Lake Geneva 2013: Five Wins and the Pro Open Championship for Team Arctic

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, so much for “Terrain Domination”, Lol.

Other than Tucker Arctic Cat basically does not have a presence on the track. The other pro drivers are awful. Like Ellis and Piche, and the Christian Brothers racers are a non factor. Also there were only 2 Cat’s in the Pro Lite final and they both finished outside the top ten. And let’s face it the success of Tucker has nothing to do with the sled he rides. It was another bad season for Arctic Cat.

Congrats to team green. I wasn’t so sure of the direction of snocross after last year, but I’m again sold. Beating the red and yellow sleds for the points championship made for a very successful season, though it would be nice for more AC drivers to bump into the top 3 or 5.

Another season in the books and another championship for Tucker!!!! Congrats to everyone on the Monster Energy team!!!! Good to see Tucker back on top!!!!! Bob , how can u say it was another bad season for cat? Have you looked at the cross country results? That’s terrain domination!!!!! I understand were u are coming from with that comment but Tuckers on a CAT and that is that!!!!!!!

Thanks Scott.

That was my whole point (Cross Country success),, Tucker just added the cherry on top.

Your opinion maybe valid, Mr Larsen, on certain comments but Tucker on any other sled is way off kilter.
Tucker’s success goes back to his crew, sponsors and his father –all being the best in the business and die hard AC people.

Many racers have jumped ship with different race teams and brands with not much, if any, improvement or success.
Others have done quite well.

If one would ask Robbie Malinoski what would be the highlight in his snocross racing career, he would say, when racing for Arctic Cat and I won both Pro Stock / Pro Open championship !

My opinion –All racers need to feel good about who they are racing for and their equipment —the rest is talent and hard work.

Win or lose –us Arctic Cat people are still a unique family!

Racekid
I agree that a racer needs to feel comfortable on the sled and with the crew in order to do well. But Tucker is would still be as dominant if he was on another brand.(except for maybe Yamaha) But I don’t think you should talk for Robbie Malinoski, he did win a national on a bad Yamaha four stroke which was a pretty big accomplishment. Also Blair Morgan had some pretty good success on ski-doo. And this season alone Justin Broberg switched teams and brands and did basically what he did the previous year on a skidoo, and he started of racing a ski-doo. So my point is Tucker is the best on anything and Cat needs to find other podium contenders in snocross. Maybe Dan Ebert and the brain trust that is Arctic Cat snocross racing is happy with just making finals but it’s tough to be a fan when the only Cat sled up front is painted black.

Correction… Justin Broberg started off racing Arctic Cats and then switched to ski-doo and is now on Polaris

First of all, congrats to Tucker! It’s a joy to watch him race, it’s a joy to watch him dominate as often as he does, and it’s a joy that he’s such a good guy off the track as well.

Side Story: I attended Canterbury this year, and not only did he dominate the competition, but then he stayed after to sign autographs and take pictures with fans until each and every person had been met. He was the only racer, Pro class or otherwise, to do that. Awesome.

Second, I believe most of you are forgetting about Cody Thomsen in this discussion. He was off to a nice start until he broke his wrist and his season ended early. He’s good, and he races out of the factory trailer with people like the Eberts working on his machines… so I’d expect that we’ll be seeing him on plenty of podiums in the future.

Third, I’m normally not this frontal, but if watching Tucker destroy the competition on his Arctic Cats makes it difficult for you to be a fan of Team Arctic, then maybe it’s time for a new hobby. History is being made in front of our eyes, and I’m going to enjoy it while it lasts.

So, now that the season is over and the snow is still on the trails, I wonder if Tucker will spend some time in the ditches?
I often wondered if my hobby was my job, would it still be a hobby?

Good question there GregW.

I took my job of years past and still enjoy it as a hobby, so I’ll say yes. (For me at least).

If you go back and look at the arctic insider interview with Blair Morgan. He bluntly states riding for arctic cat was better than skidoo. He said its a family with cat and more of a corporation with skidoo.

Alex,
He does not bluntly say that Arctic Cat was better than ski-doo. He says that he was at Cat when they were the best and then when he switched in 2002 he feels ski-doo was the best. He says that he liked racing for both companies.

But the fact remains that with out Tucker Arctic Cat would barely have a presence on the track. Obviously Tucker is a huge presence but I feel Tucker is more about Tucker. But that’s just how racing is now. It is about the driver personality’s and not the sled brand. Look at Levi Lavallee. He has fans because of his showmanship, not his sled brand.

