Good news if you're a Tigers, Orioles, Mariners or Royals fan: You can start prepping for 2020! MLB released its 2020 schedule and here are some key dates to know.

Opening Day, March 26: All 30 teams will open up on a Thursday in late March. At least MLB did a better job of avoiding most of the northern cold-weather cities, but bring your gloves and parkas if you're in Cleveland, Baltimore or New York. Top games to watch:

• Giants at Dodgers: Will Madison Bumgarner take the mound for the Giants?

• Angels at Astros: Yordan Alvarez begins his quest for 74 home runs.

• Cubs at Brewers: Will Joe Maddon be back as Cubs manager?

• Nationals at Mets: The Mets begin defense of their World Series title.

Angels at Rangers, March 31: The Rangers will debut new Globe Life Field against Mike Trout and company.

Opening road trips: Last year in this space I mentioned the Red Sox starting the season with an 11-game road trip, something you don't usually see. That proved to be a big deal as the Red Sox started 3-8 and have spent all season trying to recover from that bad start. No team is stuck with an 11-game trip this year to start the year, but there are several seven-game trips to begin the season: Red Sox (at Blue Jays, Orioles); Angels (at Astros, Rangers); Twins (at A's, Mariners); Rockies (at Padres, Dodgers); Braves (at Diamondbacks, Padres); Phillies (at Marlins, Mets).

Interleague play: The primary cross-league series in 2020 will feature the NL West versus the AL Central (good for the NL West), NL East versus AL West, and NL Central versus AL East. So that's 'good' news for the Mariners -- even more miles to travel than normal!

Puerto Rico series, April 28-30 (Mets versus Marlins): The three-game series at Hiram Bithorn Stadium will be the first in Puerto Rico since the Indians and Twins played two games there in 2018. That series brought Francisco Lindor and Jose Berrios back to their home island, while this one will bring Edwin Diaz, one of 23 players born in Puerto Rico who have played in the majors so far in 2019.

Red Sox at Yankees, May 8-10: The first meeting of 19 games between the AL East rivals. The teams will play their final series against each other at Yankee Stadium on Sept. 8-10.

Yankees at Astros, May 15-17: This could be a rematch of the 2019 ALCS. Will Gerrit Cole be in the Astros rotation or will the free agent sign a big contract with another team in the offseason?

"I'd like a warm beer and some bangers and mash, please": We're back in jolly old England for the second year in a row as the Cardinals and Cubs head to London for two games on June 13 and 14. By all accounts, the two-game Red Sox-Yankees series this year was a huge success (unless you were a pitcher for the Red Sox or Yankees). Once again, the games will be played at the former Olympic Stadium, now home to the West Ham football club.

All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium on July 14: The last All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium was so long ago (1980) that Ken Griffey SENIOR was the MVP of the game. All-Stars that year included Ken Reitz, Bucky Dent, John Stearns, Ken Landreaux, Jorge Orta, Tom Burgmeier, Ed Farmer, Jim Bibby and Pete Rose (umm, a first baseman who played all 162 games that year and hit one home run). Of course, the Phillies won the World Series that year anyway. It was a different game.

P.S.: Please invite Vladimir Guerrero Jr. back to the Home Run Derby.

Brewers at Dodgers, July 20-22: The first showdown of the season between Cody Bellinger and Christian Yelich, currently locked up in a historic MVP duel.

Tigers at Rays, July 24: Wait, the Tigers will be playing a big game in July? No. This will be the debut for Rays wunderkind Wander Franco (predicted).

A's at Astros, July 27-29: Believe it or not, this is the final meeting between the two clubs. How can you not have teams from the same division playing each other in August and September? So all 19 meetings will come before the trade deadline. Ridiculous.

Field of Dreams game, Aug. 13 at Dyersville, Iowa (Yankees versus White Sox): Is "Field of Dreams" a classic movie? It has an 86 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes although a less enthusiastic 57 percent on Metacritic. It has many obvious flaws. Why does Kevin Costner buy just one bag of corn seed at the grain store? Why would a 2-acre baseball field cut out of a large farm of presumably hundreds of acres cause Kevin Costner's family to lose the farm? Why can't Costner's dad, who has like one line of dialogue, properly throw a baseball? They couldn't find an actor who could throw?

