8/14/2016 – Kevin Galletta Survives Another Episode of Night of a Thousand Cautions – GALLETTA ROCKFEST ’16!

 photo WP_20160814_22_05_44_Pro-Kevin-Galltta-win-800px.jpg

Sunday, August 1th, 2016, Week 10 – Every year, we have a week or two where the cautions just pile up. A spin here. A crash there. Oops, a flip. Broken chain. Blown Tire. Bent Axle. Just one of those nights, and after a dry summer and a downpour for most of the weekend, we expected a better track, but rocks saw that not to be. But Kevin Galletta braved the obstacles and actually survived two close calls in front of him (including a HARD flip to then-leader Mike Patak right in front of him) to take home his 2nd win of ’16. Top-3 Points leaders were not immune to the disasters, as all three of them got to 2nd and all three of them had mechanical failures, something that they have not had much of until tonight (but none of the trio could get around Kevin tonight). This makes for some VERY interesting points battles as the Klassic 200 creeps closer. Race page with points will be up later this week and the YouTube video is above and here. Higher-res victory picture here.


Heat Races

 photo vlcsnap-2016-08-14-03h35m53.jpg

10-Lap Heat #1 – START:

1. Chad Crouse (Galletta’s Greenhouse #1)
2. David Hall Jr. (Hall #29)
3. Lee Gleason (Galletta’s Greenhouse #2)
4. Adam Lytle (Lytle #33c)
5. Matt Stevens (Galletta’s Greenhouse #33)
6. Chris Stevens (GallettasGreenhouse.com/Chrusher.com/OswegoSushi.com #4)
7. MAKEUP: Keith Raymond (Galletta’s Greenhouse #0)
8. MAKEUP: Mike Patak (Galletta’s Greenhouse #9)

10-Lap Heat #1 – FINISH:

1. Chris Stevens (GallettasGreenhouse.com/Chrusher.com/OswegoSushi.com #4)
2. Matt Stevens (Galletta’s Greenhouse #33)
3. Adam Lytle (Lytle #33c)
4. David Hall Jr. (Hall #29)
5. Chad Crouse (Galletta’s Greenhouse #1)
6. DNF – Lee Gleason (Galletta’s Greenhouse #2)
7. * MAKEUP: Keith Raymond (Galletta’s Greenhouse #0)
8. * MAKEUP: Mike Patak (Galletta’s Greenhouse #9)

Makeup Credits:


10-Lap Heat #2 – START:

1. Mike Patak (Galletta’s Greenhouse #9)
2. Jason King (King Racing #12)
3. Kevin Galletta (Galletta Bros. #28)
4. Keith Raymond (Galletta’s Greenhouse #0)
5. Josh Arnold (Arnold #93)
6. Kelly Miller (Galletta’s Greenhouse #7)
7. Melissa Stevens (Scissors n’ Fur #19)

10-Lap Heat #2 – FINISH:

1. Mike Patak (Galletta’s Greenhouse #9)
2. Jason King (King Racing #12)
3. Kevin Galletta (Galletta Bros. #28)
4. Keith Raymond (Galletta’s Greenhouse #0)
5. Josh Arnold (Arnold #93)
6. Kelly Miller (Galletta’s Greenhouse #7)
7. Melissa Stevens (Scissors n’ Fur #19)

NOTE: As announced on last week’s race page, make-up points after August 1st, 2016 are now only for drivers who have (1) won at least one feature race in our history, (2) only missed a few races, and/or (3) are in the thick of the points race (at this point of the season, we will set it for top-12).


45-Lap Feature

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45-Lap Feature – START:

1. Chad Crouse (Galletta’s Greenhouse #1)
2. Mike Patak (Galletta’s Greenhouse #9)
3. David Hall Jr. (Hall #29)
4. Jason King (King Racing #12)
5. Lee Gleason (Galletta’s Greenhouse #6)
6. Kevin Galletta (Galletta Bros. #28)
7. Adam Lytle (Lytle #33c)
8. Keith Raymond (Galletta’s Greenhouse #0)
9. Josh Arnold (Arnold #93)
10. Matt Stevens (Galletta’s Greenhouse #33)
11. Kelly Miller (Galletta’s Greenhouse #7)
12. Chris Stevens (GallettasGreenhouse.com/Chrusher.com/OswegoSushi.com #8)
13. Melissa Stevens (Scissors n’ Fur #19)

Scary wreck and Chris and Matt 20+ years experience lesson time:

 photo vlcsnap-2016-08-14-19h07m22.jpg

As seen in the above YouTube video, a few big wrecks happened, but none scarier than a hard spill by 1st season driver Mike Patak while leading the field in turn one, flipping violently after getting sideways and barely being missed by the rest of the field (in fact, one driver did hit his arm and helmet when he was prone on the track). He was alright other than a sore neck… and if he wasn’t a big guy, he probably wouldn’t have walked away so easily.

