7/19/2009 – Larry Phillips puts L&K Small Engine #04 Into Victory Lane after 9-kart/45-lapper! (+YouTube)
Galletta’s Karting Club – 2009 Season, Week 6:
The Gas Flathead Championship Series of Oswego, NY continued on
Sunday, July 19th, 2009 at John J. Galletta Memorial Speedway:
The 53-year-old Leapin’ Liquid Lawnmower Lumberjack Lookalike Larry Phillips led all 45-laps in a 9-veteran-karter “Revenge of the Elders” feature to take the win at Galletta’s on July 19th, 2009 – his 1st career win in his 2nd season racing. He held off challenges by 49-year-old Fred Collins for 34 laps (who also won his first ever heat race earlier in the night), and then Chris and Matt Stevens (both in their 30s and racing these types of karts for half of their lives) for the final 11 circuits. This makes for 7 different winners in 8 features so far this season at Galletta’s, with nearly every single one coming down to the wire. The closest and most competitive season in the 14-year history of the track, one which some delusional local people don’t believe is real! (NOTE: Larry is not a lumberjack, he is a small engine repair guy, but he just plays one on the website because of his stature, plaid shirt, and it sounds good.)
Melissa Stevens won the 1st heat after Larry Phillips lost a chain while leading. Matt helped him change to a better gauge chain and he was ready for the feature. Mel was followed by Chris Stevens and Buddy Cottom. Jason Mills couldn’t make it, but he was scheduled to go in this heat.
Fred Collins has been racing with us at Galletta’s since the 2004 Fall Series. But never once did had he been able to find that elusive checker. Flips, wheels falling off, sore hip, trips into the “buckwheat” were all his foes. Not tonight. Flyin’ Freddy won his first checker, beating out several top-notch competitors, such as Kelly Miller, Russ Hockey, Matt Stevens, and Gary Miller. Everybody was thrilled with Fred, as he has been trying to get one longer than anybody else. Now he’s looking for that first FEATURE checker!
The Feature was fun, competitive, and eventful. As you can see by our YouTube video and the snapshots – both from the DVD – it was a riot in terms of great racing, a few funny incidents, and the post-race interviews. Gary and Kelly Miller had a disagreement and a wreck, but the story of the night was Larry and Fred – the two oldest competitors on the track – held 1st and 2nd for 34 laps until Fred literally drove a tire off the #9 kart (the 2nd time that kart has lost a tire with Fred at the helm this season). Even so, it was still Fred’s best ever performance. Larry was nervous knowing who he had to hold off for 11 laps to achieve his 1st victory, but he held a solid groove and warded off the two founders – and all-time winningest drivers – of the Galletta’s Karting Club, Chris and Matt Stevens for the big win! And the race was largely bumper-to-bumper throughout, with passes being hard to come by. VERY equalized racing! Ogre mentioned something about Larry putting Viagra on his kart. We may now make this illegal.
July 19th, 2009 “REVENGE OF THE ELDERS 45-Lapper” Finishing Order:
1st. Larry Phillips (L&K Engine #04)
2nd. Christopher Stevens (Galletta’s #8)
3rd. Matthew Stevens (Galletta’s #3)
4th. Russ Hockey (Hockey #00)
5th. Buddy Cottom (Galletta’s #6)
6th. Kelly Miller (Galletta’s# 7)
7th. Melissa Stevens (Galletta’s #80)
8th. Fred Collins (Galletta’s #9)
9th. Gary Miller (Miller #24; DNF retired)
We had FIVE potent, feature-winning Galletta’s Karts sitting unused in the garage ready for people to hop in them and race. We are always looking for people interested in racing with us (every Summer Sunday and usually once a weekend in the Fall), and experienced veteran racer or rookie, you will get a race of a lifetime. It is fun and fair for all at Galletta’s, the most affordable and equalized karting club known to mankind. Now, observe our VERY close point standings. Matt leads, but Chris, and Buddy are all within close striking range. In fact, Chris and Buddy have flip-flopped 2nd and 3rd all season so far, and both have crept closer and closer to Matt! And not to mention how Russ would have been right there if he didn’t miss one week, and Gary would have been if he didn’t drop out of a race or two here and there. What a close racing season!
2009 Gas Flathead Dirt Karting Championship of Oswego Point Standings:
After 6 combined events at John J. Galletta Memorial Go-Kart Speedway from 6/8/2009 -thru- 7/19/2009.
Our complete Points Standings from the prior eight seasons are found on this webpage.
|
Rank |
Name (Go-Karts Piloted) |
Years Pro at Galletta’s |
Total Points (Place) |
Average Points Per Event |
Events |
Features |
Heat Wins |
Feature Wins |
Feature Win % |
|
1 |
|
14th |
905.0 |
150.83 |
6 |
8 |
0 |
2 |
25% |
|
2 |
|
14th |
898.0 |
149.67 |
6 |
8 |
0 |
1 |
13% |
|
3 |
|
3rd |
885.0 |
147.50 |
6 |
8 |
1 |
1 |
13% |
|
4 |
|
5th |
798.5 |
133.08 |
6 |
8 |
0 |
1 |
13% |
|
5 |
|
3rd |
734.5 |
122.42 |
6 |
8 |
2 |
0 |
0% |
|
6 |
|
3rd |
723.0 |
144.60 |
5 |
6 |
1 |
1 |
17% |
|
7 |
 Larry Phillips(L&K Small Engine #04) |
2nd |
616.0 |
123.20 |
5 |
6 |
0 |
1 |
17% |
|
8 |
 Fred Collins(Galletta’s #9) |
5th |
372.0 |
124.00 |
3 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
0% |
|
9 |
|
9th |
334.5 |
167.25 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
33% |
|
10 |
|
4th |
308.5 |
102.83 |
3 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0% |
|
11 |
|
3rd |
239.0 |
119.50 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
0% |
|
11 |
Tony Gonyeau |
® |
226.0 |
113.00 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0% |
|
12 |
|
® |
144.0 |
144.00 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0% |
|
13 |
 Asaad Al-Hanini (Galletta’s #2, 7, 1) |
® |
137.0 |
137.00 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0% |
|
14 |
 Todd Sharp(Galletta’s #9) |
® |
135.0 |
135.00 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0% |
|
16 |
 Austin Hicks (Galletta’s #24) |
® |
118.0 |
118.00 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0% |
|
17 |
|
® |
108.0 |
108.00 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0% |
|
18 |
|
® |
108.0 |
108.00 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0% |
|
19 |
|
® |
106.0 |
106.00 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0% |
|
20 |
|
® |
104.0 |
104.00 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0% |
|
21 |
|
® |
88.0 |
88.00 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0% |
|
22 |
|
3rd |
83.0 |
83.00 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0% |
Soliman Barakat
Andrew Miller
Neaiamh Al-Hanini (Galletta’s #1)
NOTE: All karts are 1-WD and all Motors are 1-WD 5hp Gas Flatheads with Stock ’90s Carb, shaved head, and select pre-approved Dyno Racing Cams (different weight requires different ones allowed). This means fast, equal speeds and, cheater-free engine-builders, all for low prices. 7 winners in 8 features so far this season (all with 2-14 years experience racing these karts) cannot be wrong.
The Galletta’s Kart Club 2009 Volume #6 DVD:
Two camera angles of the races held on July 19th, 2009. Nine veteran drivers, two 10-lap heats and a 45-Lap Feature. One hour+ in highest-quality resolution. 16:9 Anamorphic widescreen video, Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo Surround, and two camera angles of all of the action. Price $5.
