Galletta's Karting Club

THE 13TH ANNUAL GALLETTA’S KART KLASSIC 200 on SEPTEMBER 21st, 2008:

At the GALLETTA’S GO-KART SPEEDWAY on a crisp and cool Sunday, September 21st, 2008, we held the 13th Annual Galletta’s Kart Klassic 200!!!  The race got off to a slow start with late arrivals, a few no-shows that we were waiting for, and a few early breakdowns, but the 200 lap Klassic was a success. Matt Stevens again proved his mastery of Oswego karting with yet another HUGE Championship win, the biggest race ever at Galletta’s, the Oswego area (and probably everywhere else; we’d like to know if one is bigger anywhere). With his performance, he clinched the 2008 Galletta’s Track Title to add to his Oswego Kartway 2008 Track Title and 2008 SWD Gas Karting National Championship.

What the heck is this you ask? The Galletta’s Greenhouse Karting Speedway Klassic 200 is the oldest (since the mid-1990s), largest (usually 10-16 karts, but can accommodate 20 or more if people showed up on race day), and longest (200 laps which equals a little over 20 miles) championship dirt karting race in Central New York and likely many, MANY points beyond. Champion karter and multi-time Galletta’s Club winner Kyle Reuter said, “It is not easy to win a race at Galletta’s like some people might think. These guys are good”, and that, “Galletta’s is the street cred of karting”. Founders and multi-time champions, brothers Matt and Chris Stevens (along with their semi-retired father Wes) run the club with weekly points races (that are between 40-70 green flag laps a week) and over two dozen arrive-and-drive, feature-winning karts all Summer and into Fall annually, and conclude the point season with this 200 lap race, which decides the annual points champion. And between 2006-2008, the club also ran double action, including the full schedule at Oswego Speedway’s dirt track (The Oswego Kartway), with founder Matt Stevens being the toughest man to beat at the track, winning several features a year and sweeping both the Mixed-Motor Gas Stocker Championships and the Gas Flathead Championships every year there, with his bro and dad joining him for “Classic” wins as well.  Think you’ve earned stake at the best karter in Oswego County, NY? Um, unless you raced at Galletta’s, you cannot stake that claim. Come and find out why people like Oswego Speedway racers Kelly Miller, Buddy Cottom, Ryan Coleman, and Randy Ritskes love what we do and a few of them said you have the most fun racing with your bottom dollar in this karting league. Find out. Join us!

The afternoon opened with time trials after a cookout. All Galletta’s renters got free food, and karters who brought their own karts got food with a donation to Matt for the kart & track maintenance.

The 2008 Galletta’s Klassic Time Trial Results & Starting Order:

Starting 1st: Matt Stevens – Galletta’s #33 15.95, 15.93 (3 timeouts earned, none used.)	Starting 2nd: Chris Stevens – Galletta’s #8 16.27, 16.09 (3 timeouts earned, 1 used; 1 shared.)
Starting 3rd: Gary Miller Jr. – Miller #24 16.44, 16.85 (2 timeouts earned, none used.)	Starting 4th: Buddy Cottom – Galletta’s #7 16.47, 16.82 (3 timeouts earned, none used.)
Starting 5th: Russ Hockey – Hockey #00 17.08, 16.85 (3 timeouts earned, 2 used; 1 shared.)	Starting 6th: Melissa Gabel – Galletta’s #80 17.88, 17.22 (3 timeouts earned, none used.)
Starting 7th: Chris Stockham – Galletta’s #1 18.19, 18.23 (1 timeout earned, none used.)* 1st time on the track ever.	Starting 8th: Mike Phinney – Galletta’s #6 18.25, 18.82 (1 timeout earned, none used.)* 1st time on the track in over a decade.
Starting 9th: Richard Hockey – Galletta’s #9 18.25, 18.82 (1 timeout earned, none used.)* 2nd time on the track.	Pace Kart: Collin Miller – Galletta’s #0 17.50, 18.98 (1 timeout earned, none used.)* = Collin is still too young to race, but he time trialed fast! The fast #0 went un-rented.
Un-rented karts! Matt time trialed them all in the 16 second bracket a few nights earlier (on a slower track, with some getting faster than his #33). All four of these karts won Galletta’s Klassics. Two (#4 & #5) were used as backups however (when the #00 & #1 broke).	The starting lineup: Photo by Gary Miller Sr., who is semi-retired and helped the semi-retired Wesley “Ogre” Stevens flag.

