Willow riders chasing first Iron Dog finish

Representing from Willow, team number 34 David Spain and Jody Payton will be looking for a clean finish in this year’s Iron Dog. Spain, who has raced in Iron Dog three times before, will be chasing his first finish while newcomer Payton will be looking to add a feather to his cap in his first running of The World’s Longest Toughest Snowmobile Race.

“We’re in it to finish it,” Payton said.

While both have had a history of racing in the snow machine world, the two first raced together in the Skwenta 200 in 2024. Payton said Spain had asked him to partner for that race, where they worked from the back of the pack and took sixth place in the semi-pro class. The two had talked about the possibility of racing in Iron Dog together and all of the cards would fall into place for this year.

“I’ve always been looking for a partner since the first time I ever ran this race,” Spain said. “It’s really hard trying to get someone that commits, that you’re able to adapt with. It’s frustrating in that aspect. A lot of people want to go, but it's a pretty good size undertaking."

Racing in the Iron Dog is an investment in time and money. The two have spent countless hours wrenching on machines, researching the trail and logistics, putting miles on practice sleds and talking with other racers. The commitment that serious racers have means a sacrifice for both work and family life.

“You have to dedicate a lot of time to prep,” Payton said. “Not only the week you’re out there during the race, you have to dedicate a lot of time to prepping your sleds, prepping your body. The more you’re doing that, the less you can actually work... It’s just another cost that people don’t think about.”

“The wrenching, time away from family, time away from work, it’s a big investment,” Spain said.

But this preparation and commitment isn’t new for Spain. He’s raced in the Iron Dog three times before in 2007, 2017 and 2020 and has been slotted to race even more. He’s also supported his family as a mechanic and provided their air support in the past.

“This isn’t my first rodeo,” Spain said.

Each year, for one reason or another, to include injuries, machine breakdowns and the unfortunate loss of a partner, a finish has eluded Spain. The ride to Iron Dog has been an emotional one, and a story that he wants to bring to a resolution.

“I haven’t finished it,” Spain said. “It’s been a cloud over my head.”

They will both be racing on 2025 Polaris Cross Country Race Sleds with a newly added race kit. They’ve put roughly 2000 miles on their practice sleds on the course itself this year through the toughest sections of trail from Big Lake over the Alaska Range.

The trail is going to be fast and hard with the conditions this year, according to Spain. He anticipates a physical ride for the first day or two from Skwenta to McGrath, with little room for error.

“It’s unforgiving. You don’t want to come off your sled right now,” Spain said.

The back half of the race will also be fast but with a different set of obstacles on the run to Fairbanks. The technicality of the river versus returning over the pass adds a whole different perspective to this year's race. Spain said his strategy is to stay in the middle of the pack to avoid having to work up from behind.

Spain recounted the story of having to scratch from the race in 2017 when he had sled issues in Nikolai. With temperatures 40 below zero, Spain pushed his machine until he and his partner eventually had to ride double into McGrath to meet their pilot with parts. With the decision to scratch or wrench in the conditions, Spain left the decision up to his partner and the two ultimately finished their race there. Preparing for trail conditions and anticipating ahead of time where their issues might occur has been a huge part of Spain’s planning this year.

Payton’s strategy is to keep a positive head about him and enjoy the race as it comes. He explained that when riders enjoy the race, it goes by quickly. When they become derailed from issues or begin to lose their mindset, that’s when their edge begins to wear thin.

“The goal is to finish, ride clean and just try to have fun while I’m out there, even through the miserable times because they will happen," Payton said. “Not everybody gets to just break off from their life and do a 2500 mile snow machine race. I’m going to try to just appreciate the opportunity I do have to be out there and keep that mindset the whole way as well.”

They will be putting in a few more miles in the last week leading up to the race, including a 300 mile ride to Hell’s Gate just before Roan. They will also be putting in a few miles locally on their finished race sleds to break them in and packing their bags for the start on Big Lake next week.

By not being huge names in the racing world, the two rely on local support. Whether it was financial support from local businesses or the sacrifice from family members for time away from home, the race wouldn’t be possible without the help of others.

“We couldn’t do this without the support of family and friends,” Spain said. “My family’s given me a lot of support. Friends that have donated money, some friends have helped out. Some friends have picked up parts and pieces for us. It’s a pretty big undertaking.”

Payton appreciated the opportunity to proudly represent those that are behind them, cheering them on from home.

“It means a lot. It means the world because some of these small businesses really believe in us,” Payton said. “The relationship with some of the small businesses that have sponsored us means a lot and I’m happy to represent them.”

While Payton’s goal is to finish the race, he also hopes to enjoy the adventure and take in as much as he can along the way. He looks forward to meeting other racers and interacting with other people along the way in the villages and checkpoints they visit. He said he’s fortunate to have a great life and the opportunity to tackle this year’s race.

“Finishing, meeting people and the general adventure, I would say, are the three things I’m looking forward to,” Payton said.

Spain said his ultimate goal is to finish and minimize breakdowns and incidents along the way. He’s not sure yet if he would be content with a successful finish or if it will light a spark in him to ride even more competitively next time. Either way, Spain said he’s ready for the race again this year and will line up again alongside the other competitors next weekend on February 14th on Big Lake in front of Susinta Brewing Company with a start time of 10 a.m.

“If I doubted myself, I wouldn’t even go,” Spain said.