Galletta's Karting Club

DVD to the Thursday, August 14th, 2008 racing action at Oswego Kartway is available and includes all classes (WKA Junior, Medium, Heavy, 5hp Gas SWD, 6.5hp Gas SWD, Open, and Champ). 

However, though the DVD has all classes, this website covers primarily the class that we invented to race professionally on a yard kart budget – the Galletta’s Gas Stockers. Galletta’s races primarily single-wheel-drive karts (staggered to turn right for superior cornering) that run on pump gas and use stock parts with limited racing part allowances made for heavier drivers. We were also called “Super Racing Yard Karts” as we are a hybrid between expensive racing karts and inexpensive yard karts. Anybody can join, and since the karts only cost $300-700 to build and can run off just a little more than gas money, you can race an affordable racing kart weekly professionally for pocket change every year. Join us today!

We held an 8-kart race at Oswego Kartway on August 14th, 2008. Here are some highlights from our Gas 5hp Single-Wheel-Drive class in the Galletta’s/Oswego Dirt Karting 2008 Volume #13 DVD.

Oswego Dirt Karting 2008 DVD Volume #13

This week, the Galletta’s 5hp class planned to race another 2-in-1 show (two classes on the same track, though two different winners and points standings), but the 6.5hps claimed there was a “controversy” last week and via majority vote elected not to race with us. What that controversy was is completely anybody’s guess, because their side had less karts (8 to 4 this week), they have more horsepower in their motors (6.5hp to 5hp), and they spin-out and wreck more than our class. We thought we were doing them and Oswego track operator Jim Losurdo (who begged us repeatedly to race against them) a favor for us to run with them JUST AS LONG AS EACH MOTOR WAS COUNTED AS TWO RACES IN ONE, but they declined. Considering that they insisted to race with us and only have one winner, but now that we want to race with them but with two motor-type winners, it is peculiar that we have this paradox. Maybe they WANTED to beat us, and because they can’t race with us or they couldn’t technically beat us in 2-in-1 race, then they didn’t want to even try. Or, maybe it was too much to have smaller motors race so well against most of them on most weeks. We’ll never know. In the end, it is better to have the two motors separated. Just less karts on track (and usually less cautions as well).

The heat was won by Gary Miller Sr. (Galletta’s #9), and he was followed by Wes Stevens (Galletta’s #4), Matt Stevens (Galletta’s #33), Buddy Cottom (Galletta’s #7), Chris Stevens (Galletta’s #8), Russ Hockey (Hockey #00), Dick Dann (Dann #86), and Nick Dann (Dann #68).

The Feature was won by Matt Stevens (Galletta’s #33), and he was followed by Wes Stevens (Galletta’s #4), Buddy Cottom (Galletta’s #7), Dick Dann (Dann #86), Chris Stevens (Galletta’s #8), Dick Dann (Dann #86), Gary Miller (Galletta’s #9; DNF – Quit), and Russ Hockey (Hockey #00; DNF – Broken Chain). There was post-race controversy after Russ complained that Chris wrecked him on the first lap of the feature, but nobody else who viewed the tape agreed with him (also viewable on the above YouTube video). Russ attempted a 3-wide pass when Chris and Buddy Cottom were side by side and simply faded up into Chris, breaking his drive-wheel chain on Chris’s rear bumper. Chris never saw him until after Russ collided with him, and was very surprised and disappointed by the crash and Russ’s accusations.

Now for first the Oswego-only points, then the combined points:

2008 Oswego Kartway Gas Stocker Point Standings:  
After 11  events at Oswego Kartway from 5/8/2007 -thru- 8/14/2008.

* = Note on motors: The gas 6.5hp motors (now called the “Outlaws”) raced with 5hp motors for part of the season until neither motor side could agree on rules. Every week would be an argument over “those guys have way more horsepower than us” vs. “those guys are way lighter than us.” Their points are counted in only the races where both 5hp & 6.5hp motors raced in the same race, but excludes one race where Matt raced a 5hp against all 6.5hps and won.

