(HIno) Dakar Rally 2016 Kicks Off in Buenos Aires

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Hino Trucks Press Release / January 3, 2016

Prologue run is cancelled mid-way due to an accident in the Cars category.

January 2, Dakar Rally 2016 kicked off in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The two HINO 500 Series trucks entered by HINO TEAM SUGAWARA made it off to a good start on the opening day of 14 days intense competition.

This day, a starting ceremony was held at the Technopolis exhibition hall in the outskirts of Buenos Aires―the same venue where vehicle inspections were carried out―during which each of the entering vehicles were introduced and started off from a ramped podium. The roster of entrants this year consisted of 136 bikes, 45 quads, 111 cars, and 55 trucks for a total of 347 vehicles. This represented a roughly 20 percent decrease from the previous 406. This decrease is believed to be partly due to Chile and Peru bowing out from hosting the rally over concerns regarding disaster response. And while the Trucks category saw 8 fewer entrants than last year's 63, the challenges faced by HINO TEAM SUGAWARA were expected to be no different from previous years as the list of tough, top tier regulars remained the same.

With the intense South American summer sun shining down, the weather this day was clear but muggy. As the podium would not be able to bear the trucks' weight, they started off from beside the podium as is usual practice. In response to the crowd's applause as they were introduced by the organizer, the Hino trucks blew their horns before starting off in good form.

This year, a short timed segment coined the "prologue run" was set 171km north of the starting point. The finish rankings in this segment were to be used to determine the starting order for the next day (SS for January 3), but an accident occurred in the Cars category, where a car veered off course, injuring a group of spectators. Due to this accident, this timed section was canceled and the trucks ran the entire section as a liaison segment heading out to Rosario.

Tomorrow, January 3, will be a restart for the team as the Cars and Trucks categories face a 258km SS between Rosario and Villa Carlos Paz. The two HINO 500 Series trucks were serviced by team mechanics at their bivouac in Rosario and were ready to take on the race in good shape.

Yoshimasa Sugawara: The truck is doing exceptionally well, which goes without saying as there was no competition today. I will be refocusing on tomorrow's SS.

Mitsugu Takahashi: This is the first Dakar Rally for me, but I've navigated for Yoshimasa Sugawara on many occasions in the Rally Mongolia, so I was able to finish the day without getting overly nervous. To be honest, there was a part of me that was relieved to hear that the competition run was cancelled.

Teruhito Sugawara: I was a bit disappointed at the prologue run being cancelled. That said, even though the first part of the SS tomorrow (January 3) will feature agricultural roads similar to what we had today, I don't see us being at a disadvantage later in the segment as we will be going through twisty intermountain roads. This will be a restart for us and I will be giving it my best.

Hiroyuki Sugiura: We were looking forward to the prologue run, if only to compare our potential against our competitors', but there's nothing we can do about that now. The course for tomorrow will be one that we've driven on in the past, and since the roads are a bit narrow for trucks, we may be able to leverage the strengths of the HINO 500 Series, which are relatively more compact.

Photo gallery - http://www.hino-global.com/dakar/latest_news/PD16-11.html

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Heavy Rains Force Organizers to Cancel Entire Stage

Hino Trucks Press Release / January 4, 2016

Hino team pulls together for the longest SS of the rally to be held tomorrow on January 4.

January 3, although trucks were scheduled to race on a 258km SS between Rosario and Villa Carlos Paz, the area was met with heavy rainfall which flooded many sections of the course, creating extremely difficult driving conditions. As if that was not enough, the Cordoba Airport nearby had to cancel all arriving and departing flights for a period of time due to thick rain clouds. So at 10:00am, the organizers made the decision to cancel all competition for the day.

Bikes and cars, which had already arrived at the SS start point by then, drove on the SS to CP1 and then made their way to paved road. Trucks―which departed later and were on a liaison segment leading up to the SS at the time―were rerouted and headed for the bivouac in Villa Carlos Paz. HINO TEAM SUGAWARA's two HINO500 Series were both at the bivouac by the time the 3:30pm mark had come and gone. While the trucks were dirty from splashed mud, they were―as would be expected―free of any problems.

This was the second consecutive day for the Trucks category to have their racing canceled following the prologue run yesterday which was canceled due to an accident in the Cars category. This made for a highly unusual situation where the trucks had not seen any racing in the two days since the start of the race.

January 4 is scheduled to feature a 510km SS, the longest SS in this year's rally, heading northward toward Termas de Río Hondo. Although weather forecasts call for possible inclement weather again tomorrow, the crews are keeping their focus, and the team's mechanics are making sure that all inspections and servicing work are completed to a tee.

Yoshimasa Sugawara: The rain was unbelievably intense today. So intense that even the wipers had no effect. I think that two straight days of cancelation is quite a rare occurrence in the Dakar Rally. This rally is quite difficult unless the hosting region is stable in terms of political situation, safety, and weather. I'm hoping we can race tomorrow.

Mitsugu Takahashi: Today was a disappointment as I was quite psyched as we headed out from Rosario. I am feeling a bit of nervousness as we will be running a 510km SS without much of a lead up.

Teruhito Sugawara: There was nothing anybody could do about this. The course today would get very slippery when wet, perhaps due to the soil's characteristics, and can be quite dangerous. Right now, I'm focused on tomorrow. The last thing I want to do is become impatient or numb out.

Hiroyuki Sugiura: Today's cancelation was a letdown. We left at 10:00 and were already at the bivouac by 3:30pm. I do feel a bit of apprehension in terms of navigation among other things for the 500km we will be running tomorrow.

Related reading - http://www.hino-global.com/dakar/latest_news/PD16-12.html

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Race Finally Begins in Earnest

Hino Trucks Press Release / January 5, 2016

Car 2 finishes at 23rd overall in great form, and Car 1 comes in at a solid 47th.

The course for January 4 took contestants from Villa Carlos Paz to Termas de Río Hondo, both in Argentina. While yesterday's SS had to be canceled due to bad weather, competition was given a green light this day albeit on a shorter course than scheduled. The race is finally on, three days after its starting day.

