"Bring it on," Kornmuller said of the large flakes that fell on the Anchorage Bowl.
The 55-year-old banked $1,950 in day-time winnings for finishing Saturday's 25-mile heat first in 1 hour, 29 minutes and 48 seconds -- 40 seconds faster than runner-up and two-time defending Rondy champion Buddy Streeper of Canada.
Kornmuller, whose two-day winnings increased to $3,250, will take a 2 minute, 11 second lead over Streeper in Sunday's final heat that starts at noon.
The 12-time Fur Rondy veteran has never won the winter festival's marquee event. But if Kornmuller wins Sunday's final heat, he will have earned a total of $12,350 -- $5,850 in day-time winnings and $8,450 for the final payout.
He would also become the first American musher to win the 60-year-old race since 1993, when Roxy Wright won.
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