Talk-It-Up Tuesday with Joe Bornhorst

  

Welcome to LiveRC's weekly column, "Talk-It-Up Tuesday!" Here we spend a little time talking with industry icons including racers, manufacturers, team managers, developers, promoters, and everyone in between! Sit back, relax, and go behind the scenes as we interview them all! 

 

In any sport, there are legendary athletes of the past, dominating competitors of the present, and all-star prospects of the future. Over the past several months one name we have been hearing more and more about is Joe Bornhorst. The name was first introduced throughout several race reports published, later on we began hearing the name being thrown around at various races, and only a short time several of the LiveRC crew members had the pleasure of actually meeting Mr. Bornhorst.

 

Joe is a former motocross racer who turned to R/C after a severely broken leg. While there are a lot of "fast guys" out there, Bornhorst proved his speed as he out qualified and raced a close pace with several of the nation's best drivers at the recent AMS 4.0.

 

We sat down with the rising star for this week's edition of "Talk-It-Up Tuesday!" 

  

 
 

LiveRC: Welcome to "Talk-It-Up Tuesday" Joe! Let's start off by asking when, where, how, and why did you start racing R/C?

Joe: Hey Mike! Thank you for the opportunity to do this. I originally got into R/C when one of my good friends got a short course truck and decided to build a little backyard track for it. I went and did a few laps, and I was instantly hooked and had a truck of my own within the next week. This all happened pretty soon after I broke my leg from a motocross accident, so to pass the time while I was laid up, I started spending a lot of time doing laps and just having fun with it. Then when I couldn't race motocross anymore because of my leg, I decided to start to put all of my time into R/C and take it more seriously, and I guess the rest is history.

LiveRC: Were you familiar with the R/C racing scene at all during your motocross career?

Joe: I always knew a little bit about R/C cars and always thought that they were cool, but I had absolutely no clue that it was as big of an industry as what it is.
 
LiveRC: How would you compare R/C racing to motocross racing?

Joe: I honestly think that R/C racing is motocross with a controller. Hands down. Everything that has to do with it like line selection, getting the flow of the track, how to hit jumps, how to setup passes, and even the feeling you get when you’re racing. When I’m standing on the drivers stand waiting for the tone to sound, it feels exactly like when I used to sit on the starting line waiting for the gate to drop in motocross.
 
LiveRC: You have only been racing a short time, but have obviously caught on quite quickly. How often do you practice on an average week?

Joe: I always try to practice as often as I can. I try to run my cars at least 3 times a week, whether that is practicing or racing.

LiveRC: Where do you spend most of your time practicing and club racing?

Joe: During the summer I spend a lot of time practicing at Magic Hobbies in Strasburg Ohio, and then also Medina R/C Raceway. I haven’t been club racing a whole lot lately because my time has been taken up with traveling to bigger races, but when I do get the chance to, I usually go to Medina. But we are also going to start having races very soon at Magic Hobbies. Then in the winter, I spend a lot of time at CRCRC, The Ohio RC Factory, along with all of the other indoor tracks in and around Ohio.

LiveRC: You have come on the scene pretty strong lately, most recently your impressive runs at the AMS 4.0. What is your proudest moment in R/C racing so far?

Joe: That’s a tough one, there has been so many to choose from lately. Getting 2nd in Q3 and then 6th overall in Ebuggy at AMS was really cool because I got to compete with Lutz and Drake and all of the big name guys. Even getting to sign all of my contracts this spring was a big moment for me. But I would have to say the thing that I am most proud of is getting to travel the country to race because it has been a dream of mine since I was a little kid, and I am finally getting to live that dream.
 
LiveRC: What would you say are your strongest classes in R/C?

Joe: I think any of the 1/8 scale classes. I feel more comfortable with them and I seem to do the best at bigger races with those cars.

LiveRC: What are your weakest classes in R/C?

Joe: Probably 2wd buggy. I got to race it all of last winter and I am still learning a lot about it. I think I will eventually get there, it is just going to take some time.
 
LiveRC: Which pro driver do you look up to the most, and why?

Joe: I would have to say Ryan Lutz because we are both from close to the same area of Ohio, he represents all of his companies very well, and he is just an all-around good guy. If I could eventually get to where he is, I’d be happy.

LiveRC: Who do you predict will win the upcoming IFMAR 1:10 World Championships?

Joe: I think anyone could win it. There are probably 10-15 guys that have a chance at it. I definitely think Cavalieri is a favorite from how he did at the last worlds, but then there’s Tessman, Maifield, Tebo, Lutz, Hara, Evans, and everyone else. If it ends up being a sugared track, I think it is going to come down to who has done the most testing in the past few months and shows up the most prepared. It could be anyone though.

LiveRC: Trophy girls...blonde or brunette?

Joe: Haha, good question. I’ll say blonde.

LiveRC: Best pickup line using your R/C racing?

Joe: I think as long as you don’t say anything that has to do with R/C, you have a better chance of it working. LOL.

LiveRC: What are your goals for the remainder of 2013 and 2014?

Joe: Going into the ROAR 1/8 Electric Nationals next month at LCRC, I have a goal of making a main. Whether it is in Buggy or Truggy, I just feel like that is where I should be. And then next year I have a goal to make a Semi Final at the Fuel Nationals. But as long as I drive well and do my best at all of the races I go to, I’ll be happy.

LiveRC: Thank you for taking some time today with us Joe! Without a doubt we expect to see more of you on the top step of the podium soon. Is there anything you would like to add?

Joe: I definitely have to thank everyone who helps and supports me with my racing. My whole family has stuck behind me my whole life whether it is racing or anything else. And also all of my great sponsors, Serpent America, Magic Hobbies, Desoto Racing, Tekin, Novarossi, AKA and Double Crossed Designs. Without them I know that I wouldn’t be where I am. Special thanks goes out to Paul Ciccarello. Ever since I got on with Serpent, he has helped me out immensely with everything and I can’t thank him enough for everything he does for me. Also, special thanks to all of my great friends for being by my side through everything, Kyle Tharp, Cody Tharp, Jeff Beck, my brother Jake, all of my local racing buddies, and anyone else that I forgot. I definitely couldn’t do it without all of them. Also thanks to LiveRC.com for taking the time to do this interview with me and giving me this opportunity! 
  

 

  

 

 

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