Hino – Dakar 2017

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Team finishes the short stage on day-1 without incident.

Asuncion (Paraguay) - Resistencia (Argentina) Liaison: 70km, SS: 39km, Liaison: 345km Total: 454km

On Jan. 2, contestants of Dakar Rally 2017 raced a 39km timed segment on their way from Asuncion, Paraguay to Resistencia, Argentina. The SS was set on flat gravel terrain to the east of Asuncion. This was the first SS to be set in Paraguay, and while it was short, teams had to be on their toes as they faced winding forest roads, extensive dust, and river crossings.

HINO TEAM SUGAWARA crews piloting their HINO500 Series trucks in this SS maintained their cool to the finish line. Car 2 crewed by Teruhito Sugawara and Hiroyuki Sugiura finished 19th overall and first in the Under 10-litre Class. The Car 1 crew, Yoshimasa Sugawara and Mitsugu Takahashi, finished 40th overall and 3rd in the Class.

After the SS, contestants crossed the border into Argentina on a liaison segment, and headed for their first bivouac at Resistencia. The bivouac was set up on a local racing circuit where Car 2 arrived at around 7:30pm, and Car 1 at around 8:00pm. The mechanics who had been on stand-by wasted no time to inspect the trucks.

No problems were found with the trucks, and the mechanics just had some minor servicing to do including fine adjustments to Car 1's suspensions. On Jan. 3, contestants will be traveling westward within the borders of Argentina and race a 275km SS on their way from Resistencia to San Miguel de Tucuman.

Yoshimasa Sugawara: I couldn't wait to start. There was a river crossing along the way, probably due to the rain, and we saw a truck that was stuck there. We will be facing a longer SS tomorrow so we will stay alert.

Mitsugu Takahashi: I wasn't going to cut myself any slack for making mistakes like I did last year, my first time in this rally, so I'm approaching this with renewed focus and concentration. The course today was on a one track road, but there were a lot of pot holes and we saw many cautionary instructions.

Teruhito Sugawara: We've been making great advances on our truck, and I'm happy that this rally that we've been looking so much forward to have finally started. We finished three minutes behind the top finisher on the 39km SS today, so that was a pretty solid performance. We might even be able to shorten this time difference in the longer stages that are upcoming.

Hiroyuki Sugiura: Perhaps due to the fact that the truck is faster, it was hectic reading out the instruction sheet to the point that I fell behind a couple of times. I was also pleasantly surprised at the truck's improved riding comfort.

※These standings are all preliminary at the time of this writing as organizers had not yet set up their clocking HQ at the bivouac in Resistencia. No definite standing figures are available for the Under 10-litre Class either as these have not been shown on the results chart.

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Team Makes First 1-2 Finish in the Under 10-litre Class of the Year on 284km SS

January 3, Stage2
Resistencia (Argentina) - San Miguel de Tucuman Liaison: 431km, SS: 284km, Liaison: 98km Total: 813km

The itinerary for Jan. 3 took contestants from Resistencia to San Miguel de Tucuman, both in Argentina. They drove to the western part of Argentina in the first liaison segment which was followed by an SS in the foothills of the Andes near Tucuman. The SS was 275km for motorbikes and cars, and 284km for the trucks category. These foothills were situated at an elevation of 200 to 250 meters, and the segment consisted of a high-speed course on hard gravel piste. Risks were also quite high with intense dust and pot holes.

HINO TEAM SUGAWARA's HINO500 Series trucks―with their A09C-TI engines (8866cc) now producing 650ps, and their upgraded suspension systems―had a great run in this SS.

With speed that seriously challenged its larger rivals, Car 2 piloted by Teruhito Sugawara and Hiroyuki Sugiura finished 20th in the overall trucks category and at top position in the Under 10-litre Class. The Yoshimasa Sugawara and Mitsugu Takahashi duo on Car 1 finished the SS 42nd overall and in 2nd place in its Class, gifting the team with a 1-2 finish in the Under 10-litre Class.

After the SS, contestants headed for Tucuman on a 98km liaison. Both of the team's trucks started the SS relatively late in the day―Car 2 at 42 minutes after 2 pm and Car 1 at 50 minutes and 30 seconds after 2pm. As a result, it was past 8 pm when Car 2 arrived at the bivouac which was set up on a horse racing track, with Car 2 arriving at around 9:30 pm. The mechanics who had been on stand-by wasted no time to inspect and service the trucks.

Tomorrow, on day-4, contestants will race their last Argentine segment for the first half of the rally and head for San Salvador de Jujuy. The SS for the day is set to be 199km long, and racers will pass through points in the Andes intermountain areas at an elevation of 4960m, the highest elevation of this years event.

Yoshimasa Sugawara: The intense dust made this a risky SS so we maintained a moderate pace. We saw the aftermath of a rear-ender in which low visibility may have been a factor, so we stayed extra alert.

Mitsugu Takahashi: After a lapse of a year, I'm physically getting used to navigating again. I stayed cautiously attentive in areas with speed restrictions, but in areas where we could drive at top speed, I got a real feel that the rally had begun.

Teruhito Sugawara: We were able to keep up a good pace again today. That said, there were parts where we exceeded the speed limit by 1-3km/h due to our speed limiter setup, and the organizers pointed this out to us at the finish line. We may be penalized for this, so that is a bit of a concern.

Hiroyuki Sugiura: Navigation wasn't very hectic, but it was unfortunate that we couldn't control our top speed as well as we wanted to. The truck is doing just fine.

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Car 2 Finishes 21st Despite a Tire Flat in the First Off-Road Segment ofthe Year.
Car 1 Also Finishes the Stage at 36th in Great Shape.