Snocross is like motocross, or nascar in that you root for the driver and not the brand. And besides Tucker your left to guy’s on Arctic Cat’s that don’t have a real chance of winning and our not enjoyable to watch take those 9th and 10th place finishes. They had Kyle Palin who sowed real speed this year and ran up front but they didn’t want to keep him after last year and he is on a Polaris. Maybe funds are not there for Cat but either way they have not done much to help people root for them in snocross racing.

Just a distant observation here, but it sounds like someone’s hemmoroids were stepped on and rubbed into the ground.
Tucker is a class act, he has been since day one.

Really bad slogan for Poo to use this season IMHO.

A big congratulations to Tucker, Kirk and their team. You guys were great to watch at all the races and you represented Arctic Cat in a first class way. You were open to the fans and really catered to the families. The way you treated all the kids will certainly give them great memories and they will want to ride the Cat. I remember the big sno pro races in Alexandria when I was young and followed Team Arctic no matter if they won or lost. They were always a class act as well. Your videos were also great to watch.
Also congratulations to Christian Brothers for their great showing at all the races and for their care for the little kids by giving away those snowmobiles at the races. They also did an excellent job at the Xcountry races and it was great to see them and the two semi’s at Park Rapids. No one else could top the looks of those big semi rigs proudly advertising Arctic Cat. Even those who ride other brands were impressed. Their crew was also very friendly.
All this makes me proud to be a Cat rider.

Tucker is for Tucker???????? How can u even say this!? He is the most professional person I have ever seen and a great role model for younger people!!! Hard work and a desire to be the best is what Tucker shows every time he hits the track!!!! Is this not a Arctic Cat backing site? If you dont like it,don’t post a comment please!!!! Let’s just all be happy for Tucker and his championship!!!!!!

Tucker is for Tucker???????? How can u even say this!? He is the most professional person I have ever seen and a great role model for younger people!!! Hard work and a desire to be the best is what Tucker shows every time he hits the track!!!! Is this not a Arctic Cat backing site? If you dont like it,don’t post a comment please!!!! Let’s just all be happy for Tucker and his championship!!!!!!

A big X2 to your doubles there Scott!!

The BEST Cat site indeed. No mighty dollar revenue pitch thrown here.

Glad to see the #68 Arctic Cat back on top agian! The T-TRAIN is a better rider then anyone out there right now PERIOD!! His team is a major part of his success no doubt. But either him or Blair could have rode for any brand and be successful IMO. I am very glad that he is loyal to Cat, I am sure the other brands would pay him what ever he wanted to ride there sleds.

Wether he gets 1st or 5th he stays after each race to sign autographs and take pics with kids, he is a class act!

I also notice that in the SNO X racing that CAT is out numbered 5-1 compared to Polaris and Ski-Doo’s. If there is 30 sleds in the pro open circut maybe 5 are Cats. Hopefully by the time Tucker retires there will be a good solid replacement and more effort by Cat to KEEP the few good ones around for a long time!

Bobby
Well said, you in know way are bashing Arctic Cat or Tucker but some that like to come to this site are going to call you a hater and tell you to your not a real fan cause you dared to question the other Cat drivers.

So when they do and they read this they need to relax, take off the blinders and remember that the blind loyalty they show makes most people that agree with them run and hide.

Scott…
Tucker is for Tucker!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Don’t think for a second that he is hanging around singing autographs cause he likes it. He likes getting paid. He does it cause it is great for his sponsors. Which is in no way a bad thing. It is great for the sport that the best racer does make himself available to the fans like that. He seems to understand that it is the fans that keep him getting paid.

Scott you and some others on this site need to relax and take a step back and think if you are asking enough of this company that you so proudly support. I think that Arctic Cat can do better for it’s fans. I may be in the minority on this but being a fan myself I believe I have the right to state that opinion and if you do not like it then feel free to not respond to this post. But assuming what I am about you I’m guessing you won’t be able to.

Some just don’t understand the bond between the Hibberts and Cat.

It equals SUCCESS. Nuff said.

Lol, wonder what color Kool-aid drank outside of here?

“what color”
My bad.

