For twenty-five years, Yoshimasa Sugawara raced the legendary Paris–Dakar Rally as it began in Europe and finished in the Senegalese capital of Dakar; even when the race was moved to South America in 2009, he continued his streak at the event which culminated in his record thirty-six consecutive Dakars from 1983 to 2019. Although the Dakar Rally no longer goes through its original route, Sugawara will once again relive the journey when he takes part in the 2024 Africa Eco Race.
Sugawara made his Dakar début in 1983 on a bike, running two editions on two wheels but failing to finish either before switching to a Mitsubishi Pajero for the 1985 race. In 1992, he joined Hino whom he helped develop into one of the top truck marques at the Dakar; despite never winning the rally, he notched seven Truck podium finishes including six runner-ups. He retired after the 2019 edition, though his son Teruhito Sugawara has continued to lead Hino Team Sugawara as team director and driver. Besides his longevity, Sugawara is also tied with Giniel de Villiers for the most consecutive Dakars finished with twenty from 1989 to 2009.
“The Paris-Dakar was created by a person named (Thierry) Sabine, but it was cancelled several years later due to terrorism and it’s been going on elsewhere ever since,” recalled Sugawara. “I was racing trucks. I was in Portugal when it was cancelled. Then, I was told that South America was next, so I was thinking a lot about where in South America we would race it.
“At that time, there were two people, (Jean-Louis) Schlesser and René Metge, who said, ‘Next year, let’s start in Monaco and go to Dakar.’ I didn’t know about that.”
Although he retired from the Dakar after 2019, Sugawara remained in the driver’s seat for a final run in the 2020 Africa Eco Race. Driving a Yamaha YXZ1000R, he finished thirtieth overall and fifteenth among SSVs.
For his return in 2024, however, he will take part in a Suzuki JB64 Jimny. While his name is synonymous with the giant trucks of the Dakar, Sugawara has long been interested in kei cars, the Japanese term for small automobiles that are popular in the country for their size and affordability, like the Jimny. When Sugawara was 26, he published a book titled All About Kei Cars (軽自動車 のすべて) that discussed their growing role and future in Japanese society. In 1977, he drove a Honda kei truck from Karachi in Pakistan to Lisbon, Portugal; five years later, he piloted a Jimny across the Sahara Desert.
The 660cc Jimny, built by Kanagawa-based Jimny shop APIO, is already in France to prepare for the race. Reaching the finish is Sugawara’s main goal, which will prove challenging as there is only space inside for two spare tyres. However, that is part of the beauty of racing such a vehicle.
“It is not a racing car, but a commercial light car,” he said about the Jimny. “I thought it was meaningful to use it in the race. The aim is to show that it is possible for anyone to participate in rally raids.”
The 82-year-old Sugawara will begin the 2024 Africa Eco Race on 30 December, which begins in Monaco and concludes in Dakar on 14 January. Running concurrently with the AER, Teruhito will race the Dakar Rally in a Hino 600.
