After teaming to win the last two 1,000-mile races from Big Lake to Nome to Fairbanks, Olds and Huntington have each found new partners from Nome. Olds, of Anchorage, will team with Mike Morgan and Huntington, of Fairbanks, will race with James West III.
Both teams will race on Polaris snowmachines, which took Olds and Huntington to a surprising victory last winter.
Olds and Huntington's come-from-behind effort was aided by the misfortune of the team ahead of them. Olds and Huntington trailed the leading team of Todd Palin and Eric Quam by nearly 20 minutes on the final day, but mechanical problems slowed Palin and Quam, dropping them to second place.
Palin and Quam will join forces aboard Arctic Cats again this winter. Palin owns four Iron Dog titles (1995, 2000, 2002, 2007) and Quam won in 2008.
Two other teams will also feature past champions. Wasilla's Todd Minnick and Nick Olstad, the winning team in 2009, will ride together again on Polaris machines, while three-time champion Dusty Van Meter of Kasilof (2000, 2002, 2004) will pair with two-time winner Marc McKenna of Anchorage (2005, 2008) on Ski-Doos.
Absent from the field is seven-time champion Scott Davis, who teamed with his son Cory Davis for a third-place finish in last winter's race. John Faeo is the only other seven-time champion.
Of the 31 pro-class teams entered, 17 are comprised of two rookies.
Iron Dog entrants
Ryan Sottosanti, Wasilla, and Andrew Zwink, Wasilla, Polaris
Doug Dixon, Anchorage, and Wayne Wold, Anchorage, Arctic Cat
Robert Gardner, Mercer, Maine (rookie), and David Hammond, Sidney Maine (rookie), Ski-Doo MxZ.
Howard Darling, Nulato (rookie), and Justin Robertson, Anchorage (rookie), Polaris.
Tyler Huntington, Fairbanks, and James West III, Nome, Polaris.
Norman Sheldon, Selawik (rookie), and Raymond Wells, Fairbanks (rookie), Polaris IQ.
Tyson Johnson, Eagle River, and Chad Gueco, Wasilla (rookie), Ski-Doo MXZ X-RS.
Darrick Johnson, Couer D' Alene, Idaho, and Donald West, Rathdrum, Idaho (rookie), Arctic Cat.
Chris Olds, Anchorage, and Mike Morgan, Nome, Polaris PR Switchback.
Todd Palin, Wasilla, and Eric Quam, Palmer, Arctic Cat.
Daniel Lowrie, Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Raymond Rapp, Snohomish, Wash., Arctic Cat.
Rob Robinson, Wasilla (rookie), and Don Redick, Wasilla (rookie), Polaris Rush.
Todd Minnick, Wasilla, and Nick Olstad, Wasilla, Polaris PR Switchback.
Dusty Van Meter, Kasilof, and Mark McKenna, Anchorage, Ski-Doo.
Robert Jauhola, Fairbanks (rookie), and Tommy Kriska, Fairbanks (rookie), Polaris Rush.
Arthur Laraux, Bethel (rookie), and Steven Boney, Bethel (rookie), Yamaha Nytro RTX.
Jana Peterson-Pevan, Willow, and Carl Swenson, Big Lake, Arctic Cat.
Stan Brown, Eagle River (rookie), and John Dean, Eagle River (rookie), Ski-Doo MXZ X-RS.
Randy Gravatt, Island Park, Idaho (rookie), and Jon Berry, Castle Rock, Colorado, Arctic Cat F-6.
Paul Dick, Grand Rapids, Minnesota (rookie), and Brian Dick, Thief River Falls, Minnesota (rookie), Arctic Cat.
Race Price, Wasilla, and Eric Watson, Wasilla, Arctic Cat.
Rusty Goodman, Palmer, and Lawrence Jones, Anchorage (rookie), Polaris Pro R Rush.
Joseph Brantley, Kotzebue (rookie), and Frank Ferreira, Kotzebue (rookie), Polaris IQ 600.
Robbie Muir, Anchorage, and Jeremiah Jones, Denver, Colorado, Ski-Doo MXZ X-RS.
Trent Lee, Anchorage (rookie), and Gary Smith, Anchorage (rookie), undeclared National Guard Team.
Charlie Potter, Wasilla, and Lee Harrison, Wasilla (rookie), Arctic Cat.
Tim Jauhola, Fairbanks (rookie), and Brad Deitrich, Fairbanks (rookie), Ski-Doo MXZ X-RS.
Kelly Sommer II, Nulato (rookie), and Harold Warner, Galena (rookie), Polaris Pro R Rush.
Harold Attla, Fairbanks (rookie), and Archie Beetus, Hughes (rookie), Polaris 600.
Tyler Aklestad, Palmer, and Aaron Loyer, Palmer (rookie), Ski Doo.
Arnold Marks Jr., Tanana, and Archie Agnes, Tanana (rookie), Polaris PR Switchback.
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