The opening pace lap shows that we had our smallest Galletta’s Klassic in six years, although it was nearly our biggest; five scheduled drivers did not make it, one sat out with a sore back, and two flagged instead. Collin Miller led the field off as pace kart. Because of all the no-shows, we gave Collin points credit, which means with one lap of the race, he passed 124 people in the All-Time Galletta’s Points Standings, which is currently between 2000-2008 (the 1990s seasons have not yet been tallied). If you make it to ONE race all year, folks, make it to the Galletta’s Klassic. You get the most laps, and most points. And even accomplished drivers from other racing classes such as Kyle Reuter, Chris Stockham, and Kelly Miller all raced in Klassics and they all drastically improved their skill in a Galletta’s-type 1-WD Kart because of all the track time, and all had fun. It is an endurance race unlike any WKA-type karting event can muster. And consider that we can run probably around 200 laps without a refuel, although we did allow one for this race! (WKA/Methanol karts, for all of there expense and speed would probably run dry after around 15-30 laps on this track).  Not a bash, but apologetics against those who mock our karting class. Now on to the race details…

Most of the early race was uneventful except for two drivers who were struck with incredibly bad luck. On lap 1, Chris Stevens was spun out of his 2nd-place start unintentionally by Gary Miller Jr., where he then bent his right side wing. This forced Chris to push his kart harder than he wanted to make up spots, lost a left front bearing and a blown left drive-wheel from a metal wire on the track. The pit stops put his goal of a 4th Galletta’s Klassic Victory in serious jeopardy, as his kart was ill-handling for the rest of the night. Also struck with bad luck was Russ Hockey, who blew two drive wheel tires early on with ripped air valves. Russ was frustrated and about to give up, but Larry Phillips (who was scheduled to go but could not race due to a bad back), paid the rental fee and Russ took over Ogre’s “Cadillac” #4 ride (a ride which Ogre won the 2006 Galletta’s Klassic, and snuck in a technical though controversial 2008 Oswego Kartway Classic win just weeks earlier at Oswego Kartway). Only Chris and Russ used pit-stops all day, which in Galletta’s track rules are a “timeout” earned through regular attendance in the regular season. Some people do not like the Galletta’s “timeout” pit stop rule, but if enough drivers ever stopped whining and showed, we could modify or eliminate the rule. Until then, we’ll keep doing them for the benefit of all drivers who show and race. In the end, all of the drivers are happy because they could race all or most of the show. 1st time drivers Chris Stockham and Mike Phinney ran strong through the early portions of the race as they got used to the track and kart handling.

For the entire event, Buddy Cottom was the man in front. He spent 198 laps in either 1st or 2nd place, leading 112 of them, and scoring the single highest scoring race in Galletta’s Karting history! (Right) Here he was leading late, although around the 70 lap point, Matt Stevens started his move from last to first and  challenged Buddy for 1st for 35 laps before Matt eked by for the pass. Buddy almost passed Matt back on a restart late, but Matt barely held him off by inches, and then slowly pulled away from all in standard Matt Stevens Klassic fashion.

Matt Stevens did it again. He won his 9th of 13 Galletta’s Kart Klassics, this one being the longest and most grueling. He was followed by the impressive Buddy Cottom. Both Chris Stevens and Russ Hockey had to overcome some early adversity and come from the back a handful of times to score 3rd and 4th respectively, a success for each in hindsight. Chris felt lucky to even get 3rd and explained, “the kart handled like (bodily waste material) because of the messed up stagger after the blown tire change. And then the motor was just sputtering and weak late in the race. At the start of the day, I could’ve had something for Matt and Buddy, but at the end of the day, I was very lucky to manage third, and probably deserved eighth.” A few days after the race, our guest-star driver of dirt midget racer fame Chris Stockham said, “I feel like I got hit by a mack truck. But I had fun. Thank you guys!” Although cautions were counted (and two repair-timeouts were used by Chris Stevens and Russ Hockey) we ran 192 laps under green, and the race finished in less than 3 hours! Fantastic! Now for the…

Final Order of Finish for the 2008 Galletta’s Klassic 200:

The Galletta’s Kart Club 2008 Volume #18 & 19 DVD set – THE 2008 GALLETTA’S KLASSIC!:
This two disc set contains two angles of the 200 lapper, the first in Galletta’s (and possibly all) karting history.  Also includes bonus footage from the rest of the Galletta’s & Oswego Karting Season. Price $10 (pickup free; shipping $3). Other 2008 Oswego Dirt Karting DVDs found here.

