Galletta's Karting Club

Oswego Speedway’s Dirt Track (later re-named Oswego Kartway)
1st Annual Classic – Complete Video Playlist 2nd Angle – All Race Divisions!

While our website primarily covers the Galletta’s Greenhouse Karting Club, we also would try to record the other classes as well and make them available via DVD. Years later, in order to archive our complete race library, we also uploaded the entire DVD series to YouTube (albeit slightly compressed — uncompressed versions available on DVD-R). Here is the entire event (not just our 1-WD Gas Stock class but all Methanol classes) from a 2nd camera angle in it’s entirety!

NOTE: IF the above embedded video playlist links have malfunctioned, please use this link on the thumbnail picture to the right for the complete playlist of the 2007 Oswego Kartway Classic from two cameras. As for our own personal race division’s coverage:

2007 Gas Stocker Kart Classic 50

8/30/2007 – Chris Stevens wins 1st Annual Oswego Speedway Dirt Kartway Classic (50-Laps/16-Karts) & Galletta’s Chris, Wes & Matt Stevens SWEEP Podium! +YouTube

August 30th, 2007 – Chris Stevens wins 1st Annual Oswego Speedway Dirt Classic (Largest ever – 50-Laps/16-Karts/Gas Stock Division) & Galletta’s Greenhouse Karting Club’s Chris, Wes and Matt Stevens SWEEP Podium at Oswego Kartway BIGGEST RACE EVER! Since their track inspired the Kartway’s creation, the trio’s triumph was only fitting!

On August 30th, 2007, Chris “ChrusherComix” Stevens won the Oswego Speedway Classic Weekend’s Dirt Gas Stocker Kart Classic 50, his 1st Feature at Oswego since 2006, and his 3rd overall feature of 2007 in his Galletta’s #8. His father Wesley Ogre Stevens took 2nd in the Galletta’s #4, and his brother – and head mechanic of all 10 Galletta Go-Karts – Matt Stevens got 3rd in his Galletta’s #33. In fact, the entire 15-kart field was involved in accidents at one time or another, which made this race a war of experience and attrition.

2007 Volume #14 DVD – The Oswego Dirt Kart Classic from Oswego Speedway:Contains both angles of theAugust30th, 2007 races from Oswego Speedway’s Dirt track on Classic Weekend to decide the Oswego Gas Stock Kart Champion! Also contains most of the methanol class events (as much as we could fit on our tapes, and at least 1 camera of all, we believe.) 1 hour & 47 minutes!

 

Ten Galletta’s Go-Karts made the journey to the Oswego Speedway Classic Weekend Dirt Oval show on Thursday, August 30th, 2007 and 9 Galletta’s Club drivers raced in the (formerly known as Supermodified Yard Karts, now known as) Clockwise Gas Stocker Kart Classic!

Great shot of the opening of heat race #1 by “Pinner!” 

Now for a preview of this disc’s contents:

All pictures and video clips are low-resolution captures from the Galletta’s Go-Karts 2007 Season Volume #14 DVD. 2 widescreen camera angles! Buy yours today. Only $3 for Regular Galletta’s Club Drivers that raced in the event, and $5 for everybody else. Contact me.We also got some of the methanol classes on the disc as well.

1-WD Gas Stock – Heat 1

 
Here is the start of the 1st Supermodified Yard Kart Heat won by Chris Stevens in the Galletta’s #8, who was followed closely by 5-time ’07 Oswego Kartway Feature Winner Matt Stevens. Rounding out the field were Mike Howell, Kenny Lindsley Jr. (who came back from erupting into flames during practice), Oscar Berry, Melissa Gabel, a rookie (whose name I don’t know, but his last name was Parkhurst), and “The Five O’Clock  Shadow” Shadoe Russell.