On January 4, Stage3
San Miguel de Tucuman (Argentina) - San Salvador de Jujuy (Argentina)
Liaison: 164km, SS(A): 75km, Neutral Zone: 291km, SS(B): 124km, Liaison: 103km Total: 757km

The itinerary for Jan. 4 took contestants to the foothills of the Andes in the northeastern part of the country where they raced two SSs with a total SS distance of 199km in the last Argentine stage in the first half of the rally. Upon leaving Tucuman, racers traveled on a 164km liaison route to the start line of the first SS in the foothills of the Andes at an elevation of 1800m. The SS challenged contestants with the first off-road terrain where they drove over wastelands with no roads. Some areas were reminiscent of Africa featuring sandy terrain with grass outcrops and dried river beds. The total SS distance for the Trucks category was 75km shorter than that for other categories (other categories raced for 240km). This also meant that trucks had to travel a longer, 291km, neutral zone from the finish line of the first SS to the start line of the second. In this neutral zone, contestants passed the 4960m point, the highest point of elevation in this year's Dakar Rally. This was followed by the second SS which was 124km long and set in highlands at 3500m+ elevations. After the SS finish line, racers headed down from the mountains on a 103km liaison route before reaching the bivouac at Jujuy which was set up in a parking lot by the side of a national highway. The total distance traveled this day was 757km.

The two HINO500 Series trucks fielded by HINO TEAM SUGAWARA continued to deliver stunning performance on the day's course which challenged racers with an amped up level of difficulty. The Teruhito Sugawara and Hiroyuki Sugiura crew piloting Car 2 delivered error-free performance in segments that were particularly challenging for navigators. But later in the day, the truck suffered a flat upon hitting a tree stump, losing about 15 minutes replacing the tire. After this, the truck had a great run to the finish line under high elevation conditions, finishing 21st in the overall trucks category and top in the Under 10-litre Class. This brought the truck's accumulated standings so far to 20th place (preliminary).

Car 1 piloted by Yoshimasa Sugawara and Mitsugu Takahashi finished the first SS in 40th place, and finished the day at 36th overall and second place in the Under 10-litre Class. This brought their accumulated standings so far to 34th place (preliminary).

The itinerary for Jan. 5 will take contestants across the border into Bolivia where they will be racing a long 416km SS on their way to Tupiza.

Teruhito Sugawara: I think we could have finished at a better standing had it not been for the flat. While that is regrettable, the engine felt powerful even under high-altitude conditions so the driving felt really good. I'm excited for the highland stages that are scheduled to begin tomorrow.

Hiroyuki Sugiura: In terms of navigation, the fesh-fesh (powdery sand) made it quite challenging to make sure that we passed the waypoints. The flat was frustrating, but things went very well otherwise.

Hiroyuki Azuma: Myself and other mechanics worked on the team in July in the Silk Way Rally, so we do have on-site experience, but it is much more hectic to be honest in the Dakar Rally because we have two trucks to service. We'll be facing back-to-back days where it can be difficult to complete our servicing by morning, so we’ll give it our best.

Koji Nakamura: Mr. Azuma and myself play a backup role on the team where we would support work on whichever truck is in need of more hands. I've only worked on-site for two days so far and I'm still in the process of getting accustomed physically, so I hope to get up to speed asap.

Junya Inoue: As the mechanic in charge of Car 2, I feel a great sense of responsibility as well as some pressure in doing my work. That said, we haven't come across any major problems so far, and I'm doing fine physically.

Kenji Kunimoto: I'm in charge of Car 1. We aren't seeing any notable problems with the truck as its specs have been honed and matured. I'm a bit concerned as we head into high-altitude regions, and I've started taking altitude sickness pills.

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Car 2 Delivers Stunning Performance in the Full-Blown Highland Stage, Finishing the SS at 13th Place.
Car 1 Finishes Day-5 in 34th Spot.

On January 5, Stage4
San Salvador de Jujuy (Argentina) - Tupiza (Bolivia)
Liaison: 103km, SS(A): 286km, Neutral Zone: 1km, SS(B): 130km, Liaison: 2km Total: 522km

On Jan. 5, contestants started off from Jujuy before crossing the border into Bolivia. After driving a 103km liaison segment, they raced SSs that traversed the border for a total SS distance of 416km. This was a full-blown highland stage set at altitudes of between 3000m and 4000m+ where contestants faced mountain crossings and numerous off-piste areas, as well as dunes in hilly sandy terrain with grassy outcrops.

Car 2 was the 21st truck to start the SS and delivered a great run which propelled it to 8th place by the first checkpoint (CP1). The truck subsequently maintained its position in 12th place, finishing in high rankings at 13th overall and top in the Under 10-litre Class. Competing neck and neck with the leading group of larger trucks in the overall category, this performance brought Car 2’s accumulated standings as of Jan. 5 to 14th overall and first in the Class in an amazing display of the HINO500 Series truck's potential.

Meanwhile, Car 1 lost some time at one point in the race searching for a waypoint, finishing the SS at 8:22 pm at 34th place overall. The clock was past 9:00 pm by the time the truck arrived at the bivouac.

The itinerary for Jan. 6 will take contestants through highlands from Tupiza to Oruro where they are scheduled to race a total of 438km of SS.

Yoshimasa Sugawara: Rain started to pour down when we were at the bottom of a dry river bed, and we were taken off guard when we saw a large river of water flowing our way. While we made some course errors, we maintained our pre-planned pace to make a solid finish.

Mitsugu Takahashi: It was difficult to find the hidden GPS waypoints that the organizers introduced this year, and we lost some time there. It would be a great help if we could start a bit earlier.

Teruhito Sugawara: Although I think luck had a little bit to do with our 13th place finish in the SS, the truck has been delivering the performance that we were expecting it to. The course for the day was quite tough and the sands were really soft. Tomorrow, we will give it our best again to give the leading group a run for their money.

Hiroyuki Sugiura: Navigation was quite difficult in the off-piste sections early in the day. We also had to run our oxygen enricher as we faced higher altitudes. There were a lot of trucks stopped on the course for one problem or another, perhaps due to the thin oxygen.

Seiichi Suzuki: Last night, we replaced the water pump on Car 1, and the belt tensioner on Car 2. The trucks are doing very well and we haven't had to use our welder so far.

Nakamura Masaki: I'm sure the mechanics' experience in the Silk Way Rally has been a great help, but I'm also sure that getting used to these conditions―including the intense heat on the first day and freezing cold of the highlands at night―is easier said than done. So I commend them for doing a great job.

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Car 2 Joins the Top 10 Group in the SS for the First Time This Year.
Organizers Cancel the Latter Half of the Day Due to Rain.