Every year the Galletta’s Kart Klassic is the final show of the summer season, and being the biggest points earner, it is also the biggest. We almost always have “Fall Challenge” Series that go as a separate points standings. For now, this is the completed Galletta’s Points Standings for the 2008 Season, and beneath that, the total SWD Gas Karting Championship of the Country (we’d say just Oswego County, but we know of no others in the country since we invented and promote the series from nothing in the early 1990s):

2008 5hp Gas Stocker Kart Point Standings at Galletta’s Speedway  
After 9 events at Galletta’s Greenhouse Karting Speedway from 6/8/2007 -thru- 9/21/2008:

Rank	Name & Karts Piloted (Most regulars have clickable profiles)	Total Points (Place)	Average Points Per Event	Events	Heat Wins	Feature Wins	Klassic Win*
1	“Mighty” Matt Stevens (Galletta’s #33, 3, 1, 2)	2063.50	229.28	9	1	5*	1*
2	Chris “Chrusher” Stevens (Galletta’s #8, 4, 5, 7)	1878.50	208.72	9	2	2	0
3	Buddy Cottom (Galletta’s #7, 6 1, 0, Phillips #04)	1644.50	234.93	7	1	2	0
4	Russ Hockey (Hockey #00, Galletta’s #4, 5, 9)	1553.50	194.19	8	2	0	0
5	Melissa “Low-Groove ” Gabel (Galletta’s #80, 3, 4)	1516.00	168.44	9	0	0	0
6	Gary Miller Sr. (Miller #24, Galletta’s #0, 9)	896.00	128.00	7	1	0	0
7	Gary Miller Jr. (Miller #24, Galletta’s #6)	845.50	281.83	3	0	1	0
8	Ryan Coleman (Galletta’s #9, 7, Miller #24)	743.50	148.70	5	2	2	0
9	Nick Dann (Dann #68, 86, Galletta’s #5, 1, Miller #24)	631.50	126.30	5	1	0	0
10	John “JP” Stepien (Galletta’s #0)	587.50	146.88	4	1	0	0
11	Dick Dann (Dann #86)	537.38	134.38	4	0	0	0
12	Larry Phillips (Phillips #04, Galletta’s #9, 7)	512.00	128.00	4	0	0	0
13	Chris Stockham (Galletta’s #1, 5)	441.00	441.00	1	0	0	0
14	Mike Phinney (Galletta’s #6, 9)	404.00	404.00	1	0	0	0
15	Mike “MC” Howell (Galletta’s #5)	399.00	133.00	3	1	0	0
16	Richard Hockey (Galletta’s #9)	387.00	387.00	1	0	0	0
17	Collin Miller (Galletta’s #0)	370.00	370.00	1	0	0	0
18	AJ Russell (Galletta’s #6)	142.00	142.00	1	1	0	0
19	Jeff Tetro (Galletta’s #2)	124.00	124.00	1	0	0	0
20	Flippin’ Fred Collins (Galletta’s #2)	119.50	119.50	1	0	0	0
21	Rob Clarke (Galletta’s #6)	113.00	113.00	1	0	0	0

Also, past Galletta’s Kart Klassic history has been being updated all week, including painstaking translation from ink-on-paper to digital for our points charts from 2000-up. We now have a complete history of our first 12 Galletta’s Kart Klassics, and points standings from every year from 2000-2008! Observe them all here: 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1996-1999.This also meant that we were able to finally compile, the “All-Time-Points” List for the very first time! See all 178 recorded drivers in the last eight years stand (What is amazing is how many people who quit are a mere couple hundred points from each other and can pas each other with just one or two shows! Amazing. Enjoy!

ALL-TIME GALLETTA’S SPEEDWAY POINTS STANDINGS HERE!

2008 Gas Stocker Kart TOTAL National Championship Point Standings  
After 23 combined events at both Galletta’s and Oswego Kartway from 5/8/2008 -thru- 9/21/2008.

