The final stage became a survival game as expected.
One after another, machines break down at the hard surface and big level difference in the road conditions.

Early in the morning, colorful machines in a straight line were escorted by the police and going through the city of Phnom Penh. Cambodian capital has chronic congestion from morning. In order to run through here in a short period of time, they have to get led legally by the convoy. Regardless of the signal of the color, a group of rally that passes through every intersection looks spectacular with around 150 machines including officials, services and media in total.

The party arrived at the idyllic rural through the road section of the 80km. When red and blue and white and yellow of the machines were standing by where paddy rice lush was spread everywhere to end of the village, Villagers gathered from nowhere. It seemed almost all of the people in the village had come. Students who had been singing in the classroom until a while ago were also waiting with shining eyes on the footpath side.

The special stage of the day was two of 42km and (SS7) 132km (SS8). The first half of the SS was mainly farm road that extends in a straight line through the rice paddies. Frankly speaking it is "footpath". Therefore, the course runs earnestly straight along the grid and sudden right-angled corner is prepared. The road surface is completely almost dry and it has also become a high-speed battle.

The SS of the second half was the longest stage in Cambodia stage. There is high-speed section that passes through many villages and plantations. Also, at the second half of 20km has a paved route with heavy sand and the structure is rich in changes including road width.

I want to note here is the top group of up to third place that jumped up by one head higher showing unusual run.
In particular, it is the fight among following competitors:

In 1st place, ♯101 Natthaphon ANGRITTHANON (Thailand, Isuzu D-MAX)
In 2nd place, ♯111 Tadamitsu NIIHORI (Japan Toyota Hilux Revo)
In 3rd place, ♯107 Paitoon THAMMASIRIKUL (Thailand, Isuzu D-MAX)

The second group from the 4th to 9th place is waging a winning battle within 17 minutes.

2nd ♯111 Tadamitsu NIIHORI / Chupong CHAIWAN (Toyota Hilux Revo)

And on this day, the fastest time was recorded by the last year's champion, ♯101 Nuttapon ANGRITTHANON / Peerapong SOMBUTWONG pair (Isuzu D-MAX). It was turned into a fierce battle to share the victory or defeat in the second half of the first SS with the second place, ♯111 Tadamitsu NIIHORI / Chupong CHAIWAN pair (Toyota Hilux Revo) but the time was faster in the total time.

This year, Toyota cross-country team Thailand has brought in NIIHORIi and overcame disadvantage in the first day bib order (10th) start, but has competed against ANGRITTHANON, the hero of Thailand from the middle of the rally. They were really stable and fast. Road surface condition is extremely harsh but they were running without breaking machines and also without any accidents and their time is exceptional.

3rd #108 Wongwirot PALAWAT / Thanyaphat MEENIL (Thailand Isuzu D-MAX)

And the lower ranking from here was shaken. First of all, originally the third place ♯107 Paitoon got in trouble in the rear suspension and went behind suddenly. In addition, once ♯119 Bandit was at the seventh place at a high speed stage, but got an accident and was dropped off. This moved up subsequent competitors.

The 3rd place ♯108 Wongwirot PALAWAT / Thanyaphat MEENIL pair (Thailand Isuzu D-MAX)
The 4th place ♯109 Wichawat CHOTIRAVEE / Chonlanut PHOPIPAT pair (Thailand Isuzu D-MAX)
The 5th place ♯112 Kakatsugu Aoki / Roslyn SHEN group (Japan/Taiwan, Isuzu D-MAX)
The 6th place ♯116 Tomonori Noto / Daijiro AKAHOSHI (Japan Hilux Revo)

The ranking became as above.
From the third place till the fifth place, they are the mighty of this rally veteran. Their fighting skills in the melee were impressive as evidenced by going up ranking firmly in the second half of the rally.

The top three teams in the AUTO were honored at the dinner as FEDERAL AWARD.

6th ♯116 Tomonori Noto / Daijiro AKAHOSHI (Japan Hilux Revo)

And #116 NOTO / AKAHOSHI that emerged at 6th place was a team of Japanese after-car parts maker, "JAOS". It is the second year for them to continue as a team from the last year of the FJ Cruiser. Although changing the machine to the Hilux Revo this year, it follows almost the normal style except for springs and dampers. Tomonori NOTO, young hope in Japan of the cross-country rally was welcomed to the company for development and as a driver. This year, they "aim to finish the data taking of the new car." It should be noted that the navigator is the same as last year, Daijiro AKAHOSHI, the president of the company has joined.

Since the ranking below 7th position also has changed rapidly. Most of the cause are a suspension trouble rather than a driving mistake and missing course that proves difficulty of this year’s FEDERAL-VESSEL Asia Cross Country Rally 2016. Speaking about Japan, in the end,♯102 Kenjiro SHINOZUKA / EJ CHIBA (Japan Suzuki Jimny) and also ♯110 Takuma Aoki / Ittipon SIMARAKSK / Katsuhiko SHIINE (Japan /Thailand, Isuzu Mu-X) could not go up any higher due to the suspension trouble.

Originally, this rally is held during the rainy season. So, one of the main topics has been running through the mush and muddy road surface with 4WD-cross-country type. However, although the recce (pre-survey) of preparatory stage got a well-balanced rain, in the past few days, there was not enough amount of rain. As a result, holes at the time of the wet road surface made ruts have become hard and dry.

Moreover, not only the tremendous size of the hole and depth of the rut but also its hardness of the dry red soil was like a concrete.

Nevertheless, the straight line-centered course tends to get high speed, in fact, the competition is having tremendous average speed from Cambodia stage. Wining requires higher speed but condition of the road surface is riddled with hard hole and full of ruts. It states that “honestly, may its severity be beyond the development test of the car manufacturer?” Meanwhile, vehicles that have survived until today were this year’s new cars, which have not accumulated metal fatigue or which drivers who operate easy to the machines. Of course, the team brought in the improved machine from the previous year and the well-made machine has been surviving. In that sense, the skills of the driver and navigator and machine production technology, in addition to maintenance technology, crisis management system of the team may have been tested severely more than usual in this year's course.

It is one day left for the rally. The SS9 is the last course which heading to the goal, World Heritage, " Angkor Wat". Who will greet the finish of joy? Look forward to tomorrow's report.