Jason Mackey of TopNotch Comeback Kennel is preparing to take on the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race once again in 2026, with this year’s event running on the northern route. Coming from one of the most respected families in the history of sled dog racing, Mackey’s return to the trail continues a legacy that helped shape the race itself. Born into dog mushing, Jason Mackey has spent more than four decades on runners. His father, Dick Mackey, was one of the founders of the Iditarod in 1973 and claimed victory in the 1978 race by a single second. His brothers carried that tradition forward, with Rick Mackey winning in 1983 and Lance Mackey becoming a legend of the sport with four consecutive Iditarod victories from 2007 to 2010. Growing up in that environment, racing dogs was never optional, it was simply life. Jason ran his first Iditarod in 2004, finishing his rookie year in 26th place. Since then, he has competed in nine Iditarod races, alongside many other long distance sled dog events across Alaska. His experience spans both the highs and lows of the sport, including the devastating loss of his brother Lance to cancer in 2022. That loss