Galletta's Karting Club

21st Annual Klassic 200 is coming… no, it’s here!

9/24/2016 – The 21st Annual Galletta’s Greenhouse Karting Club 200-Lap Klassic World Championship – Sponsored by Good Guys Barbershop!

Saturday, September 24th, 2016 – The 21st Annual end-of-Summer/Start-of-Fall Karting Championship behind Galletta’s Greenhouses in Oswego always decides the two champions of the year – the overall track champion and the 200-Lap Marathon Klassic Champion, and by default the best overall karter in Oswego, NY (pay track drivers are always invited and fail whether they come or not). And this year, we had The Good Guys Barbershop sponsor cash prizes for the top three and a trophy for the track champion. And, on top of that, it was the closest points race in history between points leaders Chris Stevens, Kelly Miller, and Matt Stevens. In fact, Kelly was the 1st driver in 21 years to challenge Matt and Chris for a track championship, and all three were leapfrogging each other in the races and points all season long! But something shocking happened after the time trials while the track was watered and the race was almost ready to start. Read on!…

This Year’s 200 is Sponsored by…

9/22/2016 – Matt Stevens’ Annual Master Kart Time Trial Breakdown!

Thursday, September 22nd, 2016 was Matt’s annual kart fleet shakedown. Matt personally time trials all of the karts to determine which ones are up to par and which ones need a little TLC in the last day or two before the big show. For the most part, taking track conditions into consideration (earlier trials may have a smoother track and be a smidgen faster if bumps start to develop), the karts are all very close. Most of the karts take 3-4 fast groove laps and then 2-3 low-groove laps. Low groove laps are all much slower, and it doesn’t mean the kart slowed down. Here are the results.

9/24/2016 – 21st Annual Klassic Time Trial Qualifier

Driver’s best time decides their starting grid spot. Lap 1 is warm-up/practice lap and unofficial. Laps 2 and 3 are on the clock. If an error happens with the counter, the driver is allowed more laps.
* = Timer error. ** = Took 2 laps not on the clock before timer was set in place.

9/24/2016 – 21st Annual Klassic Starting Grid

Nearly all regular season points races at Galletta’s are handicapped by inverting wins and/or points. Klassic, being the 200 lap championship, is different. In 200 laps, anything can happen, and starting lineup is determined by best time trial lap. And boy did anything happen alright… before the race even started! In an odd twist that left everybody stunned, shocked, confused and somewhat disappointed, 2nd place in points Kelly Miller abandoned his ride shortly before the race was to begin. Kelly was the one and only driver in the 21 year history of the Galletta’s Karting Club that had a very solid chance to defeat Matt or Chris, who have always been 1-2/2-1 with no doubt. Most seasons, 3rd place is statistically eliminated from contention by mid-season. But here was Klassic and all had an equal shot at it all. Let me repeat that… This was the 1st season in two decades where a driver had a chance to win a Track Championship other than Matt and Chris going into the Klassic, and the three were top three swapping the points lead seemingly every single race. He explained that he left due to the weather being cold, his family being cold, and he was displeased at the 5pm start time (he may have felt the #7 was ill handling in the time trials as well, but all of the karts faced a loose, dry track, which is why the track needed watering before the 200, and hence a delay that pushed us to 5pm). Regardless, here is the starting grid, although Kelly and Mike Patak left after qualifiers and before the track was finished watering and did not get to pose for their pics.

	#3 – Matt Stevens 15:935 Galletta’s Greenhouse Racing #3 [Galletta’s Greenhouse #33 owned backup]		#8 – Chris Stevens 16:349 Chrusher.Com/OswegoSushi.com/ Galletta’s Greenhouse #8 [Galletta’s Greenhouse #4 owned backup]
	#33c – Adam Lytle 16:506 Lytle Racing #33c		#0 – Keith Raymond 16:605 Galletta’s Greenhouse #0; Good Guys Barbershop
	#43 – Mike Patak 16:633 Galletta’s Greenhouse #43 – Did Not Start		#93 – Josh Arnold 16:617 Arnold Racing #93
	#78 – Eric Woolworth 16:733 Galletta’s Greenhouse #78		#12J – Jason King 16:769 King Racing #12J
	#7 – Kelly Miller 16:893 Galletta’s Greenhouse #7 – Did Not Start		#19 – Melissa Stevens 16:929 Scissors ‘n Fur #19 [Scissors ‘n Fur #80 owned backup]
	#9 – Jeff Butterfield: 17:060 Galletta’s Greenhouse #9		#29 – Lee Gleason 17:135 Gleason Racing #29
	#28 – Kevin Galletta 17:193 Galletta Brothers #28		#1 – Chad Crouse: 17:525 Galletta’s Greenhouse #1

Inactive Karts on-site without drivers: #2^, #4*^, #5^, #6, #7, #33*^, #43, #74, #80*.
^ = Won Klassic in past. * = Claimed as backup by owner.

The 200

Opening lap of the 200 saw Matt Stevens take an early lead from the faster outside front row, and the rest of the racers settle into position.

But part of the settling was a bit like musical chairs — rookie Jeff Butterfield ran out of track racing with Adam Lytle, taking a wild flip into the Supermodified tires in turn 2!