I haven't watched the movie in a couple decades, so I'm not sure how it holds up compared to certain classics like "Bull Durham" or "The Bad News Bears" (the original one with Walter Matthau, when the kids drink beer and swear). I know many people who say "Field of Dreams" is their favorite baseball movie. Maybe it is the best baseball movie ever, fathers and sons and heaven and James Earl Jones' speech and all that.

What I do know is that this game, played on a Thursday night with a temporary 8,000-seat ballpark, will generate a lot of buzz -- it already has, as even non-baseball sites were tweeting and writing about it when the game was announced a few days ago. I just hope they make the players wear baggy wool uniforms, use one ball the entire game, give Costner an at-bat (he'd probably homer for the Yankees) and make the spitball legal for the day. Oh, and good luck getting tickets.

Little League Classic, Aug. 23, at Williamsport, Pa. (Red Sox versus Orioles): This will be the fourth iteration of this now annual contest, one of the highlights of the season. The major leaguers will attend a Little League World Series game earlier in the day before playing the Sunday night contest. Now that we'll have games in London, Puerto Rico, Iowa and Williamsport (plus games in the past in Japan, Australia and Mexico), where else could MLB play regular-season games? I recommend Paris, Prague, Vienna, Amsterdam, Florence and Berlin and happily volunteer to cover.

The Reds' September schedule: Don't overlook the Reds as 2020 contenders with Luis Castillo, Trevor Bauer and Sonny Gray heading the rotation and the great Aristides Aquino ready to bash 50 home runs. The Reds have a quirky final month: Orioles, at Cubs, at Brewers, at Giants, Red Sox, Cardinals, at Marlins, at Pirates. So they see some division rivals, two AL East teams and end with two teams who could be terrible.

Twins at Indians, Sept. 8-10: The final series of the season between the AL Central powers, who look like they're battling down to the wire this year.

Season-ending series, Sept. 25-27: I'm not Nostradamus, but these look like the big series to potentially watch the final weekend of the season: Astros at Braves (World Series preview?); Rays at Yankees; Cardinals at Cubs; Phillies at Nationals; Dodgers at Padres (Fernando Tatis Jr. clinches MVP honors with four home runs over the weekend as the Padres shock the Dodgers to win the NL West and break L.A.'s streak of seven straight division titles).

England's Lewis Ludlam tells Rugby Union Weekly seeing his dad in the Twickenham crowd during his passionate rendition of the national anthem against Wales "got him going".

Ugo Monye reads Lewis a message from the player's proud father, Arron, who says his son's England debut was "the proudest day in Lewis' career so far, and for the whole family".

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Eighteen-year-old Tyler Ankrum knows he’s playing with house money going into the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series playoffs.

After all, by his own admission, he wasn’t even supposed to make it to this point and have a shot at a championship in his rookie season at the national level.

However, thanks to his stunning breakthrough victory at Kentucky Speedway in July, Ankrum has the chance to “crash the party” during the Truck Series postseason – and he’s hoping to do just that with his DGR-Crosley team as they pursue a title together.

“My confidence is actually really high now, especially after the (Kentucky) win. I actually had to go out and buy a bigger hat, because my head was so big for a few days there,” Ankrum joked. “It was just a whole whirlwind of media and an awesome experience. I think we’re still viewed as the underdogs – I think DGR-Crosley as a whole still is, really – but I think that suits us and we’ll be able to shake it up.”

Ankrum may be the No. 8 seed in the playoffs, with just one win, three top-five and six top-10 finishes to his credit in the 13 races he’s been able to run this year, but that’s already far beyond where he ever expected his season to be when it started back in the spring at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.

