Jeff King scratches on Iditarod homestretch

Jeff King of Denali Park has scratched from the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. King scratched at 11:50 p.m. Monday night, according to the Iditarod Trail Committee. From Iditarod race chairman Mark Nordman: King indicated to Race Officials that the wind is severe in the area and he was having difficulty navigating the trail. He stayed with his team for approximately two and one half hours before asking a snowmachiner to help him by taking him to the Safety checkpoint to contact race officials. Jeff and others are moving the team to the Safety checkpoint for the night. Just hours earlier on Monday, King had appeared poised to win his fifth Iditarod championship, leading the race into White Mountain, an Iditarod checkpoint about 77 miles from the finish line on Front Street in Nome. Read much more here. Read more here: http://www.adn.com/2014/03/11/3368320/jeff-king-scratches-on-iditarod.html#emlnl=Breaking_News#storylink=cpy