RACE REPORT2nd BRADLEY SERIES
Kyushu Tournament
The long-awaited 2nd Kyushu round of the Bradley Series
The second round of the "Bradley Series Kyushu Round" was held on Sunday, May 15, 2022, in Kyushu, Japan, with the aim of competing in the "Bradley Cup," one of the most prestigious trial events mainly for Land Cruisers. A total of 29 cars entered in the event.
It should be noted that the first event in 2021 was so well received that we were happy to be able to continue the event into this second edition.
The venue was "J Club Hano Kogen Camping & Off-Road Course" in Aso City, Kumamoto Prefecture, the same as the first event. It is a great place to spend a relaxing time away from the hustle and bustle of the city, and also a perfect location to concentrate on off-road driving. It is also close to "Aso Kujyu National Park," which is home to many natural treasures.
The vehicles that can be entered in this Bradley Series are Toyota Jeeps, Land Cruiser series (including Prado), and FJ Cruisers. The same rules that are basically common to the "BRADLEY CUP" are also applied as in the first event.
It is similar to the "BRADLEY CUP" in that it is not just a competition. The event name is accompanied by the phrase "TRAINING MEETING," and one of its objectives is to provide training in off-road driving techniques, rules, and manners.
Owners also exchange information with each other before and after the competition. In other words, it is a place where people of the same age can get to know each other.
A series of full-fledged off-road machines broke through trials one after another.
The competition is in the form of a trial.
Basically, the contestants compete for the time to complete a predetermined rough course, but the course is marked with markers, which participants must pass through in a predetermined order. There are also poles and tapes on the course, and points will be deducted for touching them, backing up, getting stuck and stopping for more than 5 seconds, etc.
In other words, the goal is to reach the goal within the time limit while avoiding point deductions. Knowledge to identify the correct driving route. The skill to drive the car as one pleases. Both of these are required in this competition.
Before entering the course, participants are given two choices. One is the "Normal Course," which is relatively safe and easy to avoid penalty points. The other is the "Heavy Course," which is designed for advanced drivers. Beginners can try the normal course without any difficulty, making it easier for beginners to get used to the course.
The weather conditions on the day of the event were also strangely similar to those of the first event, with the road surface conditions the day after rain. The venue is located at the foot of Mt. Aso, and the road surface is a unique soil called "Aso's Black Soil. The venue is located at the foot of Mt. Aso, and the road surface is a unique soil called "Aso's black soil." It should be one of the difficult conditions for an off-road trial, but the majority of the participants find such conditions rather enjoyable.
The top group is one of the highest in the country.
After all the competitions were successfully completed, the event was brought to a close with an awards ceremony. Once again, the high level of competition in the Kyushu area was evident in the high number of good results.
Sakaguchi, who finished in the top position, is one of the fiercest competitors who has also competed in the BRADLEY CUP. His low point deductions in each section and his mastery of his car were probably the main reasons for his victory.
In addition, since this year marked the 40th anniversary of BRADLEY, a user photo session was also held.
The third conference is scheduled for Sunday, September 25, 2022.
