Thanks to the slednecks over at SledRacer.com, my eyes were opened to this concept "sit in" oval race sled conceived and built by oval guru John Hooper.

I can't help but think of Gilles Villeneueve, Alouette, Manta, Ski-Doo twin-trackers and other interesting sleds that have have carved a unique niche (while slicing away the very elements that we think of as "normal").

The future of oval racing...or just the latest in a long line of sideshows?

Click to read more.

There are 14 more North American locations to see, touch, lift, scratch, sniff, dream and otherwise get intimate with the new 2012 Arctic Cat line.

Click for the remaining dates/locations.

One of the guys responsible for helping shape and create the new line of 2012 Arctic Cat snowmobiles, Jack Nelson earns his keep as a Styling Engineer in the Arctic Cat Plastics Group. It's the kind of job he's performed at Arctic Cat since 1975, and he's damn good at it.

Smilin' Jack was kind enough to answer some questions about role within the company. Click to read them.

Last weekend, my brother-in-law and I hauled a load of lumber to the family cabin on North Fowl Lake. A border lake of Minnesota and Ontario, Fowl is part of a chain of lakes that serves as the basis of a REALLY cool ride, skirting the BWCA Wilderness and through some very wild country.

Done with our chores, we embarked on a fine March ride that totalled 160 miles, two lake trout, one dead deer, one dead moose and myriad memories.

Click to read about it.

By winning both ISOC Pro high-point championship titles this past weekend at the season finale in Lake Geneva, Wis., Tucker Hibbert fulfilled one of his main goals for the season.

Then, while sitting in the airport waiting for his flight to Norway (for the FIM Snocross World Championships) he fulfilled his other goal of being interviewed by me for ArcticInsider.com.

Click to read it.

The dates have been set: Arctic Cat's 50th Anniversary Celebration will take place July 29-31, 2011, in Thief River Falls, Minn.

Welcome to the March, 2011 version of Random Photos.

Click to see what I scrounged up for your viewing pleasure (and my own laughter).

My son Calvin raced a snowmobile for the first time this past weekend, at the USCC cross-country race in Warroad, Minn.

During a winter in which we've had some amazing snowmobile experiences, this was MAJOR highlight.

Here's what we learned.

There's so much more to explain about the 2012 model year Arctic Cat sleds, here's a brief overview of just some of it.

Lots more in-depth stuff coming over the next weeks.

Click to see it.

Click to see the U.S. and Canadian MSRP of the 2012 Arctic Cat snowmobiles.

After witnessing the evolution of the “F4” during the past three years, then recently spending the better part of three days riding pre-production versions of the 2012 Arctic Cat snowmobiles, here are 10 observations I’d like to share.

Click to read.

Sorry I haven't posted anything for a few days. It's because I've been riding these sleds (and will continue to do so for another day).

Schaawing!

I'm confident Arctic Cat riders are going to be pleased.

Want to see, touch, smell, sit on and feel the new 2012 Arctic Cat sleds yourself, rather than having to wait for smuggled images posted on this (and other) forums?

Click on the ad link on this page for the Sneak Peek shows.

But take note! There will be no Arctic Cat sleds at the first show in Colebrook, NH.

I know three brave souls who will compete in the upcoming Cain's Quest adventure race in Labrador and Newfoundland, beginning March 12.

Paul Dick, Rex Hibbert and Rob Hallstrom.

Click to see some inside-the-shop pix of their sleds.

Arctic Cat gives us yet another tidbit about their 2012 Model line: An 1100 Turbo in the new chassis.

The vented center portion of the hood is clearly different than the pix that people have been posting in the forum, which suggests...multiple engines. Plus, as the spy photos indicated, the sled appears in both long and standard track configurations.

Click HERE to see Carl's latest video.

I recently spent a day at the Fox Shox Midwest Service Center in Brainerd, Minn., getting an EVOL Uprgade for my F8's Float shocks, and checking out exactly what goes on there.

Click to check it out.

This is a screen-capture from the newest Arctic Cat teaser video for their 2012 snowmobile line.

I see a one-piece spindle w/ball joints, and wide spacing between the A-arms, just like on the Sno Pro 500/600. But definitely a more sculpted spindle.

I couldn't see the dingle-arm but I think I see the turbo encabulator.

Yes, weather is local. And painful winter thaws can be followed by monstrous blizzards.

Click HERE for more detailed snow pack info from NOHRSC.

Arctic Cat released THIS "teaser" video about their 2012 model line.

(You gotta click on the link because it's not hosted on YouTube).

And is it just me, or are they taking a pot-shot at this site and the people who have captured some pix?

It's that time of the month. I've got a mess of random pix that I think are interesting, many of which have a certain "dated" quality to them.

Click to see them.