It’s tough to say anything that hasn’t already been stated previously but Mike Reedy will surely be missed. Always gracious, unselfish and a true mentor while being a face and image that the entire community embraced. Mike was a winner and possessed a unique ability to blend talents and personalities while always reaching the team goals. My lasting memory will always be that freshly rebuilt motor with the brushes soldered the Reedy way and a sticker on the can with your name on it.
Mike Reedy took me in during the summer of 1995 for the most memorable experience of my life. An offer was extended to me as a young driver to work part-time during the mornings at Associated in the motor department and then a practice and test session with Mark Pavidis and Cliff Lett in the afternoons. This was an unbelievable thrill and thanks to Mike Reedy I was “Living the Dream”. Soldering, cutting brushes and packaging was my day-job at Associated and while just being in the building felt special it was the relationships I made with co-workers which remain with me today.
Following a test session the next morning we would always review the previous nights results. Mike’s answer to everything was, well, are you all set on motors for tonight? Every day Reedy would either prepare a new motor for us or tune on our current motor. I have no clue how many motors Mark and I went through in the prototype Associated B2 but I don’t think anyone really wants to know either. Mike welcomed parents being a part of their racing and they were always included on race trips and events. Following the “Living the Dream” summer we all flew to Japan (with my mom included) for the 1995 IFMAR Worlds at Yatabe Arena. I was unable to reach my personal goals at that event but the ground work was in place and thanks to Mike Reedy and my parents I was a part of a winning team. Congratulations to the 1995 IFMAR World Champions, Matt Francis (2wd winner) and Mark Pavidis (4wd winner). Thanks Mike for the great times, great memories and friends.
1995 Summer highlights –
Staying with Reedy
Driving Reedy’s car to So Cal Raceway
Knowing the alarm code at Associated at 6:30am
Cutting brushes while RC10’s were being packaged
Break-time (Mountain Dew and Scott Hughes stories)
RC10B2
Laundry
fluorescent brown B2 test body
Mark’s red Ford Ranger
Cliff Lett brainstorming
Watching and learning at the track with Mark Pavidis, Brian Kinwald and Greg Hodapp
AE header card machine silencer
Burger King
Del Taco
Carl’s
Air shipping a B2 to Masami for testing at Yatabe
Faxes from Masami telling us the B2 was as fast as his 4wd! (Cliff thought it was a joke)
Winning a club race!
Worlds B2 custom painted body from Jim Myers
1995 AE Worlds T-shirt
Gene Husting enthusiasm
Curtis Husting projects
Packing 12 pair of Losi Silver front tires
Singapore Airlines
Roger Curtis airline seats
Yokomo t-shirt
Jimmy Jacobson’s missing transponder
Custom McDonalds menu courtesy of Masami
Scott Hughes TQing lightness with the lightest 4wd buggy at the worlds (glue works for everything)
JD Beckwith eating the beetle
Wet towels around the neck
Brian Kinwald’s Yokomo with yellow wheel dots
Square Fuzzies
Barry Baker’s driving
Noise from the Predator 4wd on the track
Richard Saxton’s fake names for radio impound
Meeting with Sanwa to discuss radios
14 turns vs. 11 turns
Masami’s 9 turn
Jason-san
Diffs for Masami
Hiroshi Suzuki
Akira Suzuki
Yokomo worlds car
Yokomo worlds tires
Yokomo chargers
Mumma-san
Masami’s R/C video practice game
Matt Francis TQ run
Cliff Lett makes the A-main (37 years old)
Frosty StClair
JB Lee
Small hotel rooms
Molded bathroom
6 qualifiers
Matt Francis – World Champion
A young Atsushi Hara
LRP automatic start speed control
Mark Pavidis – World Champion
Mark’s 4wd slipper!
2 more World Titles for Mike Reedy
Eating pork with Masami, Reedy and my Mom in Tokyo
Hardrock Café – Tokyo
Going home
2 thoughts on “Mike Reedy”
Hi Jason: A nice write-up on Mike and your 1995 recap of your relationship and journey with him. I can say that I was there for a lot of that journey and the memories we share with Mike are truly priceless and really helped shaped who we are today with our accomplishments on the track, in the industry and as people.
As you pointed out, you may not have reached your personal goals that year at that particular race but you were a part of a winning team. To be a part of that time period in the presence of true greatness is undeniably humbling, and even more humbling today.
RIP Mr. Mike. Thank you for all you did for the RC industry, for the people you touched and for guiding us through an adventure that will forever be remembered and embraced – Scott Hughes.
Mike Reedy was an icon in the RC community and his knowledge and impression will live on. I was surprised to see Frosty St. Clair’s name on here. We went to school in Junior high and high school together in Houston and were great friends.
RIP Mike Reedy.
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