News Release                               February 28, 2017

IRON DOG 2017 RACE RESULTS

Iron Dog certifies the results of the 2017 Iron Dog race with Team 41, Cory Davis and Ryan Simons as the 2017 Champions. Anchorage, Alaska (AK). On Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 13:56:25 AKDT, Team 41 crossed the finish line in downtown Fairbanks to claim their first Iron Dog victory.

Edited: 18:08 Tue Feb 28, 2017 - Correct the date of the finish to February 25, 2017

Racer Cory Davis from Soldotna, Alaska first competed in the 2011 race riding with his father Scott Davis, a 7-time champion and Iron Dog Hall of Fame inductee. The father-son team landed a 3rd Place finish that year. Cory took two years off in 2012-2013, but returned with a fellow X Games racer Ryan Simons from Canada in 2014 and they’ve been racing together since. Davis/Simons finished 9th Place in 2014, and scratched in 2015 and 2016.This is the second time in Iron Dog history that a second-generation champion has won the race. The first second-generation winner was Scott Faeo in 2015. Scott’s father John Faeo also shares a 7-time winner title like Scott Davis.Ryan Simons is the first non-Alaskan and non-U.S. resident Iron Dog Champion, hailing from Camrose, Alberta. Ryan has a strong snowmachine racing background and is an X Games gold medalist, I-500 champion and 5-time USXC cross-country champion.“Every team that competes in the Iron Dog, regardless of their finishing position has the respect of their peers, the support of the communities and villages along the trail and every volunteer who steps up to make the race possible. This year was one of the tougher races in several years, with 80°F changes in temperature, deep snow and rough ice conditions from start to finish. We applaud every racer and team for their efforts. It’s an accomplishment just making it to the start line, and to every team that finishes, they are champions in their own right.”, said Kevin Kastner, Iron Dog Executive Director.[table id=84 /]Before the results were certified today at 17:00 AKDT, the Board of Directors held a special session meeting on the evening of Monday, February 27, 2017 to consider the appeal by Team 8, Tyler Aklestad and Tyson Johnson regarding the disqualification ruling on February 24, 2017.Both racers were given time to present their account of what happened, their position on the ruling and recommendations for a possible remedy. The Board reviewed the report presented by the Race Marshals, the letter of appeal from Team 8 and many other sources of evidence related to the entire situation surrounding the infraction and the ruling.“I’ve been involved with the Iron Dog since its inception and this has been the most challenging situation the organization has faced in its 34-year history. We know Team 8 racers, Tyler Aklestad and Tyson Johnson are honorable young men and it is unfortunate that they are in this difficult position.”, said Jim Wilke, Iron Dog Board President.The mood of the meeting was somber and the Board agreed that it was a very difficult situation, but found that the Race Marshals ruling was correct. After nearly two hours of deliberation, all 12 members of the Board voted unanimously to uphold the rulings made by the Race Marshals.The Iron Dog race has a long-standing history of hard-core, extreme athletes. These athletes, their families, friends, sponsors and all the fans have proven that this race is a professional race with core values, ethics and integrity held to the utmost standards and commitments. In all facets of the Iron Dog community, the spirit of this event has been contagious throughout the years. Relationships and respect developed through easy and hard times in all aspects of the race are what continues to make this the unbelievable event it is."I encourage all of you to engage in healthy debate, work side by side, shoulder to shoulder, contribute in any way you can to ensure that 35 years from now, we have a third generation of Elite Athletes throttling the World’s Longest Snowmobile race. Over the past 34 years this one week in February has given us a reason to work hard, to accomplish great things, to feel a part of an incredible group a people from many towns and villages right here in Alaska to garages as far east as Maine, to a place called Camrose --- our reach is far, it is mightier than the Yukon River and I trust with your active participation we will see incredible results.” said Harriett Fenerty, former Iron Dog Executive Director and 2009 Hall of Fame Inductee.  “So many of the fans, family, sponsors and racers have shared their opinions and beliefs which speaks volumes to me. It’s time to begin the dialogue, behave sportsmanlike like we have all agreed to do as vested parties of Iron Dog. The bottom line is we must TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER TO THE FINISH LINE.” ###About Iron Dog, Inc. | 7100 Old Seward Hwy, Ste C, Anchorage, Alaska 99518 USAIron Dog, Inc. is a proud leader in the snowmobile community promoting snowmobile safety and outdoor education through trade shows, seminars and community events. Iron Dog also conducts student exchange programs and through its annual raffle has donated nearly $200,000 to Alaska charities since 2011.The Iron Dog race, is a World Class Snowmobile Event that crosses the State of Alaska each February impacting over twenty-five Alaskan communities. Today’s Iron Dog course is over 2,000 miles, from Anchorage to Nome and finishing in Fairbanks, making it the World’s longest snowmobile race. Participants must traverse areas of Alaska’s most remote and rugged terrain while confronting some of the harshest winter conditions. Survival skills are essential, making it the World’s toughest snowmobile race.For additional information:Kevin Kastner, Executive Director, Iron Dog, Inc.Tel. 907-563-4414E-mail: kkastner@irondog.org

TEAM8-PENALTY-DETAILS-PressRelease-27Feb2017-amended - PDF (110KB)