Maybe he's mushing's version of "The Natural."
With a show of speed over the last half of the 150-mile course, Lewis Pavilla of Kwethluk on Monday won the first sled-dog race he entered, capturing the Bogus Creek 150 before dawn.
Pavilla, 32, earned the $5,000 winner's share of the $25,000 purse and after passing runner-up Myron Angstman, the Kuskokwim 300 race chairman, in the final stretch.
Angstman earned $4,000 for finishing second. Pavilla passed Angstman, a former Kusko 300 champion, between Tuluksak and Kwethluk on the return to the Bethel finish line.
Pavilla, the father of two, has only been mushing two years and his Bad River Kennel has just 16 dogs. Nine of them were in harness when he crossed the Bethel finish line at 6:58 a.m.
Eleven mushers trailed Pavilla. Herman Phillip, also of Kwethluk, finished third at 8:13 a.m., and Marvin Evan of Akiachak was fourth at 8:22 a.m.
In the shorter Akiak Dash, Byron Pasitnak of Akiachak held off 17 competitors to earn $3,000 for his victory. Walter George of Akiachak, the 1998 race winner, was four minutes back in second place, while Byron's father George finished third, seven minutes behind his son .
Three time defending champion Ryan Housler, 30, of Russian Mission, scratched.
In the showcase Kuskokwim 300 race, a pack of six mushers was tightly bunched near the front, led by eight-time Kusko champion Jeff King of Denali Park. He left Aniak at 7:36 this morning, followed four minutes later by John Baker of Kotzebue.
Behind them were Martin Buser of Big Lake (out at 7:40), Ed Iten of Kotzebue (out 7:41), defending champion Mitch Seavey of Sterling (out at 7:50) and surprising young Bethel musher Pete Kaiser (out at 7:54).
Kaiser, 21, is a rookie.
By MIKE CAMPBELL
mcampbell@adn.com