Former champs forced to scratch on tough first day

BIG LAKE — It was a tough first day for the riders of the Iron Dog snowmachine race.

As of early Monday evening, five teams were forced to bow out of the 27th annual race that leads teams from Big Lake to Nome and on to Fairbanks. Among that group is the team of past Iron Dog champions, Scott Davis and Todd Palin, who officially scratched in Puntilla Lake.

Iron Dog officials confirmed Monday morning that Davis injured his back about 30 miles past Puntilla Lake late Sunday evening. The full extent of the injury had not been reported to Iron Dog headquarters, but Davis and Palin did have to make their way back to Puntilla Lake and had since returned to Big Lake.

Davis and Palin won the 2007 Iron Dog. Davis has been part of seven Iron Dog title-winning teams, while Palin has four championships to his credit.

The Davis and Palin duo is one of three teams that have scratched due to injury. The team of Brandon Baxter and Micah Huss scratched because of injury in Puntilla Lake. Tommy Kriska and Tre West III scratched due to injury in Shell Lake.

Joe Fullwood and Mike Morgan scratched due to mechanical problems in McGrath. Former champions Marc McKenna and Dusty Van Meter were forced to scratch at the start because of mechanical issues.

Notable riders have scratched and trail conditions are reportedly rough, but overall, Iron Dog executive director Laura Bedard said, things have been fairly typical so far.

“Nothing out of the ordinary,” Bedard said. “just what happens every year.”

Bedard didn’t deny that competitors have been thrown a few curve balls courtesy of Mother Nature. Warmer than average temperatures and melting snow have caused overflow on lakes and rivers. Bedard said teams had plenty of overflow to contend with early in the race, from the start on Big Lake to Pentullia Lake.

Around McGrath, riders in the 2010 found the trail going from one extreme to another.

“There’s definitely a lack of snow in those areas,” Bedard said.

Bedard said the conditions haven’t slowed the top teams in the pro class much. But race rookies have had more problems going through these areas.

The all-Wasilla team of Todd Minnick and Nick Olstad were the first riders to leave Poorman and were en route to Ruby late Monday afternoon. The defending Iron Dog champions left Poorman at 3:44 p.m. and left four minutes later. Tyler Aklestad and Tyson Johnson left McGrath at 11:57 a.m. Monday and stood in second place as of press time.

Several of the top teams spent their mandatory layover in McGrath Sunday. Six teams had left McGrath and were on their way to Ophir as of press time.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.