Thirty-one teams have entered into the 2026 Iron Dog Pro Class snowmachine race, including three teams with ties to Nome.
Veteran racer Chugie Farley will team up with his rookie son, Kevin McDaniel-Farley. Steffen Booth, who was the youngest to ever race the Iron Dog in 2022, will team up with veteran Evan Barber of Willow. Barber’s father, Shane Barber of Willow, will also return to the race as a veteran in Team 39, paired with his rookie daughter Shana Lapham. Mike Morgan is also set to return with Bradley Kishbaugh as his teammate.
The 2,500-mile race — billed as “the world’s longest, toughest snowmobile race” — is scheduled to begin in Big Lake on February 14, 2026, with racers passing through Nome before finishing in Fairbanks on February 21.
This year’s field includes a mix of seasoned competitors and rookies. Notable past champions returning to the race include Morgan, Tyler Aklestad, Nicholas Olstad, Chris Olds, and Todd Palin. Teams come from across Alaska and the Lower 48, with racers hailing from communities such as Kotzebue, Wasilla, Anchorage, McGrath, and several locations in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Utah.
Two rookies from Kaltag, Devon Esmailka and Kenneth Esmailka, have entered the race. Kenneth Esmailka was the top rookie at the 2025 Nome-Golovin Snowmachine Race in March.
There’s also two teams from Kotzebue, with George Lambert and Thor Lie entering along Eric Sieh and Colton Sieh. Quincy Williamson and Jim Baldwin from Noorvik have also entered in the race.
Cody Sherman took home first overall in the 2025 Nome-Golovin Snowmachine Race, earning him free entry to the 2026 Iron Dog. As of Tuesday, Sherman has not entered into the race.
The field is once again mostly riding on Ski-Doo and Polaris machines, with 14 and 13 teams respectively. There are two teams each riding on Lynx and Arctic Cat machines. Last year’s winners, Bradley George and Bradley Schachle, rode on Ski-Doos.
For the full list of entries, visit the Iron Dog website.
