On paper, Aliy Zirkle is leading the Iditarod, arriving first in Unalakleet at 7:30 a.m. Sunday. In reality, it is Dallas Seavey, arriving just 51 minutes later, who is firmly in control and in the best position to win as the race winds down to its final 200 miles.Dallas was able to make the marathon 80-mile run from Kaltag to Unalakleet in a time almost two hours faster than Zirkle, cementing his position as driver of the strongest team at the most important time in the race. In second place, Dallas has the ability to control the race by shadowing Zirkle’s every move along the Norton Sound coast. He realized this tactic back in Ruby, where he made a conscious decision to let the other teams lead, while he countered their moves with extra trail-side rest between Ophir, Cripple and Ruby to put himself in the position he finds himself.Read more here: http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/despite-zirkles-lead-dallas-seavey-controls-iditarod-race
