Iron Dog entries short of last year, even with prize boost

Twenty-nine teams of two have signed up for the 2010 Iron Dog in February, a 17 percent drop from the 35 who started last year. The entry deadline was Tuesday.

"We're happy," race director Laura Bedard said. "We'd like to see the number hit 30 at least, but with the economy being what it is, it's tough right now.

"The good news is our recreation class has tripled in size. In fact, there are several (former) pro riders doing rec class this year."

Recreation class riders go from Big Lake to Nome, while professional class racers continue from Nome another 1,000 miles to Fairbanks. Fifteen recreational teams are registered, including one from Iceland.

Earlier this month, the world's longest and toughest snowmachine race announced that the winner's share of the purse would double next year to a record $50,000 in the pro race. Six teams signed up for the 2,000-mile race after the announcement.

The 40 teams that started the 2008 race is the most ever.

Prize money awarded for the 2009 race ranged from $1,000 for 12th place to $17,000 for the runner-up. Iron Dog development director Heidi Griffin said payouts for those spots won't be reduced, although the purse won't be finalized until next year.

After losing its longtime title sponsor, Tesoro, the Iron Dog picked up a $250,000 sponsorship from the National Guard Bureau in Washington, D.C.

Wasilla racers Todd Minnick and Nick Olstad, the 2009 champions who won in a record time, return to defend their title. The Wasilla tandem drove Polaris machines to victory, breaking a four-year stranglehold on the top spot by Arctic Cat. They'll be back in February with Polaris Dragon SP-600 machines.

The three teams that followed them to the finish line on the Chena River also return.

The snakebitten tandem of Tyson Johnson and Tyler Aklestad, who led twice last year on the final stretch from Tanana to Fairbanks only to come up 3 minutes and 18 seconds short, recorded their second runner-up finish in three years.

Marc McKenna of Anchorage and Dusty Van Meter of Soldotna teamed up to finish third, while Eric Quam of Eagle River and Anchorage rookie Bradley Helwig were fourth.

A member of last year's fifth-place team, Tyler Huntington of Fairbanks, said at the finish line last year that he planned to take a break from the Iron Dog after the birth of his second child in two years. But nine months later, Huntington is back with a new partner -- Chris Olds of Eagle River.

One team stands to earn at least $4,000 by just making it to the finish line. Rookies Tammy Barber and Jana Pevan of Willow are the third team of female drivers in race history, and they'll earn $2,000 for reaching Nome and double that if they get to Fairbanks.

Race organizers offered the money in an effort to attract more women to the Iron Dog.

Bedard and Lisa Luther were the first all-female team in 1997. In 2001, Jackie Page and Missy McClurg became the first women to finish.

Financial incentives for women were first offered last year.

"It took a year to draw some interest there," Bedard said. "I expect to see it grow."

Reach reporter Mike Campbell at mcampbell@adn.com, or 257-4329.

2010 Iron Dog Pro Class Roster

1) Ryan Sottosanti, Wasilla, and Jeremy Nesser, Anchorage, on Polaris; 2) Shane Barber and Aaron Loyer of Willow on Polaris; 3) Russ Seipert and Chet Williams of Anchorage on Ski-Doo; 4) Wayne Wold, Anchorage, and Bill Wilkes, Wasilla, on Arctic Cat; 5) Daniel Lowrie, Albuquerque, N.M., and Raymond Rapp, Phoenix, on Arctic Cat; 6) Doug Dixon, Anchorage, and Stephen Spence, Wasilla, on Arctic Cat; 7) Tyler Aklestad, Wasilla, and Tyson Johnson, Eagle River, on Ski-Doo; 8) Darrick Johnson, Coeur D'Alene, Idaho, and Kurt Steiner, Bismarck, N.D., on Arctic Cat; 9) Chris Olds, Eagle River, and Tyler Huntington, Fairbanks, on Polaris; 10) John Bahnke, Nome, and Brad Reich, Kiana, on Ski-Doo;

11) Scott Richter, Big Lake, and James Spikes, Wasilla, on Arctic Cat; 12) Marc McKenna, Anchorage, and Dusty Van Meter, Soldotna, on Ski-Doo; 13) Louis Miller III and Louis Miller IV of Anchorage on Polaris; 14) Todd Minnick and Nick Olstad of Wasilla on Polaris; 15) Tracy Dyer, Fort Collins, Colo., and Jeffrey Dyer, Fairbanks, on Ski-Doo; 16) Tre West III, Nome, and Andy George, Wasilla, on Arctic Cat; 17) Micah Huss, Anchorage, and Brandon Baxter, Windber, Penn., on Arctic Cat; 18) Jana Pevan and Tammy Barber of Willow on Polaris; 19) Joe Fullwood and Mike Morgan of Nome on Polaris; 20) Scott Davis, Soldotna, and Todd Palin, Wasilla, on Arctic Cat;

21) Kelly Smith, Noorvik, and Fred Smith, Anchorage, on Arctic Cat; 22) Bradley Helwig, Anchorage, and Eric Quam, Eagle River, on Arctic Cat; 23) Michael Fuller, Anchorage, and Eddie Kinn, Eagle River, on Yamaha; 24) George Woodbury, Big Lake, and Scott Miller, Anchorage, on Ski-Doo; 25) Jeremiah Jones and Robbie Muir of Anchorage; 26) Kenny Johnson, Wasilla, and Andy Lachinski, Palmer, on Polaris; 27) Charlie Potter and Chad McClurg, Wasilla, on Arctic Cat; 28) Aaron Bartel, Anchorage, and Jason Wichman, Wasilla, on Ski-Doo; 29) Howard and Harvey Farley of Nome on Ski-Doo.