As Race Fans in Bethel took in the K300 fireworks show, the face of the 2017 Kuskokwim 300 was materializing in Kalskag. In what is shaping up to be a deja-vu moment from the 2016 Kuskokwim 300, Pete and fellow Musher Brent Sass may have a shoot out in front of them.
Brent arrived first into Kalskag at 5:19pm this afternoon with a 3 hour mandatory break in front of him. Pete and Team Kaiser arrived into Kalskag at 6:45pm with only 1 hour left on the mandatory clock.
Pete will be able to leave Kalskag at 7:45pm and Brent will be able to leave at 8:19pm. This 34 minute differential seems to be the big question. Pete has the fastest time in from Aniak, with a 16 minute faster time than Sass. Will the extra rest be beneficial or not for Sass? That is the big question of the night.
A couple of other Teams not to be discounted are Holmes and Redington who can leave around the 9pm hour this evening.
It’s going to be a real exciting evening as Teams make for the 4 hour mandatory rest and vet check in Tuluksak, 50 miles down the trail from Kalskag.
Race fans will remember the trail last year where Brent Sass was making up time on Pete and the Team all the way into the Finish. Both mushers were sweating from kicking so hard down the stretch. My prediction is that there will be no sleep tonight as we keep our eyes focused on the marvel that we know as THE TRACKER!!
In terms of weather, it is going to be close to what Mushers had in front of them last night, but with a bit of wind on their backs–
Tonight: Patchy freezing fog. Mostly clear, with a low around -28. Wind chill values as low as -50. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Go Team Kaiser!!
