Galletta's Karting Club

Galletta’s Karting Club – 2010 Season, Event #12 – Tuesday, August 24th, 2010:

2010 Season, Event #12- Tuesday, August 24th, 2010 – Sunday and Monday got rained out, so an almost perfect track awaited us on Tuesday for a 55-Lap Feature Event. This one was dominated by 2009 defending Track Champion Chris Stevens in the Galletta’s Greenhouse #4 kart, long overdue for a win due to the fact that it was his 1st feature win since last summer at Galletta’s Greenhouse Speedway. His lovely wife Rungnapha, and cat Carlee posed with the handsome, talented, ingenious and powerful triumphant expert victor (also the webmaster, haha!). More details/points/pics/vids forthcoming here.

HIGHLIGHT REEL VIA YOUTUBE

(View top of page for higher-res version)

Per usual, other than posing pictures, all in-action race snapshots are screen captures directly from our weekly race DVDs, which document the entire race from usually two camera angles, usually are anywhere between 1 – 2 & 1/2 hours, and are only $5 each, in higher quality resolution than our YouTube vids which they are made from. Just like the donations that run all of the karts, all proceeds go back into the club (in this case the DVDRs and the website). Every regular season race has been videotaped since mid-2005-and-up, and every Galletta’s Karting Klassic has been videotaped since 1998-and-up. Order any DVD directly from Chris (email, phone, in-person, mail) anytime.

55-LAP FEATURE EVENT:
We knew it would be the case, but after Sunday and Monday both saw several extended bouts of rain mixed with a rather autumn-feeling chill in the air, the track was just too sloppy and cold to even think about racing on. However, when a beautiful sunny Tuesday rolled around, the track cured perfectly, and the race was on. Again, predictably, due to the mid-week rain-date, only 8 drivers could make it. Usually, being the longest-running and largest karting division in the area, we usually prefer to only run with 10+ drivers and two cameras, but absolute minimum is 8 drivers and one camera, so this race made the cut. However, due to only 8 competitors (all experienced veterans), we cut the heats and added 10-laps to the standard 45-lap feature. We also only had one camera due to the odd date. Usually, Summer Sundays and Fall Saturdays are best for our attendance.

Shadoe Russell was pumped all week about his new motor, rebuilt kart, and points handicapping leading to his pole starting position all coming together. Doe-boy fresh was indeed fast, pulling away from Chris Stevens — starting usually up front due to not yet winning this season and so few drivers making it — in the straights.

However, Doe’s #26 slipped just enough on the 4th turn on 2nd circuit for Chris Stevens (Galletta’s #4), Russell Bartlett (Galletta’s #9), and Tim Galletta (Sid Harvey #54) to all get the pass on the outside.

 Chris, in his first lead laps since the 2009 regular season, then slowly pulled away for the remainder of the event. Late in the race, Shadoe Russell lost a clutch in the Doe #26 and then piloted the Galletta’s #6, while Matt developed a tire leak in the Galletta’s #3 and then piloted the #33. A kart change is a 5-point deduction.

A controversy erupted when the passing flag did not come out when leader Chris Stevens approached Melissa Stevens, who then proceeded to block the track on the leader. For this, we will review the meanings of each flag below the finalized point standings.

The only other major position changes where Russ Bartlett spinning the #9 while steadily running in 2nd for most of the race, and Matt Stevens passing Randy “Bambi-Killin’-Bobandi” Platt at the finish line for 4th, pumping his fist as triumphantly as he had won the Klassic. Chris gained a large amount of points and closed the gap between he and his brother as the regular season nears an end and the Klassic Championship — the 200 lapper that finalizes the annual summer point standings at Galletta’s — approaches. The racing was very competitive with only two cautions in what was supposed to be 55 laps. However, in review of the footage, we went 60 laps, which upped the points bracket for the race.

DVDs are available of every single Galletta’s Karting Club race held since mid-2005 at Galletta’s (including every Galletta’s Klassic since 1998, and every Oswego Kartway race between 2007-2008) and are of DVD-Quality (far superior to the YouTube videos, which are edited and compressed for time) for $5 per disc. Each disc contains between 1-2 hours of racing action, usually from two camera angles, complete and unedited. Most of the pictures on this website are lo-res screen captures from the DVDs. Contact Chris for your copy today, and he can make any copy from our archives, just ask. Here is the menu of this week’s DVD
volume: 

This DVD is even more of a value than usual. It not only contains the single-camera recording of this entire 8/24/2010 race (55-Lap Feature), but also the complete, 2-camera view of the following 8/29/2010 racing action (2 heats, B-Main Make-up race & 45-Lap Feature). Now for…

2010 Galletta’s Gas Flathead Dirt Karting World Championship Point Standings:

After 12 combined events at  John J. Galletta Memorial Backyard Go-Kart Speedway  from  6/7/2010-thru-8/24/2010.
Our complete All-Time Points Standings from 2000-2009 are found on this webpage.

Due to some drivers seemingly being confused on what each flag means, especially the “passing” flag, I am displaying all of the flags used along with their meaning at Galletta’s Backyard Karting Raceway:

Galletta’s Greenhouse
Karting Club & Speedway Flags:

	Green Flag: Indicates the beginning of full speed racing in a race or qualifier when waved. Start/restart of racing session, passing allowed. (Also displayed when wound up and placed above the starters head and moved in a circular motion, which indicates a hot lap/practice/warm-up lap, with NO passing allowed).		Yellow Flag: Indicated adverse conditions exist due to crashed/prone karts or debris, racing has stopped but vehicles proceed safely with caution, preferably bumper-to-bumper in single file. Passing is not permitted during a caution period, and must go back before the next green or else be disqualified positioning and/or points. (At Galletta’s, we also have orange flags and red lights which also mean caution.) When displayed rolled and pointing, it is a warning to the driver being pointed at. (When a corner-man rolls it and holds it straight up and points to the starting line on the track, it signals green to resume.)		Red Flag: Rarely used at Galletta’s, it indicates that an emergency has blocked the track and all vehicles must stop at once as safely as possible without causing further accidents. At Galletta’s, we do not require the stop to be instant, but safe (be mindful of everyone when making your stop and do not cause a crash yourself).
White Flag: Indicates “one lap to go” — the final lap. During a caution, it means next lap around will be green. During the green, it indicates that the next lap will be the checkered.
	Black Flag: Rarely used at Galletta’s, but it means that there has been an infraction of the rules or there is a mechanical defect that needs to be addressed for the safety of all vehicles on the track. The driver must bring the car to the pits on the next lap for consultation or repair. If the driver does not, the caution may be thrown, and/or the driver may be disqualified position and/or points.
	Passing Flag: Blue flag, often with either a yellow or orange stripe. Meaning “faster car approaching”, it is used when a kart on the lead lap is approaching, and adequate room must be given to allow the faster kart to attempt to pass. At Galletta’s – due to our long, narrow straights – it means the driver in danger of being lapped must choose the high line or choose the low line, but do NOT block the track by driving middle, swaying or swerving, nor pinching off driver on the lead lap. If the flag is ignored for consecutive laps, the offending driver will be disqualified positioning and/or points.
	Checkered Flag: Signals the end of the racing session. Waved as first car crosses finish line at the end of the final lap signifying the winner of the race and the final positions of each driver as they cross the finish line thereafter. (Also displayed rolled and crossed with white flag to indicate approximately the half way point of the race.)