Rank	Name (& Karts Piloted) All Motors are 5hp Gas Stockers. 6.5hp “Outlaws” are removed, wins given to highest-scoring 5hp. Regulars have clickable driver profiles.	Total 2-Track Points (Place)	Average Points Per Event	Events	Total Heat Wins	Total Feature Wins	“Classic” Wins
1	“Mighty” Matt Stevens  (Galletta’s #33, 3, 1, 2)	3491.50	151.80	23	5	12.5*	1.5
2	Chris “Chrusher” Stevens  (Galletta’s #8, 4, 5, 7)	3196.50	138.98	23	3	5	0
3	Russ Hockey  (Hockey #00, Galletta’s #4, 9, 5)	2772.50	126.02	22	2	0	0
4	Buddy Cottom  (Galletta’s #7, 6, 1, 0, Phillips #04)	2192.50	168.65	13	2	2	0
5	Melissa Gabel  (Galletta’s #80, 3, 33, 4)	1873.00	144.08	13	0	0	0
6	Gary Miller Sr. (Miller #24, Galletta’s #0, 9)	1343.00	103.31	13	2	0	0
7	Dick Dann  (Dann #86)	1206.00	100.50	12	0	0	0
8	Larry Phillips (Phillips #04, Galletta’s #9, 7)	847.00	105.88	8	0	0	0
9	Gary Miller Jr. (Miller #24, Galletta’s #6)	845.50	281.83	3	0	1	0
10	Wavin’ Nick Dann  (Dann #68, 86, Galletta’s #5, 1, Miller #24)	840.50	105.06	8	1	1	0
11	Flyin’ Ryan Coleman  (Galletta’s #9, 7, Miller #24)	743.50	148.70	5	2	2	0
12	Wes “Ogre” Stevens  (Galletta’s #4)	728.00	104.00	7	1	1.5*	0.5
13	Chris Stockham  (Galletta’s #5, 1, 9)	634.00	211.33	3	0	0	0
14	John “JP” Stepien (Galletta’s #0)	587.50	146.88	4	1	0	0
15	Mike “M Fn’ C” Howell  (Galletta’s #5, 6, 9)	584.00	116.80	5	1	0	0
16	Mike Phinney (Galletta’s #6, 9)	573.00	191.00	3	0	0	0
17	Richard Hockey  (Galletta’s #9)	387.00	387.00	1	0	0	0
18	Collin Miller  (Galletta’s #0)	370.00	370.00	1	0	0	0
19	Shadow Russell (Galletta’s #2)	159.00	79.50	2	0	0	0
20	Kaleb Anderson (Galletta’s #1)	149.00	74.50	2	0	0	0
21	AJ Russell (Galletta’s #6)	142.00	142.00	1	1	0	0
22	Jeff Tetro (Galletta’s #2)	124.00	124.00	1	0	0	0
23	Flippin’ Fred Collins  (Galletta’s #2)	119.50	119.50	1	0	0	0
24	Rob Clarke (Galletta’s #6)	113.00	113.00	1	0	0	0
25	Ken Lindsley Jr.  (Galletta’s #6)	75.00	75.00	1	0	0	0
26	Ken Lindsley III (Galletta’s #1)	69.00	69.00	1	0	0	0
27	Joe Miller (Galletta’s #9)	65.00	65.00	1	0	0	0

After the 13th Annual Klassic, we also ran some highly competitive Fall Series races!: 
10/12/2008 @ Galletta’s; 10/19/2008 @ Galletta’s; 10/24/2008 @ Galletta’s!

Extras/Post-Race Notes: The show was an acceptable ten karts, but  nearly could have had a staggering record 19 kart race! How? Gary Miller Sr. and Wesley “Ogre Stevens helped with the flags and therefore did not race, staying semi-retired. As stated above, Larry Phillips was scheduled to go, but a re-aggravated back injury that occurred earlier in the week prevented him from seeing action. Dick and Nick Dann could not attend due to Dick’s work schedule (although Matt was concerned about Dick’s illegal Raptor carburetor that he used in the Oswego Classic which no other active drivers voted on approving. All parts must be approved by all-active driver vote in Galletta’s Go-Kart Club rules, and Raptor carbs have never been allowed in Galletta’s Club races in order to easily regulate cost and top speed. He would have had to change back to a ’90s-type stock carb like all else have). Mike “MC” Howell, Kyle Reuter, Kaleb Anderson, and Jesse Vivlemore were scheduled to be in the event, but did not make show, even though we delayed our start time for them. The wait meant that the 200-lap race started delayed at 6:15pm, but went quickly and ended at 9:05pm, even including three repair timeouts. A HUGE thanks for the people who did make the show, and we wish everyone else could have made it. Just a few racers showing means the difference between a 9 kart and a 19 kart race. WOW! So close, people!  Want to make this club and speedway bigger and badder? Show up on race day. No methanol class can top us if able-bodied people who can race simply show the F*** up! Race! 😀

Welcome! We are a Karting Club that invented and races extremely affordable 5hp, Single Wheel Drive “Gas stocker” karts for a Points championship every summer at Galletta’s Greenhouse Karting Speedway and a Gas Stocker division at Oswego Speedway‘s Clay Kartway. We also record weekly dirt karting classes in the Oswego area and make them available on DVD! Join us racing by either building your own or renting one of our team backup karts. Or just watch in person, or by buying our DVDs. Please read on and learn more about our extremely affordable brand of highly competitive racing!

What is a Galletta’s Go-Kart? Or a Single-Wheel-Drive “Gas Stocker” Kart? Read here! 

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 Greenhouse Backyard Speedway and Oswego Speedway’s Dirt Track (Oswego Kartway) 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 Speedway Kartway.

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. ->

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: