Galletta's Karting Club

September 10th-11th, 2005 – Two great races were marred with an accident that left one of our best drivers injured and a heated disagreement about rules. Matt Stevens swept the Saturday-thru-Sunday Twin 40s, but the Saturday event had Jason Mills hurt his hand in an accident (where drivers kept racing after the caution came out), and one of the drivers who was involved in the incident was one of the OHV Outlaws, several passionate drivers who used OHV motors and quit the club over our engine rules. Every driver who raced a 5hp flathead felt that the 5.5hp OHVs were putting out WAY more horsepower than they were letting on for months now, and it finally boiled over to a heated argument and a few drivers leaving – claiming to never to come back.

A few frames from the DVD. Approximately 35mph-45+mph down the straights (box stock w/ shaved heads!

On the 4th Anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, Matt Stevens (in his Galletta’s #3) patriotically won two races in two nights by blowing by nearly the entire field in four laps during the first race and then passing Gary Miller (and his #24) after the #24 led the first twenty-four laps in the second “5-hp only” race. (Matt, under the suggestion from fellow Galletta’s Karter Jason “The Hammer” Mills, a few weeks earlier instituted a new rule allowing our box stock 5hp flathead karts to now have hand-shaved heads to equalize the competition after suspicions arose of the 5.5hp OHV karts actually had 6.5hp motors with Dremel-tool shaved heads, as Outlaw friend Jim Losurdo admitted to.) Matt was only challenged by one driver. Mark Miller (in his #00) closely followed Matt in Saturday’s event, but after the race stormed off the track accusing Matt of cheating, which everybody believes Mark did.(Track officials know that Matt runs only 5hp engines with only shaved heads, but have never seen Mark’s modifications that he and Jim Losurdo basically admitted to). Mike Billion (in his #57) also stormed off the track angry about the fact that he was passed by Mark and Chris after lapped traffic (Tom Murray driving his own #29 for the very first time) did not obey the passing flag and stay to one side of the track. He may have also been angry that he was accused of illegally altering his engine, but since the OHV karts do not explain to us what they do to their motors and why they keep getting more and more powerful every single weekend, we can’t really agree to compete with these motors in the same class.Chris Stevens was charging early in the Galletta’s #0 during the 1st race, but after a throttle gave way while third (to only Matt and Mike), he jumped into his Galletta’s #8 to place third in the first race and then scored a second place in Sunday’s race.

Race One-
9/10/05 Final 5.5+hp/5hp mixed class 40-Lap results:

1. (#3) Matt Stevens
2. (#00^^) Mark Miller
3. (#0/#8) Chris Stevens
4. (#24) Gary Miller
5. (#5) Rob Jimenez
6. (#7) Josh Schute
—Lapped Karts—
7. (#2) Fred Collins
8. (#6) Phil Hall
—DNF—
9. (#57^) Mike Billion
10. (#4) Ogre Stevens
11. (#29) Tom Murray
12. (#1) Jim “JR” Pitsley
13. (#61) Dan Woodard
—Did not complete 1 lap—
14. (#18) Ed Maynes
15. (#83) Jason Mills

The weekend was unfortunately marred with an unfortunate incident on lap zero of the first race, where bunched traffic – and the continuous problem with drivers trying to pass during caution that WILL stop with this race, period – caused Robbie Jimenez (in the Galletta’s #5)’s drive wheel ran over Jason Mills (and his #83)‘s steering column, breaking the steering wheel and injuring his hand, the chain partially severed a ligament in Jason’s hand and it required some reconstructive stitches. Everybody at Galletta’s hopes that he has a speedy recovery and will be accepting donations for Jason missing work over his injury. Robbie otherwise ran the best races of his rookie season, but was warned to let off the gas, go off of the track, or even completely stop during a caution (that’s what it means and you will not lose a position if passed during a yellow – only completed green flag laps count). Again, some of the 5.5hp guys were caught passing under caution a few times, and when you pass under caution, then people race and the WITH A BLOCKED OFF TRACK YOU CAN GET IN AN ACCIDENT. This is why YOU DON’T PASS UNDER CAUTION and you SLOW DOWN AND STAY IN YOUR POSITION! Got it Mark? One of the worst injuries in our track history was easily avoided if (1) people paid attention to the track in front of them instead of passing under caution and (2) people wear gloves and full clothing. Guest-Star All-Time Oswego Street Stock Champ and current Supermodified driver, Kelly Miller drove the Galletta’s #0 to a 3rd place finish on Sunday’s event, but after he wrecked, several drivers brought it to the track officials’ attention that he didn’t obey the track rule of going to the rear of the lead lap when you wreck with another kart. Kelly then lost two places under review of the tape and he was scored as the last kart on the lead lap, as per Galletta’s Karting Club rules.

^^ = A new rule was passed after this race due to a verbal war erupted during and after the conclusion of the September 10th, 2005 race. After this point, we are no longer allowing OHV 5.5hp+ engines to compete in the same races as the flat-head 5hp engines. This is due in part with a lack of equality in the horsepower (the 5.5+hps have an unfair advantage of power in the corners) and the allegations that some of the drivers are buying 6.5hps and removing the stickers, or buying special after-market parts for them.  These drivers have extremely heavy karts that should be lightened up for both their speed and the protection of the other drivers who feel that they are too big, bulky, and heavy to fairly race against. Several drivers complained about the fear of injury racing against such heavy karts sliding into them and a few regular racers stopped coming primarily for this reason. Lighter frames with a 5hp engine (free of special-market racing parts) is the goal for every competitor at Galletta’s (since 2005; shaved heads allowed, other racing modifications are not – see rules page for more details). We will consider a 5.5hp+ class, but the official track class is after-market-free 5hp, as all nine track karts and most of the visiting competitors use them exclusively. Track officials WILL set up any 5hp kart for optimal, race-winning performance (and have done so many times: See Ed Meynes, Gary Miller, and Eddie Scruton, all of whom were slow and then were able to win or compete every week after their karts were rebuilt). Inquire with Matt at the track or via email.

This is unfortunate, because most of us enjoyed the competitiveness and desire to race that they had. But rules are rules, and the temporary allowance of OHV 5.5-and-up engines is, for the time being, not allowed with the flat-head 5hp motors. I think almost everybody understands this, but it surprises me how many people were angry and no longer talking with us based on this decision).

    Videotaped race. DVDs are now available for every videotaped event. Please contact Chris Stevens via email for buying a DVD that will contain anywhere from 2-4 races per disc and only costs $5-7 per DVD (+$3 shipping in the USA, more outside).