Sports

Tony Olson won his career 50th Benton County Speedway main event in the Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod division Sunday night. (Jim Wittke photo)VINTON, Iowa - Just three weeks shy of the 16th anniversary of his first feature win, Tony Olson celebrated another milestone at the Benton County Speedway Bullring.Olson, who earned his first win in the Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods presented by Christie Door Company on May 30, 2005, parked his #T23 in victory lane in Vinton for the 50th time Sunday night.

VINTON -- This past Friday afternoon I had the oppourtunity to talk to seven members of Vinton-Shellsburg's amazing 2nd-ranked boys' soccer team. Of the seven you'll see on the accompaning video, six have been playing together since the age of six and two of those have played together since the age of five. As the players will point out, that fact greatly illustrates the way the team has goes a long way the season has gone.

Over 10 local friends of the Benton County Bullring Lil Racer Car Club have provided baskets of their own items that they create and/or sell every day to be given away to lucky moms this Sunday in the club. How does this all come about? It's one of our favorite weekends, to celebrate moms on their special day. Lil Racers are given prize tickets each week when they arrive at the track and pick up their “swag bags” filled with stuffed animals, racing flags, coloring pictures and colors and a few items that are interchanged.

By SAGE HOLMESVT SportswriterVINTON – The Vinton-Shellsburg Vikette varsity soccer team (5-4) took on the Beckman Catholic Trailblazers (2-8) at the Karr Athletic Complex.  Vikette senior midfielder Lucy Howes-Vonstein has been hot lately, scoring seven goals in five games, she had two more against the Blazers.  The Vikettes' upcoming schedule features a doubleheader against the Cedar Valley Christian Huskies on Thursday, May 6, the Viking/Vikette JV/Varsity Tournament on Saturday, May 8, the Center Point-Urbana Stormin' Pointers on Monday, May 10, and the Solon Spartans on Friday, May 14 all at the Karr Athletic Complex before traveling to Van Horne to take on the Benton Bobcats on Tuesday, May 18 and the Monticello Panthers at Dean Nelson Field in Monticello on Thursday, May 20.

By SAGE HOLMES VT SportswriterINDEPENDENCE – The Vikette track and field team took to Lyle Leinbaugh Field in Independence for the Mustang Invitational.  They were the team champions with 154 points.  Junior sprinter Leah Hendrickson was third in the 100 meter dash and second in 200 meter dash/. Sophomore Brylee Bruce won the discus and was fourth in the 200 meter dash.

By SAGE HOLMES, VT SportswriterDYERSVILLE – The Viking varsity soccer team traveled to Beckman Catholic High School to take on the Beckman Catholic Blazers in a battle of second-ranked teams in two different classification divisions and earned a 1-0 shutout victory.  The Vikings prevailed mostly because of their dominant defense and goaltending.

Richie Gustin has already won a number of high paying IMCA Modified events in his career at Benton County Speedway. Sunday night he added $1,500 and a Late Model win to his Bullring accomplishments. The California native was the IMCA Modified winner at Benton County Speedway on Sunday and at Marshalltown Speedway on Friday. In the first of three appearance for Late Models this season, Gustin made quick work of the 18-car field.

VINTON -- Madi Atkinson was named Queen and JJ Sloop King as the culmination of Vinton-Shellsburg's 2021 Prom, "A Masquerade Ball" Saturday night at the Vinton Skate Center.Look for more pictures from the annual Grand March and Post Prom in Monday's Vinton Today.

By SAGE HOLMES -- VT SportswriterVINTON – The Viking varsity soccer team took on the Williamsburg Raiders at the Karr Athletic Complex on April 26.  The Vikings (7-0) took a 1-0 lead on a CJ Rickels goal late in the first half.  The Vikings erupted for a four spot in the second half, with a goal from CJ Rickels, two from David Lapan-Islas and one from Gunnar Moen.

WILLIAMSBURG – The Vinton-Shellsburg Vikette soccer team (3-4, 1-2 WaMaC West)  took on the Williamsburg Raiders at Dr. D.S. Miller Field at Bob Murphy Stadium in Williamsburg Raiders on April 27.  The Raiders took a 1-0 lead into the halftime break, and then Madi Atkinson and Ashlie Meyer scored goals for the Vikettes in the second half, although the Vikettes came out on the short end of the stick, losing the game 4-2.