Discover Ecuador Wind Energy market size, forecast, and growth. Valued at 126 in 2025, this market shows a strong 22.05% CAGR. Get expert insights.

Justin Marks Says Max Verstappen's NASCAR Path Runs Straight Into a Ford BadgeTrackhouse Racing has made a habit of putting outsiders behind the wheel of a stock car just to see what happens. Kimi Raikkonen tried it. So did Helio Castroneves and, most recently, Kevin Magnussen. Shane van Gisbergen tried it once and never left, turning a one-off Chicago street race in 2023 into a full-time NASCAR career that's since made him one of the sport's biggest personalities. So it wasn't exactly shocking when Kevin Harvick asked Trackhouse founder Justin Marks, on a recent taping of SPEED with Harvick and Buxton, whether Max Verstappen might be next.What was mildly shocking is that Marks didn't just laugh and change the subject. Verstappen watched Van Gisbergen's stunning Chicago debut live and admitted afterward he could barely contain himself, and he has downplayed the idea of a NASCAR start in the past. But Marks, whose team is sponsored by Red Bull and fields two Red Bull-backed drivers in Van Gisbergen and Connor Zilisch, said the door isn't closed. It's just currently blocked by a piece of engineering nobody outside the paddock thinks about: an engine badge."I certainly wouldn't count it out for the future," Marks said, but the more interesting part of his answer was everything that came before it.Here's the wrinkle almost nobody explaining this story has bothered to unpack: Trackhouse races Chevrolets in the NASCAR Cup Series. Verstappen drives for Red Bull Racing in Formula 1, and since the start of the 2026 F1 season, Red Bull's power units haven't come from Honda. They come from Red Bull Ford Powertrains, a factory partnership built with Ford over three years that marked the company's return to grand prix racing after a 22-year absence. That makes Verstappen, functionally, a Ford-badged driver in his day job. Climbing into a Chevrolet for even a single NASCAR start would put a driver under contract to one manufacturer's marketing machine inside a car wearing a rival's bowtie logo, and manufacturer exclusivity clauses in racing sponsorship deals aren't the kind of thing teams paper over for a publicity stunt. That's what Marks meant when he said Verstappen's F1 car needs a different power unit before anything with Trackhouse can happen. He wasn't talking about horsepower. He was talking about who signs the checks.It's a very different problem than the one NASCAR usually solves with international guest drivers. Getting a road-course specialist or a rookie into a Next Gen car mostly comes down to a NASCAR-issued competition license, an oval or road-course-only designation depending on experience, a physical, and insurance riders the team arranges before the driver ever sits in the seat. Those are solvable problems on a two-week timeline. A manufacturer conflict baked into a driver's primary sponsorship deal is not, and it's the reason Project 91 has been able to borrow F1, IndyCar and Supercars stars in the past without anyone blinking. None of them arrived with a rival manufacturer's name stitched into their contract the way Verstappen effectively does now.There's also a technical gap that makes the idea more of a novelty than a genuine crossover test. NASCAR's Next Gen car runs a naturally aspirated pushrod V8 producing roughly 670 horsepower on mile-and-a-half ovals, built around a spec chassis every team shares. Verstappen's day job is a 1.6-liter turbo-hybrid V6 that produces close to triple that output once the electric motors are factored in, in a car that steers, brakes and corners nothing like a 3,400-pound stock car. Van Gisbergen's Chicago win looked seamless partly because he'd already spent years racing V8 Supercars, a discipline far closer to NASCAR's driving style than anything in Verstappen's resume. A Verstappen NASCAR start wouldn't just be a scheduling favor between Red Bull-aligned teams. It would be one of the harder adaptations Project 91 has attempted, regardless of how much raw talent shows up in the car.None of that means Marks was blowing smoke. Project 91 has always been part marketing exercise and part legitimate motorsports curiosity, and Trackhouse has more incentive than most teams to keep the idea alive in the press. Kevin Magnussen's lone confirmed start this season, at San Diego, already generated headlines of its own once he tangled with Noah Gragson afterward, proof that a single Project 91 appearance can dominate a news cycle regardless of where the car finishes. A Verstappen fantasy costs Trackhouse nothing and keeps Red Bull's name in a NASCAR conversation it wouldn't otherwise be part of.For fans hoping to see it happen at Chicago, a future road-course date, or wherever NASCAR's schedule expands next, the realistic timeline is longer than one offseason. It likely requires Red Bull's F1 engine program changing suppliers again, Verstappen stepping back from a full-time F1 seat, or Trackhouse switching manufacturers, and none of those are on the table right now. But considering NASCAR has already turned a Finnish F1 champion, an Indy 500 legend and a Haas refugee into ratings winners, nobody in Charlotte is in a rush to say never.

