult. Although this will be the last service work in the bivouac, we want to go through them properly and aim at the goal tomorrow.
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(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 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
http://www.hino-global.com/dakar/index.html
Refer to the Terminology page
http://www.hino-global.com/dakar/about/terminology.html
 |
| The bivouac in Santa Rosa that became extremely hot reaching nearly 40 degrees Celsius. |
 |
| The Sugawara, father and son, getting a grip on themselves to be ready for the last course tomorrow. |
 |
| The Hino 500 Series vehicles that arrived at the bivouac in Santa Rosa together. |
 |
| San Rafael (Argentina) - Santa Rosa (Argentina) |