2008 5hp Gas Stocker Point Standings of Oswego County, NY  
After 17 combined events at both Galletta’s and Oswego Kartway from 5/8/2007 -thru- 8/14/2008.

Rank	Name & Karts Piloted  (*5hp flathead stock unless otherwise noted. This points total does not include several 6.5hp-exclusive races at Oswego.)	Total Points (Place)	Average Points Per Event	Events	Heat Wins	Feature Wins
1	“Mighty” Matt Stevens  (Galletta’s #33, 3, 1)	2049.00	120.53	17	4	7
2	Chris “Chrusher” Stevens (Galletta’s #8, 4, 5)	1913.00	112.53	17	3	3
3	Russ Hockey  (Hockey #00, Galletta’s #9, 5)	1501.00	93.81	16	2	0
4	Buddy Cottom  (Galletta’s #6, 1, 7)	1065.50	133.19	8	2	1
5	Dick Dann  (Dann #86)	1012.00	101.20	10	0	0
6	Wavin’ Nick Dann  (Dann #68, 86, Galletta’s #5, 1, Miller #24)	908.00	100.89	9	1	1
7	Gary Miller Sr. (Miller #24, Galletta’s #0, 9)	898.50	99.83	9	2	0
8	Melissa “Low-Groove ” Gabel(Galletta’s #3, 33)	819.00	117.00	7	0	0
9	Flyin’ Ryan Coleman  (Galletta’s #9, 7, Miller #24)	743.50	148.70	5	2	2
10	Joe Hayden (Handicap 6.5hp+ OHV #5)	600.00	85.71	7	0	3
11	John “JP” Stepien (Galletta’s #0)	587.50	146.88	4	1	0
12	Mike “MC” Howell  (Galletta’s #5, 6, 9)	584.00	116.80	5	1	0
13	Eric Raponi (Handicap 6.5hp+ OHV #83, Galletta’s #9)	557.00	79.57	7	5	0
14	Dave Melfi (Handicap 6.5hp+ OHV #22)	527.00	75.29	7	0	2
15	Oscar “We’ve Got A Weight Limit!” Berry (Berry #11, Handicap 6.5hp #71)	471.00	67.29	7	0	0
16	Wes “Ogre” Stevens (Galletta’s #4)	351.00	87.75	4	0	0
17	Larry Phillips (Phillips #04, Galletta’s #9, 7)	315.00	105.00	3	0	0
18	Gary Miller Jr. (Miller #24)	147.50	147.50	1	0	0
19	AJ Russell (Galletta’s #6)	142.00	142.00	1	1	0
20	Jeff Tetro (Galletta’s #2)	124.00	124.00	1	0	0
21	Flippin’ Fred Collins  (Galletta’s #2)	119.50	119.50	1	0	0
22	Rob Clarke (Galletta’s #6)	113.00	113.00	1	0	0
23	Missy Berry (6.5hp OHV #64)	88.00	88.00	1	0	0
24	Peggy Melfi (6.5hp OHV #66)	84.00	84.00	1	0	0
25	Ken Lindsley Jr.  Galletta’s #6	75.00	75.00	1	0	0
26	Ken Lindsley III Galletta’s #1	69.00	69.00	1	0	0
27	Joe Miller Galletta’s #9	65.00	65.00	1	0	0

* = NOTE: This points total does not include 6.5hp-exclusive races at Oswego, nor the one race with all 6.5hps except Matt in a 5hp. The 6.5hp racers have a separate points race that we currently don’t have on record, and they also elect to not race at Galletta’s.

The Galletta’s Go-Karting Club was founded by brothers Matt and Chris Stevens in the early 1990s when they modified yard karts for racing purposes. They are the inventors of “clockwise 5hp flathead gas stocker kart” racing, and have a 13-kart race team that includes several backup karts available to be rented and raced at both Galletta’s and Oswego Speedway all summer. Invented with specifically “gas stock 5hp motor” rules so that a person doesn’t have to spend thousands of dollars to race in extremely competitive racing events, the class grows in talent and competition every single year. Join us by building your own kart for around $500 or rent one of our team karts on Summer Thursdays or Summer Sundays in Oswego, NY!

