TERESA M. WALKER Sports Writer, Author at The Rapid City Post

Handful of college athletes sue NCAA over redshirt rule in case that could cover thousands

September 2, 2025

Vanderbilt linebacker Langston Patterson and former Hawaii quarterback Brayden Schager are among 10 plaintiffs suing the NCAA over its redshirt rule that puts restrictions on the five years the athletes have to practice, play and graduate from college. The class action lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee alleges the NCAA violates U.S. antitrust laws with how its redshirt rule covers playing time for athletes during five seasons of eligibility. The lawsuit includes seven other named plaintiffs and potentially thousands of current and former NCAA football, baseball and tennis players.

Fans cheer during a flyover before the MLB Speedway Classic baseball game between the Atlanta Braves and the Cincinnati Reds at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tenn., Saturday, Aug. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Race on for Bristol Motor Speedway to prepare for NASCAR after hosting the MLB Speedway Classic

August 4, 2025

A new clock started the instant the Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Braves cleared the baseball diamond inside the infield at Bristol Motor Speedway. “The Last Great Colosseum” has to switch from hosting the MLB Speedway Classic and be ready for NASCAR’s return to the historic racetrack hosting a playoff chase race Sept. 13. Materials like gravel, plywood and 2×4 boards will be donated to help with the recovery from Hurricane Helene. Pit walls torn down for the MLB game will have to be rebuilt. The plan for this renovation is being ready for racing Sept. 7 and no later than Sept. 9.

Rod Bruchell installs signs outside Bristol Motor Speedway, Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, in Bristol, Tenn., the day before the MLB Speedway Classic baseball game between the Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Bristol Motor Speedway set to host Tennessee’s first MLB game with record crowd

August 1, 2025

Bristol Motor Speedway is ready to make history again by hosting the first Major League Baseball game in Tennessee. The stage or racetrack in this case has been set for Saturday night for the biggest crowd ever at a regular season baseball game at the MLB Speedway Classic Bristol Motor Speedway is ready to make history again by hosting the first Major League Baseball game in Tennessee. Seeing the venue on paper is one thing. What MLB has done tucking a baseball field inside the infield of the half-mile bullring at Bristol is impressive even with a Sunoco sign can be seen in one corner.

Nashville grows from ‘not a soccer city’ to hosting Club World Cup matches

June 9, 2025

Soccer fans in Music City once numbered so few that someone could recognize a car’s driver by the bumper sticker. Now? Don’t wave. Odds are that’s a stranger. Soccer has grown by leaps and bounds from the immigrants who played at a park decades ago through semi-pro ball to teams drawing only a diehard fans. That thirst for soccer helped Nashville go from an outside chance at a Major League Soccer expansion franchise to drawing the biggest crowd to see a match in the state of Tennessee in February 2020. Now Nashville SC will be hosting Club World Cup games at GEODIS Park in June.

Bubba Wallace puts on his helmet before a NASCAR Cup Series auto race Sunday, June 1, 2025, in Lebanon, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

NASCAR’s new $1M In-season Challenge starts with drivers focused more on winning races

June 2, 2025

Bubba Wallace sees NASCAR as having all the momentum possible right now with different media partners. Perfect timing then for NASCAR’s In-season Challenge to debut, right? Well, Wallace forgot that was about to debut even as he thinks this will be a way to get fans even more invested. Kyle Larson also didn’t realize NASCAR’s new in-season competition had its field set after the Cup Series race at the Nashville Superspeedway. Larson said he hadn’t seen any promotion of the competition. NASCAR announced this new in-season competition in May 2024. The next three races will seed 32 drivers for the competition starting at Atlanta on June 28.

Ryan Blaney races to first NASCAR Cup Series victory of the year at Nashville

June 1, 2025

Ryan Blaney kicked off the second half of the NASCAR season by running away down the stretch for his first Cup Series victory of the year Sunday night at Nashville Superspeedway. The 2023 Cup champ had been racing well with five top-five finishes over the first half of this season. He finally got to victory lane in the No. 12 Ford Mustang for Team Penske for his 14th career victory and first since Martinsville in November. He became the ninth different winner this season and the fifth driver to win in as many races at Nashville.

TERESA M. WALKER Sports Writer.