“Honestly, when we started the year and made the announcement that we were going to be running full-time, I said I was going to be happy to run inside the top 10 … and maybe get to the top five a couple of times,” admitted Ankrum, who wasn’t old enough to run the first three races of the season due to age restrictions. “All of a sudden, though, we surged in the middle of the year and found some speed. That wasn’t expected at all, but we made the most of it and now, look where we are.

“To have the sponsorship issues that we did, have to go to the (No.) 87 and start-and-park for a couple of weeks just to keep our playoff eligibility alive, that was really hard on me,” he added. “In a way, though, we were hedging our bets with that move, because we knew we were getting faster and faster with the No. 17 truck.

“I didn’t have the confidence in myself going into this that we could be a playoff contender, really, but the fact that we are up here now is incredible and makes me believe something special can happen.”

How special does Ankrum think his playoff run can be?

“I think we can win the whole thing; I really do,” he affirmed.

That doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy for Ankrum to pull off, however. The unique first round will test every skillset a driver has, consisting of a short track, a road course and an intermediate track.

“I think Bristol and Canada are going to be pretty tough, honestly, but our team comes prepared every single race and I think that we’ve proven that no matter the experience I have or this team has, we seem to run well everywhere that we go,” Ankrum noted. “We know that we have fast equipment, but these next seven are just going to be all about closing races.

“The playoffs really come down to staying out of all the bad luck and trying to make your own luck, and I believe that if we can do that, then we’ll be OK.”

However, Ankrum was quick to note that he’s not putting any pressure on himself just because he’s a championship contender now.

In his mind, there are no expectations, “because this is already gravy on our entire season.

“Really, the biggest goal for me in these playoffs is just to have fun and learn as much as I possibly can,” Ankrum added. “That’s what I’m here to do, because I don’t want to treat this like a job; I want to treat it like it’s my passion. I’m really excited for what we’ve got headed up, and hopefully we can make it all the way to Homestead.”

And as for those sponsorship woes Ankrum suffered through during the middle of the summer, don’t expect those to resurface as long as the California teenager can keep his recent form going.

“Knock on wood, we’re going to make it to Homestead,” Ankrum said when asked about funding by SPEED SPORT. “If we can win a race or two and stay consistent, I believe that’s very realistic. Now, as far as next year? I don’t know what the plans are, whether I’ll be driving or whether I won’t be, but we’re just focused on right now and closing the season out on a high note for this organization.

“That’s the goal and everything else will continue on after that.”

Paris Saint-Germain are unhappy with the way their first direct meeting with Barcelona went on Tuesday regarding the potential return of Neymar to Camp Nou, sources have told ESPN FC.

Despite numerous exchanges over the valuations of multiple players, there was no breakthrough, although the French champions have made clear to their Catalan counterparts what they will and will not accept.

- PSG supporters fly anti-Neymar banners in win

As revealed by ESPN FC sources, negotiations over a cash-with-a-player exchange started in Paris this week with Philippe Coutinho and Ivan Rakitic the players Barca were keen to include in any potential deal.

However, PSG told the La Liga giants during this meeting that they want Coutinho, Nelson Semedo and €120 million in exchange for Neymar, while Barca's best offer so far is Coutinho, Rakitic and €80 million.

ESPN FC sources added that no major advances were made during the meeting, which the Blaugrana are viewing as the first contact between the two clubs as negotiations step up.

There will be another meeting between the pair on Thursday during UEFA's European Club Association gathering, which the Ligue 1 outfit's chairman and CEO Nasser Al-Khelaifi will be present for -- as will Barca counterpart Josep Maria Bartomeu.

The occasion, say ESPN FC sources, will give Real Madrid president Florentino Perez the opportunity to start negotiations with PSG as the Spaniard will also be present and maintains a great relationship with Al-Khelaifi.

Neymar and his father were in Portugal on Tuesday and both are now very confident that the Brazil international will be returning to Barca before the end of this summer's transfer window.

Meanwhile, ESPN FC sources indicated that Barca want a public gesture -- possibly via social media -- from Neymar to prove his commitment to the potential move.

