Thursday, December 3, 2015 | 1:00 PM
2016 Maxxis/Liquid Wrench/Elka/Honda ATVMX Team Announced
Joel Hetrick, David Haagsma and Grayson Eller Team Up for 2016
For the 2016 Mtn Dew ATV Motocross Championship, Joel Hetrick, David Haagsma, and Grayson Eller have joined forces to form the new Maxxis/Liquid Wrench/Elka/Honda Team. Besides just a great lineup of racers, the new team also has some of the best mechanics in the industry with Paul Turner, Allan McCostlin, and Shawn Ulikowski joining the team as well, which will surely make for a championship contending combination.
Leading the effort for the new team will be Joel Hetrick. After a stint with Factory Can-Am team, Hetrick made the switch to a privateer effort on the Honda 450R in 2015, which proved to be a great combination with him claiming several accolades on his new Honda ride. Hetrick secured the ATVriders.com Fastest Qualifier Award by claiming the top spot at 9 of 11 events along with the SSi Decals Holeshot Award. If it wasn’t for a disastrous mud moto, Hetrick could have also secured the ATV MX Pro National Championship but had to settle for second overall.
The biggest news for Hetrick for 2016 is having the 2015 Pro Mechanic of the Year, Paul Turner, taking over the wrenching duties. Turner has a proven track record as one of the top mechanics in ATV MX racing history, and most recently, he wrenched for Chad Wienen for his last three consecutive Pro Championships. The wisdom that Turner brings matched with Hetrick’s speed has the makings for a monumental season for the pair in 2016.
The 2015 WORCS Pro ATV and Quad-X Champion, David Haagsma, has won multiple championships on the west coast over the past several years, and now he is ready to see how he stacks up against the competition at the ATV MX Nationals. Haagsma has tested the waters the past couple of years attending a few select rounds with several top five finishes in the Pro class, so this will be his first full year of competing in pro ranks in the series, and he is expecting to be in the hunt for the championship.
Allan McCostlin will be wrenching for Haagsma for his ninth straight year in 2016, and they have proven track record together. While Haagsma and McCostlin will be focused on competing for the ATV MX Championship, the pair will also be competing at every WORCS and Quad-X event that doesn’t conflict with the ATV MX Championship schedule.
Grayson Eller, a consistent top three Schoolboy Rider the past two seasons, will compete in the 450B and College Boy Classes on the Honda 450R. He will be paired with mechanic Shawn Ulikowski who will pull double duties as the team manager as well. Ulikowsk’s resume includes a SX Championship with Factory Connection’s Travis Preston. His years of Honda Racing experience will no doubt lead this Maxxis/Liquid Wrench/Elka/Honda Team to many years of championships.
With the fastest Honda racers on the East Coast and West Coast coming together under the Maxxis/Liquid Wrench/Elka/Honda Tent for 2016 ATV MX Championship, they will be double threat for the highly competitive ATV MX Pro Championship points battle in 2016, and they will be a great mentor to the up and coming Grayson Eller moving up in the amateur ranks, which will make for an exciting 2016 racing season.