Benja scratches in McGrath

Charley Benja, pictured here at the Willow restart, has scratched from Iditarod 44. (Photo by Ben Matheson/Alaska Public Media)Charley Bejna has scratched from the 2016 Iditarod. The veteran from Addison, IL pulled out of the race at 11:50 a.m. Thursday at the McGrath checkpoint.
According to a press release from the Iditarod Trail Committee, Bejna made the decision to scratch due to concern for his race team.
He had 11 dogs in his team when he left the race. Benja is the fifth musher to scratch