ESPN FC's Jonathan Johnson, Moises Llorens, and Sam Marsden contributed to this report.

India defeated a spirited England by 36 runs to lift the inaugural Physical Disability World Series trophy at New Road.

India's 180 for 7, bolstered by some mesmerising hitting at the back end of the innings, ultimately proved too steep for Iain Nairn's side, who finished on 144 for 9.

England booked their place in the final after beating Afghanistan by 10 runs in a tense morning semi-final and were well placed at 90 for 1 in the 11th over of the final.

But when Angus Brown, just 17 last month and one of the tournament's standout performers, was caught in the covers for 44 off Goyat, the pendulum swung India's way.

The 13th over proved decisive. Callum Flynn, such a lynchpin for England with bat, ball and in the field, was dismissed for 28 off the first delivery of Goyat's over, leaving the hosts 97 for 3. Two balls later, Liam O'Brien was run out without facing a ball after chancing a single through a misfield to the keeper.

When Liam Thomas and skipper Nairn followed cheaply in the 14th over, England were 105 for 6 with five wickets having fallen in 22 deliveries.

It was the decisive stage of the final after India's innings had also been a tale of two halves.

England had bowled well to restrict India to 85 for 2 after 13 overs, making a dream start when Ben Tyler had Khan caught behind with the second ball of the innings.

A patient 47-run second-wicket partnership between Phanase (36) and skipper Keni (29) kept India ticking over.

After Keni was caught and bowled by left-arm spinner Fred Bridges, Ravindra Sante (53 from 35) and Phanase took India to 113 before the latter was run out off the final ball of the 15th over.

That brought Suganesh Mahendran to the crease and a seismic shift to the proceedings, whose remarkable 11-ball 33 included four sixes, including one monstrous hit into the top of the New Road stand.

India had more than doubled their total, with 95 coming off the last seven overs.

The result was a target that was always going to require something special against a team that had arrived fresh - and had the advantage of winning the toss, against a team tiring after a stirring 10-wicket victory in the morning over big-hitting Afghanistan. Liam O'Brien's 34-ball 53 and 45 from Jamie Goodwin helped England post 147 for 7.

In reply, a tight spell from Fred Bridges, whose four overs yielded just 12 and two wickets, applied the squeeze, with regular wickets leaving them with an unlikely 20 required from the final over, from which just 10 came.

As the dust settled on India's victory, skipper Nairn was philosophical in defeat.

"We've given it everything we had," he said. "We're a young team, with two teenagers in our 11, and three in the squad. India are adults, they are playing televised cricket over there, some of them - so to come into an environment like this is more normal.

"For our kids, we're playing club cricket - some of them are playing on village greens on a Saturday. We have some very special human beings in this team."

Goodwin added: "I don't think you can fault the cricket that we've played all week. We've been brilliant in the field - as good as we have ever been. We probably lacked a little bit with the bat, but you can't fault the effort that everyone has put in.

"We're a close group of lads and that will get us through the disappointment. We've been beaten by a better team on the day - they've played five, won five.

"It was an example of power hitting at its best, a great example of what this game can offer. It can only have helped."

Gloucestershire 144 for 3 (Bracey 64) beat Hampshire 139 for 6 by seven wickets

Gloucestershire overcame Hampshire on a slow, sluggish Bristol wicket to go fourth in the Vitality Blast South Group, thanks to a canny bowling performance and an impressive 64 from James Bracey.

With Rilee Rossouw (ill), Brad Taylor and Mason Crane (both side strains) missing, Hampshire looked light on batting at the toss, and so it proved. After Aneurin Donald's eyecatching innings had taken them to 54 for 1 after the powerplay, their innings fell away horribly as Tom Smith found purchase on a turgid pitch, and their seamers used their usual variety of slower balls and cutters.

A target of 140 was never likely to be easy to defend, and after a cautious first four overs of the chase, the fifth broke the back of the chase and meant Gloucestershire could stay in third gear for the remainder.

The beneficiary of those absentees was Ryan Stevenson, the redhead seamer who came in for his first game of the Blast season, but he must have wished he had spent the night in the dugout as usual.

