“Rally Hokkaido” is one of Japan’s premier gravel rallies, held as Round 6 of the All Japan Rally Championship and Round 4 of the XCR Sprint Cup Hokkaido. Based in Obihiro City, Hokkaido, the event spans a vast area including towns like Ashoro and Rikubetsu, using unpaved roads and totaling approximately 630 km in distance. FLEX SHOW AIKAWA Racing with TOYO TIRES entered this historic and prestigious event again this year, fielding a Mitsubishi Triton in the XC-2 class with a fully prepared setup, aiming to redeem last year’s disappointment.

The XCR Sprint Cup Hokkaido is a cross-country rally series launched in 2022, now in its fourth year, focusing on pickup trucks and SUVs. It features long gravel stages and is run in a cross-country rally format. In the 2025 season, “Rally Hokkaido” was held as Round 4 of the series.

In the 2025 edition, the rally featured one of the longest and most challenging course setups of the season, with high-speed gravel sections, ruts, loose rocks, and muddy terrain. The total course length exceeded 630 km, marking it as one of Japan’s toughest cross-country rallies.

The number of entries in the XC-2 class also increased from 17 in the previous year to 22 in 2025. The ceremonial start and rally show held in front of Obihiro Station attracted fans from across the country, who gathered around the competing vehicles, creating a lively atmosphere for the start of the race.

Led by actor Sho Aikawa as General Director, FLEX SHOW AIKAWA Racing with TOYO TIRES entered the event with the same lineup as last year: driver Masato Kawabata and co-driver Atsushi Nakatani. After suffering a rollover accident during the 2024 rally, the team aimed for revenge this year by enhancing their vehicle and preparing thoroughly.

The team also competed in the July round “Rally Kamui” of the XCR Sprint Cup 2025, further refining the Mitsubishi Triton and gearing up for a class victory.

The Triton FLEX Rally Spec vehicle had been upgraded to withstand the harsh conditions of the rally. In particular, the 2025 model featured reinforced suspension and braking systems. Additionally, a sub-computer was added, transforming the vehicle into a fully capable rally machine.

Driver Kawabata confirmed the vehicle’s feel during the recce (course reconnaissance) before entering the main competition. Despite the long and grueling course, the team was fully prepared for the race’s first day.

Though some issues arose just before the race, FLEX SHOW AIKAWA Racing with TOYO TIRES completed preparations smoothly and welcomed race day morning. Leg 1, on Saturday, September 6, consisted of eight Special Stages (SS), including long gravel forest roads through areas like Ashoro, Rikubetsu, and Yamwakka.

The Kawabata/Nakatani duo delivered an excellent performance right from the start. In SS1 “PAWSE KAMUY SHORT,” they recorded the top time, finishing 4 seconds ahead of the next fastest team. In SS2 “RIKUBETSU LONG,” they secured 2nd place, just 3 seconds behind the leader—a strong start.

However, the situation suddenly changed in SS3 “YAM WAKKA REVERSE” (approx. 23 km long). A major issue caused a significant drop in vehicle power output, putting them far behind the leaders.

Vehicle troubles persisted, with the sub-computer and ECU failing to synchronize properly, making it difficult to control the machine effectively. As a result, the team fell considerably in the rankings, ending Leg 1 in 8th place in class.

On Sunday, September 7, Leg 2 began under rainy conditions with slippery roads. In response to the previous day’s troubles, the team decided to switch off the sub-computer.

Kawabata and Nakatani regained focus from the morning’s SS9 and recorded the fastest time again in SS11 “IKEDA SSS.” Although the gap to the top remained large and a podium finish was unlikely, they continued pushing hard in front of the fans until the very end.

In the final SS12, the sub-computer was turned back on for a last attack, resulting in a 2nd-place finish in class for the stage. While the team couldn’t hide their frustration over the earlier trouble, the rally proved that the Triton had the potential to compete at the top level.

With swift resolution of the issues identified in this race, the team could be in a position to fight for the overall win next time. Driver Kawabata commented, “There were ups and downs in our standings, but we didn’t want to end on a low note. That’s why we reset our mindset for Day 2 and gave it everything we had. I think we managed to draw out the full potential of the Triton in the end.”

General Director Sho Aikawa added, “First of all, I’m glad we were able to finish. Both Kawabata and I, and everyone on the team, want to win if we’re going to compete. We also found more areas to improve, so we’ll keep pushing toward the next race. Thank you for all your support!”

TEXT｜Kazutoshi AKimoto 秋元一利
PUBLISHED｜2025
SOURCE｜Cal Vol.67
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