Veterans Mike Morgan and Bradley Kishbaugh have scratched from the 2026 Iron Dog snowmachine race. The partners encountered trouble on the trail around mile 240 after Kishbaugh took at least two collisions with tree stumps. The team spent precious hours working on a temporary fix for the sled before ultimately deciding to scratch out of McGrath.
Morgan and Kishbaugh were leading the field through the Farewell Burn at the time of the accident.
“The margin for error is very slim in that hazardous area of the Farewell Burn,” Morgan said.
Morgan confirmed his partner's sled took significant damage to the bulkhead along with “the entire right side of the sled”.
Morgan grew up in Nome and was racing in his 17th Iron Dog. A win this year would’ve been his third championship and first since 2019. He called the accident “heartbreaking”.
“People don’t understand what goes into a championship caliber team, it’s a whole nother level to compete for a top 5 vs for a win,” Morgan said. “It’s a tough one to swallow, we felt like we had the sleds and preparation to push for a win."
Team #10’s Chris Olds and Ryan Sottosanti were the first to pass up Morgan and Kishbaugh on the trail, followed closely by team #5’s Zack Weisz and Thomas Davis, who ended Saturday as the first to reach the McGrath checkpoint. There, teams declared layovers and rested for the second day of the race.
By the end of Saturday, Nome’s Steffen Booth and his teammate Evan Barber from Willow sat in fourth position with a course time of 7:57:27. The 20 and 21-year-old declared a 15 hour layover and got underway Sunday morning at 9:55 a.m.
"Very happy with Evan's leading ability today, fast and consistent. Nothing super fast but a pass to keep the sleds in good condition," Booth said Saturday night.
Nome’s Chugie Farley and Kevin McDaniel-Farley had difficulties with their shocks and limped along to the McGrath checkpoint late Saturday night. Sunday morning, McDaniel-Farley said he and his father were feeling sore from the rear shocks not running well.
“There was a couple of times we got stuck but other than the shocks, the machine is running good,” McDaniel-Farley said.
Replacement parts were on their way to McGrath Sunday morning, according to Jessica Farley.
Team #25’s C.J. Vandeputte and Dan Zimmerman of Minnesota scratched out in Skwentna just after midnight after suffering electrical issues.
On Sunday, riders will go as far as Unalakleet before taking another overnight break. Teams are expected into Kotzebue Monday evening and Nome midday Tuesday. There, an extended layover awaits Wednesday before the teams get back underway toward Fairbanks on Thursday.
