The important things that are recorded at each checkpoint are the mushers time between checkpoints and the number of dogs they have. Checkpoint volunteers get this information and pass it on to the ham radio operators. The ham radio operators then send this information to the Iditarod headquarters.
At the headquarters in Nome they have a map on the wall with the trail and checkpoints. For each musher there is a pin and they move the pin on the map as the musher moves along the trail. There is also a computer printout that has the time lapsed and the number of dogs for each musher. You can get your own printout if you want.
In the 1980's some Nome High School students made a computer program that could take the race information and send it to Anchorage. Their teacher was Tom Jarvis. This information is used by the newspapers, TV stations and radio stations. This information is for people to look up to see who is in first place or to keep track of their favorite musher.