Iron Dog Hall of Famer, 4-time champion Mark Carr passes away at 63

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - A legend on the sled, Iron Dog Hall of Famer Mark Carr died last week at the age of 63.

When he strapped on the helmet, Carr was a fierce competitor, winning the Iron Dog — known as “the world’s toughest snowmachine race” — four times, including an unprecedented three-peat with Scott Davis from 1997-99.

“Really, from my view, Mark was just a competitor,” Davis said while remembering his racing partner.

“Total domination,” Micah Huss, a longtime friend, and fellow Iron Dog competitor added. “Every time he got on the course, you were pretty much racing for second place. He’s a true champion, he is a legend.”

His race tactics and attention to detail changed how the historic race is run today.

”That is part of Mark’s legacy is pushing the envelope there on how people approached racing and what snowmobile they took and how competitive that snowmobile was,” Davis said.

Carr was a father, husband, pilot, competitive shooter, commercial fisherman, and more.

“Take the helmet off and you’ve got this pleasant person that you’re around, kind of a measured approach to everything. Put the helmet on, kind of a different guy. He’s fiercely competitive, but he was a great father and great husband.” Davis said.

”There was a sense of honor about him,” Huss said of Carr. “I feel that Mark’s impact on this state left us with all wanting to be more like him on the racetrack and off. They broke the mold with him, man, he exemplified greatness. That was mark, he was a great person.”

Carr’s success and domination in the sport may never be replicated, but his legacy will live on.

“I think Iron Dog nation lost a chartered member,” Iron Dog Executive Director Mike Vasser said. ”I think his contribution to the sport of snowmobiling and the Iron Dog is top shelf. He did leave a huge impact on the communities that we traveled through as the Iron Dog and I think that’s almost impossible to ignore, the impact that he is going to leave on some of those communities in rural Alaska.”

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