David Eller Going
All out for the 2017 ATV MX Season
Maxxis / Elka / Liquid
Wrench / Honda ATV MX Team Preview
Salisbury, NC (3/1/2017) - Maxxis
/ Elka / Liquid Wrench / Honda team owner David
Eller conjured images of ATV racing’s hay days
and has stepped up his entire effort for the 2017
AMA ATV Motocross season. Eller’s squad will see
the return of Pro racer Joel Hetrick and amateur
rider Grayson Eller. Brothers Haedyn and Noah
Mickelson will round out the four-quad team.
After last season and along with the retirement
of David Haagsma from ATV racing, Eller made the
decision to create a true racing team; one where
racers may come and go, but the program will remain
constant. He built a “dream garage” race shop,
along with a practice facility that includes tracks
for his growing Arenacross effort, as well as
an outdoor ATV racing facility. The team will
be working out of a full semi-pulled transporter
at each of the ATV Motocross races this season.
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For
2017 the Maxxis / Elka / Liquid Wrench /
Honda Team has expanded to four racers with
a brand new race shop in North Carolina |
“When Davie retired, it made us look at things
differently,” said Eller. “With any team, riders
are going to come and go, so we wanted to build
a team with mechanics, a shop, and practice facilities.
As riders come and go, we’ll work with them. The
team will continue to grow as talent goes in and
out.”
The full race shop also includes a gym to help
his riders keep their conditioning in top shape.
The package is further accentuated by the team’s
transporter, which previously served as Honda’s
road race hauler.
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The Team has a new semi-rig for
the 2017 race seasaon |
“In order to bring professionalism to the ATV
pits that used to be there, we have to step it
up,” said Eller. “We need to show sponsors that
we’re committed to this sport. To bring that Honda
presence back to the track is exciting.”
The team will be managed by Haagsma’s longtime
mechanic Allan McCostlin. He’s pleased to continue
on with the team in his expanded role.
“Davie decided to step away from quads and focus
on cars and SXS, so David needed someone to step
in a run the team,” said McCostlin. “I stepped
in and took over that role. We have a new state-of-the-art
shop. It’s basically the NASCAR shop of ATV racing.
It has anything you could imagine and it’s very
cool. I’m the team manager, and I build and maintain
all of the equipment. We are building new ATVs
for Daytona. The riders are practicing a lot,
so there’s plenty to do on the practice bikes,
too. We’re all pretty busy right now.”
Hetrick, who challenged for the 2016 Pro ATV
championship despite a hard crash in the season
opener, is happy to return to the team in 2017.
He’s running a virtually identical Honda on which
he raced last season.
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Joel Hetrick is back with the Team for 2017 |
“I’m glad to return this year,” said Hetrick.
“David is going all out for us this year. It’s
truly a blessing to be here. He has everything
we need and he’s trying to give us every opportunity
to win races. There are no excuses this year.
With what he provides us, we’ll be able to ride
up to our abilities every weekend.”
Grayson Eller will be competing in both A Classes
this season. He returns to the expanded team with
hopes of winning championships in both. He ran
three classes last year and hopes one less class
will give him more of an edge.
“Everyone under the tent can help this year,”
said Grayson Eller. “Joel is running Pro and Haedyn
is running Pro Am. Noah is running the same class
as me and that helps me a lot. We all collaborate
really well and have really good camaraderie under
the tent. It helps having the variety of classes
that our team members ride in. We can really learn
from each other.”
The Michelson’s made the long move from Minnesota
to join Eller’s team this year. Haedyn will racing
in Pro Am and Pro Sport, while Noah will compete
in Pro Sport and 450 A.
“This is really refreshing,” said Haedyn Mickelson.
”This team is really professional and it’s interesting
to see how they do things differently. They really
cater to the riders. It’s not ‘Use what you get.’
Instead it’s “what do you want?’ and this is like
a dream shop. We have that amazing track right
here. Last year was a big learning year, so I’m
going to carry forward that momentum into this
year.”
Noah Mickelson was happy to join the team with
his brother. He will compete in the Pro Sport
class with his brother for the first time in his
career.
“We’re together now and it’s going to be a fun
year,” said Noah Mickelson. “My dad always tried
to not put us in the same class, so it will be
pretty interesting. It’s really easy to talk to
the mechanics and get things done. The bikes are
handling awesome so I’m pretty pumped for this
year.”
Look for Hetrick, Eller and the Mickelson brothers
to be top contenders as the AMA ATV Motocross
season kicks off at Daytona International Speedway
for the Daytona Supercross on March 14.
2017 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, Rath Racing
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