Hi! I’m Sumimoto, in charge of development! On December 5th, 2021, at the Sanage Adventure Field in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture The
27th SAF CUP was held at Sanage Adventure Field in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture on December 5th, 2021. It’s been a while since the event
was held due to the effects of the Corona disaster. This time, I entered with my beloved Runkle 80! For the suspension, I installed the resale
2 inch country suspension kit that I have mentioned in my blog before. I’ve already given you my first impressions during the test run, but I’d
like to give you my impressions throughout the competition. Please check out the event report page for a summary.
The SAF CUP is a comprehensive off-road competition organized by Sanage Adventure Field. The rules are to pass through the flag gates in
each section in accordance with the numbers and to pass through the points set up within the allotted time. The cars are divided into classes
according to wheelbase, and there is a class handicap and a handicap based on whether or not the car is controlled by differential locks.
Points will be deducted for backing, missed courses, touching the tape, etc.
The total number of entries this time was 63. Class breakdown: 20 short cars, 17 middle cars, 26 long cars. Model breakdown: 20 Jimny, 34
Land Cruiser, 4 Safari, 5 Wrangler. Many different types of cars compete on the same course under the same conditions. It’s interesting to
see the different lines and ways of attacking the cars. By the way, many of the participating cars were equipped with Bradley V’s. A wheel that
is supported even in the world of competition. That’s what Bradley is all about! I’m so happy. And to my surprise, Bradley Takumi was
installed on the 150 Prado! It’s so cool!
This is my first time entering SAF CUP, so I’m nervous.
After completing the registration and vehicle inspection, we walked around the course to get a preview of the course. The course is wide, with
poor footholds and ups and downs, so it’s quite tough on my lack of exercise. However, the preliminary inspection is very important, so we
did our best to walk. With the course map in hand, I tried to visualize the course as follows: “I’ll go through there, then here, and so on. I was
getting more and more nervous. Since there were so many cars, we were divided into four groups and started the competition at the same
time for each section. Everyone seemed to be nervous before the first run, but But once they started running, they forgot their nervousness
and showed us their best driving skills. As they waited for their turn, they looked at the lines that others were running and thought about
which line they would take.
Section 1 (forest section)
It’s tempting to go fast on a dirt course, but the blind corner suddenly narrows at the
end. However, if you make a mistake in the timing of your steering wheel or your line, you may not be able to turn the corner completely, and
you may end up touching the tape or losing points for backing up. I was caught in the trap and got a backing point deduction. It’s sofrustrating!
Section 2 (Locking Section)
Actually, my 80 does not have a differential lock. It’s a tough section without a diff lock. It’s a tough section without a diff lock, so I’m going
to try to get the points I can get without overdoing it and finish the race. Even if you get a lot of points, if you lose a lot of points, your points
will be lower. Determine the line and the behavior of the car, and control the car without fail. If you go too fast, your car will be damaged, so
be careful and cautious.
Section 3 (Mogul Section)
A deeply dug mogul course. The course is narrowly divided into sections, and even if the car body tilts or the wheels lift off the ground, the
driver is required to react calmly. It’s fun to watch, but it’s a thrill to drive.
Section 4 (Trial Section)
The course is a mixture of dirt and rock, and the riders repeatedly climb and descend the steep slopes as they race
through the complicated and winding course. It is important to use the throttle boldly, but be careful not to miss the course with too much
momentum!
It’s a resale 2-inch country suspension kit, but it can be used to go over large bumps in rocky sections. Even when the car is leaning over a
large bump in a rock section or in a near full stroke area, it will hold its ground without fluttering. It also strokes well in moguls, allowing the
tires to follow the road and provide good traction. The balance between shock damping and coil spring rate is good, so it is not too hard or
too soft, and does not tire easily even when used in competition. It is a suspension that is really easy to ride.
Suspension that is easy to ride on-road is also easy to ride off-road. It is really well made. The results were 29th/63rd overall, 11th/26th in
the long class, and 7th/11th in the LC80. The average score. I found some technical and bodywork issues to work on this time, so I’d like to
aim higher next time! Practice makes perfect! If I’m driving a four-wheel drive car, I want to go through places where normal cars can’t go. If
I’m driving a four-wheel drive car, I want to go through places that normal cars can’t. I wonder why I can’t go through the same four-wheel
drive car that other people can. What’s the difference? I want to get better. I want to practice more. Yes, let’s compete! SAF CUP allows you to
choose the course that best suits your level of skill, even for stock vehicles. The best thing to do is to try it out! Let’s get together and join in
the fun!
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