Will Power finally broke through at the Iowa Speedway. Power went from the back to the front to win the Hy-Vee One Step 250 to cap an IndyCar twinbill.

That was Power on NBC’s post race coverage. He moves into second in the IndyCar standings and it was his first win on an oval in five years.

The Atlantic Trojans softball team suffered a tough 10-7 loss to the Clarinda Cardinals on Saturday night in the Class 3A region 2 semifinals. After one inning the ball game remained tied as both starting pitchers looked confident in the circle. The first score of the night was an RBI single from Addison Wagoner for Clarinda in the bottom of the second inning as the bases were loaded putting them up 1-0. The runs would not stop there when Ryplee Sunderman struck a strong double towards center field to bring in 2 more runs putting the Cardinals up 3-0. It was then Annika Price’s turn to bat, and she also hit herself a 2 RBI double with runners on second and third base making it a 5-0 lead. Things shifted for Atlantic starting pitcher Riley Wood as she gave up no hits or runs in the next three innings for the Clarinda. Atlantic’s initial response in the bottom of the fourth inning was to take advantage from a poorly timed throw at first, helping Zoey Kirchoff come in for a score to change the lead at 5-1.

When the top of the fifth came around Atlantic was ready to score. The inning started with a double by Claire Pellett and saw a sac fly by Riley Wood chip into the score at 5-2. Lila Wiederstein then got her first hit of the night to put her on first and Zoey Kirchhoff had a monstrous swing off of the first pitch for a 2-run homer. Suddenly the game was 5-4 and Clarinda seemed to be in trouble. In the bottom of the fifth Clarinda could only get one batter to first base as the rest hit pop flies. The top of the sixth inning was now crucial for Atlantic, but even with two singles the Trojans could not muster up a score.

In the bottom of the sixth inning is where Clarinda took control of the game again, scoring 5 runs off of 5 hits and forcing the relief pitcher Peyton McLaren to come in. The Cardinals were now up 10-4 after six innings and it looked almost over for the Trojans. Atlantic decided to start the top of the seventh inning off with a walk and base hit to put two runners on. A deep hit out towards left field by McLaren which popped out of Presley Jobe’s added two more runs to Trojans score. Suddenly it was 10-6 game with only one out for Atlantic. The Trojans then grounded out for the second out but did have one more run by a Claire Schroder single making it 10-7. Atlantic’s last at bat would end in a strikeout, giving the victory to Clarinda.

Trojans head coach Terry Hinzmann was proud of the way his team battled against a solid Cardinals opponent.

Zoey Kirchoff had an impressive night batting going 2-4, with 2 RBI’s, and a home run. Claire Pellet also played well in her last game as a Trojan with a 2-3 performance and with one of those hits being a double. Clarinda’s win will have them advance to play PCM on Tuesday night in Monroe for the Class 3A region 2 championship. Atlantic’s loss has them finishing the season with a record of 27-13.

Class 1A

Region 3 

Collins-Maxwell 7, Ankeny Christian 0
Earlham 7, Riverside 2

Region 4 

Martensdale-St Marys 12, Orient-Macksburg 0
Griswold 8, Fremont-Mills 0

Class 2A

Region 2

Audubon 6, Ridge View 0
MVAOCOU 4, Emmetsburg 1

Region 3

Van Meter 13, Logan-Magnolia 3
Treynor 7, Missouri Valley 2

Region 4

Ogden 3, Regina Catholic 2
East Marshall 9, Kuemper Catholic 1

Region 5

Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont 4, Cardinal 0
Pleasantville 6, Interstate-35  3

Class 3A

Substate 2 

North Polk 15, Greene County 0
ADM 6, Ballard 2
Algona 10, Webster City 5
Boone 9, Humboldt 0

Substate 6

Marion 11, South Tama 1
Xavier 2, Nevada 0
Saydel 1, Oskaloosa 0
Gilbert 2, Benton 1

Substate 8 

Bondurant-Farrar 10, Atlantic 0
Lewis Central 13, Glenwood 1
Harlan 11, Carroll 3
Creston 10, Denison-Schleswig 4

The Atlantic Trojans baseball team lost 10-0 against the Bondurant-Farrar Blue Jays in the first round of the Class 3A Substate 8 Friday night. The top of the first inning only saw one hit for Atlantic by Hudson McLaren as the rest of the batters were retied. Things quickly heated up for the Bluejays in the bottom of the first as an RBI single from Parker Ernst and Dawson Ehlers stealing home created a 2-0 lead for Bondurant-Farrar. The next two Bluejay batters were walked and Drew Peltz hit a 2 RBI single creating a larger 4-0 deficit at the end of the first inning.

The second inning saw neither team score as both pitchers seemed to take over. In the bottom of the third inning Bondurant-Farrar applied more pressure on Atlantic as the Bluejays managed to load the bases which brought in Hudson McLaren to a tough situation as a relief pitcher. He would have a 2 RBI double hit off of him, but recovered by throwing 3 strikeouts against the next five batters he faced. In total, the Trojans would give up 5 runs in the bottom of the third giving Bondurant-Farrar a 9-0 lead.

