The mid year product lineup has arrived. Clearly a lot’s been going on up and down the assembly lines at Arctic Cat.

The biggest news is the introduction of the 2017 HDX 700 XT Crew. The HDX Crew features two sculpted bench rows of seating, accommodating up to six occupants.

The 1000lb capacity, 2-in-1 cargo box transforms into a flatbed and the Crew has multitudes of additional storage options. The fully independent front and rear suspension has double A-arms and carries the load effortlessly.

Navigating rough ground is no problem thanks to 10 inches of travel and 10 inches of ground clearance. The Arctic Cat built 700 engine ponies up the muscle to tackle any challenge and is available in Fire Red, True Timber Camo and Team Arctic Green.

Another big mid year story is the highly anticipated 2016 Alterra TRV. Arctic Cat pioneered the two-rider vehicle and this is the one 2-up enthusiasts have been waiting for. Comfort is a high priority in this segment, and neither rider nor passenger will be disappointed by the improved ergonomics and Alterra styling.

Popular Alterra features carry over to the TRV such as the front and rear SpeedRack II system with its high grade, easy on, easy off accessory system attachments. The Alterra TRV is offered with Electronic Power Steering and a choice of powerplants including 1000, 700, 550 and 500 and is available in a variety of popular colors.

This next entry may cast a smaller shadow, but it’ll be a big hit. The 2017 Prowler 500 serves the growing demand for a mid-size utility side-by-side that’s value-priced. This well proportioned 4X4 occupies a mere 106.4 in. long by 56.4 in. wide space and has bench seating for easy-entry and departure. The 500 delivers class-leading horsepower and torque, a 1,500 lb. towing capacity and a tough automatic transmission. Fuel capacity is a generous 8.5 gallons. The rear box carries up to 500lbs. The new mid-size Prowler 500 is built to do a lot of groundwork and cover a lot of territory.

There’s more. To celebrate all the mud lovers out there, Mudpro 1000 comes back in a Special Edition which includes an Arctic Cat/Warn Winch, 28″ Maxxis Zilla Tires, heavy-duty front and rear bumpers, graphics and more.

For hunters and outdoorsmen, True Timber Camo and Blaze Orange models are available across a wide range of models including the TBX, HDX and Wildcat Trail.

Last but in no way least, there’s an ATV that’s sure to get a lot of love. The all-new 2016 Alterra 90. Bring one home to your kids and he or she will worship the ground you ride on.

The Arctic Cat brand is among the most widely recognized and respected in the recreational vehicle industry. The company designs, engineers, manufactures and markets all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), side-by-sides and snowmobiles, in addition to related parts, garments and accessories under the Arctic Cat and Motorfist brand names. Arctic Cat Inc.’s world headquarters is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Its common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the ticker symbol ACAT.

More information about Arctic Cat and its products is available at arcticcat.com.

The Best in the Desert (BITD) Henderson 250 would settle who would win the BITD Pro UTV Class Championship. Polaris factory racers Johnny Angal and Justin Lambert would go into the race with the best shot at the championship and would not disappoint.

Angal would not have a great race but, when the dust settled, he would add a season championship to his Baja 1000 win, in just two short years of racing. Lambert, coming off a win in the Blue Water Desert Challenge and Vegas to Reno, would finish fourth in the race and would finish second for the series.

“Polaris would like to congratulate Johnny and Justin on an incredible season,” said Donna Beadle, race team manager for Polaris. “We appreciate the hard work and dedication both racers put into their programs, and look forward to the 2016 season”

Justin Lambert is sponsored by Polaris, Cognito Motorsports, Sparks Performance Products, Mystik Lubricants, Fox Shocks, ITP Tires, Method Race Wheels, Rugged Radios and Rigid Industries.

Johnny Angal is sponsored by Polaris, ITP Tires, Method Race Wheels, Rigid Industries Lights, Fox IBP Shocks, Lone Star Suspension, wrap by Wolf Designs.

Polaris is a recognized leader in the powersports industry with annual 2013 sales of $3.8 billion. Polaris designs, engineers, manufactures and markets innovative, high quality off-road vehicles, including all- terrain vehicles (ATVs) and the Polaris RANGER and RZR side-by-side vehicles, snowmobiles, motorcycles, and on-road electric/hybrid powered vehicles. Polaris is among the global sales leaders for both snowmobiles and off-road vehicles and has established a presence in the heavyweight cruiser and touring motorcycle market with the Victory and Indian Motorcycle brands. Additionally, Polaris continues to invest in the global on-road small electric/hybrid powered vehicle industry with Global Electric Motorcars (GEM), Goupil Industrie SA, Aixam Mega S.A.S., and internally developed vehicles. Polaris enhances the riding experience with a complete line of Polaris Engineered parts, accessories and apparel, Klim branded apparel, and ORV accessories under the Kolpin and Cycle Country brands. Polaris Industries Inc. trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “PII,” and the Company is included in the S&P Mid-Cap 400 stock price index.

Information about the complete line of Polaris products, apparel, and vehicle accessories is available from authorized Polaris dealers or anytime at www.polaris.com.

The Can-Am X-Team / S3 Racing team of Dustin Jones and Shane Dowden concluded the 2015 Best In The Desert racing season with a victory at the Henderson 250 in Nevada.

Jones and Dowden flipped roles for this round, as Dowden took the wheel and drove the team to its second BITD victory of the year.

“We capped the BITD year with another Class 1900 overall victory from S3 Racing’s Dustin Jones and Shane Dowden. Their season was very impressive considering they are desert-racing rookies, earning two wins with their 121-hp Can-Am Maverick MAX 1000R,” said Jeff Leclerc, Racing Project Leader, Can-Am. “This victory, putting four of our Can-Am teams in the top eight, and having the Murray’s earn third overall on the year, certainly is a great way to end the year. We will continue to fine tune our racing efforts and aim for more in 2016.”

