Revitalized snowmobile and UTV manufacturer Arctic Cat resumed vehicle production at its manufacturing facility in Thief River Falls, Minnesota, the company announced in an Aug. 8 press release.
The restart comes just three months after a group of investors, including current Arctic Cat President and CEO Brad Darling, purchased the company from Textron in April.
Since the acquisition, Arctic Cat made several moves indicating the company was back on track and ready to restart production, after operations were paused last fall.
In early May, the company released its 2026 snowmobile lineup and, a few weeks later, announced it would restore nearly 500 employees to its workforce. At that time, Arctic Cat said it planned to ramp up production at both its Thief River Falls facility and its engine plant in St. Cloud, Minnesota. The company also released an off-road lineup in late July exclusively to dealers.
“Arctic Cat is in the hands of believers. From day one, I knew everyone involved was ready to roll up their sleeves and dig in,” says Darling. “That proof continues to show itself every day. Now, in the past couple of weeks, we have not only released a new off-road lineup, but also hit the start button on the production line.”
Arctic Cat says its first unit to come off the line in July was the side-by-side Wildcat XX. In the first week of August, the company’s snowmobile line started production on the Kitty Cat, its youth model sled.
Arctic Cat’s St. Cloud engine facility is also ramping up for what the company says looks to be a very busy season producing engines for its next-generation machines.
In its press release, Arctic Cat emphasized that the brand is now run by executives who ride the product, and every decision will come “from the trail up, not the boardroom down.”
One of North America’s premier snowmobile oval racing tours is heading into the 2025–’26 season with uncertainty after a high-profile split between the United States Snowmobile Association (USSA) ProStar Series and several long-standing host venues.
On July 23, USSA announced it could not reach new agreements with some of its key race sites for the traveling ProStar Cup Tour. The sanctioning body said it is already working to secure replacement venues, including partnering with facilities that haven’t hosted snowmobile racing in years.
Within hours, four major venues issued a joint statement explaining their side of the split, which was posted on Snow Goer’s website. The list includes the Canadian Power Toboggan Championship track in Beausejour, Manitoba (which hosted two events annually), the Wausau 525 in Wisconsin, the Bonnechere Cup in Eganville, Ontario, and the Grand Prix Ski-Doo de Valcourt in Quebec.
The group cited unresolved issues with the season schedule, tour management, and driver payouts. They said USSA withdrew all ProStar Cup Tour contracts from their venues.
The shake-up affects high-profile events in four provinces and states, potentially disrupting racer travel plans, sponsor commitments, and the winter calendar for snowmobile racing fans. Dealers who rely on these races for regional exposure and winter sales tie-ins may need to pivot their promotional strategies if the calendar shifts.