RACE REPORT23rd BRADLEY CUP CHALLENGE
2021 LANDCRUISER TRAINING MEETING

4×4 Engineering Service's wheel brand for four-wheel drive, "BRADLEY". The 23rd round of the "Bradley Cup", a trial competition named after the brand, was held on Sunday, March 21, 2021.

The event is open to Toyota Jeeps, Land Cruisers (including Prado), and FJ Cruisers. This event attracts a large number of users, especially for Land Cruisers, regardless of year or model.

Last year, there were many applications, but unfortunately the event was cancelled due to the spread of COVID-19. "For the first time in two years, a total of 44 people from all over Japan gathered in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture, the birthplace of the Runcicle, to enjoy trial competitions at the "Sanage Adventure Field," which is called the "sacred ground for Runcicle enthusiasts.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the birth of the Land Cruiser. There are also rumors that the Land Cruiser will be getting a full model change soon, so things are looking even more exciting. This is a report on this festival for Land Cruiser lovers by Land Cruiser lovers.

In this trial competition, the riders compete to see how well they can clear the sections within the time limit without losing points. Points are deducted if the vehicle touches the course tape, markers, or poles, backs up, or gets stuck and stops for more than five seconds as the riders pass through the markers set on rough roads such as rocky roads and moguls. Clearing a section without any point deductions is called "clean," and the person with the fewest total negative points in all sections becomes the winner.

However, although it is a competition, as the sub-name "Land Cruiser Training Meeting" implies, the purpose of the meeting is to improve driving skills. For this reason, the numbers are arranged in order of performance for those who have participated in the past. By observing the driving skills of the better drivers and exchanging information with other participants before and after the race, you can use this information as a reference when driving yourself.

This time, it rained almost the entire day. The mud that flowed down from the tires on the muddy course made the rocky roads slippery. It was a day where the skills of the users were reflected in the results.

Land Cruiser enthusiasts gathered from as far north as Sapporo and Iwamizawa in Hokkaido, and as far south as Nakatsu City and Hita City in Oita Prefecture and Aso City in Kumamoto Prefecture.

The oldest was Mr. Shinji Shikuma (66 years old), born in 1954, and the youngest was Mr. Fuma Sakaguchi (19 years old), born in 2002. Most of the entrants were male, but two female entrants also participated. The cars ranged in age from a 1980 Series 40 (K-BJ41V) to a 2017 Prado (TRJ150).

The appeal of this event is that regardless of age, gender, or vehicle, people can interact with each other using the common word "Land Cruiser" as a point of contact.

Masahiro Terada (74 years old) is the "living legend" of the Bradley Cup and the Land Cruiser.

The number of participants in the Land Cruiser trial competition, which started with just two or three people including Mr. Terada, increased every year, and at its peak, the event attracted more than 120 vehicles. "At the request of "Boss Terada," who wanted to make the event even more exciting, 4×4 Engineering Service became a sponsor of the event, using the name of the BRADLEY wheels that were currently on sale, which led to the current Bradley Cup.

Once again, the boss was watching over everyone with a warm gaze. "It was impressive to see him say, "I still want to participate when I see them running so happily.

In February 2021, the new addition to the BRADLEY lineup, the BRADLEY FORGED TAKUMI, was displayed and attracted the attention of participants and galleries.

This is the first forged wheel from the eternal classic "Bradley" line, and it is a top-of-the-line model with an unprecedented level of lightness and toughness. The new wheels are thoroughly focused on rough road driving, with anti-bead slip processing.

The fact that these wheels, which are perfect for a full-scale trial competition like the BRADLEY CUP, were created is proof that the members of 4×4 Engineering Service are as much four-wheel drive enthusiasts as the participants of this event. We hope you can see for yourself the high level of perfection of these wheels.

Mr. Kazuyuki Ueno, who works for Toyota Motor Corporation and is involved in the development of the Runkwheel, was the chairman of the convention committee.

"The course was designed with the expectation that all participants would be able to complete it, but since there were many first-time participants this time and bad weather was expected, the course design was more difficult than usual. We were relieved when everyone, from beginners to experienced runners, said, "It was fun! I am relieved to hear that everyone, from beginners to experienced participants, had a great time. The 23rd Bradley Cup came to a successful conclusion with the conclusion, "It was great that the stormy weather allowed us to experience the fun of the Land Cruiser even more.