During the fourth and fifth innings Atlantic only had one hit which seemed to highlight their woes at the plate. But, on the mound Gavin McLaren proved to be an asset with his appearance in the bottom of the fourth as he gave up no hits and struck out 2, to keep the score at 9-0. The nail in the coffin for Atlantic was in the bottom of the fifth when the Trojans would intentionally load the bases with the go ahead run on third. McLaren’s second pitch to Parker Ernst turned into a passed ball and Fenton Smith sprinted towards home plate for the walk off at 10-0.

When looking back on the expectations for Atlantic’s postseason performance, Trojan Head Coach Nathan Block commended his players for the way they fought.

The pitching performances by both Hudson McLaren and Gavin McLaren were deemed praiseworthy. Hudson pitched 1 inning, gave up 3 runs, 1 hit, and had 2 strikeouts. Gavin pitched 1 1/3 innings with 1 run scored, no hits, 2 strikeouts, and 2 walks.

This past year was full of growth for the Trojans baseball program and Gavin McLaren is one player who has shown a lot of potential throughout the year.

Coach Block is optimistic about what next year will bring for the Trojans as he returns to a team with plenty of promise.

Atlantic’s loss will have their final record of the year at 1-23. Bondurant-Farrar advances with the win to the district semifinal against Lewis Central on Monday.

NEWTON, Iowa – July 12, 2024 – The racing season is now underway at the Iowa Speedway! We would like to ask for your assistance during race weekends. The Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend is July 12 – 14, with attendance expected to be approximately 25,000 – 30,000 on Saturday and Sunday. Below are some traffic information and travel tips provided by the Iowa State Patrol for individuals traveling in Central Iowa while the race events are happening.

• The Iowa State Patrol, Iowa Department of Transportation, Newton Police Department, Jasper County Sheriff’s Office, and Iowa Speedway officials will be working in conjunction with traffic control and parking companies to erect signs, sign boards, and cones to clearly mark travel routes for fans attending the races.

• Please leave for the track early, factoring in potential minor traffic delays near the Speedway. Arriving ahead of time remains the most effective strategy to alleviate congestion on the roads.

• Please be aware of ongoing construction projects that may impact your travel plans, including the closure of a section of Highway 14 between Newton and Monroe, as well as Jasper County Road F-48 that is shut down for construction west of Newton.

• Following the races, exit ramps in both east- and westbound directions at the 168 interchange (exit 168) will be temporarily closed. Additionally, post-event traffic on Iowa Speedway Drive at S 13th St. E. will be directed to ensure a safe and efficient flow of vehicles out of the area.

• Parking lots open at noon on Friday, July 12, 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 13, and 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, July 14.

As part of their dedication to a safe and pleasant race experience, the Iowa DOT asks motorists to kindly adhere to all traffic regulations, ensure seat belt usage for all passengers, and arrange for a designated driver when necessary.

(Radio Iowa) – A 44-year-old from Sioux City has won his second start after being asked to return as a pitcher for Sioux City’s minor league baseball team. J.D. Scholter (SHOHL-ten), a state representative who works as a paralegal, has played pro-baseball for teams in seven countries, including a four-year stretch for the Sioux City Explorers. The hometown crowd gave him a standing ovation as he left the mound last Saturday.

When he left the team in 2007, Scholten told the manager to call if they ever needed a pitcher in an emergency. Scholten got the call last Saturday as he was volunteering at a music festival in Sioux City.

Scholten made it in time, threw 100 pitches in six and a half innings and the team won that game. Scholten admits he had shaky start though, giving up a run in the first inning and then escaping a bases loaded jam.

The Explorers won that game 11-to-two and won again last (Thursday) night in Fargo. Scholten threw again for the first six innings, allowing one run in the fourth inning striking out three and leaving with the score tied. Scholten pitched in a pro league in the Netherlands last year and added a new pitch to his rotation.

Some of Scholten’s pitches during the two games this past week have been clocked at 87 miles an hour.

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (July 11, 2024) — Building on the momentum of what has become one of the most popular and unique weekends in motorsports, officials with Hy-Vee and INDYCAR, Thursday, announced an extension of their partnership for the annual NTT INDYCAR SERIES event at Iowa Speedway. Under the new multi-year agreement, Hy-Vee – the Iowa-based and employee-owned supermarket chain – will continue as the title sponsor of Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend.

Hy-Vee’s ongoing commitment to motorsports has been demonstrated through its support of the annual INDYCAR event weekend held at Iowa Speedway, which is the longest-standing race held at the 7/8 of a mile oval track located in Newton, Iowa. INDYCAR first began competing at Iowa Speedway in 2007 and this weekend represents the 20th and 21st NTT INDYCAR SERIES races at the venue. The 2024 Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend will be hosted July 12-14, featuring the Hy-Vee Homefront 250 presented by Instacart (Saturday at 8 pm ET on NBC and Peacock) and the Hy-Vee One Step 250 presented by Gatorade (Sunday at 12 pm ET on NBC and Peacock).