The first portion of the race had Matt Stevens leading with Chris Stevens and Josh Arnold — all picking up additional bonus points in 1st, 2nd and 3rd each lap. Matt used to have no issues with fading to the back and conserving his kart and gas, but with the points championship at stake, he is forced to try and stay in the top 3 — as long as he can do so without pushing his kart too hard.

The first big move of the 200 was Josh Arnold, who went for the lead early on and got it when he gunned it under both 2nd place Chris Stevens and 1st place Matt Stevens at the same time. Chris then followed Josh by for 2nd as it was clear Matt was not interested in the lead this early once the #93 got under him. Josh proceeded to take a large lead setting a very fast pace in his #93 machine.

Josh then led a significant portion of the race as Chris bottled up the rest of the field  setting a much slower pace in 2nd. Matt succumbed to pressure from Keith Raymond and Chad Crouse, who both moved into a battle for 3rd behind the #8.

Meanwhile, while Adam Lytle did pick up two feature wins in the 2016 regular season, the rest of his season was filled with horrid luck that included a handful of wrecks with inexperienced drivers and many untimely breakdowns. His bad luck continued into the Klassic, where his #33c was timed as the third fastest kart in the pre-Klassic time trial session, yet the kart broke down and forced a frustrated Lytle out of the race early on.

While Josh took a half-track lead, Chris was content with playing a very defensive and conservative pace around the track trying stay in 2nd and save his kart. This unfortunately created some problems behind with people boxed in and battling for position, particularly with Chad Crouse and Kevin Galletta, who brushed tires on a handful of occasions and had a few things to say after the race’s conclusion about holding lines.

However, the #93’s drive system couldn’t hold up to the torrid pace that Josh was setting, and gave way allowing the lead to fall to points leader Chris Stevens.

Chris Stevens took the lead in the Galletta’s Greenhouse Racing / OswegoSushi.Com / Chrusher.Com #8. With 3rd-in-points Matt Stevens behind him and 2nd-in-points Kelly Miller leaving before the green flag dropped, having a lead at the latter stages of the 200 gives him a choke hold on that annual point standings title.

Matt Stevens, while being the winningest karter in Central New York, is not immune to mistakes and imperfections. Matt uncharacteristically made a wild move down the front stretch and got lodged in the rear bumper of #0 Keith Raymond, which then caused a pileup with Chad Crouse (#5), Jason King (#12) and Kevin Galletta (#28).

Chris Stevens looked like he was going to control the rest of the race easily, was conserving his gas very well, and he had the the points title nearly clinched via leading for a majority of the 200, but he had one issue: With each red flag restart, his motor’s pull cord was fraying. Every single pull, it frayed a bit more. As long as the race was on, he was the favorite. But with each red flag, he was in dire straights. In fact, the race was held up on more than one occasion as the multiple red flags (none of which were his fault) were eroding his restart capability. And with fuel concerns, he could not keep it idle during the red laps. He was getting hurt the most by other drivers causing red flags for broken down karts and low fuel.

More restarts meant more fibers stripping on Chris’ pull cord. In fact, it had to be tied and short armed once, which led some to believe Chris should have went to the back of the pack (but as long as it doesn’t need to be replaced, you stay on the track and it starts, you keep your spot). Although karts started dropping off, the racing did not disappoint. It got better as the race went on. Natural for the 200. The first half of the race is always the hard to get through part. The second half always lives up to the hype.

A late race restart finally did in Chris. The pull cord, hanging literally by thin thread fibers, finally snapped for good, and he used his 1st and only timeout of the season for repair. This is not the first time this happened to him, as it happened in 2002’s Klassic as well. And last year Chris ran out of gas in the lead. But last year he pulled off a TREMENDOUS pass on one of the most talented karters in Oswego and beyond, Kyle Reuter, to take the win. Could he do it again this year?

This year Matt Stevens had the lead late – something he did not have for one lap in last year’s Klassic, as the Galletta’s #0 broke down on 2nd place Keith Raymond (who hopped into the Galletta’s #6, losing one lap but staying in the race). Chris would have to pass the #12 of Jason King to even get into position to try and pass Matt, and this was not an easy task. Jason had been making great progress his entire rookie year (he started last year in the post-Klassic Fall races), became a ’16 feature winner and very quietly and unassumingly was having a steady and impressive Klassic run. Chris and Jason battled for many laps before Chris was able to get a good run under the #12.

Here Chris, finally by a very game Jason King (the #12’s rebuild by Matt Stevens and Kelly Miller was a rousing success) hunted down Matt. It took many laps, but Chris narrowed down the lead to a few kart lengths. And… with traffic coming! Looks like it is going to be a fantastic finish! If only he can reel in a couple more kart lengths!

And this was it. When Matt Stevens caught the lapped traffic of Raymond and King, the #0 ducked out of the way and Matt gave a little nudge to Jason King and got by them both easily. When this happened, Chris Stevens knew that it was essentially over here, barring a breakdown of the #3. Either way, he again got stuck unable to get around the #12 easily anyway. (However, a note should be made that drivers who intentionally allow some drivers easily by and then block others from passing are subject to point penalties. We don’t think Jason intentionally did this here, but just wanted to bring that up.)