For the first part of the day, contestants raced northward on intermountain roads along the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The rest of the day also featured winding roads that snaked between the hills, reminiscent of WRC courses. In order to make better time, contestants had to attack blind corners at high speeds. Intense dust was also a problem in many areas, making this a day of high-risk racing. Changes were also made to the course―including its truncation at CP4 (checkpoint 4) towards the end―shortening it to 373km from 510km, which would have made it the longest SS in this year's rally.

HINO TEAM SUGAWARA's two HINO500 Series trucks finished this stage with strength to spare. Car 2, crewed by Teruhito Sugawara and Hiroyuki Sugiura, finished the day at 23rd overall in the Trucks category, and top in the Under 10-litre Class. Car 1, crewed by Yoshimasa Sugawara and Mitsugu Takahashi, finished at 47th overall and 4th in the Class.

Although their later start times meant that Car 2 and Car 1 would only arrive at the bivouac at roughly 11pm and 12pm, respectively, both crews were in good shape and neither truck showed any signs of significant problems. On January 5, trucks were originally scheduled to race a 314km SS en route from Termas de Río Hondo to Jujuy. However, bad weather has once again forced organizers to shorten the day's competition to 190km.

Yoshimasa Sugawara: I used extra caution driving in narrow and hazardous sections. It was a long day. The truck is doing great so I will give it my best again tomorrow.

Mitsugu Takahashi: The race began in earnest today, and I was naturally a bit nervous, but I also had a lot of fun. I made some mistakes that one might expect from a novice navigator, but our driver is a seasoned veteran so things were under control.

Teruhito Sugawara: We were able to race at a very good pace. Taking into account the sections where we had to slow down due to the dust, I think there's room to shave off another 10 minutes from our time. The engine is also easier to handle, including how the greater torque now allows me to go on 4th gear in situations where I would have had to use 3rd gear in the past.

Hiroyuki Sugiura: Today's route posed no challenges in the way of navigation thanks to course branches being marked with tape and other measures that were taken. In terms of the truck, hitting our bumper in the bush was about as serious as things got today, so we had no problems to speak of.

Photo gallery - http://www.hino-global.com/dakar/latest_news/PD16-13.html

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Trucks Complete Shortened SS with Composure

Hino Trucks Press Release / January 5, 2016

Under torrential rain, the team carries out inspections and servicing at the bivouac in preparation for the marathon stage.

January 5: On this day again, the SS between Termas de Río Hondo and San Salvador Jujuy―which was originally scheduled to be 314km long―was shortened to 190km due to inclement weather. However, the course was blocked due to an accident in the Cars category which was racing ahead of the trucks, and organizers were forced to cut short the Trucks category's SS at CP3 (check point 3). HINO TEAM SUGAWARA's Car 2 piloted by Teruhito Sugawara and Hiroyuki Sugiura delivered a stellar performance, finishing at 15th overall in the Trucks category and top in the Under 10-litre Class. Car 1 also finished in good form at 48th overall and 4th in its class.

The day's SS was similar to yesterday's and primarily consisted of winding gravel roads along the foothills. Road surfaces in some areas were extremely slippery due to rain. This day again, HINO TEAM SUGAWARA's two HINO500 Series trucks delivered excellent performance. Car 2 finished at 20th place overall, and was bumped up to 15th place for the SS after accounting for all penalties accrued over the previous days. Car 1 finished at 49th and was similarly bumped up to 48th place.

After the SS, both HINO500 Series trucks traveled a 302km liaison segment to reach the bivouac in Jujuy near the Argentine-Bolivian border. At the bivouac, both trucks underwent extensive inspections and servicing in preparation for the marathon stages that will be starting on January 6. The trucks will compete on a loop course starting out of Jujuy on January 6, and when they arrive at the bivouac at the end of the day, they will be moved to a storage area where no servicing work will be allowed. For this reason, the team has decided to replace all parts that require periodic replacement ahead of time. As drenched as they were from the thundershower that began late in the afternoon, Hino team mechanics were seen coolly carrying out their jobs.

Yoshimasa Sugawara: The road surfaces were muddy and there were a lot of slippery areas. So I drove very cautiously. The rain came down so hard on the last liaison that it was difficult to see where we were going at times. I'm relieved that we were able to finish without any incident.

Mitsugu Takahashi: We were told that the course was blocked at some point past CP3 and organizers decided to cut the competition short for the Trucks category at CP3. In the end, what was originally scheduled to be a 314km SS was cut down to a mere 130km.

Teruhito Sugawara: Today's stage was similar to yesterday's. Today again, I was impressed with the improvement of our truck's performance that came from the engine's greater torque. We will be climbing up to elevations in the 4000m range tomorrow, but we will be fine as we have driven in that area every year.

Hiroyuki Sugiura: Navigation itself was not that difficult today, but the speed limit signs posted at villages that we had to drive through were complicated and made things quite difficult. We had to be very cautious as we could have been penalized for simply being wrong with our timing.

Photo gallery - http://www.hino-global.com/dakar/latest_news/PD16-14.html

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Highland Stages Kickoff Midway Through the Rally

Hino Trucks Press Release / January 7, 2016

Car 2 finishes the loop SS―set at an average elevation of 3500m―in 19th place.

January 6: This day, contestants raced on a 419km loop course that was based out of San Salvador Jujuy in northern Argentina. This SS, which was set in the intermountain areas near the Bolivian border, has been used a number of times in previous races. At an average elevation of 3500m and peaking out at 4100m, this was the first full-blown highland stage for this year’s race. For the next several days, contestants will be racing at high elevations, and on January 7, when teams travel to Uyuni in Bolivia, they will be passing through the highest point in this year’s rally at 4700m.

