STAFFORD – On December 15, 2023 Petty Cash Motorsports management announced that Andrew Molleur would be their full-time driver in the SK Modified division at Stafford Speedway for the 2024 season.
And for the next four months Molleur listened as the naysayers questioned the choice to put him in the car.
“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 last month. “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.”
Friday at Stafford Speedway the 21-year old Molleur was able to present the ultimate response to the doubters.
The No. 13 holds a special place at Stafford Speedway. It was long the number used by the late Ted Christopher, the track’s all-time winningest driver. On Friday the No. 13 was special for Molleur.
Molleur finished 13th in the 40-lap SK Modified feature Friday to clinch the 2024 SK Modified championship at Stafford Speedway.
Molleur’s first Stafford title was also the first first for Petty Cash Motorsports, the team which came into existence at the start of the 2021 season at Stafford.
“These guys took a chance on me and they gave me a second opportunity at a career here at Stafford,” Molleur said. “This championship isn’t just my championship, it’s each and every one of these people over here [with Petty Cash Motorsports], they’re all champions tonight just like I am. All my fans, up in the stands, everybody watching at home, everybody that’s been a part of this Petty Cash Motorsports from the start back when they started in 2021, this is their championship too.
“I’m just so thankful to be a part of this. It’s so surreal to me be on the list with guys like Ted Christopher and Keith Rocco and so many more. It’s great to add my name to that list. This is certainly one of the best of days of my life for sure. I’m just so thankful to be here.”
Molleur, who had two wins and 13 top-five finishes this year, came into the event holding a 32-point lead over second place Mike Christopher Jr. in the division standings.
Christopher, of Wolcott, got his fourth win of the season and ended up eight points behind Molleur in the final standings for the division.
“We had four [wins] this year, so that’s damn good,” Christopher said. “That the most of the [division]. Just thinking back on a couple things that should have went better for us. We started the year 14th in points and we’ve been crawling ever since. I went into this race thinking I’m going to do the best I can with what I have and focus on me and me only. If something happened back there then so be it, that’d be great. I knew the odds weren’t great.
“It’s bittersweet. You love to win races, but you come up short in the big picture. Oh well, what are you going to do? There’s always next year and the year after that.”
Steven Chapman of Ellington finished second in the feature and Mikey Flynn of Hampden, Mass. was third.
With Steven Chapman leading Keith Rocco the first caution flew on lap 14. Christopher, who started 8th, was up to sixth. Molleur, who started 12th, was running 13th at the time of the caution.
Chapman and Rocco went side-by-side for the lap 14 restart with Chapman edging Rocco for the lead into turn one on lap 15. Behind them Christopher rocketed from sixth to third in two laps following the restart.
On lap 22 Christopher got under Rocco in a battle for second off of turn four. Rocco completed the pass of Rocco into turn one on lap 23. Far behind the leaders Molleur was running 13th.
On lap 28 Christopher was clawing all over the bumper of race leader Chapman. On lap 29 Christopher made a diving move under Chapman to take over the lead. On lap 30 Christopher fended off Chapman’s attempt to regain the top spot. Flynn got under Rocco to take overtired on lap 36.
A pretty classy champion and only 21 , congratulations