DEERE SWITCHES TO KAWASAKI ENGINES

January 1977 - John Deere announced that starting with its 1979 snowmobiles, they plan to purchase engines from Kawasaki Motors Corporation for use in their snowmobiles. The 1978 models continued to have Kohler and Kioritz engines

SNOWMOBILE SPEED RECORD

1985 Speed Record:
Marv Jorgensen's Chopper City Special holds the existing world speed record of 158.53 mph set in St. Paul, Minnesota, February 6, 1985

ARCTIC'S EXT RACING SNOWMOBILE

In 1972, Arctic Cat had a brand new sled for its factory racing team and for professional consumer and dealer racers.

The new EXT featured Kawasaki engines in 245, 290, 339, 398 and 436cc sizes in two-cylinder models.  In the 439 and 646cc sizes, the engines were three cylinder. Among the features of the EXT were new Arctic clutches, Arctic slide rail suspension and hydraulic brakes.  The sled was built wider (33 inches) than the consumer sleds which were 29 inches.
The EXT racers were made in sufficient quantities to be raced in all classes - modified or stock

SNOWMOBILING IN UTAH

ACCORDING TO THE STATE OF UTAH - snowmobiling in Utah is a dream, where the state works for the snowmobiler and the snow is made to order !

SNOCROSS CHALLENGE: EAST VS. WEST

December 5th and 6th, 1987 - Top western snowmobile drivers traveled to Minnesota - Flatlanders toke on mountain men.  The stage was set for a major snowmobile racing event when more than 20 top western racers traveled to Hill City, Minnesota, for the Toyota-Yamaha Formula Challenge North American Snocross.
Although the mountain men drivers were relatively inexperienced in the style of competition, they were not intimidated by the challenge.  They were confident that their skills would match up with the skills of the midwestern racers.

ANTIQUE SNOWMOBILE ENDURO

Green Lake,Wisconsin - The Green Lake Enduro Challenge, featuring competition among America's antique snowmobiles was held February 4-5, 1984. 
The event was sponsored by The Green Lake Antique Snowmobile Society.  The event had become one of snowmobiling's most interesting and fun event.
The antique snowmobiles were ridden in competition against each other, using a handicap formula to equalize advantages.

1985 SKI-DOO SAFARI'S

ALLEN HETTEEN- POLARIS CO-FOUNDER, DIES

November 1973 - Allen Hetteen, Co-Founder and past president of Polaris died November 24, 1973 as a result of a tractor accident on one of his farms near Roseau.
Hetteen, a pioneer in the snowmobile industry, began work on his first snowmobile in 1954 while in business with his brother, Edgar Hetteen.  The the Hetteen brothers, along with David Johnson, thus established Polaris Industries as a snowmobile manufacturer.  Edgar Hetteen later founded Arctic Enterprises in Thief River Falls, Minn.
Allen Hetteen became president of Polaris in 1960, and managed the company through its high growth years of the 1960's.  Polaris was sold to Textron, Inc. in 1968, and Hetteen continued as president until his resignation in m1970.

1969 HOMELITE SNOWMOBILE

In 1969 Homelite built three models of snowmobiles: The Ranger with a 10HP Husquevarna engine and a 12 inch track, The Forester with an 18HP JLO engine with a 15 1/2 inch track and The Explorer with a 23HP JLO engine with a 18 inch track.

BUDWEISER-POLARIS SETS SPEED RECORD

January 30, 1983 - The Budweiser-Polaris set a new world speed record.
The Budweiser-Polaris super-speed machine blasted down a quarter-mile of Lake Phalen at 150.75 Miles-Per-Hour (smashing the long standing speed record of 135.9MPH) to obliterate all records for an over-the-snow machine and also breaking all records of The Guinness Book of Records as being the fastest over the snow machine ever.