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HomeFeaturesEnd of the Year Randomness

End of the Year Randomness

It’s almost the end of 2011, and I have some random photos that I’d like to share. (There’s even a very brief quiz at the end.)

 

Eric Rouland from Arctic Cat, testing...

The first is this wicked photo of Eric Rouland taken last June in Cooke City, Montana, when the temp was a balmy 70 degrees and he was testing pre-production 2012 Arctic Cats. Eric is a service technician in the Arctic Cat Call Center. Cool!

 

Arctic Cat Christmas

This guy made a stop at our house this year, but I’m not sure if he was riding the ol’ Pantera or something with wheels.

 

Engine decal from the Joey Hallstrom Collection

Engine decal from the Joey Hallstrom Collection

Engine decal from the Joey Hallstrom Collection

Engine decal from the Joey Hallstrom Collection

THE BIG NEWS about Arctic Cat buying back the shares from Suzuki got me thinking about possible new engine options for Arctic Cat. Lots of love for the Hirths, JLOs and Kohlers amongst the vintage crowd…

 

Arctic Cat display at the Mpls. airport

Speaking of vintage, imagine it’s 1974 and you’re strolling through the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport, and you happen upon this Arctic Cat display. Look at the, uh, barrier. Simpler times.

 

Boss Cat II in Michigan

Another interesting image of the Boss Cat II, this one sent in by Greg Bondy (thanks Greg!). It was taken by his dad, Jim, at Grand Blanc Lawn & Garden in Grand Blanc, Michigan, an Arctic Cat dealer at the time. Greg didn’t know why the Boss Cat was there, loaded on an open trailer and being towed by this beaut, so perhaps someone here does?

 

1973 Arctic Cat ad for a snowmobile dash

As long as I’m stuck in the early 1970s… I recently came across an Arctic Cat ad I’d never seen before. It’s for a…(drumroll please)… dash. As in instrumentation. For the 1973 Panther and Cheetah. Man, the marketing department had money to burn back then.

 

Team Arctic helmets for Bob Elsner and Jim Dimmerman

“Hey Jim, don’t you think you’re getting kinda, uh, close?”

“Sorry Bob, but I was just sniffing to see if you had some good ol’ Black Magic.”

 

Haydays strangeness

Can somebody give me a good explanation of what’s happening here with Kirk Hibbert (left, in case you didn’t know)? Seriously, a GOOD explanation.

 

I won't cut fresh flowers for you...

And the big trivia question for the day: Tell me who this is (easy), the year (not too tough), where it was taken (more challenging) and why he’s so happy despite his broken rear idler?

Some sort of prize will be awarded to the winner.

 

Team Arctic Cat's Jesse Strege goosing it in 1995

BONUS PHOTO of Jesse above, goosing it bigtime, at the same race. It’s a dead give-away!

That’s it for now, thanks for reading.

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18 COMMENTS

  1. Ok then… Jesse Strege, 1994 Duluth, I believe he took a first in one class that year so I’m guessing this may why he’s smiling

  2. Boss cat II In Grand Blanc: The year was 1977 and we were involved in a snowmobile show at the Dort Mall in Flint MI. The owner (Bill Peltier) of Grand Blanc Lawn & Garden drove to Thief River Falls in his new Eldorado and picked up the Boss Cat II to display at the show. Grand Blanc Lawn & Garden was an Arctic Cat Dealer during the 1970’s….

  3. Alright, then it’s Jesse Strege, 1995 Grand 500, Day 3, He was one of six drivers to finish the day under 1:14:00 on Mille Lacs Lake…. Final answer.. : ) On a side note. My good friend Derek Palma raced in the 95 Grand 500. After a rough first day and a busted oil reservoir to show for it, he finished the race running premix…. I think he finished 82nd. His pit crew worked they’re arses off that week…. LOL!

  4. Jim Bondy: thanks for sharing the photo, and the info.

    As for the last quiz question, no correct answer yet. So I’ll give a hint. It was an ISOC race, at the end of the 1995 season.

  5. Exactly, Tom. I picked a week when she was away from work (and thus the help of her co-workers).

    I just posted another photo of Jesse from the same race.

  6. Congrats Tim! You are the first official AI trivia winner of the year. (You probably raced yourself that day, I’m guessing?) Click the “Contact Us” link at the bottom of the page and email me you address so I can send a gift pack that will blow your mind.

    A little more background on the Jesse question: It was the final ISOC cross-country race of the 1995 season, in Garrison, Minn. Strege got the holeshot for the 15-lap final, with Kirk Hibbert, Brad Pake, Jeremy Fyle and Aaron Scheele breathing down his neck. Prone to blazing speed but ill-timed crashes, Jesse had everyone waiting with baited breath to see how long he would hold the lead. When his rear idler blew on the third lap, the drama intensified. Few people expected Jesse or his ZR to last.

    But he did in wonderful David-vs.-Goliath fashion.

    The top-10 for the day:

    1. Jesse Strege (Cat)
    2. Brad Pake (Cat)
    3. Jeremy Fyle (Cat)
    4. Aaron Scheele (Cat)
    5. Loren Wolff (Pol)
    6. Kirk Hibbert (Cat)
    7. Lee Falck (Pol)
    8. Lynn Kadlec (Pol)
    9. Greg Rugland (Cat)
    10. Dan Skallet (Cat)

    It was an awesome end to a great season.

  7. John, thanks for putting that pic of Jim’s Caddy in there,, it’s not out of the ordinary to receive a call or two at work from them each season asking about parts availability for karts,,,,
    Back in 1977 I wasn’t aware they were a Cat dealer, so this kinda’ knocks my socks off, Lol

  8. That first picture of Eric Rouland is slightly doctored. You may ask how I know this, I took the picture. He did not get that much height, everything else in the description is correct

    Thanks, Great 2 weeks testing

  9. Trail sticker, most likely. It was always interesting to meet or follow Jesse and Pat Mach on Trial 1 in Kittson Co.. Lots of grass in the trees in corners!LOL

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