On this day, contestants traveled on a 100km liaison from the bivouac in Jujuy to the start/finish point of the day’s SS which was situated at an elevation of 3800m. From there, they raced one clockwise lap on the loop course. Trucks were designated a different route from that of Bikes and Cars in the mountain road section in the first part of the SS for a total driving distance of 419km which was 10km shorter than that for Bikes and Cars. Midway through the SS, the course opened up to an expansive piste, setting the stage for high-speed racing where contestants were able to hold their top speeds for long periods of time.

HINO TEAM SUGAWARA’s HINO500 Series trucks leveraged their excellent mobility and did very well in this SS. Car 2 piloted by Teruhito Sugawara and Hiroyuki Sugiura finished at 19th overall and top in the Under 10-litre Class. Car 1 crewed by Yoshimasa Sugawara and Mitsugu Takahashi also did very well finishing at 30th overall and 2nd in the class. This marked the team’s first one-two class finish in this year’s rally.

This day was designated a marathon stage, which meant that vehicles were not allowed to receive servicing from their assistance crews at the bivouac (Assistance crews had already departed for Bolivia, and will be spending the night of the 6th at a special bivouac set up in Tarija, Bolivia). This year’s marathon stage came with a new twist where the vehicles were placed in the Parc-Fermes after the day’s competition and even their crews were not allowed touch them. So all vehicles will be starting the race the following day on the 7th in the condition that they were when they arrived at Jujuy. As for the HINO500 Series trucks, although a slow-leaking puncture was found on Car 2’s left front tire just before the day’s start which the team promptly replaced, neither of the trucks had any problems at the end of the day’s competition, and both will be heading out for Bolivia in good shape.

Yoshimasa Sugawara: There was a river crossing today where a number of trucks were stuck, and we did very well as we were able to find an alternate crossing point. This was thanks to our experience in Mongolia, so I’m very proud of that.

Mitsugu Takahashi: I’m starting to get a hang of navigating, but I’ve still got more to learn. I seem to be fine with high altitudes as I didn’t feel any discomfort.

Teruhito Sugawara: Today’s course was one that we’ve raced on many times. There were areas where everyone could just keep going at full speed, and even in these areas, we were able to catch up with trucks ahead of us. This was another confirmation for me of the engine’s upgraded performance. We used oxygen supplementing equipment at high elevations. This worked very well and kept us comfortable.

Hiroyuki Sugiura: Navigation wasn’t that busy today, but again, the speed limit markings at the villages were complicated so I had to be very careful. We noticed the slow-leaking puncture before we left the bivouac so we replaced the tire just in case.

Photo gallery - http://www.hino-global.com/dakar/latest_news/PD16-15.html

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Dakar Rally 2016 Crosses Over Into Bolivia

Hino Trucks Press Release / January 8, 2016

Car 2 finishes the SS in good form at 17th overall.

January 7: Dakar Rally 2016 crossed the border into Bolivia where teams competed on a 327km SS between Jujuy and Uyuni. The itinerary for the day had contestants travel on a 281km liaison segment starting off from Jujuy in northern Argentina, before crossing the Argentine-Bolivian border. This was followed by a highland SS where the average elevation went as high as 4000m. The road surfaces this day were dramatically diverse, transitioning from piste (unpaved road) weaving around barren hilly areas to wadis (dry riverbeds) and mountain pass crossings. Due to thundershowers, the terrain was dotted with puddles, and the road surfaces in numerous areas were wet and slippery. In the latter half of the day, contestants passed an area at an elevation of 4700m during a mountain pass crossing, the highest point in this year’s rally.

Since this was the second day of a marathon segment, contestants had to race the SS without having received any servicing in Jujuy. Other than Car 2 experiencing a slow-leaking puncture the previous day, HINO TEAM SUGAWARA’s two HINO500 Series trucks encountered no problems at all, and delivered great performance again this day. Driving Car 2 in an aggressive but controlled fashion, the Teruhito Sugawara and Hiroyuki Sugiura crew finished at 17th overall and top in the Under 10-litre Class. While Car 1 would not arrive at the bivouac before sundown, the Yoshimasa Sugawara and Mitsugu Takahashi crew finished at 38th overall and 3rd in the class.

The SS was followed by a 33km liaison to the bivouac in Uyuni, which was set up on the premises of a military camp. This was the third time Dakar Rally used this bivouac, but the first time for the Trucks category. The site was situated at an elevation of 3500m, so although the sunlight was intense, the winds were cold even during the day. After sundown, light rain started to fall along with strong winds, and the temperature dropped precipitously. This turned out to be another challenging night of work for the mechanics.

Yoshimasa Sugawara: Today’s course was full of places that were scary for trucks such as narrow roads on the sides of cliffs and bends that we couldn’t get around without doing a K-turn. I didn’t get a headache at high elevations, and felt completely fine for some reason.

Mitsugu Takahashi: We were surprised when the SS’s finish line appeared 5km nearer than we expected. We learned that the organizers had to relocate it due to the huge crowd gathered at the original finish line. I had a lot of fun today as we drove through some areas with amazing sights.

Teruhito Sugawara: Although there was a vast diversity of terrain today, we made a point of going at full speed as much as we could. This year’s suspension gives us excellent handleability and riding comfort regardless of terrain or speed, so we’ve been able to drive the truck quite comfortably.

Hiroyuki Sugiura: I wasn’t feeling very well at high elevations. I seem to start to feel the effects above 4000m.

Photo gallery - http://www.hino-global.com/dakar/latest_news/PD16-16.html

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Contestants Face Another SS in Extreme Highlands Based Out of Uyuni

Hino Trucks Press Release / January 8, 2016

Car 2 delivers stellar performance finishing at 20th overall.

January 8: This day's course consisted of a loop based out of Uyuni, Bolivia. While the Cars and Motorbikes category raced one counter-clockwise lap around the huge 10,000km2 Uyuni sand flats, the Trucks branched off midway and head out for Lake Poopó west of Uyuni. As a result, the Trucks drove on a 295km SS and a 300km liaison this day. Road surfaces for the day's stage consisted of wide open pistes on hilly territory, and road conditions were bad in some areas. Today again, the SS was set in highlands that ranged in elevation between 3700 and 3900 meters.