His first ball would have seen Michael Klinger caught behind but for an umpiring error, and things quickly got worse. Klinger chipped a six over midwicket, then got off strike with a three; Stevenson threw in two wides, was smashed for four twice by Bracey, including once off a no-ball, and then had him out caught off the free hit. One last boundary followed, meaning 25 had come off it, and the asking rate shot down to below six.

From that point, Hampshire were toast, as Bracey and Klinger knocked the ball around easily with little pressure on them to score. This was Klinger's highest T20 score in just over a year - the situation could hardly have suited him better.

This pitch had seen Gloucestershire only squeeze past Kent's 125 for 8 last week, and from the moment David Payne started to bowl his cutters in the game's third over, it seemed clear that this pitch would suit their attack.

The conditions could only have been more perfect if they had been able to call upon the services of Benny Howell, who will miss the rest of the season after injuring his hamstring diving in the field against Surrey last week.

As cover, Gloucestershire brought in Zak Chappell on loan from Nottinghamshire, the young fast bowler with a big future and an even bigger reported salary. He struck early to dismiss James Vince - who he gave a roaring send-off - but proved the most expensive bowler on show; perhaps he was overzealous in his efforts to impress after an underwhelming debut season at Trent Bridge.

Hampshire's selection - while hampered by injury - looked particularly strange when Chris Morris strode out to bat at number five. It was just the 14th time that Morris had batted in the top five in a T20, despite his 180 matches, and he struggled badly to eke out an unbeaten 18 off 24 balls. That they left out Tom Alsop, while having seven bowling options, seemed curious.

This was the sort of surface on which Gloucestershire tend to thrive, and it was apparent that Andrew Tye's influence in his several stints as an overseas player has extended beyond just his wickets. Chris Liddle spoke at the interval about the work the club's seamers do with one another to develop more slower balls and variations, and he, Tye, and Payne went for just 78 from their 12 overs; Ryan Higgins, so impressive in the win at Surrey, never even made it into the attack.

At the interval, it had looked clear that Liam Dawson would be the key man if Hampshire were to come close, but by the time he came on the asking rate had already fallen to 5.46. He was characteristically frugal, but the game was effectively up by the time he had the opportunity to influence it.

Bracey, who has quietly impressed for the best part of three seasons in the Championship, has only recently nailed down a spot in Gloucestershire's T20 side, but shone with a mature innings in the chase. He was particularly impressive combating the fiery Morris, nailing an early cover drive and pulling him for four in his second spell. He was a recent call-up for the England Lions, and at 22 looks like an old-school batsman with serious promise.

"I'm really pleased with how we've come back from a defeat," he told Sky. "We just wanted to take the initiative with the new ball, which slid onto the bat nicely. It came off for us and made it easier for us at the back end. I've started to find my feet in the last few games, so it's good to play a match-winning knock."

Gloucestershire's campaign thus far has been a stop-start affair, with two no-results and a tie in their first four games keeping them in the bunch of teams competing for the quarter-finals. But with three wins in their last four - and a trip to fourth-placed Somerset on Friday night looming - they are now set to be part of the South Group's qualification narrative.

Atlanta United manager Frank de Boer has said he does not believe in equal pay for men and women in football, or sports such as tennis, because women don't bring in as much revenue, according to a report.

"I think for me, it's ridiculous," De Boer told The Guardian when asked about the plans for equal pay. "It's the same like tennis. If there are watching, for the World Cup final, 500 million people or something like that, and 100 million for a women's final, that's a difference. So it's not the same. And of course they have to be paid what they deserve to [earn] and not less, just what they really deserve. If it's just as popular as the men, they will get it, because the income and the advertising will go into that. But it's not like that, so why do they have to earn the same? I think it's ridiculous. I don't understand that."

- Hays: U.S. women remain center stage, even off the field
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- USWNT and equal pay: What's the latest and what's next?

