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| It was a cold morning in Nikko so the entrants started day three with completely wiping off night dew from the windshield and the car body. They held the steering wheel with their numb hands and set off from the Chuzenji Kanaya Hotel at 8 am. The entrants drove down Irohazaka Road and headed to the first destination, Michi-No-Eki Yusuino Sato Shioya. They received a stamp there, then headed to the Hero Sinoi Circuit in Utsunomiya City. The PC competition held at the circuit was challenging so the entrants were struggling to step on the measurement line at the right timing. When the rally enters its second half, the entrants start to worry about their results. In addition, each results of the PC competitions becomes important so the entrants were obviously serious when competing the competitions. After leaving the Hero Sinoi Circuit, the entrants received stamps at three points in Tochigi Prefecture: Yaita-Shi-Jougesuidou Office, Michi-No-Eki Kitsuregawa, and Michi-No-Eki Motegi, and then traveled to Ibaraki Prefecture. The next stamp point, Monzen Street in front of Kasama Inari Shrine, was jam-packed with local people and tourists and full of excitement of the crowd waiting for the entrants to arrive. The cars made their way to in front of the Otorii Gate and received a stamp and a purification ritual one by one, then left the shrine to the next destination. There was a lot of cheering from the street packed with spectators. The entrants left Kasama and headed to the lunch venue, Oarai Marina. At the marina, they also received a stamp and competed a PC competition. After leaving Oarai, the party traveled to Chiba Prefecture and headed to Katori City. They received a stamp in the town of water, Sawara, passed through a street of Little Edo, and headed to Narita. After finishing a PC competition at the last point of day three, NATS in Narita, the entrants arrived at the Ana Crowne Plaza Narita. The weather was slightly cloudy and the temperature was just right, making it a perfect day for driving. However, we were on day three and the rally entered the second half so both the entrants and the cars showed a glimpse of tiredness. Some of the entrants had vehicle trouble and the mechanics immediately took care of it each time. The mechanics are also fighting this rally with the entrants to keep the cars going to the end. Of course, the results of the competitions are important, but to complete the whole distance is more important than anything else. Since it was Sunday, there were also many children at each point. They cheered for us waving small flags cheerfully and that touched our hearts. I’ll be very happy if the children don't forget about the cars they met today. On day four, the final day of the event, the entrants are driving approximately 255km in Chiba Prefecture, heading to the finish line at Makuhari Bay Town. I hope that as many of the cars as possible can reach the finish line safely. I’m sure the local people who cheered for us at each point and the mechanics who maintain the cars every day from early morning until late at night are hoping so too. （text & photo：Mika Iwamoto） |
 ALBANESI 1100 SPORT interacting with children in Sawara  OSCA MT4 and STANGUELLINI COLLI 1100 SPORT just finish PC competition at Hero Sinoi Circuit  ALFAROMEO GIULIETTA SPRINT VELOCE competing PC competiton at Hero Sinoi Circuit  ALFAROMEO GIULIETTA SS receives purification ritual at stamp point Kasama Inari Shrine  OSCA MT4 competing PC competition at Oarai Marina |
