Maxxis / Elka’s Joel Hetrick Takes Soaring Eagle Win
Maxxis / Elka / Liquid Wrench / Honda AMA ATV MX Race Report

Mt Pleasant, MI (9/13/2016) - Maxxis / Elka / Liquid Wrench / Honda’s Joel Hetrick dominated the twelfth and final round of the 2016 AMA ATV Motocross National Championship with 1-1 moto finishes at the Soaring Eagle Resort and Casino Edge of Summer event in Mount Pleasant, MI. Hetrick finished second in points for the year. Teammate David Haagsma took fifth overall on the weekend and fourth overall in points for the year.

Maxxis / Elka / Liquid Wrench / Honda’s Joel Hetrick scored his 8th Overall Win by going 1-1 at the ATV MX Season Finale

Not only did Hetrick steal both moto wins, he also took both holeshots to wrap up the SSI Decals holeshot award and tied for the ATVriders.com fastest qualifier award. “I want to thank DASA for pulling me off the start, Maxxis tires for hooking up great this weekend, and a special thanks to Ian Harris at SSI Decals and to Harlen Foley of ATVRiders.com for putting up the awards,” said Hetrick.

Joel Hetrick captured the SSi Decals Holeshot award in both Pro Motos to clinch the SSi Decals Holeshot Points Championship

“It was pretty laid back today. Nothing crazy happened I just rode my race,” said Hetrick of his dominant day. The win at Soaring Eagle marked his eighth overall win of the season, placing him just eight points away from winning the national championship. “I knew coming in here it would be tough to win the championship but I wanted to win the race.”

Joel Hetrick finished just 8 points out of the lead in the ATV Motocross Points Championship

Hetrick will make his next appearance at the Pro Challenge September 16-18 at Oak Hill MX in Alvord, TX. “It is going to be another epic race with a lot of money on the line, and I think it will be a good turnout,” stated Hetrick.

Teammate David Haagsma also put in a great ride to finish out the season. Haagsma went 4-5 for fifth overall, which earned him fourth in the series points. “Moto one we got off to a great start. I ended up second right behind Joel and followed him for a little while but halfway through the moto I had some lower back issues, got tired and took fourth that moto,” explained Haagsma.

David Haagsma finished fifth overall at the the Pro ATV Motocross season finale

The second moto was filled with excitement and huge comeback ride from Haagsma. Haagsma finished the first lap in twelfth, 24 seconds down from the leader, but managed to put his head down to impressively salvage fifth place. “I got in a little pile up in the first corner but worked my way up to fifth. It is a good way to end the year. We are healthy and just working towards next year,” said Haagsma.

Haagsma’s first full season at the ATV MX National Championship went well enough that he plans to return in the 2017 season. “We had a lot of learning to do. I made a lot of mistakes early in the year that cost us a lot of points but we got the bike set up working way better now and I am looking forward to next year when I can hopefully get up there and battle for some wins.”

The Maxxis/Elka/Liquid Wrench/Honda riders will continue to train and build their program going into the offseason, so they can return to the 2017 season more prepared than ever to make a run for the ATV Motocross Championship.

2016 Race Team Sponsors
Maxxis, Liquid Wrench, Elka, Fly, Scott, SSi Decals, DWT, Hinson, Bel Ray, Sunstar, Works Connection, Sandridge Foods, Impact Solutions, Fourwerx, Alpinestar, DC Designs, Precision Racing Products