HINO TEAM SUGAWARA's HINO500 Series trucks did very well on the SS this day again. Car 2 piloted by Teruhito Sugawara and Hiroyuki Sugiura finished in great form at 20th place in the overall Trucks category and top in the Under 10-litre Class. Car 1, despite of running out of gas at one point in the day, the Yoshimasa Sugawara and Mitsugu Takahashi crew finished the SS at 35th place overall and 2nd in the class. This brought the latest accumulated rankings for Car 2 to 17th overall and 1st in the class, and Car 1 to 34th overall and 2nd in the class, giving the team one-two positions in rankings.

Driving a 300km liaison after the SS, Car 2 arrived at the bivouac safely after 9 pm, as did Car 1 after 10 pm. The mechanics, who had been eagerly awaiting their arrival, wasted no time inspecting and servicing the trucks.

Tomorrow marks the final day for the first half of the rally, and the itinerary has contestants traveling back to Argentina and then on to Salta. The day will feature a 336km SS spanning from Bolivia into Argentina with a 133km neutral zone sandwiched midway. Coupled with a liaison of 481km, this will be a long stage extending for a total of 817km. It will be a long day for assistance crews as well who will be traveling 1059km southward on the same road that they traveled on the way to Bolivia. Once at the bivouac the following day, January 10, the crews will have a day of rest, but the mechanics have no such luxury. True to the spirit of Dakar Rally, teams continue to face one grueling stage after the other.

Yoshimasa Sugawara: Mitsugu Takahashi, my navigator, forgot to switch the fuel tank and we ran out of gas. I was surprised when the engine suddenly stopped revving. Our time loss amounted to only about 5 minutes including the time it took to purge air, so we are doing fine.

Mitsugu Takahashi: I regret this mistake because navigation was going fine until I forgot to switch the tank. I couldn't see the Uyuni sand flats during the SS.

Teruhito Sugawara: The wide open pistes were relatively flat so we were able to drive fast, but there were also areas with fesh-fesh, and dirt roads that were very dusty, so it ended up being a relatively challenging stage.

Hiroyuki Sugiura: I was feeling fine physically today even at high elevations. Road surfaces in the first part of the course were hard, but the areas we raced after we split with the Motorbikes and Cars resembled typical off-road terrain.

Seiichi Suzuki: Tonight, we will be replacing the rear leaves and tires on Car 2 as we have been planning to do. Since we haven't encountered any major issues so far, we spend most of our time performing daily inspections, in addition to replacing parts that need to be replaced periodically. But even at that, it usually ends up being 4 or 5am by the time we're done.

Photo gallery - http://www.hino-global.com/dakar/latest_news/PD16-17.html

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Car 2 Finishes the First Week at 18th Place in the Overall Trucks Category

Hino Trucks Press Release / January 8, 2016

Contestants race a long 817km stage between Uyuni and Salta.
Car 1 was stuck partially through the race, but is now heading for the goal.

January 9: The last day of the first week took contestants from Uyuni, Bolivia to Salta, Argentina on a long 817km stage, including a total of 366 kilometers of Specials.

Starting out from the bivouac in Uyuni, the day's course first took contestants on a 33km liaison, and then on to a 230km SS. This was followed by a 116km neutral zone which straddled the Bolivian-Argentine border, after which contestants were met with another 106km SS in Argentina. This day again, the course consisted primarily of mountain roads and pistes on hilly terrain at altitudes in the 3500-4000m range. Midway through the day, the area was met with intense thundershowers and hail, which forced organizers to cancel the latter portion of the SS for motorbikes, while cars and trucks were given the green light to race on.

The Teruhito Sugawara and Hiroyuki Sugiura crew put up a daring yet solid fight this stage to bring Car 2 to an 18th place finish in the overall Trucks category, and top in the Under 10-litre Class. The 332km liaison segment that came after the SS was flooded in a number of areas, delaying the trucks' arrival at Salta. Car 1 piloted by Yoshimasa Sugawara and Mitsugu Takahashi got stuck earlier in the day and is now en route on the latter half of the SS. They have yet to finish the SS as of this writing, but are in good shape and heading for the finish line.

The assistance crew also had to travel 1050km this day, and it was already past 10pm by the time the advance party arrived. At the bivouac that was set up in the convention center, team mechanics were seen carrying out preparatory work for the intense inspections and servicing work that they will be performing on the trucks on January 10, a day of rest for the driving crews.

* Neither of the trucks have arrived as of this writing, so we are including this report now as it is getting late.

Photo gallery - http://www.hino-global.com/dakar/latest_news/PD16-18.html

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Trucks Are Completely Refreshed on Rest Day

Hino Trucks Press Release / January 11, 2016

Team finishes the first half with a one-two lead in the Under 10-litre Class.

January 9: The arrival of both of the team's trucks was delayed this day, with Car 2 crewed by Teruhito Sugawara and Hiroyuki Sugiura arriving at 11:30pm, and Car 1 piloted by Yoshimasa Sugawara and Mitsugu Takahashi―which suffered a one-hour time loss when they got stuck in a river crossing early in the SS―arriving at the bivouac in good shape at about 2:30am.

Car 2 finished at 18th overall and top in the Under 10-litre Class for the day, and Car 1 came in at 45th place overall and 3rd in the class. The accumulated rankings for Car 2 and Car 1 were 18th overall and top in the class, and 41st overall and 2nd in the class, respectively. As of the completion of the first half of the rally, the team's two trucks continue to maintain their one-two lead in the Under 10-litre Class.

January 10 was a rest day for the crew, while the mechanics spent the whole day inspecting and servicing the trucks. Parts and oils were also replaced as scheduled, and both HINO500 Series trucks were fully refreshed to take on the second week of the rally.

