Powered by their 8866cc A09C-TI engines, Hino Team Sugawara had a very impressive Stage 2 run with a 1 – 2 finish in the Under 10-litre Class of the year. The itinerary took truck contestants on a 284km SS from Resistencia, western Argentina to San Miguel de Tucuman in the foothills of the Andes Mountains. Situated at an elevation of 200 – 250 metres, this high-speed segment on a hard gravel track presented plenty of challenges including extreme dust and substantial potholes.
Car 1 driver, Yoshimasa Sugawara told us, “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.”
Hino Team Sugawara’s HINO500 Series trucks weathered the obstacles with their upgraded suspension systems and 650ps muscle, seriously challenging 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 while the Yoshimasa Sugawara and Mitsugu Takahashi duo in Car 1 finished the SS 42nd overall and in 2nd place in its Class.
On day 4, contestants will race their last Argentine segment for this portion of the rally, then 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 inter-mountain areas at an elevation of 4960m, the highest elevation of this year’s event. Its going to be a huge day tomorrow!