1-WD Gas Stock – Heat 2

Here is the start of the 2nd Supermodified Yard Kart Heat. Eric Raponi was leading on the last lap, but spunout in turn 4, enabling Wesley “Ogre” Stevens to take the win, followed closely by Buddy Cottom. Joe Hayden, Another 1st-time rookie (whose name I didn’t get either, but he was another Parkhurst), Ryan Coleman, Eric Raponi, and Lee Bartlett rounded out the field.Kyle Reuter was also scheduled to run (and the Galletta’s #5 was ready for him), but he had no time due to working on his methanol kart; which he piloted to a 4th place finish in the Sr. Methanol Classic! Great job Kyle!

1st Annual 1-WD Gas Stock 50-Lap Classic at Oswego Kartway

The complete Classic from both camera angles (Rungnapha “Aou” Stevens and Gene Galletta at the cameras).

Rundown

Under the lights for the first time ever at Oswego Kartway! Here is the start of the 1st Annual Super Yard Kart Classic, which couldn’t get started because the pole-sitting Shadow Russell inexplicably started in the rear of the field,and Melissa Gabel had to move the entire inside row up one spot. After a few small mishaps, the race finally got underway and Chris Stevens stormed out to an early lead, getting methanol kart times with his gas stock flathead Briggs 5hp Galletta’s #8 tuned by his brother Matt.

Leader Chris Stevens survived a pileup in turn 1 when the lapped karts of Shadoe Russell and Oscar Berry wrecked together, collecting Eric Raponi and Matt Stevens who were battling back and forth for 2nd, along with a handful of others. This wreck took Buddy Cottom, Melissa Gabel and a Team Parkhurst rookie out of the race, as they all were too damaged by the accident to continue.

Chris Stevens pulled away from the crowd and was putting as many lapped karts between himself and 2nd place as possible, being extra careful of a few erratic ones. However, the lapped kart of Shadoe Russell panicked and spun out of a 4th groove into the 1st and right into Chris, who crashed him out of the way. Though Chris didn’t stop, he still had to go to the rear of the non-lapped field. But what was confusing after this is that then-2nd place Joe Hayden avoided the accident completely and then-3rd-place Mike Howell spun to avoid it, but they both placed themselves in the rear, as did Kenny Lindsley Jr.! They should have restarted 1st, 2nd, and possibly 3rd.3-time ’07 Oswego Kartway feature winner, Eric Raponi then inherited the lead to setup the final stages of the event, which made no sense either.The repeated accidents that Shadoe was directly involved in led some drivers to vow never to race against him again and the track operator was unsure if he ever wanted him back on his track again.

Eric Raponi — with his powerful OHV Outlaw engine — has been the only one able to challenge Matt at the Kartway all season, and was then using his large kart and low groove to hold off a storming Mike”MC” Howell, Chris Stevens, Matt Stevens, and Wesley Stevens, who were all furiously battling back and forth for spots 2-5 behind him.

However, late in the race, Raponi and Howell crashed together after both hitting a bump in turns 3 & 4. The bump sent the #6 flying into #83 and taking them both out of a potential 1-2 finish. Wes Stevens then inherited the lead, but was passed by his son Chris Stevens with a couple of laps to go,even though the announcer kept humorously announcing Wesley “Ogre” Stevens.

Here is Chris taking the checker, followed by his dad Wes and his brother Matt, who had to feverously battle by two drivers late to get a top 3. A bit of a shocker for Matt, as he had been dominating the Oswego Super Yard Kart class for the last few prior shows, but Matt was just thrilled that three of his Galletta’s Karts got the top three positions and all won Classic Weekend Tickets, which means that he won anyway. Chris again thanks his brother Matt and Melissa Gabel for their diligent work changing the tires on the karts during the week, and Oswego Dirt Track Operator Jim Losurdo for organizing the event.

