Late race comeback propels Team 6, Robby Schachle and Brad George to Iron Dog victory

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - The 2021 Iron Dog ended dramatically on Saturday as Team 6, Robby Schachle and Brad George came from behind to win the 2,645 miles race. When Schachle and George crossed the finish line they were unaware they had won.

“We thought we were in second place,” George said after the race. “We had no idea.”

The duo won their first Iron Dog in an overall time of 50 hours, 26 minutes, and 4 seconds. The top teams will receive a purse of $90,000 and $37,000 in contingency prizes.

“It hasn’t sunk it yet,” George said. “I didn’t know until five minutes ago that we won the race.”

The winner many expected to see was Team 14, Casey Boylan and Bryan Leslie who started the day in the lead with a 28 minute lead over Team 6 at the Puntilla checkpoint. Their lead would evaporate due to engine problems on the Yetna River requiring them to tow their snowmachines to the finish line.

“It was nip and tuck for a long way,” Interim race director Mike Vasser said. “The speed and how tight the teams were for so long was incredible.”

Team 14 would finish the race in second place with an overall time of 50 hours, 58 minutes, and 8 seconds. For a lot of the race, six teams were separated by less than two hours

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