The Iron Dog is the world’s largest snowmachine race that runs from Big Lake to Nome then to Fairbanks.  Iron Dog started in 1984 when Bob Kawalke recruited a small field of racers.  They challenged each other to race from Big Lake to Nome the fastest.  The rules were really hard back then because the racers could race any snowmachine they wanted, but they had to take all the parts they might need on the trail and the racers couldn’t get any help from any of the other racers or people watching the race.  Today, all the racers have to race with a snowmachine no larger than 500cc. People fly in parts to villages and checkpoints so that racers don’t have to carry the parts with them, and they are allowed to get help from other people watching the races.

        The Iron Dog changed the race in 1994.  The racers had to start in Wasila, go to Nome, and then go back to Wasila.  That made the race 2,366 miles long.  Then in 1998, the Iron Dog changed the race again.  Now they have to go from Wasila to Nome then turn around and go to Fairbanks.  That makes this race 1,964 miles long.  It is the Iron Dog’s 16th anniversary this year.