De Boer represented the Netherlands at the 1994 and 1998 men's World Cups, and the Dutch women reached the final of the 2019 Women's World Cup before losing, 2-0, to the U.S. women in July.

The Royal Dutch Football Association has already pledged pay equity for its men's and women's teams. The women will receive yearly raises through 2023, when their earnings for national team service will equal that of their male counterparts. The U.S. women, meanwhile, sued the U.S. Soccer Federation in March, arguing that their pay and working conditions amounted to gender discrimination.

De Boer, the former Ajax coach who took over as manager for the defending MLS champions in December 2018, disagrees with gender pay gaps in the workplace but says they are still warranted in sports.

"I think it started because a woman [was] getting underpaid, especially at [managerial] positions," he told the newspaper. "They have to earn the same as a man. I think if you have a manager position for a bank or something, you have to earn the same what the men did because it's not physically, just only here [points to head], so why do you have to earn less, because you're doing the same job as a man? I think that's also dropped a little bit into the sports world, like tennis and soccer. But I think that's still different."

U.S. players, including Megan Rapinoe, Carli Lloyd and Alex Morgan, say they have been consistently paid less than their male counterparts despite performing better. The prize money for the women's World Cup doubled to $30 million this year, but this paled in comparison to the €400m ($448m) available for the men's tournament winners last year. Last week, the U.S. Soccer Federation hired the services of two lobbying firms to counter the U.S. women's claims, a USSF spokesperson confirmed to ESPN FC. In the wake of the U.S. women's team's World Cup victory, legislation was introduced in both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives requiring the USSF to pay players on the respective U.S. women's and men's national team equally.

The 2019 Women's World Cup final drew 22% more viewers in the United States than the 2018 men's final, according to data from Nielsen cited by Fox Sports. The U.S. men did not play in the 2018 final, which saw France beat Croatia, 4-2.

According to Nielsen data for U.S. viewership, 14.3 million tuned in to the Women's World Cup final via linear television, compared with 11.4 million for the 2018 men's final. The addition of online streaming put total viewership at 20 million via Fox Sports, making it the most-watched soccer match on U.S. English-language television, men's or women's, since the 2015 Women's World Cup final, which saw 25.4 million viewers.

According to a report in CNN, an additional 1.6 million viewers watched the final match in Spanish on Telemundo in the United States.

New York Giants wide receiver Golden Tate has lost his appeal of his four-game suspension, leaving his new team without a key acquisition for the first quarter of the season.

Tate tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance that he said came from prescribed fertility medication. His appeal was heard Tuesday by an arbiter in New York.

The suspension will cost Tate $465,000 in salary ($116,176 per game). He will miss the opener on the road against the Dallas Cowboys followed by games against the Buffalo Bills, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Washington Redskins.

He will be allowed to participate in all preseason practices and games.

Tate's absence will put added pressure on a wide receiver corps that lost Odell Beckham Jr. in an offseason trade. Tate signed a four-year, $37.5 million deal as a free agent to help offset the loss.

Sterling Shepard (broken thumb), Cody Latimer and Bennie Fowler will play bigger roles in Tate's immediate absence.

Latimer is expected to slide into Tate's starting spot. He started in Thursday's preseason opener with Shepard still sidelined and caught two passes for 36 yards despite playing just two drives.

On Tuesday, before the decision was announced, Giants quarterback Eli Manning lauded Tate's ability and had hoped "things work out" for the receiver to play a full season.

"Golden is a smart player and he is going to be in the right spot and he has a good feel for the zones, how to get open versus different techniques and stuff," Manning said. "A veteran guy but also, we have seen a bunch of it with the Giants, his run after catch historically has been very good -- a playmaker. Hopefully, things work out and he will be here all year."

In a statement last month, Tate said he thought he had a legitimate case to win his appeal.

"This past April, during the off-season, my wife and I decided to see a specialist for fertility planning. I started the treatment prescribed to me and just days later I discovered it contained an ingredient that is on the league's banned substance list," Tate said. "I immediately discontinued use, I reported the situation to the Independent Administrator of the NFL Policy on Performance-Enhancing Substances, and I spoke with my coaches and general manager. I did all of this well before a failed test was even confirmed.

