World-renowned race means big bucks for Big Lake

BIG LAKE — The Iron Dog bills itself as “the world’s toughest snowmachine race,” and the 2,000-mile sprint from Big Lake to Nome to Fairbanks earns that reputation year after year.

As home to the start of the Iron Dog, Big Lake and the west end of the Mat-Su Borough also reap the economic benefits of the internationally known event. While the race itself doesn’t officially start until 11 a.m., today on Big Lake, the community and Iron Dog sponsors are taking advantage of a weekend catering to visitors who need to fill up on gas, grab a bite to eat and have a look around.

“The whole reason we live out here in Big Lake is for the fishing and snowmachining, and this weekend lets everyone see how great that is,” said Jillyan Hendrickson, a local resident and Big Lake Chamber of Commerce board member.

That visibility, showcasing the recreation opportunities in the community, is one of the main reasons the chamber last year organized the first Winter Fest, a weekend-long winter carnival that showcases the area and culminates in the Iron Dog start.

“It really can be a big boost (economically),” she said. “From the coffee shops to gas stations to the restaurants, the fans who come out to Big Lake are contributing to the health of the economy. It also increases the awareness of the lake, which increases the use of the lake.”

It’s that exposure to large groups of people that also has Iron Dog organizers in full support of Winter Fest. The event extends the Iron Dog presence over several days and allows race sponsors to have their names and logos out in the community more prominently, Iron Dog Executive Director Kevin Kastner said.

“My intention when I came on was to turn this into a world-class, premiere winter event … on the caliber of X Games, as much as humanly possible,” he said. “The real end game is that this becomes known globally, worldwide as THE snowmachine event.”

By combining the Iron Dog start with Winter Fest, Kastner said the idea is to create more local buzz while attracting the world’s attention.

“The intent was for Big Lake and for our sponsors that if there were accessible things to do for several days, that’s more bang for their buck,” he said.

For racers and team sponsors, it seems to be working. The total purse for this year’s Iron Dog is more than $210,000, the highest ever. The 39 registered teams will vie for the $50,000 first-place check, while second place receives $35,000, third place $18,000, fourth place $13,000 and fifth place $10,000.

For Team CC Ski-Doo, sponsoring Iron Dog racing is a priority that pays off, said advertising coordinator Barbara Harris-Conquist.

“Having our Team CC logo out present it the community when they are out training or racing (is the goal),” she said. “A lot of our Iron Dog teams compete in cross-country races throughout the season, so again, having the CC logo out there shows that we support the racing community. In addition to that, (there’s) the positive world of mouth on the performance of the Ski-Doo snowmachine from our racers when they talk to friends or family spectators. So, that is what we look for as a company sponsoring racers. We want a positive image, positive feedback on the performance of the sled.”

While the start is expected to pack local stores and restaurants this weekend, sponsors are also hopeful it will generate enough interest to bring business through their doors as well, Harris-Conquist said.

“Creating sales leads, yes, we want to grow our business by selling more Ski-Doos, and our racers performing on the track and off the track very well helps bring in snowmobile sales,” she said.

That same positive feedback is what will benefit the Big Lake business community in the long run, Hendrickson said.

“The absolutely caters to locals and visitors,” she said. “You’ve got your Mat-Su residents, but it’s only a short drive from Anchorage and is a great headquarters for a day trip or for other adventures. We have all the necessities. I’m really excited to see Iron Dog grow with Winter Fest. We want them to stay longer, keep them here for an entire weekend.”

This is just the second year Winter Fest has been held in conjunction with the Iron Dog start, so it’s too soon to tell just how much of an economic impact the event has for the Big Lake community, Hendrickson said.

“We’re still developing that, but I can guarantee you that even if it’s gassing up at the gas station, it’s also definitely going to have a huge impact on the restaurants,” she said.

Photo Editor Robert DeBerry contributed to this report.

Contact reporter Greg Johnson at greg.johnson@frontiersman.com or 352-2269.

What: Iron Dog start

Where: Big Lake

When: Race teams arrive 9 a.m.; first green flag drops at 11 a.m.; teams leave every two minutes

What: AMMC’s Iron Pup Kids Races

Where: Big Lake

When: 1:45 p.m.

What: Big Lake Winter Fest

Where: Big Lake

When: All day today

Features: Helicopter rides, vintage snowmachine races and displays, kids races, Mercedes Benz test drives, dog sled rides, sleigh rides, Big Lake Food Pantry benefit concert, fireworks, food, vendors and more.