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April 17, 2019, 10:40 a.m.
By Tyler Hooks
LiveRC.com
Press release from PDX RC Underground:
Joe Pillars, the manager I know
Let me start out by saying that most of you know Joe Pillars as the team manager for world champion Ryan Maifield and Yokomo and team manager for Muchmore.
The manager I know is from Portland and has been a friend for 10 years now.
I met Joe years ago when he and his in-laws owned the track PRCR. I had no idea who the big racers were at the time, it was just a hobby for my son and I. He was team manager for Kyosho and Orion at the time. That first year he brought in top tier talent to the local track. Evans, Cavalieri and Tebo to name a few. I was blown away at the talent. At the time, I had no idea what I was doing, and here was this person, who I had no idea what a big deal he was at the time, coming into the pits and helping out everyone get their rigs set up. Just about everyone there had Kyosho products at the time because of him. I was one of the few who ran AE, and he still was there to help me. In fact, years later at the region 11 championships, it was his advice that got me to the podium in stock buggy, even though I was running a brand he had nothing to do with. This is Joe in a nutshell. He is about furthering the hobby, and he does it in a very humble way.
Over the years, we have worked together creating videos for the website I owned, and for the companies he managed. In that time, he has kept the humility and staunch professionalism he has always had. I am a good 10 plus years older than him, and yet he always seems like he is an older brother.
When I opened my track 1 and half years ago PDX RC Underground, he was the first person I called. He was so honest and straightforward with me. At the time, he was not a proponent of astro at the time, but still came by and gave me tons of amazing advice. He even decided to have his race series (one of the largest in the northwest) the Rockstar series to my track. It was the shot in the arm that my track needed out of the gate. In the past year plus, he has been the backbone of what I am doing there, even though he has no financial interest in it. That’s just how Joe is.
This weekend at the Jconcepts carpet series race in Northwest Hobbies in Albany, was when I decided I needed to let everyone know about the Joe I know. He had the whole A level team at this race, including Ryan Maifield, and Ryan Cavalieri. Now I am on the local team along with some of my friends. We are club racers, and average at best. With all the pressure of the racing going on at the top, Joe made time to check in with us at the end of the table. Giving suggestions on settings changes, even setting my slipper before one of my quals. This is the Joe I know. The whole weekend was spent helping others to be the best they can be. He had told me that he was going to race, but at the last moment decided to do what he does, manage the team….. all of us.
Watching JP work his magic, was the joy of my weekend. Seeing the pride he takes when one of his guys wins, and the “we will get them next time” look after a loss. Always positive, making sure everyone is ok.
So those of you that know the world champion team manager should go up to him the next time you see him, and shake his hand. He is one of the good ones in the hobby.
PS. He hates having the spotlight shined on himself. Sorry Joe
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