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Under the patronage of Mitsubishi Motors Vietnam, the AKA Racing team upgraded the original Mitsubishi Triton into a professional off-road racing vehicle and became the first Vietnamese team to participate in the AXCR 2019 cross-country off-road race held in Thailand and Myanmar. The Triton and the racing team overcame all challenges, conquering various terrains in difficult weather conditions to successfully complete all 6 stages, finishing 17th out of 34 teams and winning the award for the most impressive team performance.
AKA Racing's car
With its superior performance, meeting diverse work and off-road needs across challenging terrains, the Mitsubishi Triton boasts a powerful 2.4L diesel engine with an aluminum alloy engine block and MIVEC variable valve timing technology, delivering 181 PS at 3500 RPM and 430 Nm of torque at 2500 RPM. Its lightweight yet powerful engine, combined with a well-balanced front and rear end, allows the Mitsubishi Triton to operate reliably for thousands of kilometers on the extremely demanding tracks of cross-country racing.
The legendary Super Select 4WD-II all-wheel drive system, equipped with a center differential, allows the vehicle to engage all-wheel drive while moving at speeds up to 100 km/h and operate in all-wheel drive at high speeds up to 120 km/h. This is one of the factors that convinced the AKA Racing team to choose the Mitsubishi Triton for their road racing competitions. The 6-speed gearbox on the Mitsubishi Triton allows drivers to shift gears smoothly and accelerate powerfully. The paddle shifters on the steering wheel contribute to faster and easier gear changes when the vehicle is traveling at high speeds on rough and challenging roads.
Since their first participation in the race in 2019, followed by a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the AKA racing team has finally returned to the AXCR series this year with their Triton pickup truck, which has been completely upgraded to meet FIA technical and safety standards for international rally racing and equipped with specialized equipment for cross-country rally racing.
Two Vietnamese racers will participate in AXCR 2022.
High-speed rally racing is always fraught with danger and difficulty. To meet such demanding requirements, participating vehicles must be durable and powerful; every component must be able to work under high intensity and for extended periods, even within a single day, to complete races of up to 500 km.
Rally racing is believed to have originated in France, with the first race covering 127 km from Paris to Rouen. From there, the point-to-point model became the foundation of this extremely dangerous racing format. Despite many ups and downs, and even a period of being banned due to its high risk, through decades of improvements in technology, vehicles, and rescue, rally racing has expanded and attracted a large number of fans. In Vietnam, rally racing is a relatively new sport to the general public, but it is not unfamiliar to the community of speed enthusiasts across all terrains. The pinnacle of this racing format is world-class races such as the Paris-Dakar Rally Championship (WRC). Among them is the AXCR – the oldest and most grueling cross-country rally race in Asia.
More specifically, with its original wheelbase, high ground clearance, and optimized approach, departure, and breakover angles, the Mitsubishi Triton offers superior maneuverability compared to other pickup trucks in its segment, from narrow forest roads to treacherous mountain passes.
The Mitsubishi Triton is AKA Racing's ideal choice for conquering the most challenging rally races both domestically and internationally. With systematic investment and the support of Mitsubishi Motors Vietnam, AKA Racing is committed to pursuing and popularizing rally motorsport as a favorite sport for the general public in Vietnam.
AKA Racing's cars conquered all kinds of complex and challenging terrain on the track at AXCR 2019.
Motorsport is inherently an extreme sport. High-speed rally racing is even more dangerous, difficult, and demanding, embodying the spirit of surprise and being a team sport that requires the combined efforts of every team member, from the driver and co-driver to the technical, logistical, and tactical aspects. The seamless coordination of the racing team, the careful calculations and risk management, all contribute to the ultimate goal of rally racing: finishing safely.
After being fully upgraded to meet FIA technical and safety standards for international rally racing, while retaining the most important components of the original Mitsubishi Triton such as its powerful engine, superior drivetrain, and specialized high-speed four-wheel drive capability, AKA Racing and Mitsubishi Motors Vietnam are completely confident that the AKA Triton racing vehicle will continue to write the first chapters in the history of rally racing in Vietnam and carry the Vietnamese national flag to international arenas in this most exciting and demanding sport.
