With the finish line near, racers gear up for another dryland crossing

Team 20, Brad George and Robby Schachle, has held a commanding lead since the beginning of the Iron Dog Race. They were the first to arrive in Nome. Penny Olanna photo

 The one thing that has remained steady during this year’s Iron Dog 2025 is the lead that Team 20 has dominated since Day 1 of the World’s Longest, Toughest Snowmobile Race. Robby Schachle and Brad George hung onto a lead that they have had since Day 1, and at the end of the day Thursday, they arrived at McGrath for a 14-hour layover just in time for dinner. That layover could be extended; racers can extend a layover once north bound and once south bound. 

 The same can’t be said for the shakeups behind them. Teams 14 and 6, who went out No. 2 and 3 Thursday morning from Nome, quickly had mechanical problems. Team 14, Casey Boylan and Brian Leslie, realized just before departing Nome that they needed to attach several bolts that were neglected during their wrench session the day before. Team 6’s Mike Morgan and Bradley Kishbaugh were right on their heels, but then had their own challenges. Both teams holed up in White Mountain for a five-hour layover. Team 14 worked on mechanical issues and Team 6 were faced with fuel problems.  Team 14 got back on the trail and then took another one-hour layover in Galena. At 7:30 p.m., they were in Ruby. Team 6 checked out of Kaltag just after 6:30 p.m.  after laying over in Unalakleet for one hour.

 Their delays gave Teams 7 and 4 a chance to ride closer to the front of the pack. Team 7’s Tyler Aklestad and Aaron Loyer were among the Top 3 splits in five of the nine checkpoints on Thursday, while Team 4’s Bubba McDaniel and Wilson Hoogendorn blazed the second fastest times between Nome-White Mountain and White Mountain-Koyuk, terrain that is their home turf.

 “It’s been a pretty good ride,” said Bubba McDaniel after reaching McGrath late Thursday. “Besides a couple hiccups, we’ve been fortunate to not have any real issues. It was nice to be up on the coast close to home; we were able to gain a few positions.”

 Team 4 is riding Ski-Doo.

 Mike Vasser, Iron Dog’s executive director, said Team 6 and 14 are far from out of the race, however.

 “Teams 6 and 14 were on layover because of mechanical repairs,” Vasser said. “They could come back into that Top 5 once they get to equal checkpoints, so we have to let it shake out.”

 “One of the big things that popped up (yesterday),” Vasser said, “is that the Polaris teams are struggling with fuel consumption.”

 Vasser said at least five Polaris teams ran out of fuel on Thursday, and teams are struggling to combat the issue.  It’s also been a physically challenging race, with serious injuries – most notably Team 42’s Andy Swenson’s broken arm and fractured back – taking teams down.

 Still, he said, the weather has been relatively cooperative and other than the bone-dry Farewell Burn, the trail conditions favorable. Those still on the trail just need to stay healthy.

Team 4’s Wilson Hoogendorn and Bubba McDaniel, from Nome, have been a crowd favorite on the coast, and are having a standout rookie race. They are currently the top rookie team in the running. Tyler Bryan photo

 On the coast Thursday, Vasser said Team 4’s Hoogendorn and McDaniel have been a real crowd favorite. He had a chance to chat with the young rookies while in Nome and described their mood as “excited.”

 “They were ready to go,” he said. “I knew they were going to have a good run at least to Unalakleet, they did have a good run – that’s their home turf.”

 Other teams were having a strong day on Thursday, too, Vasser pointed out.

 “I think the people that are having the run of the day are Team 5 – they left in like 13th (Thursday) morning, and they (Kruz Kleewein and Zack Weisz) moved up considerably. Brad and Robby are killing it, but the biggest movers of the day after them are teams 7, 4 and 5.”

 Team 7’s Aklestad and Loyer arrived at McGrath at just after 9 p.m., and are on a 12-hour layover., with Team 5 arriving an hour later and declaring an 11-hour layover.

 With 339 miles to go before the finish – and the punishing Farewell Burn to travel over for a second time – Vasser said sleds and racers just need to stay in one piece.

 That’s exactly what Team 4’s Hoogendorn and McDaniel hope to do.

 “The burn put us behind in the beginning and we’ve just been trying to make up time since,” McDaniel said. “We’ve just got to keep our sleds together and make it to the finish. We’ve got a game plan for the burn; hopefully we’ll be able to stay on the move through it.”

A sleepy morning before the first teams departed McGrath. Team 20 was the first to leave at just after 8 a.m. Keith Manternach photo