We all know, at least after a race or two, the main line that the drivers use to maximize speed. BUT… it isn’t just about knowing the main groove, it’s about NOT taking it the erong way! Chris and Matt for many, MANY years have warned drivers many times not to get sideways and floor it going into the turns (more or less known as “drifting” or “dirt track sliding”), particularly in the upper groove and even more so when the track is rutted.

The problem is that with our 1-WD karts, and on our ‘Sandy-Clay-with-Rocks’ track…this is quite possibly THE worst way you can drive. Here’s why:

(1) You beat up the track [kick the dirt out the fastest groove and create grooves and POTHOLES in it for not only yourself, but everyone else],

(2) You beat up your drive-wheel system [and greatly increase your chances of breaking a chain and/or bending a sprocket.. in fact, YOU ARE ALL BUT GUARANTEEING YOU WILL BEND/BREAK and/or CRASH and NOT finish],

(3) You can potentially flip [on the most dangerous part of the track when the karts have a ton of momentum and speed and come around a partially blind corner] as seen here when Kevin almost ran Mike over,

(4) You are not gaining momentum as much as you are hurting the kart and digging up the track. In fact, you are losing ALL your momentum and coming out of the turn, you are slower and veterans (like Matt) can make pass attempts on you (see Matt in 5), and…

(5) You are setting yourself up for an EASY pass and loss to veteran drivers, ESPECIALLY Matt. Matt is the best at navigating a bumpy track when the main line has eroded away. In fact, he’s nearly unbeatable when he takes the lead on a track where the main (top line) groove is shot, as nobody else can drive the lower and higher lines as well as he can, and he simply pulls away with a kart that may not even be the fastest on the track, he just knows the track. He wins many times because drivers break down or wreck because they took turn 1 WAY too hard and took not only themselves out, but others. Matt is there to clean up and capitalize on those mistakes. He does NOT have a nitro jetpack when he’s passing you. He is often the same speed you are, and sometimes not even as fast. He SIMPLY kept his momentum, put his drive-wheel in the right place, lightly braked (NOT RIDE IT), and then gassed it at the right time and while you were bucking like a bronco and bouncing out of control FULL-THROTTLE SIDEWAYS on potholes and rocks! He didn’t have more motor than you… he actually outsmarted you — or better worded, out-experienced you — with his 20 years racing experience! That’s all. If you swapped karts, he’d do the same thing again!

Some drivers may see Matt do his low-groove stunt passes, but that is always in the low groove (less ruts, if any) and he’s trying to pivot and slingshot and stay low (in a pass attempt), NOT stay high and NOT sliding sideways… he’s PIVOTING, NOT DRIFTING. Plus, while Matt is not immune to accidents, he does occasionally wreck himself doing this, but because he does have over two decades of of experience, he knows what his kart and what the track can and cannot handle and usually not only maintains control, but comes out ahead. And if you ever see him getting sideways in the high groove (especially in turn 1), then he made a mistake.

Hmm… in fact… I bet if you watched 100+ hours of our videos, you’ll never find him doing that a single time! I feel like giving another $100 challenge to go ahead and find it, but nobody is going to try, just like when I made the same challenge to anybody to find a single instance in our vidoes where Chris or Matt cheated and disobeyed the rules! I made that challenge in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 AND 2011, and not a SINGLE person who made an accusation stepped forward with any example, despite us putting every single lap of our races online for you to watch for free. The accusations stopped.

Anyways, back to the race: Kevin capitalized on Patak’s loss and held off that crafty Matt for the win!

45-Lap Feature – FINALE:

1. Kevin Galletta (Galletta Bros. #28)
2. Matt Stevens (Galletta’s Greenhouse #33, Galletta’s #19) *
3. Josh Arnold (Arnold #93, Galletta’s #43)
4. Jason King (King Racing #12) *
5. Chad Crouse (Galletta’s Greenhouse #1, #78)
6. Chris Stevens (GallettasGreenhouse.com/Chrusher.com/OswegoSushi.com #8, #4)
7. Lee Gleason (Galletta’s Greenhouse #6)
8. DNF – Kelly Miller (Galletta’s Greenhouse #7)
9. DNF – Keith Raymond (Galletta’s Greenhouse #0, #5)
10. DNF – David Hall Jr. (Hall #29)
11. DNF – Mike Patak (Galletta’s Greenhouse #9)
12. DNF – Adam Lytle (Lytle #33c)
13. DNF – Melissa Stevens (Scissors n’ Fur #19)45-Lapper Lap-by-Lap Score Card:

1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th
10th
11th
12th
13th
Notes
0
1
9
29
12
6
28
33c
0
93
33
7
8
19
45-Lapper:
1
1
9
29
19 out
2
1
9
29
19
6
3c
1
9
29
12
28
33
0
93
7
8
6
33c
19
33c out
3
1
9
29
4
1
9
29
0, 33, 8
5c
1
9
29
12
28
93
7
6
33
5
4
33c
19
8>4, 0>.5
5
1
9
29
6c
1
9
29
12
28
93
7
4
6
33
5
33c
19
6, 5, 33
6
1
9
29
7c
1
9
29
28
93
7
4
6
33
5
12
33c
19
12
7
1
9
29
8
1
9
29
9
1
9
28
10
1
9
28
11
1
9
28
12
1
9
28
13
1
9
28
14
1
9
28
1
15c
9
28
93
7
29
4
33
5
6
12
78
33c
19
1>78
15
9
28
93
16
9
28
93
17
9
28
93
19
9
28
93
19c
9
28
93
7
29
4
33
6
12
78
5
33c
19
5
19
9
28
93
20c
9
28
93
7
29
4
33
6
12
5
78
33c
19
78, 5
20
9
28
7
21
9
28
7
22
9
28
7
23
9
28
7
24
9
28
7
25
9
28
7
9 out
26c
28
7
93
4
33
12
5
78
6
29
9
33c
19
26
28
7
93
27
28
7
93
28
28
7
93
29
28
7
93
29
29 out
30
28
7
93
5 out
31c
28
7
4
33
12
78
6
43
5
29
9
33c
19
93>43
31
28
7
4
32
28
7
4
33
28
7
4
34
28
7
4
35
28
7
4
36
28
7
4
33>19
37c
28
7
4
12
78
43
6
19m
5
29
9
33c
19
37
28
7
4
38
28
7
4
39
28
7
4
78
40c
28
7
4
12
19m
43
6
78
5
29
9
33c
19
40
28
7
4
41
28
7
4
42
28
7
4
43
28
7
4
44c
28
19m
12
43
78
6
4
7
5
29
9
33c
19
4, 7, 19m, 12
44
28
19m
12
45
28
19/33
43/93
12
78/1
4/8
6
7
5/0
29
9
33c
19
Points
124
118
113
108
103
98
93
88
83
78
73
68
63
Heat
16
18
14
18
12
20
14
12
10
14
20
16
8
 
Makeup
53
63
 
1st
20
0
0
0
14
0
0
0
0
0
11
0
0
 
2nd/3rd
(18)
9
(2)
1
(11)
5.5
(1)
0.5
(0)
0
(13)
6.5
(0)
0
(23)
11.5
(0)
0
(8)
4
(14)
7
(0)
0
(0)
0
 
Penalty
-10
-5
-5
-5
-5
-5
Total
 169  127  127.5  121.5  124  119.5  107  111.5  141  96  174  84 71
  • Scoring notes:
    * = After lap 42, #4 and #7 both brought out the caution nearly simultaneously (#4’s clutch wound out, and he pulled to the side, but he kept going after the restart; #7’s clutch teeth wore out to nothing and he pulled it off track). The same time that this happened, #19m and #12 stuck bumpers and came to a stop, and has to be dislodged. When the race resumed, #19m and #12 did NOT go to the rear as they should have. They will each be penalized -5 points for this infraction. When you come to a stop on the track because you are wrecked, you must go to the back. By not going to the back, they robbed every driver in back of them on the same lap from points. In this case, #43, #78 and #6.
  • Keith Raymond (0 to 5), Chris Stevens (8 to 4), Chad Crouse (1 to 78) and Matt Stevens (33 to 19) were each penalized the -5 point mid-race kart change penalty.
  • There will be no more makeup races for drivers who (1) are not in the top 10 in points, (2) have never scored a feature win at Galletta’s, and (3) missed more than a few races. Quite frankly, it is a huge delay while tallying the points each week because research must be done into which race they missed, what spot they get, update older pages, and so on. In other words, after August 1st, it becomes more and more of a time-zapping headache to the webmaster/statistician. Matt suggested that unless they are in the thick of the points race, they shouldn’t even be given makeup races at all. Top 12 will be the cutoff for this season.