Since 2022, Hy-Vee has served as the host and entitlement partner for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES doubleheader weekend at Iowa Speedway. Attracting capacity crowds with a combination of world-class racing at the “Fastest Short Track on the Planet” and premier live music acts for an entertainment-filled fan experience, has helped transform the INDYCAR weekend into one of the biggest annual events in Iowa. The continued collaboration marks a significant milestone in Hy-Vee’s partnership with INDYCAR, which originally began in 2020 when the popular grocery chain first joined forces with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing as a team sponsor in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.

Driven by the partnership with Hy-Vee, INDYCAR returned to Iowa Speedway in 2022 after not competing at the venue during the 2021 season. Since its inception, Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend has become a highlight on the INDYCAR calendar. With a record-breaking estimated crowd of approximately 85,000 spectators over three days, last year’s Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend marked the highest attendance ever recorded for an INDYCAR event at Iowa Speedway. Celebrating its third year as one of the most popular annual events in racing, this weekend’s three-day festival is on track to once again draw capacity crowds to Iowa Speedway.

Image from hyveeindycarweekend.com

Beyond its support of the INDYCAR event at Iowa Speedway, the industry-leading grocery brand is also the title sponsor of two NTT INDYCAR SERIES 250-mile races that will be hosted at the Milwaukee Mile August 30-September 1 – the Hy-Vee Milwaukee Mile 250s Weekend. The 2024 Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend will officially get underway today (Friday, July 12), with the return of Free Family Friday. All fans will once again enjoy free gate admission to Iowa Speedway on the opening day of the three-day weekend festival.

In addition to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES races on Saturday and Sunday, along with the INDY NXT by Firestone race at Iowa Speedway (Saturday at 2 pm ET on Peacock), Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend will once again feature a stellar concert lineup rivaling even the most prestigious music festivals. Country music sensations Luke Combs and Eric Church will both perform on the Hy-Vee Stage on Saturday, with country superstar Kelsea Ballerini and award-winning artist Post Malone each hosting post-race concerts on Sunday. All concerts are included with Saturday and Sunday Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend tickets as each artist will perform on the trackside Hy-Vee Stage, in front of the main grandstands at Iowa Speedway.

(To learn more about the event, visit hyveeindycarweekend.com or register for event updates.)

Class 3A

Region 2

PCM 10, Greene County 2
Clarke 8, Des Moines Christian 0
Clarinda 5, Harlan Community 0
Atlantic 13, Red Oak 0

Class 4A

Region 2

Mason City 9, Boone 7
Webster City 6, Nevada 1

Region 3

Carroll 5, Bishop Heelan 3
Perry 6, Denison-Schleswig 0

Region 4

Indianola 10, Creston 0
Glenwood 5, Lewis Central 4

Region 6

Ballard 3, Newton 0
Pella 16, South Tama 4

The Atlantic Trojan Softball team won 13-0 against the Red Oak Tigers on Thursday night to advance to the semifinals of their postseason region. Atlantic’s starting pitcher Riley Wood got to work quickly in the top of the first retiring the first 3 Red Oak batters. Then in the bottom of the first inning Atlantic took complete control of the ball game tallying 9 runs in the inning. It started with a Makenna Schroeder RBI triple to put the Trojans up 1-0. Later on, in the inning the bases became loaded, and Jillian Saathoff capitalized thanks to a 2 RBI single, creating a 3-0 lead. The runs continued to pour in for Atlantic with an error thrown at home and 6 straight hits to hang a 9-0 advantage after one inning.

In the top of the second inning Wood seemed to slow down as she gave up a base hit and a walk, but still held the Tigers scoreless. The Trojans response in the bottom of the second was to load the bases again after 3 players were hit by a pitch. Makenna Sonntag came up to hit a sac fly making the game 10-0 for Atlantic. Two additional runs were scored off of mistimed throws at home plate and Schroeder would get her third RBI of the day to make a daunting 13-0 score. The top of the third inning saw Peyton McClaren come in as a relief pitcher for Wood and she threw 3 consecutive strikeouts to end the game.

Atlantic looked sharp throughout the day thanks to the efforts of Wood in the circle pitching 2 innings, with 1 hit, 1 walk, and no runs. In the batter’s box the Trojans were assisted by Schroeder going 3-3, with a triple, and 3 RBI’s.

Atlantic Head Coach Terry Hinzmann liked the difference in execution from his team compared to the first time they played Red Oak on Monday.

The Trojans next game will be a semifinal matchup against a familiar opponent the Clarinda Cardinals on Saturday. Atlantic is 1-1 against Clarinda on the year and to get a win on Saturday the Trojans have to be consistent with every aspect of the game.

Red Oaks ends their season with a record of 3-24.