The U.S. men's national team has announced the first four matches it will play after the 2026 World Cup.After losing to Belgium in the round of 16 on home soil, the USMNT will take its first steps toward 2030 with friendlies against Peru, Chile, Mexico and Canada in September and October.The games will also mark the first of Mauricio Pochettino's second World Cup cycle in charge, after the coach agreed to a new contract through the 2030 World Cup on Monday.The team's first post-World Cup match will be against Peru on September 26 in Orlando, Florida. Three days later, the U.S. will face another South American opponent in Chile in St. Louis, Missouri.Both CONMEBOL countries are aiming to qualify for the 2030 World Cup after missing out on this year's tournament.The U.S. will close out the four-match window with games against fellow World Cup host countries. First the USMNT will face Mexico on October 3 in Glendale, Arizona, then it will take on Canada on October 6 in St. Paul, Minnesota.We are so excited to start this new phase of our journey with matches in front of our home fans. Their amazing energy during the summer has set the standard, Pochettino said. We expect our players to compete with the mentality that every game is critical, and they must show the passion and commitment our fans deserve. Ourobjectiveis always to play the best opponents possible, and these matches provide a variety of experiences for this group of players as we begin this new chapter of the U.S mens national team.This year marks the first time the September and October FIFA windows have been merged into one elongated break. The November window will see the U.S. face a yet-to-be-determined opponent in a two-leg Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal.USMNT September-October scheduleSept. 26: USMNT vs. Peru, 4:30 p.m. ET - Inter.co Stadium in Orlando, FLSept. 29: USMNT vs. Chile, 8 p.m. ET (7 p.m. local) - Energizer Parkin St.Louis, MOOct. 3: USMNT vs. Mexico, 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. local) - State Farm Stadiumin Glendale, AZOct. 6: USMNT vs. Canada, 8 p.m. ET (7 p.m. local) - Allianz Fieldin St. Paul, MNThis article originally appeared on USA TODAY: USMNT to face Mexico, Canada among first four post-World Cup matches

ATLANTA (AP) The U.S. mens national team will kick off the next World Cup cycle with four matches over 11 days on home soil.The friendlies include games against Peru, Chile, Mexico and Canada in U.S. cities that didnt host World Cup action this summer.The Americans will face Peru on Sept. 26 at Inter.co Stadium in Orlando, Florida. Three days later, they will host Chile at Energizer Park in St. Louis. The US-Mexico rivalry resumes Oct. 3 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. And the finale against Canada follows three days later at Allianz Field in St. Paul, Minnesota.All four matches will be broadcast on TNT, HBO Max, Telemundo, Universo and Peacock.The games come on the heels of the U.S. teams run to the round of 16 at the World Cup. They also will serve as the first action since U.S. head coach Mauricio Pochettino agreed to a new deal that puts him under contract through 2030.We are so excited to start this new phase of our journey with matches in front of our home fans, Pochettino said in a statement. Their amazing energy during the summer has set the standard.Our objective is always to play the best opponents possible, and these matches provide a variety of experiences for this group of players as we begin this new chapter of the U.S Mens National Team.The 2030 World Cup will be held in Spain, Portugal and Morocco.___AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) Kansas has signed a five-year contract for the Jayhawks to participate in the Players Era Festival, tying one of college basketball's storied programs to one of the more innovative, forward-thinking tournaments in the sport.The Players Era began in Las Vegas in 2024 with the idea of funneling at least $1 million toward each participating school's name, image and likeness fund. Oregon wound up beating Alabama in the finale of the eight-team competition.The tournament expanded last year to 18 teams, when it went from an elimination-style tournament to a pool-based system where margin of victory mattered, and a four-team women's event began. The Jayhawks beat Tennessee in the third-place game of the men's event, while eventual national champion Michigan routed Gonzaga to win the championship.Along with at least $1 million in guaranteed payouts, an additional $12 million was allocated to teams based on performance.Now, the Jayhawks are locked into the tournament through the 2030-31 season, giving coach Bill Self's team a marquee early-season showcase while ensuring the program has a lucrative NIL stream in an era where finances matter more than ever.The Players Era commitment to college basketball has been very impressive, Self said. They have brought in high level teams which creates great matchups during the pre-conference season. The Players Era has also produced great NIL opportunities for our players.Being locked in through the 2030-31 season is a reinforcement of the direction the Players Era is moving. Not only is it great for our players but it allows our fans to plan vacations to come cheer on the Jayhawks.The Players Era is expanding again this year to 24 teams, but it is splitting into an eight-team tournament and a 16-team event. Both will be played in Las Vegas over two weeks in November; the Jayhawks are part of the eight-team bracket along with Florida, Rutgers, Notre Dame, UNLV and Big 12 rivals Houston and West Virginia.Michigan, Alabama, Tennessee, St. John's and Gonzaga are among the high-profile teams in the 16-team competition.Last year, the Players Era and the Big 12 announced a five-year deal in which the league would assume a 15% stake and guaranteed minimum annual revenues in exchange for sending at least eight teams to the tournament. The Jayhawks, Cougars and Mountaineers will be joined by Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas State, TCU and Texas Tech at the tournaments this November.Were grateful to have Kansas, one of the preeminent collegiate basketball programs, return for the next several years," Players Era CEO Seth Berger said. Its an extraordinary testament to what were building here with Players Era a competition that delivers an exceptional experience for both fans and student-athletes alike in an atmosphere that feels like March in November.___AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

