WEBCAMS are up for Nome Restart and the Finish at Fairbanks. CAMS are being sponsored by the Greater Wasilla Chamber of Commerce. They seem slow to me when I looked but at least they are working. Maybe they are slow because they are so busy? Anyway, give it a try.
I learned yesterday by reading the Iron Dog Blog comments that Team 23 had trouble with Jeff's a- arm, and Mark had coolant problems before they scratched in Galena.
My daughter Karla's husband Chris on a snowmachine, ha!
So the fast riders have made it to Nome and those with troubles have scratched --- include Team 23. So bummed about that! Not sure what is going on, only saw that they got to Galena - pulling one of the sleds in. First team into Nome was Minnick and Olstad (16). Four teams are there as I type - 16, 8, 22, and 14. 10 and 18 are on the trail to Nome.
Team 21 got their parts and have been back on the trail, right now they are heading for Kaltag.
I tried to find information about required layovers and the rules of the race, but can't find anything. Maybe Tesoro Iron Dog will post those on their website eventually, right now I have no idea what sort of layovers are required, I just keep seeing the racers declaring layovers. Enquiring minds would like to know...
Iron Dog has lost a total of 12 Pro teams so far. 28 Teams continue to run.
I found a fun article online. It's a good one for describing what it's like to race the Iron Dog as rookies. That year, 2005, Team 14 were rookies too and yet they won the Iron Dog, not only beating the veterans but winning despite challenging weather to boot!
The young, up-and-coming team of Marc McKenna and Nick Olstad were able to stave off the host of previous and most experienced Iron Dog winner's to win the 2000-mile race back and forth across the last frontier of Alaska . Up and over 3 mountain ranges and back, team #14 crossed the finish line with a running time of 52:59:40 setting a new course record for this route. Followed by the team of Scott Davis and Todd Palin who crossed only 20 minutes ahead of the third place team of Kenny Kleewein and Randy Hunter.
Just in case you didn't realize - Randy Hunter and Kenny Kleewein of TEAM 21.
Read more about the 2005 Tesoro Iron Dog Race and rookies Skeet Black and Larry Kropp at SNOWMOBILE.OFFROAD.COM
Their story is fun!
Good luck Team 21! Good job to all the front runners.
Oh my word, they've been riding hard and going so far and still riding HARD! I have been a passenger on a comfy 4-wheeler, gone on long rides on trails and I got sore! These guys, are going lickety-split down rough trails. I bet there are some very cool videos to be had along the trail from these guys flying over it!
I just peeked into Tesoro Iron Dog's updates and was looking at the times. The front guys are just minutes apart. Team 22 (Palin,Davis) and Team 14 (McKenna, Quam) are pretty much traveling together (checking into Ophir at 9:48 and 9:49)! No time for rest. The first two teams (check into Ophir 9:22 and 9:25) are only 23 minutes ahead!
Team 14, McKenna (Anchorage) and Quam (Eagle River) are veterans. McKenna took first in 2002 and Quam was in second place in 2002.
I am so thankful I don't have to do this. ha
Our Team 21 - still getting left behind in Rohn waiting for parts. So sad. Darn! I hope they are getting their parts as I type and can get back on the trail soon.
Team 23 is holding in 11th and continues to run with the fast crowd on the trail to Poorman! GO Team 23!
Tesoro Iron Dog has had one rookie team with troubles on the trail. A rescue was sent out for them. I don't know if that means they got lost or what. They are at a place called Helicopter Lake Cabin with their last check in done at Shell Lake.
At first we saw on the Iron Dog site that Team 23 scratched. I am guessing this was a mistake because now Team 23 appears to be in 13th place and on the trail to McGrath. So they are okay!
Team 21 is having mechanical problems and are waiting in Rohn for parts. Oh no.
Right now leading the race with the shortest travel times are teams 16, 8, 14, and 22. They have declared a lay-over in McGrath.
I am bummed about team 21. I hope they can get parts in time to get back on the trail.
He and Hastings are racing the Iron Dog to raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project, a nonprofit based in Florida that helps severely injured war veterans transition back to civilian life. ADN.COM
This race is so much faster than the Iditarod Sled Dog Race which is coming up really soon too! After that... I know that spring is just right around the corner! Yippeeee!
Team 21 was the 11th team out of Big Lake and right now they are only two minutes ahead of the winning team # 22 and in 4th place! I am excited for them. Their on the trail to Puntilla now.
Team 23 seems to be showing signs of troubles, and that is too sad! One place says that one of them Scratched, darn. No way to tell if that is true or a mistake by the webbuilder right now.
You can watch the team Stats on Tesoro Iron Dog's site.
Pro Class Race Statistics.
Can't dilly dally around with this race, it's gonna be over in hardly any time at all! Check in often and enjoy!
It was so cold at the start but Doug should have video of some of the sideline fun soon, I hope.
Right now we are getting a bite to eat, we been being bited by Jack Frost all morning, afternoon! Fun times.
Picture of my grandson AJ on his little snowmachine.
Oh my goodness, I've never been so busy in blogworld as I was after entering Show and Tell Fridays! I hope that I visited everyone that participated. It was fun!
Tomorrow is the start of the Tesoro Iron Dog so we will be over on Big Lake watching the guys take off. My husband and I sponsored two teams this year. A two-stroke team and a four-stroke team. You can see more of Team 21 and Team 23 at my husbands blog, Dougs Synthetic Lubricants.
It's that time once again, the Tesoro Iron Dog, the 1,971 mile race to Nome and then back to Fairbanks.
I just finished reading about Charlie Potter (Team 42), an Iraq war veteran. He was disabled and has spent time recovering from nearly losing his arm during an enemy attack. He is running the race to prove that one can recover from losing so much to gaining enough back to run the hard race to Fairbanks via Nome. Now I see that his racing snowmachine was stolen! Read about it here.
Today we spent at the Wasilla Sports Complex. Doug bought a booth at the Tesoro Iron Dog Safety Inspection Festival and we got to spend most of the day seeing and talking to people interested in this yearly event.
Doug and I decided to sponsor a team (two sleds) by supplying their machines with AMSOIL via his business Doug's Synthetic Lubricants. We have never sponsored an Iron Dog team before but thought it would be cool to support some guys from the town that we live in. So meet Team # 21. Charlie Potter is also from Big Lake.
A video I found from YouTube of Team 21 in 2007.
This video was taken last year. Randy said that they didn't have good luck last year since one of their engines "burned up." David Branholm and Randy Hunter, Jr. will be riding on Polaris IQ 600's, we are excited to watch the Iron Dog Race to see how they do this year!
The race will start on February 10 and they all will be leaving from Big Lake, Pro Class begins leaving at 11 A.M.
I didn't find out what happened with Charlie Potter's stolen sled. I wish I would have read about this before I went to the Complex today so I could have found out if Team 42 is racing or not. If I find out I will share. Our beautiful Governor Sarah Palin's husband will also be running again he and his partner of Team 22 continue to be the fastest team to try to beat!
Go faster Team 21! :-)
May God keep you all safe.
What's up with the spell check ? It has not been working since I got back!