The teams have six more stages to go before they reach the finish line in Rosario on January 16. In the coming days in the foothills of the Andes Mountains in central Argentina, contestants will be faced with demanding courses including deserts in the outlying areas of Fiambala where average speeds will naturally be much lower. On January 11, teams will race on a two-part SS with a total distance of 394km on their way to Belén.

Yoshimasa Sugawara: Early in the SS yesterday, we got stuck on soft dirt when we were looking for a good point to cross a river. It took us about an hour to get out and it was already dark by the time we got near the end of the SS. I'm relieved that we were able to complete the day in good shape to take on the second half of the race.

Mitsugu Takahashi: This was the first time I experienced getting stuck in a truck so it was a bit nerve-racking. We got help from a truck crew that was also stuck near us, and from spectators as well. I was relieved that we made it out.

Teruhito Sugawara: The latter half of the rally will be more demanding, and I think the time differences will widen between trucks in different ranking positions. Currently, we are 2 hours and 20 minutes behind the leader, but I think this would have been more like 4 hours on our previous truck. This is testimony to how good this truck is, and I'm excited to see how much more we can do in the second half.

Hiroyuki Sugiura: So we're done with the highland stages, which are my bane. We're told that there will be soft sandy terrain tomorrow, so it looks like we're finally going to see something more Dakar Rally-like.

Katsuyuki Nagoshi: We tuned the turbo to work hard under the air-deprived conditions at high altitudes to give the engine more power, and I think that went fairly well. We've also been able to identify areas for improvement, so that's data we can use in our development moving forward.

Masaki Nakamura: On Car 2, we replaced the front leaf as scheduled, as well as its broken stabilizer and its tires. We performed a number of tasks on Car 1 including replacing its propeller shaft. We were told that Salta gets frequent rain showers so we were fortunate that it stayed dry.

Photo gallery - http://www.hino-global.com/dakar/latest_news/PD16-19.html

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Car 2 Climbs to 16th Place in Accumulated Rankings

Hino Trucks Press Release / January 12, 2016

The second half of the rally kicks off.

January 11: The second half of Dakar Rally 2016 kicked off with a 393km special set between Salta and Belén, Argentina. Fifty-one trucks raced out of the start line this day as only four trucks have withdrawn from the race so far, thanks to the relative calm of the first week.

The course took contestants on a 129km liaison to the foothills in southeastern area of Salta. From there, they raced on a two-part SS consisting of 162km and 232km segments, with a 140km neutral zone sandwiched in between. While the first half featured high-speed pistes (unpaved road) that made for smooth driving, the latter half met contestants with a variety of terrain ranging from pistes that wove through rocky valleys to dried river beds, fesh-fesh (fine powdery sand of dry clay) and hilly off-piste terrain. Vehicles also climbed to a point at 3000m above sea level towards the end of the second half of the day.

HINO TEAM SUGAWARA’s two HINO500 Series trucks were fully refreshed during the day of rest on January 10 and started the second half of the rally in great form. The starting order during the first half of the race had the trucks start after all the cars, but from this day on, the cars and trucks will be making a mixed start in the order of their previous day’s time. As a result, the team’s trucks will now be starting earlier in the day.

Car 2 crewed by Teruhito Sugawara and Hiroyuki Sugiura did exceptionally well in this day’s SS. Although they blew both right side tires in a deep rut at one point in the day, they quickly recovered from this setback, finishing at 17th place in the overall Trucks category―within striking distance of the top group―and top in the Under 10-litre Class. The Yoshimasa Sugawara and Mitsugu Takahashi crew of Car 1 maintained a cautious pace, and finished the Special at 38th overall and 3rd in the class. Based on these results, Car 2 is now in 16th place, and Car 1 in 39th place in the overall Trucks category. The two trucks continue to maintain their one-two lead in the Under 10-litre Class.

The bivouac in Belén, situated at the end of a 104km liaison coming out of the SS, was set up on a sporting ground in an intermountain area approximately 1200m above sea level. Tomorrow, on January12, contestants will race a looped course starting from and finishing at Belén.

Yoshimasa Sugawara: The roads were bad the whole day, ranging from grassy sand hills to wadis. It was a lot of fun driving since I do quite well on these types of roads. Of course, we didn’t get stuck or blow any tires.

Mitsugu Takahashi: I felt a bit tense as this was the first time I’ve navigated on sandy off-piste. I’m relieved that things worked out fine. Tomorrow is apparently going to be another challenging day.

Teruhito Sugawara: We blew both tires on the right side when we fell into a deep rut towards the end of the SS, not that far away from the finish line. We were able to get back on track in 17 minutes, thanks to the help we got from the locals, but I do think about how we would’ve done without those lost minutes.

Hiroyuki Sugiura: This was the first day of serious CAP (compass bearing) navigation in an off-piste setting. It finally feels like we’re racing the Dakar Rally as it’s supposed to be.

Photo gallery - http://www.hino-global.com/dakar/latest_news/PD16-20.html

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Trucks Show Their Mettle Off-Piste and on Dunes in Looped Course

Hino Trucks Press Release / January 13, 2016

Car 2 finishes at 9th overall, marking its spot in the top 10.

January 12: Teams raced on a looped course this day that started and finished at Belén, Argentina with a special coursing through the southeastern part of Belén on the opposite side of Fiambala desert. Most of the course was off-piste (off-road wastelands), and was reminiscent of northern Africa with its fluffy grass-covered dunes and dried riverbeds. With the temperature soaring above 40ºC and road surface resistance keeping the vehicles from picking up speed, this was a stage where overheating became a major risk. The SS for the day was scheduled to be 285km long, but was cut short at CP (checkpoint) 2 due to the extreme heat. The cars and trucks headed for the bivouac in Belén on a 5km liaison, and motorbikes set out for their special marathon bivouac on another route.

