The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Spalding racer Andy Molsom is setting the early pace in the Caterham SuperGraduates class after roaring to a win and a second place on the opening weekend of the season at Silverstone.
Molsom, of Molsom & Associates Optometrists in Spalding, was second in Saturday’s race before cruising to a fine win in race two on Sunday.
Saturday’s qualifying session was held in changeable conditions, with a rapidly drying track ensuring that the last two laps dictated the top positions.
Molsom was on fine form and was happy to qualify second and third in his class for Saturday’s and Sunday’s races respectively.
Molsom’s class – the SuperGraduates – started behind the faster cars from the MegaGraduates class, which meant starting 21st and 22nd on the road out of 41 starters.
By the end of the first lap in race one he was mixing with the faster class in eighth place on the road. Pushing hard in the wet conditions, Molsom finished the race in second place, but had worked his way up to fourth on the road amongst the front runners in the MegaGraduates.
Race two was dry – and Molsom took the lead of his class on the second lap down down Hangar Straight and into Stowe corner. He held that lead all the way up until the end, finishing four seconds clear of his nearest class rival and fifth overall.
Molsom said: “Starting the season with a win and a second place is a near perfect weekend, the car handled fantastically in both the wet and dry conditions, and is a credit to the preparation by Rockey Racing. Six weeks ago, I didn’t even know if I would make the start of the season, due to a stress fracture of my right ankle, so to come away with these results is fantastic.”
Molsom further stamped his authority on the weekend by setting the fastest lap in both races.
He added: “It was great to be back on the racetrack again after a long winter. It was a challenging weekend, with changeable conditions and grip levels from lap to lap.
“Even the wind on Sunday caused some difficulties on the exit of Copse, a sudden gust was enough to push the car wide at the exit.”
The next meeting is at Snetterton in Norfolk on the weekend of May 7-8.
Molsom will go into that race at the top of his class.
