Competition for the 2019 FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) takes a step-up with an additional nine teams entered for this weekend’s Rally Montre (Japan).
The third APRC event for 2019, Rally Montre is the first round for the sub-championship Asia Cup.
Based in the alpine resort region of Tsumagoi, Gunma Prefecture, near central Japan, it holds a lot of motorsport history. From early beginnings in the mid-1950’s, the Montre rally event took hold in 1984 and takes a bigger step forward in 2019 being a round of the APRC.
Heading the entry list is New Zealand pairing of Mike Young and Malcolm Read in the Cusco prepared Toyota Yaris 4WD.
A mixture of Mitsubishi, Subaru, Toyota and Citroen branded cars will contest the international section of the event.
Experienced driver Atsushi Masumura and co-driver Shizuka Takehara head the Mitsubishi entrants.
The competition is spread across the Saturday and Sunday, starting with the 0.35km Super Special Stage outside the event headquarters/service park at the Palcall Tsumagoi Resort.
A further nine special stages, including a second run of the Super Special Stage, returns the teams to the resort for the overnight park, having covered 222km.
Sunday is broken into eight stages, covering a further 261km. Teams return to the Palcall Tsumagoi resort for the early Sunday evening ceremonial finish.
While the alpine region enters its summer season, rainfall is an expected part of the event and weekend.
Round 3 Entry List – Pacific Cup
Driver/Co-Driver, Prefecture, Team, Vehicle, Class
1. Mike YOUNG / Malcolm READ, NZL, CUSCO RACING, TOYOTA YARIS 4WD, RC2/ASN
2. Atsushi MASUMURA / Shizuka TAKEHARA, Tokyo, SUPER ALEX TROOP MITSUBISHI LANCER, RC2/NR4
3. Yasushi AOYAMA / Naoki KASE, Aichi, CUSCO RACING, SUBURU IMPREZA WRX STI, RC2/ASN
4. Shigeyuki KONISHI / Tsung Yu HSIEH, Tokyo, Graduale rally racing, SUBURU IMPREZA WRX STI, RC2/NR4
5. Yuki KOHAMA / Megumi FUJITA, Saitama, ＴＲＤ Toyota 86, RC3/RJ
6. Suguru KAWANA /Taku ISEYA, Saitama, CUSCO RACING Citroen DS3, RC3/RJ
7. Mitsuhiro AOKI / Shigeru IKEDA, Tokyo, IMMENS MOTORSPORT MITSUBISHI LANCER, RC2/ASN
8. Nao OTAKE Osaka / Noriko TAKESHITA, CUSCO RACING, Toyota VITZ, RC5/ASN
9. Heikki Kovalainen / Sae KITAGAWA, Tokyo, Rally Team AICELLO, トヨタ GT８６ CS-R3, RC3/RJ
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