Teruhito Sugawara and Hiroyuki Sugiura on Car 2 took full advantage of the mobility of their HINO500 Series truck to deliver outstanding performance. The crew finished at 9th in the overall Trucks category and top in the Under 10-litre Class, making their first foray into the top 10 this year. Meanwhile, the Yoshimasa Sugawara and Mitsugu Takahashi crew on Car 1 maintained a brisk pace―all the while paying close attention to their coolant temperature―finishing the special at 30th overall and 2nd in the class. Based on these results, Car 2 now climbs to 15th place, and Car 1 to 35th place in the overall Trucks category. The two trucks continue to maintain their one-two lead in the Under 10-litre Class.

The SS for tomorrow, January 13, is set to make one round through the notoriously challenging Fiambala Desert on its way from Belén to La Rioja.

Yoshimasa Sugawara: The coolant temperature got quite high so we turned on the heater to let the engine release as much of its heat as possible. As you can imagine, it got very hot in the cabin. We kept pouring drinking water over our bodies so our racing suits are drenched.

Mitsugu Takahashi: This was a brutal stage, so you can’t blame the organizers for cutting it short at CP2. The majority of the course was off-piste and it was another day of mostly CAP (compass bearing) navigation. I was a bit anxious of the rather big intervals between the block drawings in the road book, but that didn’t end up being a problem.

Teruhito Sugawara: The fact that many vehicles had to stop on the side of the course is surely one of the reasons for our good finish position, but we also did make good time. This was another confirmation that the directions we set for the trucks’ construction were spot on. I can’t blame the organizers for canceling the race at CP2.

Hiroyuki Sugiura: The sand was soft in today’s stage, so I think it must have been tough for cars running behind trucks. On these types of terrain, road surface conditions can vary dramatically depending on how soon or late you cross any given point.

Photo gallery - http://www.hino-global.com/dakar/latest_news/PD16-21.html

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Car 2 Climbs to 14th Overall for the SS, Despite Being Stuck in the Latter Half of the Stage

Hino Trucks Press Release / January 14, 2016

Both HINO 500 Series trucks do well in Fiambala, the most challenging stage of the rally.

January 13: The day’s itinerary took teams from Belén to La Rioja, Argentina, with a special in the Fiambala Desert, which is considered by many to be the most challenging segment of this year’s rally.

Fiambala is a basin at the foothills of the Andes, and is known for its heat, as well as its soft, white dunes, and fesh-fesh. This is area, considered to be one of the most challenging stages of the rally, has been featured in numerous Dakar Rallies since it relocated to South America. Due to the cancelation of the start and major route changes made to the first half of the rally this year, this day’s stage was to be the only full-fledge desert stage, and fittingly attracted a great deal of attention.

The start time was delayed due to heavy thundershowers that beset the area early in the morning. This forced organizers to cancel the group start that was planned for all vehicles in top standings in their respective categories, and also to shorten the SS from the original 278km to 244.7km, with the finish line set at CP (checkpoint) 5.

Car 2 crewed by Teruhito Sugawara and Hiroyuki Sugiura, which made it into the top 10 in the previous day’s SS, put in a solid performance this day. Starting 9th out of the start line, they advanced their position to 6th by the time they reached the neutral zone, and up to 4th place at CP 4. However, the truck got stuck towards the end of the dunes and lost about an hour of time. They finished 14th overall and top in the Under 10-litre Class. Meanwhile, Car 1 crewed by Yoshimasa Sugawara and Mitsugu Takahashi was 31st out of the gate, and steadily improved its position thanks to the solid driving delivered by its veteran driver. Car 1 finished 25th overall and 2nd in the class. Based on these results, Car 2 now climbs to 14th place, and Car 1 to 28th place in the overall Trucks category. The two trucks continue to maintain their one-two lead in the Under 10-litre Class.

The bivouac at La Rioja was set up on a racing circuit (Autodromo La Rioja) that was also used in a number of previous Dakar Rally events. In their bivouac that was set up in the circuit’s run-off area, Hino team mechanics were seen performing inspection and servicing work on the two HINO500 Series trucks until early in the morning. Tomorrow, January 14, teams will travel southward from La Rioja to San Juan where they will race on a 431km SS set up on rough intermountain roads.

Yoshimasa Sugawara: It was a tough day as the sand was soft. We got stuck for about 30 minutes early in the stage, but other than that, we had no problems. Our left-front tire sprang a slow-leaking puncture towards the end, but we compensated for that using the air pressure adjuster to reach the finish line. It was a long day.

Mitsugu Takahashi: This was the first full-fledge dune stage for me, so I was even more tense than yesterday. I was amazed at some of the places that this truck could climb, and it was a tough day for me as navigation was also quite busy.

Teruhito Sugawara: The sand was deep in many areas, making this a very difficult stage. Our right-front tire sprang a slow-leaking puncture in the first half of the race so we had to compensate for that using the air pressure adjuster to keep going. We were able to replace the tire on the 15-minute neutral zone between the specials so we didn’t lose any time. When we got stuck towards the end, we were able to get out thanks to a Tatra that pulled us out. The SS was such that experience more than truck performance became the deciding factor of how high you could go. I sensed the course designers’ intent in that.

Hiroyuki Sugiura: It was a tough course. We saw top contenders in the Trucks category stopped along the way, so it was exciting to get a real sense that we were in a competition. This was the first time we made the fourth fastest time in a segment, so that was a confidence booster for me.

Masaki Tagoku: I haven’t slept much, but I’m feeling pretty well physically. Besides, time flies when I’m working on the trucks. I feel a great sense of purpose because Car 1 has been performing without any incidents. I feel really relieved when it comes back to the bivouac.

Masato Kondo: I’m starting to feel some tiredness building up, but I perk up when I hear how well the HINO500 Series trucks are doing. I think everyone else is tired too so I intend to stay alert and make no mistakes until we reach the finish line.

Nozomi Tonoike: It’s sad to think that I’ve only got three more days of working with this group of people. We’ve focused on performing safe and error-free work, and on maintaining verbal contact with each other during tough times, including when we had to stay up the whole night for days in a row. I’m grateful for being given this experience of working together to achieve one shared goal.