On January 6, Stage5
Tupiza (Bolivia) - Oruro (Bolivia)
Liaison: 54km, SS: 219km, Liaison: 320km Total: 593km

The itinerary for Jan. 6 took contestants from Tupiza to Oruro, both in Bolivia, where teams raced a 219km SS in the intermountain areas near Uyuni. While the original plan called for two SSs―with a neutral zone near the town of Uyuni in between―for a total SS distance of 438km, organizers were forced to cancel the second half as the terrain was seriously affected by rain that had been falling for the last few days. As a result, all contestants headed for the bivouac in Oruro on a liaison route.

After climbing to 4000m altitudes in the first half of the day, contestants raced in some areas that featured farm fields and field ridges built of sand. The terrain was generally moist due to the rain and there were many slippery areas. HINO TEAM SUGAWARA's Teruhito Sugawara and Hiroyuki Sugiura duo continued to maintain their cool as they took on this SS. They drove error-free in areas that were particularly challenging for navigation, and finished at 9th place overall―joining the top ten groups for the first time in this year's rally. Car 1 piloted by Yoshimasa Sugawara and Mitsugu Takahashi delivered a solid performance and finished 38th overall in the SS. As of this writing at 9:30 pm, Car 1 is still on its way to the bivouac on the liaison route.

Based on these results, Car 2 boosted its accumulated ranking as of Jan. 6 to 12th place (preliminary), and Car 2 was at 32nd. The team continues to maintain its 1-2 standing in the Under 10-litre Class.

The bivouac in Oruro was set at an elevation of 3500m. Heavy downpours began later in the afternoon, turning the ground into a mud field. Numerous vehicles were bogged and struggling to break free. With these factors combined with the severe cold, mechanics had to work under extreme conditions servicing the trucks.

Organizers announced that they will be shortening the stage for tomorrow, Jan. 7, again due to the rain. Start times will be pushed back by two hours and the start line will be moved to the 21.35km point. CP4 will be the new finish line for the day, and from there contestants will take a paved liaison route to La Paz.

Teruhito Sugawara: This was a risky SS as the rain made the surfaces quite slippery. I think our good performance comes from a combination of two factors: We are driving a better truck, and navigation is more difficult this year.

Hiroyuki Sugiura: There are waypoints along the way that you won't be able to check unless you followed the road book to the tee. I'm happy that we were able to check all of these. Our truck is doing just fine.

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Organizers Cancel All Competition Due to Inclement Weather.
Teams Drive to La Paz on a Liaison Route, Concluding the First Half of the Rally.

On January 7, Stage6
Oruro (Bolivia) - La Paz (Bolivia)
Liaison: 227km Total: 227km

At 10 pm, Jan. 6, organizers announced that they will be canceling all competition for Jan. 7. This was due to the fact that many racers were arriving late at the bivouac because of inclement weather, and road surfaces on the SS scheduled for Jan. 7 had become too rough due to the ongoing rain. All vehicles were redirected to a liaison route that took them directly to La Paz. This meant that competition for the first half of the rally concluded on Jan. 6. Tomorrow, on Jan. 8, team crews will have a day of rest, and prepare for the second half beginning on Jan. 9.

La Paz, the capital city of Bolivia, is situated in a bowl-shaped basin at an elevation of 3200 to 3600m. This having been the first time for the Dakar Rally to make a stop in La Paz, the sides of the liaison route were packed with hundreds of thousands of La Pazians who came to get a glimpse of vehicles competing in the rally. A podium had also been set up in the city center. It was around 6 pm when the HINO500 Series trucks arrived at the bivouac which was set up on a military camp near the bottom of the basin. In the drizzling rain, mechanics were quick to begin servicing the trucks with a focus on fully refreshing the trucks in preparation for the second half of the rally. This intervening day of rest is actually a very busy one for mechanics.

Yoshimasa Sugawara: We got bogged in the SS on Jan. 6 and it took us two hours to free the truck. I was feeling symptoms of altitude sickness, perhaps because we worked too hard to break loose, but I'm feeling better now after breathing oxygen and resting at the bivouac. I will get my physical condition up to speed during the rest day tomorrow.

Mitsugu Takahashi: There were quite a few areas where navigation was challenging and we got lost a couple of times. The first half of the rally is already over, so time certainly does zip by.

Teruhito Sugawara: Given this weather, there wasn't much the organizers could do but to cancel the SS. This consequently made the first half shorter, but the second half will continue to meet us with challenging segments and we are highly motivated to keep going. I think our performance up to this point has partly been the result of upgrades that we made to the truck, but I also think that the increased level of navigation difficulty has been an advantage for the more experienced teams, including ourselves.

Hiroyuki Sugiura: It seems like I'm also having some mild symptoms of altitude sickness. I'm eager to race and I can't wait for the second half to begin.

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Team Refreshes Their Trucks in Preparation for the Second Half of the Rally.
Organizers Decide to Shorten the SS for Tomorrow, Jan. 9, Due to Bad Weather.

On January 8 Rest Day
La Paz (Bolivia)

Jan. 8 was a day of rest for the teams in La Paz, Bolivia. Due to the cancelation of the stage leading to La Paz, the team arrived early and this has allowed them to begin inspections and servicing the day before. Servicing work centered on pre-scheduled replacements of parts. Although the mechanics had the intermittent drizzles to contend with, they were able to complete all necessary tasks, and by midnight, the team's two HINO500 Series trucks were fully refreshed and ready to race the second half. Meanwhile, organizers announced that they will be significantly shortening the SS for tomorrow, Jan. 9, due to the effects of rain near Uyuni.

So far, HINO TEAM SUGAWARA's Car 2 crewed by Teruhito Sugawara and Hiroyuki Sugiura stands at 12th place in the overall trucks category, and Car 2 piloted by Yoshimasa Sugawara and Mitsugu Takahashi stands at 32nd place overall. Car 2 and Car 1 currently stand at first and second place, respectively, in the Under 10-litre Class. As impressive as these results are, the second half of the rally is expected to meet teams with a succession of challenging stages including a marathon stage on the first day where they will not be accompanied by their assistance squads, fesh-fesh and extreme heat near Fiambala, and dunes in the Andes foothills. The team's eyes are now on achieving their eighth consecutive class win as well as on how high in rankings Car 2 will be able to advance in the overall category. During a team meeting that was held after they completed their servicing work, members renewed their determination to work as a coherent team and give it the best effort that they have.  