“I was running away with it early until I got caught up with one of our own lapped karts when he spun out right in front of me,” Chris said. “But I just battled back into the top 3, stuck it out and the accidents evened back out for me in the end, thank God, goodness, luck, the odds, and whatever else. My kart was hooked, and Matt has to be thanked for that. In all my races on that track, whatever kart I drove here was loose, no traction, and would slip and slide all over. Today it was on a rail and went exactly the line where I wanted it to and never lost any speed or grip. Kart was perfect, track was perfect. Couldn’t ask for better.” Chris added, “I was sorry to see  Eric and Mike wreck while battling for the lead, it looked like that rut in turn four was the culprit. But, I had a huge lead early and lapped traffic — one of our own team karts, no less, the #2 — took me out as well, so I had to work my way up from the rear, so I know what that feels like, too.” Joe Hayden and Kenny Lindsley Jr. rounded out the top 5 and also got trophies. Eric Raponi left the track, furious that he got caught in an accident while leading, and therefore took himself out of a potential trophy position and cost himself points in the final point standings (found below). Unfortunately, he and his crew were still heated in the pits, but thankfully they calmed down. 

Chris and his wife ‘Aou’ Rungnapha Stevens after the win. Chris wanted Matt- the 2007 Oswego Speedway Yard Kart Points Champion, head mechanic of all Galletta’s Go-Karts, and little brother – to pose as well, but he was nowhere to be found. Picture courtesy of LocalTrax.com and XtremeFotoz.com, thanks to both! (Edit: Booth sites are defunct, but if anybody connected to them has these old pics, we’d be interested in purchasing some, especially a higher-resolution version of the above Yard07 picture!) We’d want to buy the big printed pictures and captures for the website… but they seem to not answer requests. *sigh* More pictures of the trophy ceremony are available on the message board here. 

Now here is the…

Oswego Speedway Clockwise Gas Stocker Kart Classic 50 (8/30/2007)
Final Order Of Finish:

Key: DNF = Did Not Finish, ®  = Rookie/Newbie/1st-timer. Now here are the…

Oswego Speedway Dirt Oval FINAL “Gas Stock Kart” Points Standings after 10 events between 6/15/2007 and 8/30/2007:

Rank	Name (Motor type & Go-Karts Piloted)	Total Points (Place)	Average Points Per Event	Events	Feature Wins
1	2007 Oswego Speedway Gas Stocker Kart Champion:Matt “Furlong” Stevens (5hp FH Galletta’s #33)	1023.50	102.35	10	5
2	Eric Raponi (6.5hp OHV Raponi #83)	936.50	93.65	10	3
3	Joe Hayden (6.5hp OHV Hayden #5)	843.50	84.35	10	1
4	Wesley “Ogre” Stevens (5hp FH Galletta’s #4)	738.50	92.31	8	0
5	* = 2007 Oswego Classic Champion!Chris “Chrusher” Stevens (5hp FH Galletta’s #8, #G5)	607.00	101.17	6	1*
6	Kyle Reuter (5hp FH Galletta’s #0, #G5)	533.00	88.83	6	0
7	Mike “MC” Howell (5hp FH Galletta’s #6)	417.50	104.38	4	0
8	Lee Bartlett (6.5hp OHV Bartlett #924)	320.00	80.00	4	0
9	Oscar “Flyin’ Oz” Berry (5hp FH Oz #11)	271.00	90.30	3	0
10	Kenny Lindsley Jr. (5hp FH Galletta’s #2)	216.00	108.00	2	0
11	Mike Billion (6.5hp OHV Billion #57)	192.00	96.00	2	0
12	Mark Miller (6.5hp OHV M-Miller #00)	169.00	84.50	2	0
13	Shadoe Russell (5hp Galletta’s #7)	157.00	78.50	2	0
14	Missy Berry (5hp FH Galletta’s #0, #7)	146.00	73.00	2	0
15	Dick Dann (5hp FH Dann #86)	138.00	69.00	2	0
16	Ryan Coleman (5hp FH Galletta’s #0)	126.00	126.00	1	0
17	Buddy Cottom (5hp FH Galletta’s #1)	98.00	98.00	1	0
18	Team Parkhurst – Blue Kart #? (???hp)	97.00	97.00	1	0
19	Melissa Gabel (5hp FH Galletta’s #3)	85.50	85.50	1	0
20	Team Parkhurst – Red Kart #? (???hp)	83.00	83.00	1	0
21	Gary Miller Sr. (5hp FH G-Miller #24)	76.00	76.00	1	0
22	Nick “Did you see my tire go by?” Dann (5hp FH Dann #68)	63.00	63.00	1	0

