Round 7 of the All Japan Rally Championships was held around Akaigawa, near Otaru city on the western side of Hokkaido. This was the 10th time the rally was held in Akaigawa, and because it was not held last year, the locals were all delighted to see the rally back.
In JN-4 class, the top 4 contenders set best times, including TEIN user Ishida. As the battle continued, the top positions kept interchanging. Ishida set the fastest time in SS4 and SS5, but in SS7 he suffered from mechanical problems and lost valuable time. The following day, he made a strong comeback, fighting his way back up the order. He finished the rally in 3rd overall position.
In JN-2 class, Sekine finished the first day in 4th position. Day 2 turned out to be very frantic as the top 3 cars in JN-2 class all suffered from mechanical failures and had to retire. This left the door wide open and Sekine sitting at the top! Sekine continued cautiously to protect his lead and came home to win his 2nd consecutive rally. |