Hideyuki Sakaguchi: We’ve been working hard to ensure that the HINO500 Series trucks are able to return to the bivouac everyday, and we’ve come to a point where there’s only a couple of more days to the finish line. It all just went by in a blink of an eye. The toughest time for me was working under the torrential rain in Jujuy on the fourth day of the rally. Nothing has come close to perturbing me after that.

Photo gallery - http://www.hino-global.com/dakar/latest_news/PD16-22.html

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Under Intense Heat, Car 2 Finishes a Rough Stage at 13th Place

Hino Trucks Press Release / January 15, 2016

Car 1 finishes at 33rd. Team maintains its one-two lead in the class.

Dakar Rally 2016 is now in its final stages, with three more days to go until the last day of competition on January 16. On January 14, contestants raced on a 431km SS between La Rioja and San Juan, Argentina, and battled under intense heat in a stage mixed with dried riverbeds, sandy terrain, fesh-fesh, as well as barren terrain whose surface was as hard as it was uneven. The average speed for the entire course was on the low end, and a number of vehicles were seen overheated or stuck in fesh-fesh along the way.

After letting the world take notice of HINO500 Series truck’s intrinsic potential by climbing as high as 4th in time in the overall Trucks category at one point in the Fiambala stage the previous day―the highlight of this year’s Dakar Rally―the Teruhito Sugawara and Hiroyuki Sugiura crew piloting HINO TEAM SUGAWARA’s Car 2 remained aggressive in today’s stage as well. Although the temperature soared to above 40ºC, they had no problems with their coolant temperature. Neither did they have any flats or get bogged down, finishing the SS at 13th place and top in the Under 10-litre Class. In a solid display of their tenacious driving, the Yoshimasa Sugawara and Mitsugu Takahashi crew of Car 1 finished the special at 33rd overall and 2nd in the class.

Based on these results, Car 2 finds itself in 14th place, and Car 1 in 31st in the overall Trucks category. The two trucks continue to maintain their dominance in the Under 10-litre Class, with a one-two lead in the class.

The bivouac at San Juan, situated in central Argentina at the foothills of the Andes Mountains, was set up on a racing circuit (Autódromo El Zonda) located in a rocky mountain area in the outskirts of the town. The intense sunlight coupled with heat radiating from the ground and rock surfaces heated the daytime air to over 43ºC, making this the most tortuous bivouac in this rally. Even after sundown, the temperature refused to decline, what with all the heat held in the asphalt. Nonetheless, this intense heat was no deterrent to Hino team mechanics who went about their inspections and servicing tasks.

The itinerary for tomorrow, January 15, includes a 481km SS en route to Villa Carlos Paz, which will essentially be the last timed segment for this year’s rally.

Yoshimasa Sugawara: Today, we had long stretches of fesh-fesh and rough roads. Although the truck was subjected to intense vertical motions, this truck is much more comfortable to drive than our previous ones. Two more days to go. We will stay focused and give it our best.

Mitsugu Takahashi: The roads were just brutal today. I was wondering when it would start to ease up all the way to the finish line. Navigation was quite tricky towards the end, so I’m glad that we were able to make it home before sundown.

Teruhito Sugawara: I pushed quite hard today to gauge how we would compare against our larger rivals. It was a tough day in that the course required a lot of attention, but we were able to make it without falling back noticeably from the larger trucks ahead of us. That’s another confirmation that we are on the right track in terms of truck development.

Hiroyuki Sugiura: There were many large gaps along the way where you could see signs of recent water flows. At the very the end, the course had us cross the same river three or four times. I think navigation was the most difficult towards the end because of the gravel covering that obscured the road surface.

Photo gallery - http://www.hino-global.com/dakar/latest_news/PD16-23.html

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Car 2 Climbs to 13th in Accumulated Rankings Overall

Hino Trucks Press Release / January 16, 2016

Both trucks return safely to their last bivouac in Villa Carlos Paz.

With only two more days to go in Dakar Rally 2016, the trucks raced on a 267km SS en route from San Juan to their last bivouac in Villa Carlos Paz. The SS was set in the intermountain areas on the outskirts of Cordoba and consisted primarily of twisty mountain roads. Many parts of the course were narrow, and whereas the SS for motorbikes and cars was 481km long, the course for trucks branched off midway making for a shorter course that finished at 267km. Nonetheless, the liaison leading to the start of the SS was 414km long, and adds to that the 185km liaison that came after the SS, the total distance of 866km was the longest traveled by the trucks in a single day in this year's rally.

During the second half of the rally, Car 2 has consistently delivered outstanding performance in the specials clocking at 9th, 14th, and 13th overall, proving that it was a force to reckon with even among its rivals with larger engine displacements. Leveraging its speed in what was a very challenging stage this day, the Teruhito Sugawara and Hiroyuki Sugiura crew pushed HINO TEAM SUGAWARA's Car 2 aggressively, finishing the SS at 20th in the overall trucks category and top in the Under 10-litre Class. This brings Car 2 to 13th place in accumulated rankings overall and top in its class.

Meanwhile, veteran driver Yoshimasa Sugawara and the younger Mitsugu Takahashi who piloted Car 1 delivered another solid day of racing, finishing at 35th overall and 3rd in the class. This brings Car 1's accumulated rankings to 30th place overall and 2nd in its class.

The bivouac at Villa Carlos Paz was set on the same camping grounds where the teams camped on January 3. Tomorrow, contestants will be racing on a 180km SS―the last special of this year's the rally―before they reach the finish line in Rosario. Fully aware that nothing can be taken for granted in the Dakar, Hino team mechanics paid extra attention in servicing their trucks for the last time in this rally.

Yoshimasa Sugawara: We were prepared for a long day, but our trip to Villa Carlos Paz went smoother than we had thought. Actually, the hardest parts for us were the intense traffic jams in the urban areas of the last liaison. We will drive carefully again tomorrow to make sure that we finish.

