A love of motorsport is strong in two MLMC families with Year 12 students Antonio Molluso (pictured above) and Clayton Richards following in the taillights of their fathers and grandfathers.
Clayton is part of Australian motorsport’s Richards dynasty. Clayton’s father Steve (pictured with Clayton in the gallery below) won the most prestigious V8 Supercars race in Australia, the Bathurst 1000, for a fifth time on 7 October, while Clayton’s grandfather Jim is a seven-time Bathurst 1000 winner. Clayton was in the pits with his mum and sister Priya (Year 11), supporting Steven and co-driver Craig Lowndes to first place. With such a pedigree, Clayton admits he feels a bit of pressure. “I try my best to focus on making a name for myself but both my grandpa and my dad have been very supportive.”
Antonio and his father Rocky will travel together from 24 October to Italy, where Antonio’s grandfather Giuseppe once had the opportunity to join the racing team of a young Enzo Ferrari but at the time couldn’t afford to make his own way to the north of Italy. Antonio’s mother, Grace, saw an ad in Italian newspaper Il Globo for an Italian Australian Foundation sponsorship through Australian-based International Specialised Skills Institute. The recipient of the sponsorship travels overseas and upon return they pass on their newly-acquired knowledge and skills. As Antonio will be under the necessary age of 18 to undertake the fellowship, Rocky will use it and instead will take Antonio and older sister Domenica. They will visit three gokart manufacturers and maybe a gokart meet. “We hope to learn the fundamentals of gokart motorsports, the industry and all its aspects, for example engine building, chassis making and racecraft. We hope to visit as many manufacturers as we can,” Antonio said.
Both Antonio and Clayton have been competing in the X30 class of the Australian Kart Championships this year, both hope to progress to Formula Ford ranks and both want careers in automotive mechanics. “The next step after karting is definitely into Formula Ford,” Clayton said. “They are the best way to learn how to drive a proper race car. The end goal is to make it to V8 Supercars, but if the opportunity opens up and I get to go to Europe or the US, I’d definitely take that.” Antonio said his motorsport dream was to “one day become a professional racecar driver, racing at the highest level, and also to keep developing my own race team, Molluso Motorsports”.
It’s been a tough year of karting in state and national events for both boys. “We have always shown great pace earlier in the weekends but can’t seem to get it together in the qualifying sessions, but every race I go to now I’m just getting better and better,” Clayton said. In the last round of the national season, Antonio’s kart had mechanical issues and was hit off the track, while race incidents had also hindered him in Round 3 in Newcastle and he opted not to race in Queensland. Instead, he worked on his driving skills with current Australian No.1 Matt McLean. Next year he will begin an apprenticeship with his father’s business, Rock Hard Motors in Silvan.
Clayton said he would love a motorsport career, “whether it’s racing or even tinkering away on the spanners in a professional race team”. Both boys have been doing the VCAL automotive program at MLMC and Clayton has been doing his work placement at a Porsche specialist in Eltham. “Doing this (VCAL) program is definitely helping me understand more about a race car and opening doors to new opportunities as well,” Clayton said. “MLMC has taught me communication skills, public speaking opportunities and the engineering/automotive skills needed to help pursue a career in the motorsport industry.”