And the finale was only four active karts on track (three made it all 200 laps, one was a backup kart). Matt Stevens takes the win, followed by Chris Stevens, Jason King (just went -1 lap down), and Keith Raymond (-2 laps down; one due to the Klassic kart change rule and then the second due getting lapped late).

Matt Stevens again adds to his and the original Galletta’s Go-Kart (the around three decade old former Manco Yard Kart adapted for racing) #3’s resume, taking yet another marathon 200-lap karting race. Other tracks can take a couple of decades of racing multiple divisions of karts that cost a few grand to field, divided into countless age/weight/motor/chassis classes and yet never be able to match his accomplishments nor beat his dogged determined work ethic working on so many karts and his passionate style of racing. If they could, they wouldn’t hide and give our club a try, wouldn’t they?

THE TOP 4!

Matt Stevens triumphs in the 200 yet again, proving that he is still the premiere karter in Oswego County, no matter the class! He wins in the oldest Galletta’s Go-Kart, a 1980s Manco kart that has been completely rebuilt a handful of times into the best 1-WD racing yard kart in the world. Chris Stevens led the most laps, but a broken pull cord did him in, and had to settle for a hard fought 2nd place in his Galletta’s/Chrusher.com/R&C Sushi #8. 1st year driver Jason King proved to be a survivor, hanging in the full 200 laps, holding his ground and picking up an impressive 3rd place in his King #12. Keith Raymond was a strong and serious contender in the Galletta’s #0, but when it broke down, he had to go down a lap in the Galletta’s #6. These were the only four to make it from start to finish – the four iron men and iron karts of Oswego County Karting. All other drivers from all other karting classes have a problem with this statement, you are invited to prove yourselves every single week, every single year. The men show. The rest…?

LAP-BY-LAP SCORING CHART

Notes:
– We were scored 205 green flag laps, 20 caution laps and the starting caution lap, for a total of 221. Starter Wesley Stevens was pretty close… but he still missed 5 green laps (again, we need HELPERS with flags and lap counting EVERY WEEK!).
– As most Klassics go, a kart switch means a loss of one lap and a points penalty. But you may also regain that lap via passing everyone on the lead lap. Regular season, they are only a point penalty.
[The rule was enacted to favor drivers who take care of their karts for all 200 laps, not ones who thrash, wear our and break karts repeatedly, then have a fresh kart hopped into later in the race, which is not fair to those who conserved theirs. Part of the mystique of the Klassic is that it’s a marathon, not just a 30-50 lap sprint (regular season races). This rule CAN change, but we prefer it. After all, most race classes around the world. you break your vehicle, you’re out; no timeouts, no backups allowed.]
– Timeout rules same as regular season (Less than 9 minute race timeout; 10 or more mintues = 2 timeouts). All drivers get one, additional ones are earned via stellar regular season attendance.
– One stock 5hp Briggs gas tank of fuel with refuels not allowed until the 1st stop after lap 150, with only 12 fl. oz. allowed. Rear of the field with a refuel.
– All other regular season rules apply.

MATT STEVENS – THE WINNER OF THE 21st ANNUAL OSWEGO COUNTY KARTERS INVITATIONAL 200-LAP KLASSIC!

Matt Stevens again proved why every person who races with/against him respects his abilities and why cookie-cutter pre-fab karters fear him and don’t have the nut sacks required to race him! He wins another highly competitive 200-lapper filled with experienced and young improving karters. Congrats again to Matt!

CHRIS STEVENS – 21st ANNUAL GALLETTA’S GREENHOUSE BACKYARD KARTING SPEEDWAY TRACK CHAMPION!

Chris Stevens secured another Galletta’s Track Championship in 2016. He was able to win three feature events (oddly enough, back-to-back-to-back), completed many top-3’s and led the most laps then recovered from a ripped pull cord to place 2nd in the 200 in order to secure the points title. Chris and his brother Matt to date are the only two who have ever won a Galletta’s Track Championship in its 21 year history, their home field track (as well as when they ran at Oswego Kartway from 2006-08, where Matt won all three gas flathead class point titles). For the 1st time ever, a visiting driver — Kelly Miller — had a serious shot at winning either a Track Championship and/or a Klassic 200, as he was strong all year and the three leap frogged each other all season in wins and the points lead, but Kelly left after the time trials and before the start of the 200, taking himself out of contention for something that nobody has ever even positioned themselves to do in the 21 year history of the track and racing club. A bit anti-climatic, but perhaps the biggest reason that Matt and Chris are the only two who have ever won the points title — they are the only two that race every week a race gets scheduled and never give up.

BONUS FOOTAGE – Eric Woolworth Helmet Cam

Thanks to Eric Woolworth’s helmet camera, we have some additional footage. And since he stayed near the rear for most of the race until his kart broke down, he got some decent shots. Following it ALL unedited shots from the ’17 Klassic 200:

PRE-Klassic World 1-WD Gas Flathead Backyard Karting Championship Point Standings

Top 8 after the 6/12/2016 – 9/11/2016 Races: