Sep 6, 2011
|
JRC: Yanagisawa =EVO X Finish In 2nd While Proton Satria Neo Made Impressive 1-2 Finish |
|
Round 6 of Japanese Rally Championship, "ARK Rally Toya" took place on 2-4 September around Toya-lake, Hokkaido where G8 summit was held in 2008. All 15 gravel stages over a distance of 114.78km was relatively long as a national championship round. Cusco Racing brought CUSCO ADVAN EVO. X forth time this season and Hiroshi Yanagisawa/Yoshimasa Nakahara took the wheel. Also current Asia Cup champion, Yuya Sumiyama/Naoki Kase attended this event to testing his machine for upcoming next round of Asia-Cup in end of September. Proton Satria Neo also appeared fourth time for the debut year and Young driver Shuhei Muta took the wheel. |
  As a huge Typhoon was visiting western Japan, Hokkaido (Northern of Japan) also saw unstable weather during the week. Additionally all stages were used twice or three times which made surface condition worse. Therefore number of cars was forced to retire. In fact, only 27 cars were able to complete the event among total 47 entries. The rally was consisted 10SS including the longest 19.37km stage of the event on Day 1 followed by another 5SS on Day 2. Yanagisawa who is strong on Hokkaido stages set three of fastest mark on Day1 and finished the day in 2nd place 24.9 slower than the leader. Meanwhile Sumiyama was trying his first event since APRC opening round in Malaysia on March. His Lancer Evo X was set focus on long distance of international events which differ to Japanese rally, so his commitment was concentrating on setting test and workout for Sumiyama himself for next APRC round. As a driver, the circumstance may be frustrating, nevertheless Sumiyama showed stable performance with setting 4th fastest time and made up his position from 10th to 5th within the day. Muta in Satria Neo also completed each stage consistently under difficult condition. Thank to number of retires, he finished the day in 2nd among JN-3 class. |
|
  |
|
Day 2 saw further worse condition which made more serious concern about flat tyre. It was difficult to decide whether saving the pace to avoid unnecessary risk or pushing to limit for higher result. Behind of Yanagisawa standing in 2nd, multiple national champion Fumio Nutahara was chasing with only 0.9 seconds gap. However, knowing that how much one flat tyre would be costing, Yanagisawa run in well balanced on limit to save tyre and to keep his position. Yanagisawa was took over by Nutahara on first stage of the day, however the Nutahara also had flat tyre on SS13 eventually. Although missed the victory which was target of him, Yanagisawa finished in 2nd which was his best result of the season. While Sumiyama again showed stable performance with marking third fastest time. He finished in 6th which was good start for next APRC round in same island, Hokkaido. |
|
Satria Neo which had been struggling to battle with more powerful rivals due to unique class dividing of the series, however this time the machine could take its advantages of durability and reliability on the long rough event. Indeed, eventually Muta battled for class top with another Cusco built Satria Neo of sister team, Cusco Junior Team driven by Shintaro Meiji. Muta arrowed Satria Neo's first victory in the nation to Meiji, however finishing in 2nd which brought the Cusco 1-2 finish which made grace for its first victory. |
    |
|
Yanagisawa, Sumiyama and Muta will head to next round of national championship Round 7 and also APRC Round 5, "Rally Hokkaido" which will be taken place from 30 September to 2 October, around Obihiro, Hokkaido. |