Mitsugu Takahashi: As we were down to two more days, I was extra careful to avoid any accidents or problems with the truck that might flush the results we have racked up so far down the drain. I know I will be nervous tomorrow as we head for the finish line, so I will give it my best.

Teruhito Sugawara: The dust just wouldn't settle on the mountain roads and that affected our visibility. The roads were narrow and, contrary to expectations, it was not a high-speed course. Nonetheless, we feel good because we were able to race neck and neck with our larger rivals.

Hiroyuki Sugiura: Navigation was not so difficult per se, but there were many areas that had speed restrictions as we passed through small towns, so I had to be extra vigilant. One concern for tomorrow's SS is that organizers have made a lot of course modifications because of the rain.

Photo gallery - http://www.hino-global.com/dakar/latest_news/PD16-24.html

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Both of the Team’s Trucks Finish at Rosario. Team Wins Seventh Straight Championship in the Under 10-litre Class

Hino Trucks Press Release / January 17, 2016

Car 2 finishes at 13th overall, showcasing the HINO500 Series truck’s outstanding capabilities.

On January 16, the final stage of Dakar Rally 2016, teams competed on a 180km special between Villa Carlos Paz and Rosario and then traveled on a liaison before reaching the finish line in Rosario. The goal ceremony was carried out beside one of the city’s historic sites “Monumento a la Bandera.”

HINO TEAM SUGAWARA, the only team that entered in the Trucks category from Japan, fielded two HINO500 Series trucks in the rally. The team’s Car 2 crewed by Teruhito Sugawara and Hiroyuki Sugiura finished at an accumulated ranking of 13th place in the overall Trucks category, and top in the Under 10-litre Class. Car 1 crewed by Yoshimasa Sugawara and Mitsugu Takahashi finished at 31st in the same, and 2nd in its class, crowning the team’s seventh straight championship in the class with a one-two finish. With Car 2 finishing at 13th overall in its category, the team has been able to prove once again the outstanding potential of the HINO 500 Series trucks.

This day, contestants traveled on a 131km liaison from the Villa Carlos Paz near Cordoba which took them to the start line of an 180km SS in an intermountain area. The stage was primarily set on mountain roads and featured many twisty sections that were hardly accommodating of trucks. HINO TEAM SUGAWARA’s Car 2 was able to finish at 16th place and 1st in its class, but Car 1 was not so fortunate as it suffered lost time at the 110km point where a number of vehicles ahead of it became unable to move forward in a deeply rutted section of the road. Car 1 eventually finished the special at 40th overall and 3rd in its class before arriving at Rosario at the end of a 387km liaison.

The goal podium was set up by the Monumento a la Bandera facing the Paraná River, the starting point of Dakar Rally 2014. Although the trucks arrived late in the afternoon, the crowd exploded into cheers as the HINO500 Series trucks and mechanics riding atop their roofs arrived by the podium. Crews firmly shook hands with Hino Motors chairman, Masakazu Ichikawa, who flew in from Japan, concluding the 13 stages of racing over 15 days in this year’s Dakar.

Masakazu Ichikawa, Chairman, Hino Motors: I’d like to acknowledge the team for delivering a solid performance this year again. I get the feeling that Mr. Teruhito can climb even higher, but in any case, I’m very grateful to the entire team and for all the support that we’ve received. Twenty-five years of racing in the Dakar is quite a long history when you think about it, and I’m amazed at how Mr. Sugawara and his team have come together to achieve these results.

Yoshimasa Sugawara: I’m happy to have finished in what ended up being a very challenging rally this year, and I’m also very happy to see so many people cheering us on at the goal. One of the memorable things for me this year was that, for the first time in a long while, we got bogged down and stuck. I’ll continue to race on. I’d like to thank everyone who has supported us.

Mitsugu Takahashi: The road was deeply rutted at the 110km point in today’s SS, keeping us from getting through. There was a line of vehicles that couldn’t move forward and we lost about an hour and 20 minutes. Fortunately, we managed to finish the special thanks to locals who guided us to an alternate route. This was the first Dakar for me and the fact that it’s all over hasn’t sunk in yet. I feel like we’re going to be racing again tomorrow.

Teruhito Sugawara: This was the 25th anniversary of Hino Motors’ first entry in the Dakar Rally, so I took that to heart as we raced. The truck upgrades that we made have had a definite impact and I feel that we’ve got our rivals by their tails now. We know what we need to do next, so I think this was a great race also in terms of development going forward.

Hiroyuki Sugiura: The course today was made up of twisty piste in the mountains, with almost no high-speed segments. There were areas that were slippery from the rain, and we did have one spin out. We wanted to finish in the top ten this year but regrettably we were a few positions short. That said, we’ve proven that we’re capable of fighting close battles with the top contenders so we have a lot to look forward to.

Seiichi Suzuki: Our times in the specials are generally getting better, and this was confirmation of the trucks’ improved performance. Repairs for some minor weld cracks were about the only repairs that we needed to do on our suspensions and supporting members, so I’m happy about that.

Masaki Tagoku: Time just flew by and I had a lot of fun. It was tough when things got so hectic that we didn’t even have time to sleep, but I’m very happy that I was able to work with this group of people. I’m very grateful that we were able to bring both HINO500 Series trucks to the finish line.

Masato Kondo: What I learned is that anything can happen in Dakar. It was critical for us to deal with them one by one as they arose. In the past, I had been servicing trucks for myself. In the Dakar Rally, I experienced servicing the vehicle for the driver, and I think that has helped me grow in many ways.

Nozomi Tonoike: A lot of things are going through my mind as I see the goal podium today and realize that it is all over. It was tough but it was well worth it. I really wanted to experience the Dakar Rally first-hand, so I’m very grateful for having been given this opportunity.

Hideyuki Sakaguchi: It was a long two weeks, but it also feels like it just went by in a blink of an eye. Things got really tough at times, but we worked together as a team to overcome any problems. Seeing the goal podium today, I’m just left speechless.

Photo gallery - http://www.hino-global.com/dakar/latest_news/PD16-25.html

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