From Sweden to Haydays

Beginning today, three passionate snowmobilers from Sweden will experience a whirlwind adventure in Minnesota in order to race an Arctic Cat Sno Pro 600 this coming weekend at the Haydays Grass Drags in North Branch, Minn.

Click to read their short story, in their own words.

1 Millionth Arctic Cat Snowmobile

On Thurs., Aug. 26 in Thief River Falls, the 1 Millionth Arctic Cat snowmobile rolled off the assembly line since Arctco returned to business in 1983.

It was a great reason to celebrate.

Why the Smoke During Start-Up?

Q: When I fire up my 2010 F8 in the morning, it seems VERY rich and smokes heavily. It never fouls a plug. And once it is warmed up and "cleaned out,” it runs fine.

What’s up… is this is the way it’s supposed to be?

A: Click to read

Engine Speculation: What Does "Some" Mean?

Chris Twomey: We will transition fully away from Suzuki in the 2014 model year and we will make some of our own engines in St. Cloud in that year.”

Stock Analyst: There will be other engines outsourced elsewhere?

Chris Twomey: (There) could be, yes.

More New 2011 Prowler & ATVs

Arctic Cat just released a new batch of 2011 Prowlers and ATVs.

Here's the skinny.

RZ... ZRX...Sno Pro... What New Model Name?

How does "ZRX" sound as a new snowmobile model name?

Q&A with Team Arctic's Dan Ebert

Team Arctic's Dan Ebert had a stunning debut as a Pro racer last season, taking a handful of podium positions in ISOC snocross and his first  “career cornerstone”: a win at the coveted USCC I-500 cross-country.

I talked with the 22-year old from Lake Shore, Minnesota, about it. Click to read the interview.

Why Tracks Failed During the I-500

At the 2010 USCC I-500, a handful of top Team Arctic racers were “taken out” of the race due to track failure.

I talked with Rod Foss, Arctic Cat engineer who oversees track development, to learn what happened to these tracks.

Click to read about it.

Jeff Tweet's Custom ZR450 ATV

Jeff Tweet built one of the coolest custom ATVs I've seen, utilizing a ZR 900 engine that he cut in half to create a 90-hp EFI single.

Click to check it out.

Q&A with Brian Dick, Team Arctic Racer and Arctic Cat Engineer

During the 2009-10 USCC cross-country racing season, Team Arctic’s Brian Dick joined the elite ranks of legendary Arctic Cat racers to score multiple class wins and the overall high-point Championship title in a single season of competition.

We talked with Brian about his race season and his job at Arctic Cat. Click to read about it.

Arctic Cat Summertime Warp

I wonder what's going on at Arctic Cat this summer?

Updates on Arctic Cat Snowmobile Engine Production

After several conversation with people from Arctic Cat during the past couple days, more information has come to light about the company's the shift to build its own engines.

Click to read.

Goodbye Suzuki: Arctic Cat to Produce its Snowmobile Engines

Are you sitting down?

Arctic Cat today announced that it has entered into an agreement to transition its snowmobile engine manufacturing from Suzuki Motor Corporation.

Arctic Cat will begin manufacturing some of its own snowmobile engines in St. Cloud, Minn., after the 2014 model year.

Click to read the release.

Classic Arctic Cat Styling DNA

I recently came across this photo that I shot at Waconia Vintage Hullabaloo in 2006. It strikes me now like it did then...how two Arctic Cats, separated by nearly 30 years, can look so similar.

And so good.

ArcticInsiders Visit BRP in Wausau

I drove through Wausau, Wis., yesterday. It was a beautiful summer afternoon.

And it reminded me of the time I passed through last winter...

Ode to Rocky "Rox" Cutsforth (R.I.P.)

The news is as shocking to write now as it was when I first heard about it: On Thursday, May 20, 2010, Rocky Cutsforth (42) of Cohasset, Minn., died from injuries sustained in an ATV accident near Nemo, South Dakota.

Fathers, Sons and Kitty Cats

I've been doing research for a project I'm working on, during which I came across this advertisement for a 1973 Arctic Cat Kitty Cat ad. And I can't stop thinking about it.

Click to see it larger.

Bring 'em Back: Drawings of Snowmobiles

Now that everything old is new again, I'd like to see a return to cool drawings like this one of a Z racer (piloted by Charlie Loften, I believe).

2011 Arctic Cat ATV & Prowler Intro

 Arctic Cat just released their first wave of 2011 Prowlers and ATVs. The big news here is the expansion of Electronic Power Steering (EPS), and a more work-oriented HDX Prowler with a bench seat and a flat-bed-capable rear box.

Click to read what's new on these models.

658 Miles in a Day (7,250 Miles in 10 Weeks)

Ross Spoonland of Pine River, North Dakota, purchased a 2010 Arctic Cat Z1 Turbo EXT in late November. His first ride on it was during the last week of December. His last ride... the first week of March 2010.

In-between, Ross notched 7,250 miles, including one 658-mile day on Feb 26 (read THIS STORY about it from the Grand Forks Herald).

Logging more miles in 10 weeks than many "hardcore" riders log in 5 years is pretty impressive, so I asked him a few questions.

Click to read his answers.