Yoshimasa Sugawara: I received an IV transfusion last night at the medical center and I feel physically refreshed. I'm doing fine now.

Mitsugu Takahashi: We would rather race the entire course under good weather, but there isn't much you can do with this kind of rain. And although the stage will be shorter, the dunes will probably make things quite challenging.

Teruhito Sugawara: Racing the trucks category in the Dakar Rally has become quite the challenge in that you will fall back in standings unless you race at full potential in all of the stages. We will be facing a string of challenging stages in the second half so we intend to take it one day at a time.

Hiroyuki Sugiura: Given these conditions, I was relieved to hear that the stage for tomorrow has been shortened. The total distance is longer though, so we may decide to avoid some areas.

Seiichi Suzuki: On rest day, we replaced the rear leaf springs on Car 2, and focused inspections on vulnerable areas of the truck's drive train such as the transfer and reduction hubs. Car 1 has had relatively less fatigue so we carried inspections on the truck to the tee.

Masaki Nakamura: The rain slowed us down, but I'm relieved that we were able to complete all of our work. One major work was the leaf spring replacement on Car 2, but we were able to complete that last night.

Hiroyuki Azuma (Hino Motors Fukushima): I felt a bit tired on rest day because of the rain, cold, and a minor onset of altitude sickness, but I'm glad we were able to finish work on the trucks as planned. I'm feeling good physically.

Koji Nakamura (Hino Motors Ishikawa): I haven't been able to adjust to the food, but I'm feeling pretty good physically otherwise. The rain can make something as simple as an oil change that much more difficult, so we took a lot of time today.

Junya Inoue (Hino Motors Okayama): Once you start inspecting the truck, you start to notice one thing after another that might need to be looked into. There's never enough time. More so because we won't be around for the trucks tomorrow when they run the marathon stage.

Kenji Kunimoto (Hino Motors Hiroshima): The rain was frustrating because it slowed our work down. The thin air in the highlands does give you a sense of actually being on the job. This rest day will be our last day of work in Bolivia so I am going to pull through with all I've got.

Kohei Shimazaki: Things are going smoothly with transportation on our Hi-Lux. But we do have to fight drowsiness in the highlands. The toughest part so far has been the bivouac in Oruro where the ground had turned into a sea of mud.

Koji Tanaka: It's obvious that the mechanics have been having a tough time since we arrived in Bolivia. Oftentimes, they can't even take a shower after work because of the cold.

Ryu Takashima: My responsibility is to support the support group so I keep an eye out for what I can do to help. I've gotten used to how things proceed in the course of a day. I'm not sure if what I'm feeling is altitude sickness, but I am feeling the effects of low oxygen.

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Car 2 Finishes at 14th Overall for the SS on the First Day of the Second Half of the Rally. Advances to 10th in Accumulated Overall Rankings.
Having been previously shortened to 161km due to bad weather, organizers decide to end the day’s SS at the 141km point.

On January 9, Stage7
La Paz (Bolivia) - Uyuni (Bolivia)
Liaison: 404km SS: 161km Liaison: 240km Total: 805km

On Jan. 9, the first day of the second half of Dakar Rally 2017, contestants raced in Bolivia en route from La Paz to Uyuni. Organizers originally scheduled a 322km SS for the day but were forced to shorten it to 161km due to inclement weather. Meanwhile, organizers also rerouted the liaison route to areas that were less affected by the rain, making this a long 805km stage, about 180km longer than originally planned.

The first half of the day challenged racers with small ergs on sandy off-piste terrain where they battled to cross sand ridges. The sand was relatively deep which meant that truck crews had to be on extra alert. In the latter part of the day, the terrain transitioned to gravel piste which also featured a number of muddy areas. Competition for the trucks category was cut short at the 141.37km point due to road conditions that had deteriorated from the rain, and trucks were redirected to paved roads which took them to Uyuni.

HINO TEAM SUGAWARA’s HINO500 Series trucks, both of which have been fully refreshed by the mechanics on the rest day yesterday, had good runs throughout the SS. The Teruhito Sugawara and Hiroyuki Sugiura crew piloting Car 2 made no navigational errors, finishing at 14th overall and top in the Under 10-litre Class. Car 1 piloted by Yoshimasa Sugawara and Mitsugu Takahashi also delivered solid performance finishing the SS 36th overall and 2nd in the Class.

Based on these results, Car 2 advanced its accumulated overall standings as of Jan. 9 to 10th spot. Car 2 is also inching its way up in accumulated overall standings at 31st place. Car 2 and Car 1 continue to maintain their 1-2 positions in the Under 10-litre Class.

The Uyuni bivouac was set up as the marathon stage camp on a military facility, which meant that there would be no assistance crews to be seen here. This marathon stage will not be a Parc-Fermes stage where the racing vehicles are completely isolated from the crews, but a Parc-de-Travail stage where crews will be allowed to service their vehicles themselves. So while neither of HINO TEAM SUGAWARA’s trucks have been having any problems, the crew kept themselves busy carrying out inspections. Car 1’s arrival at Uyuni after its SS finish has not been confirmed as of 10:00 pm, the deadline for this update.

Although the longest SS in this year’s event had been scheduled for tomorrow, Jan. 10―a 492km SS straddling the Bolivian-Argentine border between Uyuni and Salta―organizers once again have had to shorten it due to the effects of rain. The first half of the SS set within Bolivian borders has been shortened to finish at the 174km point. The latter half of the SS across the border in Argentina has been canceled for the trucks category, shortening the SS from the scheduled 492km to 174km.

Teruhito Sugawara: While today’s SS was not particularly challenging, we did have to stay alert. I believe our finish position was fitting considering our current capabilities. We have been able to improve our accumulated standings as a result, but I’m actually more concerned with our time difference with the leaders than our standings. Today will be a marathon bivouac but we have hardly had any driving related problems thanks to our focus on solid truck building. I’m disappointed that the stage for tomorrow has been cut short again, but there isn’t much anybody can do about that.