"Per NFL protocol, an initial suspension was imminent, but myself and the Giants organization are confident in the facts, and eagerly await my appeal to put this behind us."

However, the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing drugs is unforgiving. It states, "Players are responsible for what is in their bodies and a positive test will not be excused because a Player was unaware that he was taking a Prohibited Substance."

While with the Seattle Seahawks in 2013, Tate was critical of two teammates who received suspensions for substance abuse violations, calling them "selfish."

"You are affecting way more than yourself," Tate told 710 ESPN Radio at the time. "I feel like that was kind of a selfish move on both those guys' part. But it is what it is. The show must go on, and that's what we're gonna do."

Britain's Andy Murray and Spain's Feliciano Lopez are through to the last 16 of the men's doubles at the Cincinnati Masters.

They beat Dutchman Jean-Julien Rojer and Romania's Horia Tecau 3-6 6-3 10-3.

On Monday, Murray played his first singles match since career-saving hip surgery in January - a 6-4 6-4 loss to France's Richard Gasquet.

The Scot, 32, says he will not play singles at the US Open this month, but will play doubles and mixed doubles.

The former world number one returned to competitive action in the Queen's doubles in June - going on to win the tournament alongside Lopez - and has played in four subsequent doubles events.

He and Lopez face American pair Ryan Harrison and Jack Sock in the next round on Wednesday.

British number one Kyle Edmund begins his Cincinnati campaign against Russia's Daniil Medvedev later on Tuesday.

PATASKALA, Ohio – British driver Alice Powell will make her IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship debut at Virginia Int’l Raceway alongside Katherine Legge in the No. 57 Caterpillar Acura NSX GT3.

Powell finished her latest racing series on a high note by scoring her first victory of the season and placing third overall in the championship. In addition to her race win, she earned podium finishes at the Hockenheimring, Circuit Zolder and TT Circuit Assen.

During her time competing in the top open wheel series in Europe – Formula Renault, GP3 and Formula 3 – Powell won several awards for her achievements. In 2009, at just 16 years old, she was the youngest female to compete in the Michelin Formula Renault UK Championship. She also won the British Women Racing Drivers Club Goldstars ‘Elite’ Category award and was the first woman to win a Formula Renault Race in the UK, going on to become the first woman to win a Formula Renault Championship in 2010.

With two powerhouse British drivers competing in the Michelin GT Challenge on Sunday, Aug. 25, Heinricher Racing with Meyer Shank Racing is poised for another strong showing at Virginia Int’l Raceway.

“I am very excited to be joining Heinricher Racing and Meyer Shank Racing for the next round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship,” said Powell. “This is such a successful and well-respected team. I am looking forward to working with them and settling into driving the Acura NSX GT3. It will be my first time racing in the States and only the second endurance race of my career, so I am very keen to experience VIR.”

Last year, Legge stood on the podium at VIR. She is looking forward to making another podium run with her new teammate in the No. 57 Caterpillar Acura NSX.

“I’m looking forward to VIR and to a fresh start after the last couple of races where we haven’t had the best results,” said Legge. “I’m really looking forward to racing with Alice. She is a well-respected driver and just won her latest race. We’ll all help her get even more comfortable with the Acura NSX so her speed translates to sports car racing. And, being a fellow Brit, I’m sure we’ll share too many laughs. I know we have made a lot of changes to the car for VIR, and last year was a strong race for us so hopefully we can get back into a rhythm next week.”

“The Heinricher Racing No. 57 Caterpillar effort is pleased to have Alice Powell join the team at VIR as a substitute for Bia Figueiredo,” said team principal Jackie Heinricher. “This is a fantastic track for her USA debut alongside veteran driver Katherine Legge. Our goal has long been to develop female talent and Alice has the talent deserving of our attention. The entire MSR crew has worked hard to sort our car, and we look forward to shaking off the issues of the past few races to fight back to the top.”