Story By: TOM BOGGIE / ALBANY-SARATOGA SPEEDWAY – MALTA, NY – The racing card at Albany-Saratoga Speedway’s Super DIRTcar Series Summer Starter 71 also features a pair of Sportsman features.
Each paid $1,000 to win through sponsorship by Cordova Plumbing and Heating.
Cody Ochs held off four-time champion Tim Hartman Jr. to win the first feature, while veteran Mike Ballestero picked up the victory in the second feature, winning a spirited battle with Mike Coffey Jr.
In the second feature, Ballestero snatched the lead away from pole-position starter Coffey on a restart on lap 16.
As the leaders came down to take the white flag, Coffey made contact with Ballestero coming out of the fourth turn, but Ballestero hung on for his 34th career victory at Albany-Saratoga.
Ochs and Ballestero became the 14th and 15th different winners in the 16 sportsman features held so far this season. Ochs started on the pole n the first feature, but never made a mistake in outrunning Hartman Jr.
NORTHEAST PAVING & SEALCOATING SPORTSMAN (first feature, 20 laps): CODY OCHS, Tim Hartman Jr., Chad Edwards, Ron Proctor, Mike Arnold, Dave Baranowski Jr., Jon Miller, Eric Mack, Zack Sobotka, Taylor Wasson, Drew Cormie, Joey Scarborough, Mike Benson, Tyler Rapp, Floyd Billington, Brandon Darrah, Justin Comes, Dylan Grogan, Austin Comes, Scott Towslee, Dylan Madsen, Mike Baker, Dan Grignon, Scott Zenecker, Elliott Lussier.
NORTHEAST PAVING & SEALCOATING SPORTSMAN (second feature, 20 laps): MIKE BALLESTERO, Mike Coffey Jr., Derrick McGrew Jr., Chris Crane Jr., Zach Buff, Andrew Buff, Travis Witbeck, Chris Jakubiak, Brady Cordova, Pat Jones, Nick Lussier, Scott Duell, Daryl Nutting, Connor Crane Jr., Matt Rich, Jeff Washburn, Dan Seguin, Marty Kelly III, Jim Osgood, Justin Barber, Kyle Swart, Tommy D’Angelo, David Boisclair, Chad Gregory, Bryce Breault.