P1racenews AI automatic summary:
WRC and Dakar winner Kenjiro Shinozuka dies aged 75
Kenjiro Shinozuka made history as the first Japanese driver to win in both the WRC and Dakar Rally, achieving his greatest success as a Mitsubishi factory driver. In 1988, he won the inaugural Asia-Pacific championship with co-driver Fred Gocentas, triumphing in India’s Himalayan Rally. Shinozuka’s highlight in the WRC came in 1991 when he won the Ivory Coast round driving a Mitsubishi Galant VR-4, marking the first WRC victory for a Japanese driver by over two hours. His WRC prowess continued with another win in the Ivory Coast in 1992, besting Bruno Thiry. The accomplished racer also excelled in the Dakar Rally, achieving various podium finishes before claiming an outright victory in 1997 with a Mitsubishi Pajero. Shinozuka’s remarkable career, spanning from 1976 to 1997, included 88 points from 20 WRC starts and a significant contribution to rally-raid with Mitsubishi.
