Arctic Cat is gearing up for a strong winter with one of its deepest cross-country racing rosters in years. The factory-backed effort will again field the ZR 600 R-XC on circuits across the Snowbelt, pairing past champions, returning veterans, and rising young talent — all while feeding development insights back into future consumer sleds.
Cross-country racing has long been a proving ground for Arctic Cat, mirroring the real-world riding dealers see every day: tight woods, ditchlines, lake runs and firelanes — only faster and far rougher. That connection continues this season as the brand leans into its catalyst-based ZR lineup to anchor competition across all major Cor PowerSports classes.
In the pro ranks, Team Arctic will be led by Matt Feil, Jesse Hallstrom, Zach Herfindahl and Ben Langaas, with Gabby Hallstrom, Rachel Wimpfheimer and Frankie Omang representing the brand in Pro Women’s.
The semi-pro roster is equally stacked, with returning racers Kegan Houser, Derek Kloety, Austin Kody and Brady Wadena, joined by 2024–25 Sport Stock champion Elliot Clark and third-place finisher Braden Sillerud. Marcus Moldashal returns to compete in Semi-Pro Improved.
Sport-class contender Kyle Quesenberry heads up a group of young riders moving up from Juniors, including Trig Anderson, Rielly Clark, Brady Wimpfheimer and Axle Amsdon. Look for Braden Diesen stepping into Juniors and Expert classes and Kynsie Diesen returning as a front-runner in Jr Boys/Girls. Veterans Todd Seaverson and Jon Arneson round out the lineup.
Arctic Cat’s full factory race trailer will be on-site at every Cor event this season to support all Team Arctic racers.
Team Arctic’s cross-country push extends far beyond Cor PowerSports. In the Northeast, Pro riders TJ Leach, Adam Levi, Ken Murphy, Ian Smith, Brock Young, and Michael Young will lead the charge aboard ZR 600 R-XC sleds.
Supported racers will also compete from Quebec to eastern Canada and into Alaska, including Wyatt Halek-Hooper and Adam Stafford in the Iron Dog Pro class. Several riders will double up, contesting both enduro and oval sprint events.
“We have a strong group competing in all classes on the Cor PowerSports circuit this season,” says Mike Kloety, Team Arctic Race Manager. “With the early start to winter and more snow expected, we should see more full-terrain races — where the lightweight, agile catalyst-chassis ZRs really shine.”
Kloety also highlighted the growth of the new Eastern XC series: “The Adirondack circuit has momentum, and we have a solid group of racers out East. I’m hopeful we can help continue that growth.”
For dealers, Team Arctic’s winter push is more than a racing headline — it’s a testing ground. The feedback from these riders directly influences future product improvements and reinforces the performance pedigree behind the Arctic Cat lineup.
As first reported by our sister publication Snow Goer on Dec. 2, CFMOTO USA announced it has committed to sponsoring the entire 2025-2026 Amsoil Championship Snocross series and says it will have a strong presence both on- and off-track this season.
In addition to being a sponsor for this season’s Championship Snocross series, CFMOTO USA will serve as the title sponsor when the National Snocross tour rolls into ERX Motor Park in Elk River, Minnesota, March 6-7.
With its U.S. headquarters based in Minnesota, CFMOTO says its brand will be front and center during the Elk River event, with a full display of new off-road products at the track.
“ERX Motorpark is another great partner of ours, and it makes complete sense to be the title sponsor,” says Kale Wainer, marketing manager with CFMOTO USA. “The sheer size of the ERX track never disappoints from a fan excitement standpoint, and CFMOTO USA is proud to be part of the action.”
The Eagle River, Wisconsin, business community will again be keeping a close eye on the weather, as the “Snowmobile Capital of the World” and its economy rely heavily on snowfall and snowmobile traffic during the winter months.
Chris Petreikis is an owner and general manager of Track Side, Eagle River’s largest snowmobile dealer. The dealership sits just a few hundred feet from the start-finish line of the famed World Championship Derby Track, and snowmobiling plays a big economic role in the Eagle River area. Petreikis told NBC News affiliate WJFW about the importance of snow during this time of year and the potential revenue it generates.
“Snowmobiling really impacts most of the community businesses and tourists alike,” Petreikis says. “It definitely draws people.”
Petreikis joined the Trackside team in 2018 after new management took over, and he says every year before winter, his dealership adds at least 100 new snowmobiles and additional gear for the anticipated influx of business from locals and tourists.
“When the season kicks off, and they actually open the snowmobile trails, then it becomes really busy,” Petreikis told WJFW.” If you snowmobile up here, you will know what it’s all about.”
However, little snowfall or low snowpack during the winter months causes revenue loss, and when winters are mild and lack snow, the Eagle River economy declines. A mild winter in 2023-2024, for instance, caused millions in lost revenue for snowmobile-reliant businesses. But Petreikis stays optimistic and knows that when the snow does come, business booms.
“On a good year, between Christmas and New Year’s, it feels like a mini-Black Friday at a Walmart here,” Petreikis says. “I’m excited for this year, knowing that they’re predicting a lot of snow and a lot of cold, so we’ll see.”
The Utah Snowmobile Association (USA) just announced that Salt Lake City has been selected by the International Snowmobile Council (ISC) to host the 59th International Snowmobile Congress in June 2027.
The announcement was made following the November 13th ISC Planning Committee meeting in Omaha, Nebraska. The Utah Snowmobile Association will host the event from June 9-13, 2027 in partnership with Little America Hotel, SLC.
The following locations and dates were selected:
2027 ISC – June 9 – 13, 2027, hosted in Salt Lake City, Utah by the Utah Snowmobile Association.
2028 ISC – will be hosted by the South Dakota Snowmobile Association in Rapid City, South Dakota, June 7 – 11, 2028.
2029 ISC – will be hosted in the scenic Lake Placid, New York in 2029 by the New York State Snowmobile Association.
Each year, the International Snowmobile Congress brings together snowmobile enthusiasts, club and association leaders, manufacturers, and government partners from across North America and beyond. The event provides a valuable forum for collaboration, education, and the continued advancement of snowmobiling as a safe, responsible, and enjoyable winter recreation activity.
“The ISC Planning Committee was excited to see so many strong proposals and dedicated hosts stepping forward,” shares Dave Newman, ISC planning committee chair, in a news release. “These upcoming locations highlight the diversity and passion of the snowmobile community, from the mountain trails of the West to the historic landscapes of the East.”