STAFFORD – Trips to the Petty Cash Motorsports race shop were starting to be a haunting experience for Andrew Molleur.
Prior to the 2024 season at Stafford Speedway Molleur was tabbed to take over the Petty Cash Motorsports SK Modified ride at Stafford Speedway.
The Petty Cash Motorsports team debuted at Stafford in 2021 and scored victory quickly with driver Tyler Hines. In 2022 it was Bryan Narducci scoring victory with the team. Last year it was Jimmy Blewett taking the car to victory lane at Stafford.
Despite having a solid first 14 events with the team this year, and leading the division standings for much of the season, Molleur came into Friday’s event at Stafford still looking to win for his team.
“The drivers that have driven this car before have all won so I did not want to be that guy that didn’t end up winning for this team,” Molleur said. “All the pictures are in the race shop and every Sunday or Monday, whenever I go there, I see those pictures up in the shop and I see the banners, and I just wanted to add my name to that list.”
Friday at Stafford Molleur made sure visits to the shop wouldn’t be so haunting anymore.
Molleur, of Shelton, took the lead from Michael Gervais Jr. on lap 21 and rolled to victory in the 40-lap SK Modified feature Friday at Stafford.
“This team believed me,” Molleur said. “They gave me this opportunity this offseason. We’ve had a lot of fans and we’ve had a lot of doubters too. To prove them wrong tonight and come home in victory lane … it feels awesome.”
Molleur said he’s thankful he won’t have to continue hearing, ‘But when are you going to win?’
“Even this past winter guys were like, ‘You’re not going to win in that car, you missed the whole year last year. What makes you think you’re going to win?’ Molleur said. “I heard it all off-season. I kept my head down and went to work. I’m very passionate. I keep to myself. I’m not cocky or anything like that. I just focus on trying to win the race and if I can’t win I’m going to try to get the best finish I can. It hasn’t worked out for us this year in races past. We had a couple opportunities that just didn’t work out. But man, I’m just thankful we were able to get the lead and hold it, even on the late race restart. It just feels really good.”
It was third career SK Modified victory at Stafford for Molleur and his first since Aug. 20, 2021. Mike Christopher Jr. of Wolcott was second and Michael Gervais Jr. of Wolcott third.
“Looking back on it, the same with any kind of race when you’re starting in the back and trying to move forward, there’s this moment and that moment that add up to you not being another position ahead on the restart, another row ahead,” said Christopher, who passed Gervais for second on the final lap. “I can think back to two in this race right here. It’s just those little things where when the cautions fall right you should be one position higher and we just weren’t. Still had a fast car. There’s nothing to complain about.
Molleur came into the night holding a 22-point lead over second place Cory DiMatteo at the top of the SK Modified division standings. He extended that lead to 34 points over DiMatteo. Christopher is third in the division standings, 46 behind Molleur.
Todd Owen set the pace out front early. On lap 11 Michael Gervais Jr. got by Anthony Flanner for second.
Caution flew for a multi-car wreck on lap 13.
On the restart it was Owen continued to control the pace out front. On lap 14 Gervais got under Owen with the pair coming side-by-side to the start/finish line with Gervais leading by inches. The pair went side-by-side for lap 15 with Owen regaining the lead at the line to complete the lap. Owen then cleared Gervais off of turn four on lap 16.
Caution flew on lap 19 for the fourth place car of Flannery in the wall off of turn four. On the restart Gervais was able to overtake Owen for the lead.
Caution was back out on lap 20 with Gervais leading, Owen in second and Molleur in third. On the restart Molleur found a way under Gervais through turns one and two. Molleur and Gervais came to the start/finish line side-by-side at the front with Molleur leading by a bumper. Molleur was able to clear Gervais for the lead through turns one and two on lap 21.
Caution flew for the spinning car of Wesley Prucker on lap 34, but nobody had anything to challenge Molleur on the ensuing restart. While Molleur checked out at the front, Christopher used a furious challenge on the final lap to take second place from Gervais.
Love this for Andrew! Seems like Petty Cash is always too quick to take the seat out and replace drivers before they can win for them. Glad Andrew could.
Atay,
I’m not sure what you mean by this comment. All four drivers who have been in the car full-time since 2021 have won a race for the team.
So who put Flannery in the wall this time?
Definitely contact between the 25 and 85 – no call which was a pleasant surprise
The85
All I want to know is, was the 85 holding his racing line?
Congrats to the whole 85 team and Andrew Molluer on a great job getting to the front and scoring the win. was watching on Flo and it sure looked like he held his line. Either way it looked like a racing deal and not intentional