Rick Swenson, and three-time Yukon Quest champion Lance Mackey. March 5: Alaska Range Finger Lake: Four-time Iditarod winner and course record holder Martin Buser departed Finger Lake in first place, on March 5 at 4:35 am AKST. The remainder of the top 5 were Zack Steer, Jim Lanier, Cim Smyth, and Sebastian Schnuele. The field dropped to 79 teams after Butch Austin, Frank Sihler, and Jeff Holt scratched from the race. Rainy Pass: Cim Smyth departed Rainy Pass at 10:05 AM AKST in first place. The remainder of the top five were Lance Mackey, Aliy Zirkle, Tim Osmar, and Ramey Smith. Poor trail and weather conditions caused eleven teams to scratch from the race. Doug Swingley and Dee Dee Jonrowe scratched on March 5. Lachlan Clark, Richard Cummins, Melanie Gould, Richard Hum, and Jacques Philip scratched on March 6. Tom Roig, Dan Huttunen, Perry Solmonson, and Scott White scratched on March 7. There were 68 teams remaining in the race. Rohn: Jason Barron departed the checkpoint at the Rohn roadhouse at 8:47 PM AKST in first place. The remainder of the top five were Cim Smyth, Lance Mackey, Zack Steer, and Martin Buser. The field dropped to 66 teams when G.B. Jones and Deborah Molburg Bicknell scratched from the race on March 9. March 6: Alaskan Interior Nikolai: Lance Mackey arrived in Nikolai in first place at 8:10 am AKST on March 6. He was followed by Paul Gebhardt (11:05 am), Zack Steer (11:48 am), Aliy Zirkle (11:48 am), and Jason Barron (12:34 pm). Martin Buser departed the checkpoint in first place at 1:43 pm after only stopping for three minutes. He was followed by Lance Mackey (3:33 pm), Zack Steer (5:02 pm), Jeff King (5:12 pm), and Jason Barron (5:37 pm) The field dropped to 65 teams when Ben Stamm scratched on March 8. McGrath: Martin Buser arrived in McGrath at 6:47 pm and claimed the PenAir Spirit of Alaska award for being first to McGrath. He was followed by Lance Mackey (8:22 pm), Zack Steer (9:50 pm), Jeff King (10:46 pm), and Jason Barron (11:22 pm). Mackey departed McGrath fifteen minutes later at 8:37 pm in first place. He was followed by Zack Steer (10:01 pm), Jeff King (10:55 pm), Jason Barron (11:25), and Paul Gebhardt (11:34 pm) The field dropped to 64 teams when Dave Tresino scratched in McGrath on March 9. March 7 Takotna: Lance Mackey