On the heals of introducing a slew of new Prowler, ATV and Wildcat models last fall, Arctic Cat recently unveiled the new 2016 Prowler HDX 700 XT EPS.

New plastic, more storage, reduced sound, improved ergo's...there's a lot of new stuff to like about this utility machine.

Yes it's a 2016 model and yes, it's available now at your local dealer.

Click for the details.

Last week Team Arctic's Midwest cross-country racers ended their 2015 USXC campaign in Warroad, Minn.

And what a season-ender it was!

Click to read the report.

What could POSSIBLY go wrong when a Russian attemps to bumper-drag from a snowmobile?

Nothing unusual about a runaway snowmobile careening down a Newfoundland highway for 12 kilometers. Note: The best part is listening to the audio of guys in the car.

If you're goint to steal a snowmobile, make sure you wear waterproof, breathable and taser-proof snowmobile gear.

Man steals cigarettes, snowmobile-mounted cops catch him. (I'm wondering how a smoker ran 6km through the snow?)

From the why-snowmobilers-are-the-greatest file: Kid's snowmobile is stolen, group replaces it with a new one. Awesome!

Thank you to all the snowmobile club members! Stories like this explain why you are the absolute backbone of the sport.

Where to see new 2016 model Arctic Cat snowmobiles?

Select models are probably already at your local Arctic Cat dealer. If they're not yet, they will be next week.

Plus there are a few key events where you can see most of the full model line.

Click for more info.

There's been a lot of tough talk HERE on my Facebook page, regarding a short video segment I posted about Zach Herfindahl being one of the fastest ditch racers in the world.

Here's a little edit that puts an exclamation point on my sentiment.

All shot last weekend in Warroad, Minn., where Zach won both Pro Stock and Pro Open classes en route to championship titles in both classes.

SWEET riding, Zach!

Team Arctic finished off the 2015 USXC cross-country season with 14 class wins, 39 podiums and 15 class championships.

And the hillclimb crew delivered a 5-win performance at White Pine.

Click to read the team press release.

With the news that Arctic Cat is going to TEAM clutches for most of its 2016 snowmobile model line comes the question: What is it about these clutches that are an improvement over the Cat drive and driven assemblies?

Shift over to the story and find out.

In the absence of the USXC I-500 this year due to snow, last weekend's two-day Seven Clans Casino/Thief River Falls 300 gave us the challenge and drama of long distance cross-country racing.

Click to see pix of the class winners, along with a short recap of the Pro Stock class storyline.

With the USXC and ISOC race seasons winding down, Team Arctic cross-country and snocross racer proved they still win more.

Click to press release from this past weekend's beating.

The new WR3 Easy Shift transmission that comes on select Bearcat and Pantera models will make a huge improvement in overall utility applications for owners who need it.

Shift into gear to read more.

Arctic Cat rider walks into a bar.

Bartender says, “You have a nice package.”

Cat rider blushes, then replies, “Thanks. It’s the El Tigre package.”

To help you make sense of all this talk of various 2016 Arctic Cat snowmobile packages, I’ve put together this handy reference guide.

Click for the whole package.

In a move that company officials describe as "An example of our strategy to grow through small, bolt-on acquisitions,” Arctic Cat has acquired Motorfist, makers (and sellers) of high performance technical riding gear.

Click for a fist-pump of information.

Arctic Cat was BUSY this past year!

For 2016 the company introduced new models; heavily revised its mountain sleds; switched to TEAM clutches on most of its models; added a new 4-stroke engine; offers new quick-adjust FOX shocks; and more.

Click to read the 12 things you need to know, with more in-depth stories to follow in the coming days.

I'm thankful for the hell-bent era of snowmobile speed records, when manufacturers went to great lengths to achieve top speed.

I'm thankful for the company marketing efforts that actually tried to tie machines like this to the actual consumer sleds.

I'm thankful we can all joke around about big Johnsons (and how they motivate some people to go bigger and faster).

And I'm thankful it's Friday, Feb. 27, 2015.

Wins at the MIRA Triple Crown of enduro as well as the Chicago ISOC snocross highlighted Team Arctic's performance last weekend.

Click for the official press release.

Team Arctic's Scott Kostman set an NSSR World Speed Record of 117.391 MPH in 1000 feet on his Arctic Cat XF 800 recently in Forest Lake, MN.

Congrats to Scott!

Next weekend marks the third and final round of the 2015 USXC-Briggs and Stratton Triple Crown series.

Held in conjunction with the USXC Thief River Falls 300 cross-country, the Briggs Triple Crown is aimed at youth who compete in XC with 120-class snowmobiles equipped with the Briggs 206 engine. Great racing and great prizes await the participating 206-class racers.

Click for more info.

I'm thankful that Mother Nature continues to dump snow on the unsuspecting citizens of New England and mid-Atlantic region.

I'm thankful for the 24-hp on tap for utility linemen tasked with restoring power in the wake of these storms.

I'm thankful that when the job is complete, we can swap the repair equipment for the wife and kids and really enjoy ourselves this weekend.

And I'm thankful it's Friday, Feb. 20, 2015.

If you're from the Midwest, then I don't need to remind you that this winter has been pretty dismal. By mid-February, my son Cal and I had ridden together exactly twice.

Sheesh! So much for our favorite pastime...

If winter wasn't going to find us this season, then we needed to find it. So Cal and I loaded up the trailer and headed for Minnesota's North Shore, where we found ample snow, amazing trails and two days of fun.

Click to read.

The Annual Snowmobile Hall of Fame/Ride With The Champs weekend took place recently in St. Germain, Wis., where racers, riders, collectors and inductees gathered to celebrate the sport of snowmobiling.

Click for a hall-of-fame-like story about the weekend.