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Car 2 Climbs to 8th Spot in the Overall Trucks Category.
The Liaison to Salta Was Fragmented Due to a Mudslide, Delaying All Vehicles. Organizers Cancel Competition for Tomorrow, Jan. 11.

On January 10, Stage8
Uyuni (Bolivia) - Salta (Argentina)
Liaison: 49km SS: 171km Liaison: 533km Total: 753km

Jan. 10 was the second day of the marathon stage where contestants raced an SS and crossed the border into Argentina on their way from Uyuni, Bolivia to Salta, Argentina. A 492km SS was originally planned for this stage, but organizers have had to make major changes again this day due to the bad weather. While the first part of the rescheduled segment―from their departure from Uyuni on a 49km liaison to the SS start line―remained unchanged from the original, the SS itself was shortened with a finish line set at the 171km point, or CP1 (checkpoint 1). Contestants then took a liaison route to cross the border into Argentina where an SS for the trucks category had been canceled the previous day. As a result, trucks were rerouted to an assistance route which was to take them to the bivouac in Salta. In the 171km SS, contestants raced in highlands at elevations in the 4000m range, and also battled dunes in the first half. Later in the day, the course transitioned to wide-open parallel pistes (areas with numerous parallel unpaved roads) where racers were able to show off their speed, before taking them on mountain roads to the SS finish.

Both of HINO TEAM SUGAWARA’s HINO500 Series trucks continued to put up a good fight in this short but challenging SS. Car 2 crewed by Teruhito Sugawara and Hiroyuki Sugiura finished at 14th place overall and top in the Under 10-litre Class. Car 1, which arrived at Uyuni past midnight yesterday, also delivered great performance finishing at 31st overall and second in the class.

Based on these results, Car 2 has improved its accumulated overall standings as of Jan 10 to 8th place. The truck currently trails behind the Aleksandr Vasilevski crew (MAZ) in 7th spot by a minuscule 1 minute 01 seconds, and leads the Martin Kolomy crew (Tatra) behind them by 18 minutes and 56 seconds. While these standings were strictly preliminary as of this writing, they demonstrate how the Hino team is closing in on the performance of the leading group in the trucks category.

Meanwhile, Car 1 stands at 32nd place overall, and the team continues to maintain its 1-2 standings in the Under 10-litre Class.

This day, the assistance route on the way to Salta became fragmented when a village along the route was hit by a storm which triggered a mudslide. This made it impossible for competing vehicles who had finished the SS, including Hino team trucks, as well as assistance vehicles and the organizer’s vehicles to drive the route. Organizers instructed all vehicles to take a 200km detour across the Andes, but it is being reported that even this detour would be difficult to pass on larger vehicles and vehicles without all-wheel drive. As of 10:00pm, none of the racing motorbikes, cars, nor trucks have arrived at Salta. Hardly any of the assistance vehicles have arrived either and the bivouac looks quite deserted.

Due to these circumstances, organizers have announced that they will be canceling the SS for tomorrow, Jan. 11, which was scheduled to be set en route from Salta to Chilecito. Competition will resume on Jan. 12 on the way from Chilecito to San Juan.

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Day’s Stage is Canceled and Teams Drive to Chilecito. The Hino Team is Gearing Up for the Last Portion of the Rally Which is to Start on Jan. 12.

On January 11, Stage9
Salta (Argentina) - Chilecito (Argentina)
Liaison: 674km Total: 674km

While the original plan called for a 406km SS in the Argentine Andes foothills that would have challenged racers with a high level of difficulty, organizers were forced to cancel the SS due to the assistance route being cut off by a mudslide on Jan. 10. Racing vehicles traveled on a 674km assistance route to Chilecito.

On Jan. 10, HINO TEAM SUGAWARA’s two HINO500 Series trucks, which were en route to Salta on an assistance route after finishing the SS, headed for the bivouac in Salta on a 200km detour that branched off north of the road block and circled westward. Car 2 and Car 1 arrived at the bivouac just before 11:30 pm and at about 1:00 am, respectively. Few vehicles were seen in Salta even as late as then, as many vehicles decided to bivouac near the detour junction. While the crews had been informed of the cancelation of the next day’s stage, members of the Hino team remained coolheaded in carrying out inspections and servicing to keep their trucks in optimum condition, with lights ablaze on assistance vehicles and trucks that arrived one after the other.

The mechanics worked through the night, and the HINO500 Series trucks left Salta at 7:30 am, arriving at the bivouac in Chilecito at around 6:00 pm. The assistance group arrived later and the trucks underwent final inspections. The itinerary for Jan. 12 is scheduled to take contestants on a long 448km SS set in the intermountain areas to the west of Chilecito.

Yoshimasa Sugawara: I will be shifting gears mentally because we will be facing another long SS tomorrow. My goal for this rally is to make it into the top 20 in accumulated overall standings. I will give it my best to demonstrate the fruit of our year of work.

Mitsugu Takahashi: It feels much hotter again back in Argentina. Personally, I prefer the cooler weather even if that means higher altitudes. At any rate, I wish we could have raced the entire marathon stage.

Teruhito Sugawara: The course for tomorrow is one that the organizers have included many times in the past, so perhaps navigation will be difficult. I’m looking forward to how the organizers may have increased the level of difficulty.

Hiroyuki Sugiura: I’m feeling really well physically now. While navigation may be challenging, I will continue to do my best.

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Competition Resumes on a Long 448km SS. Car 2 Finishes the SS at 11th Overall to Keep Its 8th Position in Accumulated Overall Standings. Car 1 Makes a Good Run Finishing at 23rd Overall, and Improves its Accumulated Standings to 27th.

On January 12, Stage10
Chilecito (Argentina) - San Juan (Argentina)
Liaison: 163km SS(A): 263 km Neutral zone: 90km SS(B): 185km Liaison: 49km Total: 750km

While the original plan called for a 406km SS in the Argentine Andes foothills that would have challenged racers with a high level of difficulty, organizers were forced to cancel the SS due to the assistance route being cut off by a mudslide on Jan. 10. Racing vehicles traveled on a 674km assistance route to Chilecito.

