Dave Monson of Fairbanks drove his 12-dog team out of Chistochina several minutes ahead of three other mushers Saturday night, hoping to keep his lead as the Copper Basin 300 headed north to Summit Lake.

Giving chase were Hans Gatt of Atlin, British Columbia, Jon Little of Kasilof and Charlie Boulding of Manley. Gatt left Chistochina nine minutes after Monson, with Little one minute behind Gatt and Boulding another four minutes back.

Monson's team averaged more than 10 mph across the first 53 miles of the 300-mile race, from the start at Glennallen's Pinneo Park to Chistochina. Monson made the journey in 4 hours, 59 minutes.

Mushers made up the stagger from Saturday morning's start during a mandatory four-hour layover at Chistochina. Leaders were expected to complete the 72-mile trek to Waters Edge on the south end of Summit Lake early today.

Mushers must take two more layovers -- one of six hours, another of eight hours -- before they reach Tolsona Lake, the second-to-last checkpoint. The race is expected to end Monday at Pinneo Park in Glennallen.

Thirty-six mushers are racing for a $35,000 purse. The winners gets $12,000.

Copper Basin 300

Saturday's standings

Out of Chistochina -- 1) Dave Monson, Fairbanks, 8:09 p.m.; 2) Hans Gatt, Atlin, B.C., 8:19 p.m.; 3) Jon Little, Kasilof, 8:20 p.m.; 4) Charlie Boulding, Manley, 8:23 p.m.; 5) Martin Buser, Big Lake, 8:27 p.m.; 6) William Kleedehn, Carcross, Yukon Territory, 8:29 p.m.; 7) DeeDee Jonrowe, Willow, 8:31 p.m.; 8) Bruce Lee, Denali Park, 8:32 p.m.; 9) Thomas Tetz, Tagish, Yukon Territory, 8:36 p.m.; 10) Brian MacDougall, Whitehorse, 8:41 p.m.; 11) Jessica Hendricks, Copper Center, 8:42 p.m.; 12) Aliy Zirkle, Two Rivers, 8:46 p.m.; 13) Peter Butteri, Tok, 8:48 p.m.; 14) Vern Halter, Willow, 8:49 p.m.; 15) Lynda Plettner, Wasilla, 8:52 p.m.; 16) Sabastion Schnuelle, Whitehorse, 8:54 p.m.; 17) Bill Steyer, Fairbanks, 8:57 p.m.; 18) Jesse Beebe, Delta Junction, 9 p.m.; 19) Doug Grilliot, Willow, 9:06 p.m.; 20) Andy Elsberg, Nenana, 9:11 p.m.; 21) Bruce Milne, Two Rivers, 9:14 p.m.; 22) Zachary Richter, Willow, 9:23 p.m.; 23) Jim Davis, Palmer, 9:44 p.m.; 24) Eric Butcher, Fairbanks, 10:01 p.m.

Out of Gakona -- Richard Horstmann, Willow, 11:56 a.m.; Chad Nordlum, Anchorage, 12:06 p.m.; Randy Chappel, Arlington, Texas, 12:22 p.m.; Alan Noriega, Anchorage, 12:40 p.m.; Andreas Moser, Whitehorse, 12:41 p.m.; Kelley Griffin, Wasilla, 12:43 p.m.; Eric Rogers, Eagle River, 12:44 p.m.; Diane Schreier, Copper Center, 12:45 p.m.; Braden Bennett, Whitehorse, 12:55 p.m.; Andreas Keller, Carcross, Yukon, 12:58 p.m.; Stacy Tostenson, Glennallen, 2:07 p.m.

Swingley bounces back

After suffering his only loss all week, Montana musher Doug Swingley moved back into the winner's circle Saturday in the sixth stage of the AttaBoy 300/Oregon World Cup sled dog race in Oregon.

Swingley, the defending Iditarod champion, covered the 40-mile course around Mount Bachelor in 3 hours, 3 minutes, 49 seconds and padded his overall race lead to more than 43 minutes ahead of Jacques Philip of Nenana and Dean Osmar of Clam Gulch.

Swingley, who trailed Gwen Holdmann of Fairbanks in Friday's fifth stage, has won all of the other stages. The race ends today in Bend after a 30-mile loop around Moon Mountain.

AttaBoy 300/Oregon World Cup

Sled Dog Race

Overall Standings

(Stage 6 Results in parentheses)