The final round of the BITD schedule stopped in Henderson, Nev., for the Henderson 250 event. A record number of racing entries, 217, signed up to take on the challenging Nevada desert at this round. Can-Am had four teams in the Maverick 1000R teams in mix, with the No. 1978 of S3 Racing, the Murrays (No. 1917), the No. 1904 of Desert Toyz and Logan Gastel’s No. 1969 vehicle.

The Can-Am / S3 Racing team chose a different strategy at the final round, swapping driver and co-pilot. Dowden took the wheel for the first time this year, while Jones took over as navigator / co-dawg. The decision certainly panned out, as the tandem took home the win. They finished with a two-lap time of 3:14:56.027 to grab win No. 2 in their rookie desert campaign. The ended the year in 11th place in the Pro standings.

“We did it again. What a way to end the BITD season with another first-place victory! Great job to my teammate Shane [Dowden] for an amazing job driving this race,” said Jones post-race. “Thanks to [our entire] pit crew for keeping us going.”

The Murrays recorded yet another top-five finish in their Maverick MAX 1000R. They tallied 106 championship points after completing two laps in a time of 3:18:17.021. The fifth-place run pushed them into third place overall for the season standings.

“This season, we ended up second in the points for SCORE and third in BITD, making us the only Pro UTV team to finish top three in both series, which is very impressive,” said the Murrays on their Facebook page.

Gastel (Rugged Radios / Racer Tech) and co-pilot Adam McKinney took a very solid seventh-place finish in his Can-Am Maverick, which maintained his seventh-place overall finish in the Class 1900 season standings. Cory Sappington’s Desert Toyz Can-Am Team finished one spot behind Gastel in Henderson. Sappington, who took fourth overall in SCORE racing, ended up in the top eight in the final BITD standings for the year.

Yamaha Motor Corp., USA, today announced the Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative (OAI) has contributed more than $40,000 in cash to support two projects reflecting the program’s expanded mission to promote safe, responsible use and open, sustainable access for outdoor recreation.

Riding groups, land managers and others with a project that is in line with OAI’s mission and in need of support should visit the program’s newly updated website: yamahaoutdooraccess.com.

The program’s third quarter funding cycle coincided with the 88th National Future Farmers of America (FFA) Convention and Expo in October, where Yamaha represented its ongoing commitment to promote safe, responsible ATV and Side-by-Side vehicle use to the future leaders of the agricultural community.

“The National FFA convention is an important opportunity to discuss riding habits for all uses of off-highway vehicles, particularly in agricultural settings,” said Steve Nessl, Yamaha ATV and SxS group marketing manager. “Off-highway vehicles are incredibly popular tools on farms and ranches. Teaching respect for vehicles and encouraging safe and responsible behaviors in all settings and uses is an important part of the Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative’s expanded mission.”

Yamaha’s multifaceted support of the National FFA and its members includes Yamaha’s annual sponsorship of the National Agricultural Proficiency Award for Outdoor Recreation.

This year’s Outdoor Recreation Proficiency Award was awarded to Sam Alan Shaver of the Southmont FFA Chapter in Crawfordsville, Indiana. Just before he was born, Shaver’s father began what would later grow into the largest off-road ATV race east of the Mississippi, the GNCC Ironman, on his family property.

Growing up, Shaver would help his family prepare for and operate the race each year, and over time, he grew to respect and appreciate the work that went into planning the event. Using his experience, Shaver decided to host a 5k run on his family’s property, which now after four years welcomes more than 8,000 participants each year. The overwhelming success Shaver has had using his family’s property to host popular recreational events set him above the rest of participants for this year’s award.

“Each year, Yamaha proves their commitment in promoting responsible messages to National FFA members,” said Senior Regional Director of National FFA, Maggie Stith. “The National FFA is proud to align with Yamaha’s efforts to support the future of agriculture, and we thank them for their contributions to make the National Agricultural Proficiency Award possible every year.”

The third quarter Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative GRANT recipients are:

– Anthracite Outdoor Adventure Area, Pennsylvania
– Stewards of the Sierras, California

The GRANT-awarded projects support the program’s industry-leading dedication to safe, responsible riding and open sustainable access to land, trails and riding areas for OHV users of all types. Yamaha continues to seek qualified projects and applications at local, state and federal levels.

Outdoor clubs and organizations can now apply for a GRANT through the revitalized OAI website at yamahaoutdooraccess.com. The updated OAI website now delivers a more inclusive experience to the outdoor community, with an improved application process, examples of previous GRANTs awarded to various projects and social media support.

“As the Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative has grown and matured, the program’s website needs to better reflect the work being accomplished by those on the ground making sustainable access a reality for outdoor enthusiasts of all types,” said Nessl. “The changes to the website are intended to make it easier for outdoor clubs and organizations and land managers from across the nation to seek funding for projects that promote safe and responsible use.”

Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA, (YMUS) a leader in the motorsports market, makes the toughest, most capable and versatile ATV and Side-by-Side vehicles. The company’s ever-expanding product offerings also include motorcycles, outboard motors, personal watercraft, snowmobiles, boats, outdoor power equipment, accessories, apparel and much more. YMUS products are sold through a nationwide network of dealers in the United States. Headquartered in Cypress, Calif., since its incorporation in 1976, Yamaha also has facilities in Wisconsin and Georgia, as well as factory operations in Tennessee and Georgia.

For more information on Yamaha, visit yamahamotorsports.com.