Dakar Rally 2017 resumed competition on Jan. 12 with contestants racing a total of 448km in the longest SS of the year’s event between Chilecito and San Juan, Argentina. The SS was divided into two parts with a 90km neutral zone in between. The first half, which coursed a distance of 263km to the west of Chilecito, challenged contestants with off road terrain on dried river beds before transitioning to mountain roads at elevations of up to 3200m. The latter half, which was 185km long, was set on rough roads near San Juan. Motorbikes were the first to start this day, and cars and trucks made a mixed started in the order as determined by their clocked time in the last SS.

The rally has only three days to go until the finish line in Buenos Aires. Both crews on HINO TEAM SUGAWARA’s HINO500 Series trucks continued their composed and yet aggressive driving as the rally entered the final stages.

The Teruhito Sugawara and Hiroyuki Sugiura duo on Car 2, who finished 8th overall in the SS to Salta, continued to deliver good performance this day. The truck was 15th to start and completed all of the points that were particularly difficult for navigators with no problems, passing CP 1 (checkpoint 1) at 4th overall. While the truck suffered a flat after the checkpoint, the loss of air was only gradual so the crew raced on by replenishing air with their CTIS (Central Tire Inflation System), finishing the first SS at 7th spot. The crew changed tires in the neutral zone that followed, and continued to race neck and neck with their rivals on larger trucks. Car 2 finished the latter SS at 11th overall and top in the Under 10-litre Class. Based on these results, Car 2 maintained its 8th spot in accumulated overall rankings as of Jan. 12.

Meanwhile, the Yoshimasa Sugawara and Mitsugu Takahashi crew on Car 1 continued to deliver consistent performance, inching their way up in standings. The truck was the 34th to start and improved its SS position for the first half to 19th place. Car 1 also underwent a flat, but the crew worked hard to reduce any time loss, such as by waiting for the neutral zone to change their tire, finishing the stage at 23rd overall and second in the Under 10-litre Class. These results boosted the truck’s accumulated overall standings to 27th place and second in the Under 10-litre Class.

On Jan. 13, contestants are scheduled to race a 288km SS en route to the last bivouac of the rally in Rio Cuarto, Argentina. The first part of the SS will feature dunes and contestants will not have the luxury of putting down their guards for the entire stage.

Yoshimasa Sugawara: We pushed hard to improve our accumulated standings now that we are on the home stretch. While we saw quite a few vehicles that had to turn back due to course errors, we were able to complete these segments error free. we’ll continue to keep on pushing tomorrow.

Mitsugu Takahashi: We haven’t had a long stage in a little while and the heat was quite intense, but I’m happy that we were able to deliver good results. The truck is doing just fine.

Teruhito Sugawara: While navigation in the early part of the SS was quite difficult, we were able to complete it error-free and I think this was one of the reasons we were able to pass CP1 in 4th place. Overall, I think we were able to deliver the kind of performance that we had in mind. I’m looking forward to the dunes in the early part of tomorrow’s stage.

Hiroyuki Sugiura: This was the first long stage in a little while―one that gave you a real sense that you were racing the Dakar Rally―and I must admit that it was tiring. Everyone was being pulled towards the dust kicked up by vehicles ahead of them and that made navigation much more difficult.

Seiichi Suzuki: Tonight, we’ll be changing all the belt-related components, such as tensioners and pulleys, on both trucks. After that, we’ll be replacing the flat tires and wheels.

Masaki Nakamura: Everyone is feeling good physically, but it must be tough what with the cold, the thin oxygen, and this sudden rise in temperature. We’ve only got a couple of more days to go, so we’ll make sure to complete our servicing work without any errors.

Hiroyuki Azuma: Time just seemed to zip by once the rally started. Two more days to go. This will be our last spurt to the finish so I intend to work with renewed focus.

Koji Nakamura: I haven’t had any major physical problems, but I am feeling a bit fatigued from the extreme changes in temperature. We’ve only got a couple of more days to go, so I will keep going until we finish.

Junya Inoue: This sudden heat has been quite tough to deal with, but I find it easier to work in than in the cold. We don’t have that many days to go, so I will continue to stay alert to the end so that we can finish with good results.

Kenji Kunimoto: We’re in the home stretch before we even knew it. I will stay focused to make sure that we don’t make any servicing errors that could jeopardize our standings.

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Car 2 Maintains 8th Position in the Last Dunes Stage of the Rally. Car 1 is En Route, Also Having a Good Run.

January 13, Stage 11
San Juan (Argentina) - Rio Cuarto (Argentina)
Liaison: 73km SS (A): 114km Neutral zone: 367km SS (B): 173km Liaison: 27km Total: 754km

The itinerary for Jan. 13 took contestants from San Juan to Rio Cuarto, Argentina. They drove westward from San Juan in the Andes foothills, and raced a two-part SS with a long 367km neutral zone sandwiched in between on their way to the Cordoba region in central Argentina. The first 114km SS challenged racers with desert terrain and fesh-fesh. The second half, which was 173km long, took contestants through mountain roads that transitioned into high-speed piste. This is an area that organizers have included in the course a number of times in the past. Tomorrow, Jan. 14, will be the last day of racing and a 64km SS is scheduled in the vicinity of Rio Cuarto, but due to this short distance, there is little chance that position standings will change from here. So in effect, the SS today became the last day of racing for the teams.

HINO TEAM SUGAWARA's two HINO500 Series trucks continued to deliver good performance on this SS. While Car 2 crewed by Teruhito Sugawara and Hiroyuki Sugiura became bogged in fesh-fesh in the earlier part of the day, they were assisted by another vehicle and were able to break free with about 10 minutes of lost time. Things went well after this incident, and the crew finished the SS at 14th spot, maintaining their 8th position in accumulated overall standings.

And while Car 1 crewed by the Yoshimasa Sugawara and Mitsugu Takahashi duo took some time as they exercised extra caution in the sandy segments, they finished the latter half with a good run, arriving in good shape at the bivouac in Rio Cuarto after 1 am. (No standings information for the truck was available at the time of this writing)

Tomorrow, Jan. 14 will finally be the last day of racing. After racing their last SS of the rally near Rio Cuarto, racers will take a long 700km liaison to the finish line in Buenos Aires. For the mechanics, tonight will be the last night of inspections and servicing in the competition. Fittingly, they were seen meticulously carrying out inspections at the bivouac.

