Turbocharged Dreams: How Iowa State’s Clean Snowmobile Team and Arctic Cat Are Rewriting the Rules of Performance

What if the future of snowmobiling wasn’t bigger engines, but smarter ones? As the industry grapples with rising costs, tightening emissions regulations, and an increasing demand for lightweight performance, a group of students at Iowa State University turned to a brand that knows a thing or two about innovation: Arctic Cat.

Choosing the Arctic Cat Blast 4000 as their platform is a nod to Arctic Cat’s legacy of building lightweight, high-performance sleds that hit harder than their displacement suggests. With a responsive chassis and proven 400cc two-stroke engine, the Blast provided the perfect foundation for their boldest project yet: a turbocharged, single-cylinder sled designed to prove that small displacement doesn’t mean small power

The 2025 SAE Clean Snowmobile Challenge took place from February 27 to March 2, 2025, at the World Championship Derby Complex in Eagle River, Wisconsin. This annual engineering design competition challenges university teams to modify existing snowmobiles to improve emissions, noise reduction, and overall performance. Led by Project Director Dylan Yegge and Technical Director Zach Lewis, the team brought together specialists like Collin Sevigny, who tackled the wiring and tuning of the turbo system, Chase Goodwin, who locked in clutch mods, and Oskar White, who made sure everything was built to perfection.

The Iowa State entry into the Clean Snowmobile Challenge proves that big performance gains don’t have to come from bigger engines, they can come from smart engineering. The adage “there’s no replacement for displacement” is certainly outdated as ISU set forth to prove. By successfully turbocharging a single-cylinder two-stroke, the Iowa State team is paving the way for lighter, more efficient, and more powerful snowmobiles in the future.

Innovation: Turbocharging a Single-Cylinder Two-Stroke

Innovation starts by asking “What if?” and the Iowa State team asked a big one: What if we slapped a turbo on a single-cylinder two-stroke and made it scream? The idea wasn’t just about raw power (though, let’s be honest, that’s a huge perk). It was about proving that smaller, more efficient engines could still pack a serious punch with the right engineering. “The team wanted more power to compete with larger snowmobiles” said Dylan, and the community agreed. The team had to get creative, choosing a Garrett GT2560R turbo, designing a custom intake with a plunger system to maintain throttle response, and figuring out how to keep the whole system from overheating or turning into an expensive metal paperweight.

So what did they see for performance gains, exactly? Zach said, “With the state of our tune, when we arrived at comp, we assumed the sled made 80-85 horsepower at 5 pounds of boost and Arctic Cat let us know that the motor can handle 8 pounds of boost. Talking to Ibexx, we concluded that with final tuning and running 8 pounds of boost there is no reason the Blast couldn’t be sitting around 100 to 110 horsepower.” A 30% power gain, better throttle response, and a sled that punches way above its weight class. In short, they took the Arctic Cat Blast 4000 from “beginner-friendly” to “hold on tight” and it’s a BLAST to ride.

You can’t just throw a turbo on a sled and call it a day. The team took Arctic Cat’s stock setup and refined it even further, upgrading to a TEAM primary clutch and a BOSS Big Fin secondary for enhanced performance and responsiveness. The goal? Better engagement, smoother power delivery, and no wasted ponies. “With these new upgrades, the team aimed to increase the engagement RPM and account for any additional horsepower added by the turbocharger. Testing was performed at Goodwin Performance, where the team noticed an increased engagement RPM, from 3100 RPM to 4000 RPM” says Chase.

But with great power comes great heat, so they also wired in a separate oil system to keep the turbo happy and added a rear-mounted radiator because the struggle was real with lack of snow this year. To top it off, they reworked the electrical system, relocating the battery and fine-tuning the ECU with a 3-bar pressure sensor to keep everything running smoothly. In other words, they didn’t just make it faster, they made sure it could handle the boost without self-destructing.

Community Engagement and Industry Collaboration

Snowmobiling is more than just a sport, it’s a community. The Iowa State team knew that if they wanted to make a real impact, they had to tap into the minds of the people who live and breathe these sleds. By posting in groups like Arctic Cat Trail Riders and SLEDDERZ, they sparked discussions, gained valuable feedback, and even landed new sponsors. Enter companies like Ibexx and Goodwin Performance, who not only helped with parts but also provided expert knowledge on turbo tuning. When asked about these partnerships, Zach said, “All of our partners helped us out tremendously and me and the whole team are so grateful to have had wonderful support. Goodwin Performance allowed us to work in their shop on multiple occasions and I mean Alex Klassen from Ibexx stayed up with us from 5pm to 6am the next day helping us tune the sled. We are blessed to have partners who truly care about our team and our goals.” Longtime supporters like Arctic Cat continued backing the team, proving that even as the industry evolves, grassroots innovation still has a place at the table.

The Future of Turbocharged Two-Strokes in the Industry

What if the industry took a page from Iowa State’s playbook? Lightweight sleds with factory turbocharging could redefine performance without the weight penalty of four-strokes. The team’s work could also lay the foundation for emissions improvements. Future iterations might include a catalytic converter to reduce unburned hydrocarbons while adding even more efficiency. As manufacturers look for ways to balance power, weight, and environmental responsibility, this project might just be the nudge they need to rethink how small-displacement engines can punch above their weight. Could we see factory turbocharged 400cc sleds soon? If the snowmobile world is paying attention, we just might.

Significance of the Project in Today’s Snowmobile Industry

Iowa State’s work on turbocharging a single-cylinder two-stroke snowmobile is a major step forward in performance tuning and emissions optimization. By successfully implementing a turbocharger on a lightweight single-cylinder platform, the team is proving that significant power gains can be achieved while maintaining efficiency and reliability. “The team and I truly believe that this could be a game changer for the snowmobile community. Adding a turbo to a two-stroke is not a new occurrence. However, a single cylinder two stroke and a small motor like the Blast has not yet been done” said Zach.

This innovation could influence future production models, offering a way for manufacturers to extract more power from smaller displacement engines without increasing weight. Zach pointed out that, “The end horsepower numbers put the sled right in the middle of the 600cc class and is still lighter.”  

Additionally, their efforts in community engagement and real-world testing showcase a student-led initiative that aligns with industry trends towards cleaner, high-performance snowmobiles. With commercial snowmobile prices rising, performance-enhancing modifications like the team’s turbo system could provide cost-effective solutions for riders looking for more power without upgrading to larger, more expensive models.

The Iowa State team set out to prove that innovation isn’t just for the big manufacturers, it’s for anyone willing to ask the big questions. ISU has shown that serious power can come in small packages. Beyond the tech, their work has sparked conversations in the industry, built stronger community connections, and redefined what’s possible for lightweight snowmobiles. With rising costs and shifting emissions standards, the future of snowmobiling will belong to those who dare to innovate. And if this project is any indication, that future is looking fast, efficient, and more thrilling than ever.

About the Author

I’m Alicia (Martin) Pichner, a lifelong snowmobile enthusiast and writer with a passion for all things power and performance. Growing up around sleds, I developed a deep appreciation carving through the backcountry, racing snocross, hillclimbs, and cross country.  I worked as an Engineer for Arctic Cat and to this day, I still bleed green! Writing this article was a blast (pun intended) because it’s not just about a turbocharged sled; it’s about the drive, ingenuity, and passion that fuel projects like this, especially when they’re built on an Arctic Cat.