Anchorage Daily News

Just weeks after losing long-time sponsor Tesoro, the Iron Dog snowmachine race has picked up a new benefactor -- one you'd better salute.

The Alaska Army National Guard will become presenting sponsor for this year's race.

Guard spokesman Maj. Guy Hayes says the sponsorship offers the chance to support a "truly Alaskan event." Hayes says the $250,000 sponsorship will be provided by the National Guard Bureau in Washington, D.C., as part of recruitment efforts.

"Participation with the Iron Dog bolsters the Alaska Guard in the local and national public eye," said Lt. Col. Joe Lawendowski, recruiting and retention commander with the Alaska Army National Guard.

Last month, Tesoro dramatically scaled back its contribution to the world's longest and toughest snowmobile race after nine years as title sponsor. Tesoro external affairs manager Kip Knutson said the $500,000 cost of such a sponsorship for 2010 was "a big increase" and one his company could not afford.

Unlike Tesoro, which paid more, the Alaska Army National Guard will not be incorporated into the name of the event.

"We hit the same demographic," Iron Dog public relations and marketing director Heidi Griffin said of the Guard. "It gives the Iron Dog a chance to partner with a group we really respect."

A successful partnership would boost Alaska Army National Guard recruitment by 300 Alaskans per year, Griffin said. The 2,000-mile Iron Dog route passes through dozens of rural communities the Guard considers fertile recruitment turf.

Sports-related sponsorships aren't new for Alaska Army National Guard. It paid three-time Iditarod champion Lance Mackey $36,800 to train staff Sgt. Harry Alexie, 31, of Bethel, to compete in the world's richest sled dog race in a similar effort last spring. Alexie finished 37th -- or 36 spots behind his mentor -- in March.

In 2008, the Army National Guard hired Iditarod veteran Al Hardman of Michigan to train Master Sgt. Rodney Whaley of Franklin, Tenn., for his rookie run in the world's best known sled-dog race. Whaley ended up scratching in Cripple, midway through the race.

On a national level, the National Guard supports such high-profile athletes as Dale Earnhardt Jr., who sports a National Guard logo on his race car.

"NASCAR and races like that pertains to the Lower 48 people," Alexie said by phone Tuesday. "They're using Alaska races to do the same thing up here. It sure brings the name out.

"During the Iditarod last year, guys saying they used to be in the Guard showed up at checkpoints just because I made it through."

Alexie is not planning to repeat his Iditarod run in 2010.

While the Alaska Army National Guard is using its sponsorship to recruit harder in Bush Alaska, there aren't may rural Iron Dog racers for locals to cheer. Of the 46 racers who have signed up so far, the overwhelming majority are from Southcentral. Brad Reich of Kiana, and four Nome riders are the only exceptions.

However, in the shorter recreational class event, one team of Alaska Army National Guard racers has signed up.

The Iron Dog is scheduled to begin Feb. 21 in Big Lake. Snowmobilers will travel to Nome and then finish in Fairbanks.

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

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