With a lead of over one hour, Helmville musher John Barron and his dogs ran their way to the Race to the Sky finish line in Lincoln.

With a climb over Huckleberry Pass the remaining major hurdle, a winner is expected to arrive in Lincoln between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., according to race director Pam Beckstrom. That winner could likely be Barron, who has led at every checkpoint and won the 2004 edition of the sleddog race.

Barron left the race's final checkpoint at Seeley Lake at 11:10 a.m. today, maintaining a 80 minute lead over the next team. He and his team of 11 dogs faced 72 miles to the finish line arch at Hi-Country Beef Jerky in Lincoln.

There appears to be a tight race for second, with four mushers and their teams leaving within 15 minutes.

Warren Palfrey of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories; Jon Bunderson of Soda Springs, Idaho; Rick Larson of Sand Coulee; and Thom Thurston of Oak Creek, Colo., were closely bunched.

Palfrey and Larson each have 12 dogs. Bunderson and Thurston are down to 10 dogs.

The final musher on the course, Butch Austin of Fruita, Colo., and his team of nine dogs left Seeley Lake for the Owl Creek turnaround at 3:35 a.m.

All teams must finish by noon Thursday.