Yoshimasa Sugawara: Although we didn't get bogged in the dunes in the first half, we took more time than we would've liked to, and as a result, we came in just 10 minutes under the maximum time restriction. Although we did have a good run after the dunes, that's why it took us this long to get here. I'm feeling absolutely fine physically.

Hiroyuki Sugiura: We were overtaken by a Kamaz and Tatra today, but there were others that fell behind us, so in the end, there was no change in our accumulated standings. Getting bogged in the dunes was unfortunate, but otherwise things went fine.

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The Teruhito Sugawara Crew Piloting Car 2 Crosses the Finish Line in Buenos Aires at 8th Place Overall. Car 1 Finishes at 29th Place Overall. Team Makes 1-2 Finish in the Under 10-litre Class.

January 14, Stage 12
Rio Cuarto (Argentina) - Buenos Aires (Argentina)
Liaison: 50km SS: 64km Liaison: 673km Total: 787km

Contestants of Dakar Rally 2017 crossed the finish line in Buenos Aires today on Jan. 14, bringing the fierce competition over the past two weeks to a close. Of the two HINO 500 Series trucks that HINO TEAM SUGAWARA entered in the rally, Car 2 crewed by Teruhito Sugawara and Hiroyuki Sugiura finished at 8th overall in the trucks category with a stunning performance that posed a real threat to the leading group of larger trucks, and also won its 8th straight victory in the Under 10-litre Class. Car 1 crewed by Yoshimasa Sugawara and Mitsugu Takahashi finished at 29th overall. The team's two HINO 500 Series trucks made a 1-2 finish in their class.

The two HINO 500 Series trucks that the Hino team entered in this rally had been given substantial upgrades to their engines and suspensions. From the beginning of the rally, Car 2 delivered performance that was on par with its larger rivals, and Car 1 also climbed in accumulated rankings with consistent runs. While a number of stages had to be shortened or canceled during and after the middle part of the rally in Bolivia, the Car 2 crew maintained their cool, advancing to 10th in accumulated overall standings in the trucks category on Jan. 10, and further advancing their standings to 8th place the following day.

The last day of the rally, Jan. 14, took contestants from Rio Cuarto to Buenos Aires, Argentina where they raced the last SS of the event on 64 kilometers of agricultural roads near Rio Cuarto. The short distance of this SS meant that racers would not be able make up much time even if they pushed hard. So few contestants upped their pace as doing so would invite greater risks. The Hino team's trucks delivered solid runs with Car 2 finishing the SS at 21st overall, and Car 1 at 35th.

The SS was followed by a 650km liaison route that took contestants to Buenos Aires where they took part in a goal ceremony at a podium set up in front of the Automobile Club of Argentina.

It was past 11 pm by the time the Hino team showed up at the podium. As the trucks appeared beside the podium―Car 2 first, followed by Car 1―crew and mechanics exchanged solid handshakes with Hino Motors chairman Masakazu Ichikawa, who had flown in from Japan to applaud the team, and other team associates. Team members then lined up for a group photo as they waved to the cheering crowd, bringing their stint in this two-week rally to a close.

Masakazu Ichikawa, Chairman of the Board of Hino Motors: We have been supporting the team all the while, and Mr. Teruhito's single-digit finish in the category was truly admirable. Mr. Yoshimasa did very well too. I am very happy of these results.

Yoshimasa Sugawara: I'm very happy with Teruhito's finish in 8th place overall. We raced as we had planned and were able to win with a 1-2 finish. I am still full of energy. Thank you very much for your support.

Mitsugu Takahashi: The rally seemed zip by in a blink of an eye, and I'm happy to have finished in good shape. The last SS didn't require any navigation, but in terms of the rally overall, there were many areas where navigation was quite difficult so it was tough.

Teruhito Sugawara: I'm glad that we were able to finish in 8th position overall. Besides the fact that our trucks have been vastly upgraded, I think the fact that there were many canceled stages and navigation was difficult this year worked to our advantage. That said, this outcome was not a fluke but the result of our hard work. We are looking to upgrading our trucks even more for the next rally. Thank you very much.

Hiroyuki Sugiura: The SS today was set on agricultural roads with right angle turns appearing one after the other. Some sections had turned into muddy swamps and were quite risky as we had trouble bringing the truck to a full stop. In any case, I'm glad that we were able to finish the rally without any problems. This was the first single-digit finish for me so I'm very happy with these results.

Seiichi Suzuki: I'm glad that we were able to finish without any major problems. I am happy about Car 2's 8th place finish, but I'm certainly not satisfied. We can do much more.

Masaki Nakamura: I'm relieved that the rally is over. It's great that we were able to achieve the single-digit finish that we were all aiming for. I'd like to give the mechanics a pat on the back for putting in such great work under harsh conditions such as high altitudes, the cold and heat.

Hiroyuki Azuma: I'm glad that both trucks were able to finish without anybody getting injured or sick. That was a big thing for me. And I'm ecstatic about these great results.

Koji Nakamura: Time just zipped by and it was over even before I knew it. The toughest thing for me was the little amount of sleep we got. That said, I'm glad that we didn't have any major problems. I am very happy with these amazing results.

Junya Inoue: Two weeks just flew by. And I'm happy that the truck I was in charge of finished with great results.

Kenji Kunimoto: While we didn't encounter as many problems as we did in our test run in the Silk Way Rally, but to be honest, things were much more hectic with two trucks. I think we did pretty well in terms of servicing work. It has been a great experience.

Kohei Shimazaki: Driving the assistance car this year, it really hit me how you can't win against nature, what with the intense rain and cold. I hope I get to come again if the opportunity arises.

Koji Tanaka: It was tough everywhere we went―the highlands, the heat, and this last bivouac. But finishing the competition with great results has a way of melting all that fatigue away. I'm relieved that it's over.

Ryu Takashima: I played a support role and this was the first time I joined team. I had a great time, including the times that I would shout words of support when the going got tough. I hope to be able to speak the language better the next time I come.

