FLASHBACK FRIDAY – THE OTHER TIME A BIG BORE CAT STOLE THE SHOW AT HAY DAYS

arcticinsider

3 months ago

In the fall of 1993, Arctic Cat was on a roll and ready for more. One year prior, the ZR440 was launched to huge crowds and subsequently proved it’s potency a few months later in Duluth, Minnesota. What we didn’t know at the time was the ZR platform would only get better. The gauntlet had been thrown and the ZR was ready to embark on a take no prisoners run. That run would start in September of 1993, where much like Arctic Cat stole the show with the unveiling of the big-bore 858 last year, another big bore was released that same September weekend in the shape over 30 years ago. Along with the help of the sly grin and perfectly quaffed hair of Cat racer (and now member of the Snowmobile Hall of Fame) Brian Sturgeon, here’s a look back at the public debut of Freddie Krueger – the original ZR 700.

The corporate booth looked a whole lot different in 1993, but the excitement was palatable.

Evidence of Arctic Cat’s racing success the previous winter could be found elsewhere on the Hay Days grounds such as Aaron Scheele’s MRP buggy.

With the unveiling growing near, Cat fanned the flames with aerial signage.

While some marvel at the size of the crowd a few year’s back when Arctic Cat revealed the Catalyst for the very first time, Arctic Cat has a long and storied reputation of attracting big crowds for new model launches.

With members of Team Arctic and engineering standing behind the sled, the ZR 700 was revealed for the very first time to thousands of onlookers. Way before cell phones, note the 110 camera in the hands of one interested Cat customer.

While Cat was making waves with a new big bore, Jim Dimmerman was blasting dirt aboard his Thundercat.

Is there any fan more interested in a new model quite like a snowmobiler?

I just love to look back at these photos and through the crowd to see the faces, reactions, and in this case, some pretty stellar looking hair.

There’s a lot of faces in these photos…were any of you there? Or better yet, spot yourself in a photo? What was your fondest Cat reveal over the years? Seeing the excitement in the faces of the riders and fans in these photos has me absolutely jacked for the winter season.