Don’t forget to check out the new 2000-up Points & Win List. 

2007 Volume #14 DVD – The Oswego Kart Classic from Oswego Speedway’s Dirt Oval:Contains both angles of the August 30th, 2007 races from Oswego Speedway’s Dirt track on Classic Weekend to decide the Oswego Gas Stock Kart Champion! 1 hour & 47 minutes! Also contains most of the methanol events (as much as we could fit on our tapes) .

Front cover of Galletta’s Go-Karts 2007 Volume #14 DVD. Click for printable version (rotate 90 degrees).

Back cover of Galletta’s Go-Karts 2007 Volume #14 DVD. Click for printable version.

Team Galletta’s thank Oswego Speedway Dirt track – AKA the Oswego Kartway for all the fun during the year, and look forward to more racers joining us in 2008. What’s amazing is although the methanol karts – which cost thousands of dollars each, aren’t even much faster than the the fastest Clockwise Gas Stockers (which only cost a few hundred dollars each and run on gas) at Oswego Kartway. They got around the track with similar times (and some even quicker than some of the methanol karts), and sported a 16 kart field, while each methanol class only had a handful per class (usually bump and grind to pass, and often string out into a distantly spread out single file line with very little excitement). Our karting division, (formerly known as the “Yard Kart” and now known as) the Clockwise Gas Stockers put on one of the best features of the entire Classic weekend, with the most leader changes and debatably the closest racing! Sorry to toot our own horn, but our class always puts the best show and gets the most bang for your buck, while also the least respect! Yet, because we are so affordable, anybody can join, and if you weigh 200 lbs. or less, you can compete to win! This isn’t a knock on the methanol classes, but we think they’d have fun if they tried one of our rental karts or built some for themselves too! Join us! We’re always looking for more experienced drivers to race on a weekly basis!

Although this was the final clay karting event at Oswego Speedway for the 2007 season, the Galletta’s Karting season goes for a month or two more, weather permitting. Now to last and/or next week’s action:

Galletta’s 2007 Race #13 : 8/26/2007 45-Lapper:

<- Chris and Matt battle it out late at Galletta’s Kartway the previous weekend.

Galletta’s Go-Kart Club 2007 Point Standings
(for the 2007 Stock 5hp Championship of Oswego County)After 13 events from 6/3/2007 to 8/26/2007: index_2006

 [P.S. NOTES: The Oswego Speedway Dirt Track was later named the Oswego Kartway, and after the 2008 season, track operator Jim Losurdo barred the Galletta’s Karting Club – a group that had been there from the beginning and supported the track with 3-15 karts, racing videos, free promotion, and website logos for three years – over a personal grudge with the Galletta’s Club founders and our unique chassis and rules. The track runs on most weekends every Summer  and to this day, you will never find a larger nor more exciting race than this 15-kart, 50-Lapper with MIXED MOTORS (5hp Flathead Briggs Galletta-karts vs. 6.5hp+ OHV Outlaws). Spending thousands of dollars and splitting classes by engine, chassis and weights only dilutes the racing. This race, with our race-modified yard karts – put on the best single show in the history of the track. Years later, nothing comes close. But is it any surprise? When Matt and Chris Stevens founded the Galletta’s Karting Club and Backyard Speedway – a track that in fact inspired the Kartway’s creation – in the early 1990s and race weekly every summer to date? We don’t think so. Read on]