A handful of weeks ago Arctic Cat sent their dealers a document listing the estimated dry weights of their pre-production 2012 snowmobiles. Instead of shouting the numbers from the rooftops for all to hear as they should have done, they kept it quiet.
I think I know why.
It's been an interesting week of news involving snowmobiles.
Click to see a few links that will leave you laughing, sighing and scratching your head in wonder.
By day, Trevor Halvorson is an engineer at Arctic Cat who can build and tune just about anything. By afternoon, he's a special operative for this Website.
We captured this international-man-of-intrigue at the recent 2012 Snow Shoot in Jellystone, where his mission was to improve the scenery in the staging area.
Arctic Cat's 50th Anniversary Celebration is July 29-30, 2011.
It's gonna be huge!
While many details are still coming together, click the link to read a few of the things you need to know
In the hands of mountain man Kyle Tapio, the new 2012 M800 HCR has already scored its first race win.
Click to read the Team Arctic press release about his (and other Team Arctic victories) at the Pebble Creek RMSHA hillclimb.
The famed Kotzebue, Alaska, cross-country race is legendary for its high speeds. Here's 87 seconds of action that give us a slight inkling about the speeds and terrain, from the helmet cam perspective of Arctic Cat racer Thor Lie.
Brett Rasmussen rides, then talks about, the new 2012 Arctic Cat M. Pretty cool.
While the Team Arctic Racing program has a long history of excellence, its success during the past 20 years has been particularly impressive. One of the people we can credit for that success is Al Shimpa.
Click to read the interview with Al.
It was another top-notch season of ISOC snocross for the Christian Bros. Racing team.
Championships, special honors and podiums... they earned them all.
Click to read the press release.
A blown belt in the second of three World Championship finals relegated Tucker Hibbert to third place overall.
Click to read his press release about the weekend.
Hoping to race for Team Arctic next season?
Now's the time to fill out and submit your 2012 Race Application.
Click for more info.
Last weekend at the Hillclimb World Championships in Jackson Hole, Team Tapio raced a pre-production 2012 M800 HCR with a Boondocker Turbo in the Open Mod class.
Here's a sweet video about it.
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.
Now THIS is what a sweet snocross track tooks like. Check out this short video of Tucker Hibbert and Pieti Puhakka practing for today's FIM Snocross World Championship.
I see a RZR-beater, future Baja-winner and Glamis-hero, not to mention the fastest trip to the deer stand ever offered.
Arctic Cat sent a press release about the "Wildcat," the wicked-looking sport side-by-side they teased at their recent snowmobile dealer show.
Click to read the release.
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.
Metalflake... open-face helmets... Fresca pop...and great sled lyrics.
"We tip the glass to the Northern lass, for she won't let you kneel. She'd rather squeal, on a snowmobile."
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.