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Hino Motors Finishes Dakar Rally 2017 at 8th Position Overall, Their First Finish in the Top 10 in Five Years.

―Team Also Makes its 8th Straight Victory in the Under 10-litre Class and Ups Its Own Record to 26th Finishes in the Rally―

Hino Motors, Ltd. (Hino) raced in the trucks category of Dakar Rally 2017, which was hosted in Paraguay, Bolivia, and Argentina from Jan. 2 through Jan. 14 (local time), making its first top 10 finish in five years since 2012. The team also won its 8th straight championship in the Under 10-litre Class, and upped its own record to 26 finishes since first entering the rally [*1].

After the original Paris-Dakar Rally―starting in Paris and finishing in Dakar―was called off due to political instability in 2008, organizers relocated the event to South America in 2009 and renamed it Dakar Rally. Since then, the rally has been gradually transforming from an exploration-oriented one on the roadless roads of Africa into a high-speed rally where contestants vie for speed over rough terrain.

As Hino's rivals, most of whom were based out of Europe, pushed forward by increasing the power of their trucks that ran on engines with displacements of over 10 litres, and drew on their material might sending in larger contingents of staff and supplies, Hino has been steadfastly committed to racing the rally on its "HINO500 Series" trucks with engines smaller than 10 litres. This commitment was based on the team's motto "Softness overcomes hardness [*2]" and the handpicked team of the best and brightest has been working to strengthen their teamwork through the spirit of "valuing harmony." For the past few years, the team has been carefully studying the work of its rivals, and making thorough tunings to its racing trucks based on the uniquely Japanese version of "production craftsmanship." The team also sent all of its members on a month-long training camp to further strengthen the team's overall capabilities.

As a result, driver Teruhito Sugawara (44 years of age) finished this year's rally in 8th overall among the 50 entrants in the trucks category, making this the team's first top 10 finish in five years since its 9th place finish in 2012. He also won his 8th straight championship in the Under 10-litre Class. Driver Yoshimasa Sugawara (75 years of age) finished 29th overall and 2nd in the Under 10-litre Class, giving the father and son duo their fourth straight 1-2 victory in the class since 2014.

By continuing to take part in the world's top level race, Hino aims to share the excitement of racing with customers and motor sport fans around the world, and build on the spirit of challenge and technological capabilities honed through this experience to deliver products and services that benefit our customers around the world.

*1: This was Hino's 26th finish in the race since 1991, not including 2008 when the race was canceled due to political instability.
*2: "Ju yoku go wo seisu" is a phrase that is often used in jujitsu and other martial arts which explains how the soft and flexible will overcome the powerful and hard, and by extension how the feeble will overcome the strong.

Comments

Masakazu Ichikawa (Chairman of the Board, Hino Motors): We have been supporting the team all the while, and Mr. Teruhito's single-digit finish in the category was truly admirable. Mr. Yoshimasa did very well too. I am very happy of these results.

Yoshimasa Sugawara (Team director and driver of Car 1): I'm very happy with Teruhito's finish in 8th place overall. We raced as we had planned and were able to win with a 1-2 finish. I am still full of energy. Thank you very much for your support.

Mitsugu Takahashi (Navigator of Car 1): The rally seemed zip by in a blink of an eye, and I'm happy to have finished in good shape. The last SS didn't require any navigation, but in terms of the rally overall, there were many areas where navigation was quite difficult so it was tough.

Teruhito Sugawara (Driver of Car 2): I'm glad that we were able to finish in 8th position overall. Besides the fact that our trucks have been vastly upgraded, I think the fact that there were many canceled stages and navigation was difficult this year worked to our advantage. That said, this outcome was not a fluke but the result of our hard work. We are looking to upgrading our trucks even more for the next rally. Thank you very much.

Hiroyuki Sugiura (Navigator of Car 2): The SS today was set on agricultural roads with right angle turns appearing one after the other. Some sections had turned into muddy swamps and were quite risky as we had trouble bringing the truck to a full stop. In any case, I'm glad that we were able to finish the rally without any problems. This was the first single-digit finish for me so I'm very happy with these results.

Seiichi Suzuki (Mechanic leader): I'm glad that we were able to finish without any major problems. I am happy about Car 2's 8th place finish, but I'm certainly not satisfied. We can do much more.

Masaki Nakamura (Mechanic sub-leader): I'm relieved that the rally is over. It's great that we were able to achieve the single-digit finish that we were all aiming for. I'd like to give the mechanics a pat on the back for putting in such great work under harsh conditions such as high altitudes, the cold and heat.

Hiroyuki Azuma (Mechanic): I'm glad that both trucks were able to finish without anybody getting injured or sick. That was a big thing for me. And I'm ecstatic about these great results.

Koji Nakamura (Mechanic): Time just zipped by and it was over even before I knew it. The toughest thing for me was the little amount of sleep we got. That said, I'm glad that we didn't have any major problems. I am very happy with these amazing results.

Junya Inoue (Mechanic): Two weeks just flew by. And I'm happy that the truck I was in charge of finished with great results.

Kenji Kunimoto (Mechanic): While we didn't encounter as many problems as we did in our test run in the Silk Way Rally, but to be honest, things were much more hectic with two trucks. I think we did pretty well in terms of servicing work. It has been a great experience.

Kohei Shimazaki (Support member): Driving the assistance car this year, it really hit me how you can't win against nature, what with the intense rain and cold. I hope I get to come again if the opportunity arises.

Koji Tanaka (Support member): It was tough everywhere we went―the highlands, the heat, and this last bivouac. But finishing the competition with great results has a way of melting all that fatigue away. I'm relieved that it's over.

Ryu Takashima (Support member): I played a support role and this was the first time I joined team. I had a great time, including the times that I would shout words of support when the going got tough. I hope to be able to speak the language better the next time I come.

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Hino Dakar 2017 photo gallery - http://www.hino-global.com/dakar/gallery/index.html

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Hino Motors Press Release  /  March 29, 2017

New wallpapers are available on DAKAR Gallery page.

http://www.hino-global.com/dakar/gallery/wallpaper.html