DENVER, CO - AUGUST 03: Freddy Peralta #51 of the Tampa Bay Rays warms up prior to the game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on Monday, August 3, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Ray Bahner/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty ImagesWelcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Rays fans and fans across the country.The Rays were buyers in a sellers market for the 2026 trade deadline, and came away with four key additions: Rays acquire RHP Freddy Peralta from Mets for OF Aidan Smith, INF Emilien Pitre, and RHP Gary Gill HillRays acquire C/1B Liam Hicks from Marlins for INF Brayden Taylor, SS Adrian Santana, and RHP Jacob KistingRays acquire RHP Tyler Wells from Orioles for RHP Michael ForretRays acquire OF Jack Suwinski, intl money from Dodgers for C Hunter Feduccia, RHP Jacob KmatzIn my instant reaction, I gave the front office an A for balancing the need to hold on to top prospects while addressing the majority of needs on the roster. Read more: Rays 2026 Trade Deadline Grade: An impressive day in Tampa BayWhat did you think? Vote below!Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys:

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Athletico-PR take the lead against VitriaFuraco academy products decided the match at Arena da BaixadaCredits: Lus Miguel Ferreira / Athletico-PRIn the conclusion of the first-leg round of 16 matches in the Copa do Brasil, Athletico-PR beat Vitria 2-0 this Monday (3) at Arena da Baixada and opened up a good advantage over their opponent. The match that will decide who advances to the quarterfinals will be played this Thursday (6) at Barrado.Furaco delivered a strong performance and won thanks to goals from two players developed in the clubs youth academy: Joo Cruz and Dudu.This Tuesday, the Copa do Brasil continues with two matches that will determine qualification for the quarterfinals. At 7:30 p.m., at Alfredo Jaconi, Juventude hosts Atltico-MG. In the match in Minas on Saturday (August 1), the teams drew 0-0.Later, at 9:30 p.m., Remo will host Santos at Mangueiro. At Vila Belmiro, also on Saturday, the two teams also drew 0-0.In both matches, if there is another draw, the place in the next round will be decided by a penalty shootout.On Wednesday (5), four more matches continue the Copa do Brasil: Cruzeiro vs. Chapecoense, at 7 p.m., at Mineiro; Grmio vs. Mirassol, at 7:30 p.m., at Arena do Grmio; Fortaleza vs. Palmeiras, at 9:30 p.m., at Arena Pantanal; and Fluminense vs. Vasco, at 9:30 p.m., at Maracan.On Thursday, the round of 16 will conclude with Corinthians vs. Internacional, at 8 p.m., at Neo Qumica Arena; and the match between Vitria and Athletico, also at 8 p.m., at Barrado.This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in here.