ProgressOhio

Adventures guide Doug Wurzelbacher stores the hook used to anchor the dog sled.
Photo by Mark S. Bacon, special to the Chronicle

It would appear so . . . I mean it is a "small town" with small town values.

Is Doug Wurzelbacher related to Joe Wurzelbacher AKA "Plumber Joe"?

According to the census, there are less than 175 Wurzelbachers in the country, and one of them lived in... WASILLA, ALASKA!  and was involved in competitive snow racing. 

Klondike 300 Final standings and finish times:

1) Mitch Seavey, Sterling, 2:33 p.m. Monday; 2) Tyrell Seavey, Sterling, 5:35 p.m. Monday; 3) Peter Bartlett, Wasilla, 6:37 p.m. Monday; 4) Ellen Halverson, Wasilla, 11:21 p.m. Monday; 5) Chad Nordlum, Anchorage, 11:42 p.m.; 6) Wayne Curtis, Wasilla, 12:21 a.m. Tuesday; 7) Douglas Wurzelbacher, Wasilla, 4:12 a.m. Tuesday; 8) William Borden, Kennesaw, Ga., 5:05 p.m. Tuesday; 9) Perry Solomonson, Plain, Wash., 5:15 p.m. Tuesday; 10) Judy Merritt, Moose Pass, 5:33 p.m. Tuesday.

[Source] "Alaska Sports Digest", Anchorage Daily News (Alaska) January 23, 2002

and what was Todd Palin doing around that time?

Todd Palin and Dusty VanMeter won the 2002 Tesoro Iron Dog Classic snowmachine race Saturday, edging Marc McKenna and Eric Quam by about a minute and a half.

Palin, of Wasilla, and VanMeter, of Kasilof, drove Arctic Cat snowmobiles in the Pro and Master's Class and crossed the finish line at Pike's Landing on the Chena River west of Fairbanks at 10:52 a.m.

... The top 10 finishers split a purse of $100,000.

... The race is the longest snowmobile race in the world, covering 1,971 miles. It started Feb. 17 at Wasilla.

[Source] Palin, VanMeter win Iron Dog Classic", The Associated Press State & Local Wire, February 23, 2002

There were only about 5,500 people living in Wasilla at the time and Palin had already been mayor for 6 years