Picture NOT from this race. We unfortunately do not have any video of this event — which was a very hot and sunny day that led to a dry track. Picture from a later race day in 2005 where we did have video (and pretty much every single race ever since).

7/17/2005 – Maynes Wins after Billion wrecks leader Stevens on hot 16-kart 50-Lapper!

Ed Meynes (#18) inherited the lead with four laps remaining to win the highly controversial, hot, humid, and overcast afternoon July 17th 50-lap event. Raindrops started falling as Ed crossed the finish line followed by Jason Mills, who hopped behind the wheel of the abandoned Galletta’s #6 after he abandoned the Galletta’s #1. But that was far from the whole story in this hectic and hotly contested race.

Chris Stevens (in his Galletta’s #8) led thirty-two straight laps after passing Mike Billion (in his #57) for the lead on lap fourteen. Chris was then hounded closely by Matt Stevens (in his Galletta’s #3), Mark Miller (in his #007), and Billion, who collectively staged a furious back-and-fourth battle for second, third, and fourth through lapped traffic. But as the battle raged on, both Mark and Matt lost their main rides due to mechanical failures. Matt then hopped into the abandoned Galletta’s #1 and was able to place fourth, although Mark acquired a point-damaging DNF by sitting the remainder of the event. Shortly after this is when the controversy began.

Chris had to navigate a bumpy track and several restarts during his thirty-two laps in the lead. A few of the restarts were allegedly caused by Fred Collins (driving the Galletta’s #2), who spectators and track officials claimed was driving recklessly, jumping restarts and wrecking into other competitors, including Kenny Meynes (the youngest driver on the track). He was finally disqualified when his kart landed on Kenneth Auyer‘s lap (who was driving the Galletta’s #0). Fred deeply protested, threatened to fight people, and stormed off of the track in a fit of anger before the race resumed. But the controversial wrecks, angry walk outs, and disqualifications did not end there.

On lap forty-six, Billion got a little too greedy, and over-aggressively tried to pass where there wasn’t enough room to, hooking the front left of the #57 into the #8’s right rear tire and causing a caution. This not only cost Chris the lead, but also cost Mike a high-scoring second place. However the controversy still didn’t stop there. Adding insult to injury, while both trying to pass Robbie Jimenez (in the Galletta’s #5) after a restart two laps later, Mike again didn’t give the #8 enough room and brushed tires two times, finally wrecking into Chris for a second time; placing the entire back end of the #57 on his lap. The accident not only bent the steering column of the #8, but it also re-injured and infuriated the already injured Chris, who stormed off of the track; frustrated and angry with the accumulated accidents that he was getting collected into; even feeling intentionally targeted for them.

Track officials then disqualified Mike to finish behind the person(s) that he wrecked, the same track rule and penalty given to Fred. Track officials were considering banning Mike and Mark (who Chris and some spectators felt was firing up and instigating Mike to drive too aggressively, as he was “coaching him up” to beat Chris at all costs) for at least one week, but decided against it with a promise of racing cleaner, obeying the track rules, and being more respectful to other drivers. In open wheel racing, when tires brush, karts can get airborne, and this can lead to people getting hurt. You can be a pretty tough guy, but when you are going between 35-50MPH, then INTENTIONALLY hook wheels to gain one spot in a FREE backyard karting race, get airborne and have 150-200 lbs karts and 150-200+lbs human beings crashing into each other, tough isn’t tough enough when bones, important organs and arteries are concerned. When all 4 tires stay on the ground, the racing is extremely safe. When karts get airborne, people can get hurt and equipment can get damaged. This isn’t NASCAR, where many say, “rubbin’ is racin'”, this is open-wheel kart racing, and it is unsafe to rub wheels. If you can’t pass clean, then don’t go for the pass.

Galletta’s Club Drivers with FH 5hp engines (and spectators) are more and more doubting that the OHV 5.5hp engines that some visitors are bringing are “box stock”

In addition to the incident noted above, many of the drivers and spectators felt that the visiting drivers that have OHV motors were possibly lying and running more than 5.5hp engines, possibly 6.5hp or more due to the fact that their karts+drivers were so much heavier, yet so powerful (sliding nearly sideways in the turns and keeping speed), and being so much faster than the stock 5hps (and even the stock 5.5hp OHV Intek Briggs that Chris purchased to compete with them could only hold a line to hold them off and they had FAR more power despite being much heavier and allegedly the same motors), has raised weekly suspicions that they aren’t being entirely honest with us. They’ve denied these accusations, yet many didn’t believe them and felt as if this was unfair and dishonest sportsmanship and are threatening to quit. We love having passionate drivers, but we want them all to have karts that are roughly the same exact speed to make for the most competitive race possible. More to come.

7/17/05 50-Lap results:

1. #18 Ed Meynes
2. #1/#6 Jason Mills
3. #4 Ogre Stevens
4. #3/#1 Matt Stevens
5. #5 Rob Jimenez
   —2 laps down—
6. #8^ Chris Stevens*
7. #57^ Mike Billion**
   —3 laps down—
8. #0 Kenneth Auyer
9. #7 Ken Pitsley
 —DNF—
10. #2 Fred Collins**
11. #11 Bob Piazza
12. #007^ Mark Miller
13. #20 Kenny Meynes
14. #6 Jerry Martin
15. #24 Gary Miller
16. #44^ Neil Gosch

^ = “5.5hp” motor.
DNF = Did not finish race.
* = Retired after wrecked twice within two laps.
** = Disqualified for wrecks/reckless driving and placed behind the person(s) he wrecked.

Galletta’s Go-Kart Racing Association’s

Galletta’s Greenhouse Karting Speedway 2005 points Standings

(7 races from 06/05/2005 thru 07/17/2005)

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