1) Doug Swingley, Lincoln, Mont., 20:07:11 (3:03:49); 2) Jaques Philip, Nenana, 20:51:47 (3:13:33); 3) Dean Osmar, Clam Gulch, 20:54:14 (3:11:24); 4) Melanie Shirilla, Lincoln, Mont., 20:58:46 (3:07:25); 5) Gwen Holdmann, Fairbanks, 21:10:41 (3:13:07); 6) Frank Teasley, Jackson Hole, Wyo., 21:25:28 (3:42:25); 7) Sam Perrino, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, 21:48:36 (3:24:03); 8) Martin Koening, Seeley Lake, Mont., 22:11:26 (3:34:26); 9) Mark Stamm, Riverside, Wash., 22:43:41 (3:35:51); 10) John Schandelmeier, Paxson, 22:52:03 (3:36:50); 11) Tim White, Grand Marais, Minn., 22:59:16 (3:44:41); 12) Scott Smith, Dubois, Wyo., 23:38:26 (3:39:42); 13) Marcus Ohm, Fort St. James, B.C., 23:43:24 (3:48:52); 14) Bill Pinkham, Glenwood Springs, Colo., 24:07:00 (3:48:37); 15) Jack Berry, Salcha, 24:32:17 (3:53:34); 16) Jim Gallea, Seeley Lake, Mont., 24:45:13 (3:55:14); 17) Buck Church, Christmas Valley, Ore., 25:01:55 (3:55:25); 18) Leslie Martin, Sheridan, Mont., 25:18:23 (3:52:41); 19) William Gallea, Seeley Lake, Mont., 25:34:34 (3:59:34); 20) Paul Ellering, Grey Eagle, Minn., 25:46:28 (4:06:02); 21) Mike Motschenbaucher, Rogue River, Ore., 26:14:48 (4:49:03); 22) Steve Madsen, Toutle, Wash., 26:59:43 (4:04:02); 23) Rachel Scdoris, Bend, Ore., 28:49:16 (4:16:52); 24) Wes Rau, Powell Butte, Ore., 28:59:02 (4:21:31); 25) Patrick Campbell, Etna, Calif., 30:17:28 (4:37:38).

Johnson holds on for win

Neal Johnson held off Bill Kornmueller to take the first-day victory in Saturday's Orville Lake Classic at Tozier Track.

Johnson beat Kornmueller by 18 seconds in the 10.9-mile open class event. Johnson finished the event in 37 minutes and nine seconds, with Kornmueller coming in at 37:27. Heather Grahame was third at 38:11.

Karoush Partow won the six-dog class and Bud Rice was first in the four-dog class.

Alaskan Sled Dog and Racing Association races continue today with racing starting at 11 a.m. and open class racing at 2 p.m.

Orville Lake Classic

Saturday's results from Tozier Track

Open Class, 10.9 miles -- 1) Neal Johnson, 18 dogs, 37 minutes and nine seconds; 2) Bill Kornmueller, 20, 37:27; 3) Heather Grahame, 12, 38:11; 4) Carolyn Johnson, 12, 38:23; 5) Rex Jones, 12, 38:54; 6) Daryl Hollingsworth, 12, 39:12; 7) Ed Wood, 14, 39:16; 8) Chanelle Barron, 11, 39:47; 9) Gail Hoekman, 12, 39:55; 10) Norm Hayashi, 14, 41:48; 11) Jennifer Payne, 8, 41:57; 12) Jo Wood, 8, 46:29.

Six-dog class, six miles -- 1) Karoush Partow 16:19; 2) Mike Lina 18:12; 3) Bev Stevens 18:52; 4) Steve Cole 19:25; 5) Jennifer Payne 19:46; 6) Susan Anderson 19:57.

Four-dog class, four miles -- 1) Bud Rice 7:23; 2) Kim Wells 7:57; 3) Deanna Partow 7:59; 4) Kourosh Partow 8:11; 5) Fran Pekar 8:12; 6) Steve Cole 8:48; 7) Melinda Evans 9:16; 8) Ron Kilian 9:32; 9) Ray McGoldrick 10:03; 10) Denise Saigh 12:13.

Tarpey top junior

Stacie Tarpey rose above the junior crowd on Saturday, earning first place in the seven-dog class in the Alaskan Sled Dog and Racing Association's junior races at Tozier Track.

Tarpey finished the eight-mile course in 28 minutes, nine seconds, more than a minute ahead of second-place finisher Travis Burnett (29:38). Kelly Wright was third at 31:22.

Junior racing continues next weekend with races on Saturday and Sunday beginning at 11 a.m. at Tozier Track.

ASDRA Junior Points Race 3

Seven-dog class, eight miles -- 1) Stacie Tarpey 28 minutes and nine seconds; 2) Travis Burnett 29:38; 3) Kelly Wright 31:22; 4) Giselle Lambert 36:06. Five-dog class, six miles -- 1) Mary Plummer 21:39; 2) Chris Tarpey 23:15; 3) Britni Shampang 24:19; 4) Jen Estes 25:38; 5) Christine Johnson 28:54; 6) Sonya Cavens 29:28; 7) Melissa Parkhouse 29:54. Three-dog class, six miles -- 1) Haley Ford 19:43; 2) Alaina Alderson 21:31; 3) Andrei Cavens 22:27; 4) Jasmine McQuown 22:45; 5) Kairi Berg 23:56; 6) Levi Plummer 24:02; 7) Nicole Duque 27:39; 8) Megan Llewellyn 28:32. Two-dog class, three miles -- 1) Yelenna Cavens 9:35; 2) Rebekah McQuown 9:46; 3) Kim McCloud 9:57; 4) Kaye Berg 10:20; 5) Allison Ducker 10;41; 6) Jessica Faust 11:00; 7) Stefan Alderson 11:38; 8) Shane Duque 12:50; 9) Carson Evans 13:07; 10) Tyler Huling 13:38; 11) Michelle Kilian 15:58; 12) McKenna Ford 17:29. One-dog class, 1/4 miles -- 1) Meara White 1:10; 2) Seth Duque 1:12; 3) Dylan Faust 1:16; 4) Jacob White 1:21; 5) Sierra McQuown 1:26; 6) Madeline Larson 1:30; 7) Nathan Olert 1:31; 8) tie, Frank Fish and Lukas Brown 1:35; 10) Davianna Olert 1:38; 11) Lindsay Killgore 1:41; 12) Samantha Simon 2:14.