2016 World 1-WD Gas Flathead Backyard Karting Championship Point Standings

After the 6/12/2016 – 8/14/2016 Races:

Position Last Week Name (Go-Karts Piloted)
Total Points (Place)
Average Points Per Feature
Features
Feature Wins
Win %
Heats Won/
Entered
Years Pro at Galletta’s
All-Time Feature Wins
1st 1st Chris Stevens (Galletta’s #8, 4, 0)
1430.5
110.04
13
3
23%
1/4
21st
80
2nd 3rd Matt Stevens (Galletta’s #33, 3, 74, 19)
1413.5
108.73
13
3
23%
0/4
21st
132
3rd 2nd Kelly Miller (Galletta’s #7, 9, 43)
1413.0
108.69
13
2
15%
0/4
8th
5
4th 4th Josh Arnold (Arnold #93, Galletta’s #78) k
1263.0
97.15
13
1
8%
2/3
1st
1
5th 5th Jason King (King #12J, Galletta’s #9, 43)
1192.5
91.73
13
0
0%
3/4
1st
0
6th 7th Kevin Galletta (Galletta Bros. #28) ** t
1079.0
83.00
13
2
15%
0/3
3rd
5
7th 6th Adam Lytle (Lytle #33c, Galletta #28) k
1042.5
80.19
13
1
8%
0/4
5th
6
8th 8th Keith Raymond (Galletta’s #0, 6, 1) ***** kkk
1031.5
85.96
12
1
8%
0/1
3rd
4
9th 9th Mike Patak (Galletta’s #9, #2, #7, #43) *** k
910.5
82.77
11
0
0%
1/3
1st
0
10th 10th Melissa Stevens (Scissors ‘n Fur #19)
777.0
59.77
13
0
0%
0/4
9th
8
11th 11th David Hall Jr. (Hall #29, Galletta’s #1) k
691.0
86.38
8
0
0%
1/3
1st
0
12th 12th Lee Gleason (Galletta’s Greenhouse #5, 2, 6) *
558.0
93.00
6
0
0%
0/3
®
0
13th 13th Mike Chrisman (Galletta’s #5)
441.5
88.30
5
0
0%
0/0
1st
0
14th 14th Chad Crouse (Galletta’s Greenhouse #5, 9, 1, 43) * k
384.0
76.80
5
0
0%
0/2
®
0
15th 15th Eric Woolworth (Woolworth #78)
247.0
61.75
4
0
0%
0/1
5th
5
16th 16th Taylor Barlow (Galletta Bros. #42, er, p)
216.0
54.00
4
0
0%
0/0
®
0
17th 17th Kristina McCann (Galletta’s #2) ®
169.0
56.33
3
0
0%
0/0
®
0
18th 18th Ken Town (Galletta’s Greenhouse #5)
158.0
79.00
2
0
0%
0/0
®
0
19th 19th Noah King (Galletta’s Greenhouse #5) *
150.0
75.00
2
0
0%
0/0
®
0
20th 20th Nick Roffo (Galletta’s #43)
147.0
73.50
2
0
0%
0/0
1st
0
21st 21st David Hartpence (Galletta’s #1, 2)
141.0
70.50
2
0
0%
0/1
1st
0
22nd 22nd Daniel Connors (Galletta’s Greenhouse #1)
138.0
69.00
2
0
0%
0/1
®
0
23rd 23rd RJ Wyman (Galletta’s Greenhouse #43, 2) k
129.0
64.50
2
0
0%
0/1
®
0
24th 24th Griffin Miller (Galletta’s Greenhouse #2)
112.0
56.00
2
0
0%
0/1
®
0
25th 25th Joe Sereno (Galletta’s Greenhouse #5)
110.0
55.00
2
0
0%
0/0
3rd
5
26th 26th Mark Raymond (Galletta’s Greenhouse #1, 6)
109.0
109.00
1
0
0%
0/2
®
0
27th 27th Tony Cimilluca (Galletta’s #6)
93.0
93.00
1
0
0%
0/0
1st
1
28th 28th Daniel Springer (Galletta’s Greenhouse #43)
87.0
87.00
1
0
0%
0/2
®
0
29th 29th Nick Metcalf (Galletta’s #6)
53.0
53.00
1
0
0%
0/0
®
0
30th 30th Michael West (Galletta’s #6)
45.0
45.00
1
0
0%
0/0
®
0

®=Rookie *=Makeup Feature ) k=Kart Change


Handicap for Next Race:

Name
* = Makeups
Average Points
Features
In
Feature Wins
Heats Won/
Entered
David Hartpence
70.50
2
0
0/1
David Hall Jr.
76.38
8
0
1/3
Chad Crouse *
76.80
5
0
0/2
Mike Patak ***
82.77
11
0
1/3
Mike Chrisman
88.30
5
0
0/0
Jason King
91.73
13
0
3/4
Lee Gleason *
93.00
6
0
0/3
Joe Sereno
55.00
2
0
0/0
Melissa Stevens
59.77
13
0
0/4
Eric Woolworth
61.75
4
0
0/1
Tony Cimilluca
93.00
1
0
0/0
Adam Lytle
80.19
13
1
0/4
Kevin Galletta **
83.00
13
2
0/3
Keith Raymond *****
85.96
12
1
0/1
Josh Arnold
97.15
13
1
2/3
Kelly Miller
108.69
13
2
0/4
Matt Stevens
108.73
13
3
0/4
Chris Stevens
110.04
13
3
1/4