The world's toughest and richest snowmobile race got a little richer Wednesday.
Kevin Kastner, executive director of the Iron Dog, announced that the purse for the 2,000-mile race from Big Lake to Nome to Fairbanks had reached a record $194,500, surpassing last year's $187,900, the previous high.
"Exceeding the 2010 purse was no easy task, given the economic realities of the day," Kastner said. "I'm both thrilled and frankly amazed we were able to garner the level of support we did. We are truly grateful."
Prize money will be focused on the top finishers, topped by $50,000 to the winning team, the same amount as last year. Most other top-five finishers got a boost:
• Second place: $35,000, up $15,000;
• Third place: $18,000, up $3,000;
• Fourth place: $12,000, same as last year;
• Fifth place: $10,000, up $2,000.
The sixth-place team will earn free entry into the 2012 race, which can be worth nearly $3,000. Teams finishing seventh or lower will be entered in a prize drawing at the finishers' banquet in Fairbanks.
Last year, the top nine teams earned paychecks.
To cement its purse, the Iron Dog convinced presenting sponsor Alaska National Guard to return for a second year and added a new sponsor in Donlin Creek LLC, the mining company seeking to develop a gold mine 13 miles north of the Middle Kuskokwim River village of Crooked Creek. But Kastner said operational savings rather than new revenue fattened the purse.
"We really didn't raise more money this year. In fact, we might be under where we were last year," he said.
Kastner said he was shooting for a $200,000 purse, a goal for next year. Had he been able to announce a record purse earlier, it might have boosted the number of entrants, Kastner said.
"It may have had a minor impact," he said. "But I was absolutely impressed that 30 teams signed up with no idea what the purse would be."
The pro class race begins Feb. 20 on Big Lake and ends Feb. 26 in Fairbanks.
Reach reporter Mike Campbell at mcampbell@adn.com or 257-4329.
By MIKE CAMPBELL
mcampbell@adn.com