Toyo takes Isuzu class title in British Cross Country Championship

Toyo’s Open Country All Terrain tyres, as fitted to the Jewson-Isuzu UK works rally truck, have won the MSA Britpart MSA British Cross Country Championship (or BCCC) 2014.

At the hands of seasoned race and rally driver Jason Sharpe, the team has set impressive times all season, despite the terrain and weather over six gruelling rounds providing one of the toughest challenges on the UK motorsport calendar. Impressively, the team’s Isuzu D-Max truck maintains its factory chassis, engine and gearbox and proved to be more than up to the job of cresting the various bumps, hills and gravel troughs that stopped many lesser vehicles – some of which had been custom-built for the series.

Throughout the team reports that the tyres gave an “exemplary performance” not only providing peerless traction and control on every kind of stage surface, but also managing to remain impervious to punctures on most of the rounds. Thanks to the inspired combination of great traction, reliability and driving talent, Jason Sharpe was able to battle his way to first overall in the production class, as well as first in the pick-up category and 7th overall – splitting the field of many more powerful, purpose built machines.

Commenting on the performance of the Toyo rubber, Sharpe said: “The Toyo Open Country All Terrain really has been an integral part of our success during this first season. Grip and control is everything in rallying and Toyo’s Open Country case really delivers both, while proving to be incredibly hardy and able to shrug off the myriad of razor sharp stones that have taken so many of our competitors out at each round. A puncture can cost valuable time, and often means a loss of position on stage, so for us to make it through so many events this year without incident is most impressive!”