Team Arctic Announces 2011 Race Team

Arctic Cat has high hopes for its 2011 race sleds and the Minnesota-based manufacturer has announced its list of sponsored riders for the upcoming season.

“We’ve put together what we believe is the best overall race program in the sport, comprised of the strongest racers, most experienced crews, top-level sponsors and a fleet of snowmobiles that proved to be the best last season, and that have been further improved for 2011,” says Mike Kloety, Team Arctic race manager. “I predict another record-breaking season.”

Arctic Cat says it is committed to supporting top-tier and grassroots racers, circuits and disciplines for 2011.

“We’re pumped up to have the very elite racers in a few circuits, because they’re great representatives who win the big events,” says Kloety. “Yet we’re equally proud of our regional racers, and those who compete in some of the less-publicized forms of racing.

“Arctic Cat has always committed itself to racing success, on every level, in every form of competition and across North America. It’s in our blood, it’s who we are and it’s why we win more than our share.”

Snocross

Perhaps the biggest snocross news this year is Tucker Hibbert’s commitment to race the entire snocross season. The four-time and defending X Games champion and FIM World Snocross Champion won nine ISOC National finals last season aboard his Monster Energy Arctic Cat. He’s the hands-down favorite to add a couple of high-point championships to his resume this season.

The Arctic Cat Factory Team will consist of second-year Pro Dan Ebert, who last season won the famed USCC I-500 cross-country and scored multiple podium finishes in snocross. He’ll be joined once again by Semi-Pro Cody Thomsen, who last season won several finals and finished second in points, and fellow Semi-Pro Kyle Pallin who also stood atop of the podium on multiple occasions last year. The factory team will once again be managed by Russ Ebert.

Christian Bros. Racing (CBR) will field the largest private team in the industry. Pro riders will include perennial podium finishers Garth Kauffman and Ryan Simons, now joined by last year’s Semi Pro points champion, Logan Christian, who has made the jump to Pro. Zach Pattyn returns again in the Pro class, as will Cory Davis when he recovers from an off-season injury. And Carly Davis will compete in the Pro Women’s class at select events.

The Sportech/Arctic Cat race team now includes Sweden’s top Pro, Johan Lidman, silver medalist in the FIM World Championships of snocross. He joins Semi-Pro Andrew Carlson for a potent combination in the top two classes.

Arctic Cat is concentrating more effort and expertise on the east coast for 2011, with Green Mountain Racing (Matt Pichner, Emil Otteson, Chris Ackerman and Cody Flach) and CMT Racing (Corin Todd, Ash Waskob and Jesse Bonaduce) carrying the Team Arctic banner.

All Terrain Cycle Racing is Team Arctic’s Canadian contingent, with Dustin Vandrie and Katejun Coonishish in the Pro class, Sean MaCauley and Shawn Elmhurst in Semi-Pro, Wakenda Peters in Pro Women, and Joe Peters in Junior.

Cross-Country

Last season Arctic Cat fielded three different Pro class winners and complete domination of the Semi Pro and Sport classes.

Flying the Christian Bros. Racing banner will be defending Pro 600 Champion Brian Dick (who won three races last season), defending Pro Open champ D.J. Ekre, plus the entire CBR snocross crew.

Brothers MotorSports is back on green again this season, with Pro Ryan Huston, Ryan Greening in Semi Pro, and Coltan Vandeputte in the Sport 85 classes.

Joining them will be several dozen racers in all USCC classes.

Legendary Iron Dog champion Scott Davis is ready to team up with his son Cory to tackle Alaska’s famed cross-country event. They’ll be joined by Todd Palin/Eric Quam along with many other AC Teams in an attempt to notch Team Arctic’s 12th win out of 27 editions of the famed event.

Hillclimb

The successful crew of Team Arctic Hillclimb racers is back again on the slopes of Snow King in Jackson and every venue of the RMSHA mountain circuit. Families like the Tapios, Zollingers, Tuppers, Frisbys, Archibaulds and Frees are joined by Buckallew, McClure and others for a mountain-topping season aboard the M Series snowmobiles.

Drag, Oval, Enduro and Watercross

Last season Cadarette Racing’s Troy Dewald and Jeff Leuenberger put Arctic Cat atop the Soo 500 enduro for the first time in 42 years, breaking a hex that had jinxed the win on numerous previous occasions. It was a historic moment for the team and racers, and they’re back in 2011 to defend their win.

In oval race, Team Arctic is represented by the always-amazing, three-time World Champion P.J. Wanderscheid, as well as the emerging and youthful powerhouse, Hoglund Racing.

Team Arctic’s drag racing program continues to highlight the power of the 800 H.O. engine and the steadfast preparation of some of the sport’s best racers. Whether it’s setting world speed records aboard the Z1 Turbo, winning the biggest grass drag events or dominating the winter ice, names like Hall, Shilts, Howard and others remain the backbone of the team’s straight line effort.

Team Arctic’s Dedicated Sponsors

Team Arctic’s success on and off the track is made possible in part because of the strong, loyal support of its sponsors, each of whom shares the same passion as our racers and Arctic Cat.

For 2011, Team Arctic is grateful to announce the return of these great sponsors: Camoplast tracks, APV Synthetic Oil, Fox Racing Shox, Speedwerx, Renton Coil Springs (RCS), Moto Tassinari/VForce3, TEAM, Figgins Transport, Mitsuboshi drive belts, Stud Boy traction, C&A Ultra Pro skis, Smith Optics and Sportech.