Here’s the photo from inside of Team Arctic racer Aaron Scheele’s shop, taken around Hay Days time. The 1978 and ’79 El Tigres in here are highly-modified customs owned by Scheele, Jim Dimmerman and Eric Bergstrom.
I see this photo, and I immediately think of the classic Arctic Cat Flying Tigers advertisement from the 1978 season (below). Sorry they’re a little bit fuzzy.
I remember opening Snow Goer magazine and seeing this two-page spread ad, and being forever captivated.
The juxtposition between the folksy images/copy on the left page and the powerful jump shot on the right struck an awesome balance. It drew me in and left me imagining more. Great ads are magical, and this one was black magical.
Below are each frame sequence, so you can read each.
They should make some new ads like this.
I like how both their helmets are “Skimed”
Had a 1980 Tiger 5 (mine) & a 1979 Tiger 6 (my brothers)…loved those sleds & miss them a lot.
^ Awesome.
What engine is in the 1st sled as looks like a tripple?
Dimmerman is a 900 man.
Hats off to these guys… I had a chance to ride with both Aaron, Dimmerman, and Bergstrom at the HOF ride of 2011; the 900 Jag ran perfect. The smell, when it passed my 340 at warp speed was signature! I have to be honest… besides the sled the fact that Scheele does not wear a “Gold Bib” that day speaks volumes. Class act, the entire group.
Cat ads. are classic and that is a perfect example of one!
(i have an 80 and 81 6000’s) sometimes i think i might sell them one day,
but then after seeing ads. like that it just makes me want to keep them
even more!
thanks John!
Ryan: Your story about Scheele not wearing a gold bib reminds me of SHOF in 2010 (the year that Dimmerman was inducted).
The autograph session is going on, with nearly all the dignitaries seated in the designated area and signing stuff. But not Scheele, who is just hanging around like everyone else.
I asked him why he wasn’t doing autographs, and he kind of shrugged and quietly said that nobody asked him to. LOL. I think that Loren wasn’t aware that Scheele was actually there, which is why there was no request.
Here is a guy who (I think) should be inducted into the SHOF because of his utter dominance in Ice Lemans from about 1992 – 97, yet is so completely humble that he won’t even mention to SHOF staff that he’s in attendance at the event.
John… I agree with you. I also think that Pat Mach and Morgan should be in there- but thats another story.
My main point is… I am amazed at how humble Scheele is (Dimmerman as well) given his accomplishments. I think that the 28 racing team, as a group, falls into that same category.
Ryan, agreed on all the above.
Had a 79 5000 and a 80 6000 both awsome sleds for the day,and boy were they fast!
There’s a terrific amount of knlegwdoe in this article!