I can’t believe some people. I mean Tucker is out there putting his life on the line to entertain us and this is how people thanks him?????????????? I think we all owe him a huge thanks. He is out there representing our brand so that when we sit in a bar on a long sled ride and brag about our 1998 ZR an how it dominates that people can think… yeah can’t argue with that. tucker wins on Arctic Cats so obviously there all cool. Oh and all the Arctic Cat drivers are awesome just because and they are all better than all the other drivers.

so to you HATERS and guys who don’t suck at the teet of team green you know what you can do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I for one love tucker and the bond we have is deep

I guess I get to passionate about this stuff! Guess thats why I got 15 cats in my garage, my license plate says artycat, 3 pairs of AC underwear in my drawer, hunted down my dad’s 78 Panther to rejoin the bill of sale with his original sled!!!! If I offended anyone with those comments, I’m sorry, but name calling!? Guess I have an overwhelming amount of passion for the brand I love!!!!!

I agree with Bob, tucker is the only presence for cat in the top spots all season. he would win no matter what he was running.
last season after the awful start on the new chassis Tucker and the Christians bros. were going to pull out the 11’s and run them on their track against the 12’s. to compare. What ever happened?
If Cat wants domination in snocross, bring back the true sno pro chassis, 08-11

I am a CAT guy FOR SURE! It’s all I’ve owned and rode since my Dad’s 76′ Pantera! I wouldn’t think of buying another brand. My friends ask why? And say “seems stupid”. My analogy is this: “The Vikings are my favorite football team and weather they win or lose I stick with them! They might not always have the best team but I sure as hell ain’t going to start rootin’ for the Packers when they don’t!”

Hey Bobby —good for you –maybe the Vikings will get to that superbowl someday.
Meanwhile I’ll be drinking my green kool-aid that Roger Skime gave me and continue to help support Team Arctic.

PS: I’ve been to a Packer game a couple of times and only found cold beer to drink there along with thousands of green and gold supporters!
Also found out that it takes a lot of green to purchase the miller gold beverages at the stadium.

@boblarsen Tucker didn’t have nearly as much success last year and he was on cat, but this year he was also on cat and did much better so it must say something about the sled. Arctic Cat improved the sled a lot this year. Cody Thomsen who was 4th in points broke his wrist in Shakopee so there is a good rider other than tucker. Ellis is a rookie to the pro class and switched brands which is very hard to do, and Piche was a phenominal racer a few years ago but then he shattered his leg and was never supposed to walk normally again,so i would argue that Arctic Cat had a very good year. They also won 13 of 16 I-500 races.

Travis
I think you just made an argument for why they didn’t have a very good year. And part of Tucker’s success this year had to do as much with him getting better on the sled and also the types of tracks. This year when they had demanding tracks just like last year and at x games Tucker dominated.
But either way you pointed out 3 Arctic Cat racers that had bad years. what ever the excuse it doesn’t change the fact that they didn’t have good years for exactly why you said.
But nice try. Guy

Craig Schults (and anyone else inclined to use flaming language): talk as if you’re in the same room as the audience, not as if you’re snarking behind a computer. I cleaned up the kool-aid references. If you want to bash, you know of the other sites where that’s accepted.

There are three racers who won this season in snocross: Tucker, Ross Martin and Robbie Malinoski. For the sake of argument, add Kody Kamm and Tim Tremblay to the list. Assuming Arctic Cat could cough up the budget, are some of you suggesting that they buy one of these riders? Just to have “more of a presence” on the podium?

Personally, I’m thrilled that Arctic Cat has the fastest racer on the planet, who also happens to be one of the most gracious people on the track and with us fans, Tucker Hibbert. Even if he wasn’t winning all the time, I’d want Tucker on the team simply because he’s a great ambassador for the sport.

I’m also thrilled that Arctic Cat puts its heart, soul and resources into cross-country racing, something that Polaris and Ski-Doo have not done. (Man, in all seriousness, if you want to see some seriously lopsided racing, just go to a cross-country. It’s pretty much all green.)

And I’m pleased that Arctic Cat has continued to develop the Sno Pro race sled because, as Travis Kern (who is a FAST Team Arctic snocross racer himself) pointed out, the improvements have helped Tucker and all of the other racers.

I too would love to see more Arctic Cat racers in all of the support classes, although I’m not sure I like the idea of buying top regional pros and stuffing them in the Semi Pro, er… Pro Lite and Sport classes at the nationals. I like homegrown talent, of which Arctic Cat has a lot coming up.