Author Archives: Lead Dog

Iditarod 2025 – Sitting This One Out!

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Howdy Kaiser Racing Fans!

In case you missed it, Team Kaiser is sitting this one out. After a training season, that in a word was HORRIBLE, and even after an epic 9 time championship in the 2025 Kuskokwim 300, Pete made the decision not to compete in the 2025 Iditarod Trail Race. After 15 runs on the Iditarod trail as well as all that goes into just being able to compete at that level, this year Team Kaiser is sitting on the sideline.

It’s always all about the Team and this year there just weren’t conditions that allowed the training miles to put them on the trail. This has been evident everywhere in Southcentral and other areas of the State of Alaska – No snow, warm temperatures, and poor training.

In years past with these kind of conditions, Pete and the Team would leave their home and search for snow across Alaska. A couple of years in Nenana, a few trips to Eureka, but always taking the Team on the road away from family and his warm bed at home. It was always a logistical challenge as well as hugely expensive to make this happen. In recent years Pete has been able to train at home and that norm has been successful and way less demanding on both the Team and Pete himself.

The Team is in great shape and the 2025 championship really showed their stuff. 1000 miles is a different story than a 3 day 300 mile race though. Many more miles are required that the Team just doesn’t have this year.

Pete held out until the last to decide if he could make it work, but a very warm spell in December made it impossible for an Iditarod run this year.

So for 2025, Pete and the Team will join us on the couch to watch the 2025 Iditarod make it’s way to Nome.

Ron and Janet and I were talking about all of this the other night and we almost had a tear come to our eyes. For the last 15 years we have gathered together to support Pete and the Team, but also to meet old friends and make new ones. The tradition has always been the same for the pit crew– Meet in Anchorage, do the ceremonial start and then back Sterling’s place before hedding out to Doug Dorland’s to prep for the final push to the restart in Willow. Then back to Bethel to cheer Pete and the team from the tracker before heading off for Nome and our second Home at Bob and Sherrie Madden’s place.

To all of our friends, handlers, Iditariders, hosts, and of course you, our great online fans we can only say Thank You as we take this break for 2025!

To our Sponsors, thanks for understanding and all of your support and encouragement! None of this is possible without you!!

Good luck to all of the Teams on the trail!

Go Team Kaiser!!

Thank You

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The moment Pete and the Team crossed under the burled Arch in Nome to become the first Bethel Musher ever to win the Iditarod Trail Race, it was a given that Pete would want to say thanks to the folks at home.

Pete arrived into Nome in the early hours of the morning and the phone began ringing calling to say congratulations. In addition to calls from news organizations, sponsors, and others, everyone has been wanting to give Pete their best.

The Kuskokwim 300 and many others began organizing a welcome party almost as soon as Pete was inbound on Front Street. I called the Iditarod HQ and talked to CEO Chas St. George asking if we could borrow the trophy. It is an 80 lb cast bronze statue of Joe Redington and his Lead Dog “Feets.” Generally it is commissioned right after the race and delivered to the winner soon after. Our timeline was a bit quicker, so I contacted our great sponsor Northern Air Cargo and they were ecstatic to help out. Chas wrote me back and asked if we could save a couple of seats for “Joe” and himself. I thought we were going to have to ship him back, but upon arrival Chas had a decal and he said that it was to stay in Bethel. Ron affixed the decal and the party was underway.

The evening was catered by Tiffany Tony with help from Donlin Gold, the Kuskokwim 300, Alaska Commercial Company, and ODOM Corp.

The festivities began with Chris Cooke singing from his collection of dog mushing favorites, The Iditarod and Kuskokwim 300 songs. Senator Lyman Hoffman presented Pete with a legislative award that is presented to the top 10 mushers in the Iditarod.

Then it was time. Time to relive the moment that Pete arrived into Nome and crossed into history as the first musher from Bethel and of Yup’ik descent to win the Iditarod.

Iditarod CEO Chas St. George said that this was the dream of Joe Redington. To bring back mushing to rural Alaska and that Pete’s victory would have made him so proud.

Pete then came to the stage to a standing ovation where he reiterated that his victory and his mushing career would not be possible without support from all of you. It is what drives him to excel. It is what makes this a victory for all of his fans, family, sponsors, friends, and fellow residents.

After the festivities completed it was time for folks get their autograph from the Champ and enjoy the moment.

Thank you to everyone for the support you give to Kaiser Racing. All of the comments, calls, and pats on the back through thick and thin have made this victory possible.

Go Team Kaiser

Here are the photos from the event.

2018 Iditarod – 5th Place – Peter Kaiser

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What a race! What a totally tough, but really great race!

Pete and the 8 dogs in the Team crossed the Burled Arches to Sunny Skies and just a beautiful day!

Led in by Maro and Freida across the line, Pete had a little disappointment in his voice as I spoke to him in the yard later. “I had to put Lucy in the bag just a few miles out of Safety, but that little girl led us all the way from Willow. What an amazing performance.” Everything he said was about how proud he was of the Team. They just did an amazing job over the 998 miles from Willow.

Bethany, Ari, and little Aylee anxiously waited for their post race kiss and hug and end to this tough, tough race.

Apologies for the tardiness, Pete is sleeping and with the new security at the Iditarod Finish, Ron and I were tasked with watching the dogs for the afternoon.

Here are the photos of the Finish! Go Team Kaiser!

 

On the Trail to the Finish

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Pete and the Team are on the final stretch. This has been a long, tough race and there is one man who is really ready for the burled arches and his family waiting– Peter Kaiser!

The Team was through the last checkpoint, Safety, at 9:55am with the 8 dogs remaining.

The weather in Nome is absolutely beautiful! Sunny and mild, with very light temperatures, this morning is about as nice as it can get for the Pit Crew and spectators.

We are expecting a finish between 1:00 and 1:30pm this afternoon.

The traditional way the morning starts (Even if morning means 1:00am or later!!) with a cup of coffee with Bob and Sherie and then we drive out about 6 miles and wait for Pete and the Team so we can cheer him on to the finish. The we rush back to the Finish and meet him.

It’s always a bit intense as we don’t really know how accurate the tracker is and we don’t want to be late!!

We’ll be back in a flash.

For a live view, go to Facebook and check out Kale Casey Live!