 
The Oswego Gas Stocker Kart Club races at Galletta’s Greenhouse Kartway & Oswego SpeedwayKartway.

Due to the fact that the karts are so affordable and the oldest veterans have been racing for nearly two decades, it is one of the most difficult karting divisions to win at, but yet you can be instantly competitive for just a couple hundred dollars IF you’re a good driver. You can’t outspend your opponent due to our gas-powered stock-only rule, so you must out-race them and out-setup them. In fact, nobody has ever defeated Matt & Chris in the open challenge: race a stock 5hp flathead and stop them from scoring 1st & 2nd in a points season. Though hundreds of people have tried in hundreds of races since the early 1990s, Chris and Matt have scored 1 & 2 every year. But it’s not just them you have to race. Our regular drivers are all talented and experienced. You can prove your skills against the winningest karters in the local area AND you won’t even have to spend a lot of money to get started! We dare you to try! Make your own or rent one of our racing team karts. Sound like fun? Read on, explore the website, and join us!

 More Galletta’s Go-Karting flips, crashes and tight racing carting highlights on:

YouTube And the complete and high quality races found on this site and YouTube can be purchased in our Galletta’s Go-Kart DVD store!

Comments, questions, and additional info with Galletta’s Kart Club drivers and officials can be found on our new message boards. ->

Galletta’s is a backyard karting track that does not charge anybody to watch or race (though we ask for clay donations). If you want to rent a fast Galletta’s 5hp Gas Stocker Kart on Oswego’s dirt karting tracks, then inquire! There’s always at least one or more karts open and waiting to be raced! Bring your own 5hp gas stocker kart or rent one of ours and join us! We usually run 8-12 kart races weekly, but we’d love to have more on both tracks that we race at, so we ask for more people joining us. Experienced drivers or beginners? It doesn’t matter, you can race! Interested? Call us up! Plus, everybody is getting tuned up for the Oswego Speedway Classic weekend at Oswego Kartway. Did you ever think that you could be racing at the famed Speedway on Classic weekend? You can, and for VERY affordably. Rent one of our karts for $20 a week (averaging around 100-130 laps of action on two different Oswego tracks), or we’ll help you buy or create your own for just a few hundred dollars. Call us up or email us and find out more details.

Want to join us? We invite drivers (either people to rent our karts and/or with their own 5hp karts) to join us and race at Oswego and Galletta’s. We have our own motor class at Oswego now, but still need regular drivers to fill the karts.  If anybody is interested in filling a kart on Thursdays at Oswego ($5 to rent for 10 lap heats and at least a 25 lap feature plus Oswego track entrance fees) or Sundays at Galletta’s ($20 for a 10 lap heat and at least 45-lap feature), just contact us. At Galletta’s, it is free to bring your own kart (though we accept $3-5 clay donations). NEW SPECIAL DEAL: If you rent a Galletta’s racing kart for $20 at Galletta’s on a weekend race (Friday, Saturday, or Sunday), then you can also drive it at Oswego the same week (a Thursday or Friday) for free (just help us load up or truck the kart)! Why allow someone to race our karts for free at Oswego? Because we are seeking new drivers on BOTH tracks after a transitional period of some retiring veteran drivers, some drivers jumping to different (more expensive) divisions, and lack of new developing rookies, and Oswego already has a entrance fee to consider anyway. We want more drivers, and we’ll cover your gas if you race with us at Galletta’s on Sundays. You will not ever get the opportunity to sit in a racing vehicle of any type and be given a competitive car for a more affordable price than a Galletta’s 5hp race. Go ahead and try your own for anything less.  Now the season recaps…

Click Here for Facts, Questions & Answers.

Click here for Basic rules, regulations, and prices.

Our karting club’s home track is located in back of:

Galletta’s Greenhouses
60 County Route 20
Oswego, NY 13126-6512
(315) 343-0879 or (315) 343-4281
Need directions? Here they are!

Please visit Galletta’s Speedway racer/co-founder/co-owner Chris “Crusher Comics” Stevens’s other websites that include my cartoons, comic books, children’s book, and family greenhouse: