Dog musher Dallas Seavey set a record pace early Tuesday morning after winning his third straight Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Nome, Alaska, and fourth race in the last five years.

Dallas Seavey Wins Fourth Iditarod Crown, Sets Course Record

Seavey, 29, won the race with just six dogs, less than any other musher this year, after starting the race nearly 1,000 miles across Alaska with 16.

He also beat his own record from 2014, when he competed with just seven dogs in total.

“The key is always to run the dogs you have, on the trail you have, the best way you can moving forward,” Seavey said.

This year, a virus hit two of Seavey’s dogs hard, and he said it became clear on the first day of the race that he’d have to drop them both. One of them, a dog named Hero who led him to Nome last year, hurt the most, he said.

Seavey finished the nearly 1,000-mile race in a record time of 8 days, 11 hours, 20 minutes, 16 seconds. He arrived in Nome at 2:20 a.m.

“This was a heck of a trip, all the way from the start. It was up and down,” said Seavey, who picked up $75,000 and a new pickup for winning the race.

The Race began March 6 in Willow, about 50 miles north of Anchorage, and spanned across two mountain ranges.

Eighty-five mushers started the race, but 12 have scratched thus far, including four-time champion Lance Mackey. He dropped out Monday, citing personal health concerns.

Seavey’s previous record in 2014 was of 8 days, 13 hours, 4 minutes, 19 seconds. His only loss during the past five years was to his father, Mitch Seavey, who won in 2013.

Seavey’s father came in second this year.

“Win or lose the race or not doesn’t change the fundamentals of our relationship — that as family and friends,” Mitch Seavey said, restating how proud he is of his son’s accomplishments. “It’s an interesting dynamic to be the biggest competitors and best friends at the same time,” he said.

Dallas Seavey stated that his record breaking run required three elements: a phenomenal dog team, a very good trail and a nod to his father.

During the Iditarod, there was also an attack on two mushers on the trail near the checkpoint in Nulato.

Arnold Demoski is accused of intentionally driving a snowmobile into musher Aliy Zirkle’s team and then the team of four-time Iditarod champion Jeff King. One of King’s dogs was killed, and at least two other dogs were injured.

Zirkle finished third Tuesday morning, while King came in 10th place.

Demoski has stated that he was returning home from a night of drinking when he struck the teams. He was charged with assault, reckless endangerment and reckless driving. Demoski’s attorney, Bill Satterberg, declined comment to The Associated Press on Monday.