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Ryan McCafferty

Ryan McCafferty is a passionate sports fan from Herndon, Va, where he follows the Washington Commanders, Wizards.  Ryan particularly enjoys covering the statistical aspect of sports, and in his spare time, he manages RJMAnalytics, a blog in which he formulates and analyzes his own advanced metrics for NASCAR and basketball. He is a graduate of the University of Mary Washington, where he majored in communications and minored in sports management, and reports on local high school sports in Northern Virginia for the Falls Church News-Press

Week 12 NASCAR power rankings: Kyle Larson distances himself with historic win

Sunday's Advent Health 400 at Kansas Speedway made history as the closest finish in NASCAR Cup Series history, with Kyle Larson beating Chris Buescher by 0.001 seconds.

Watch: Kyle Larson wins closest finish in NASCAR Cup Series history

After a multi-hour rain delay, the NASCAR Cup Series' Advent Health 400 at Kansas Speedway on Sunday was worth the wait.

Appreciating T.J. Oshie as Capitals stalwart's future in flux

The Capitals' loss in Game 4 of their first-round series against the Rangers on Sunday may have signaled the end of more than just their season.

Commanders follow risky first pick with solid draft class

The 2024 NFL Draft is in the books, and as expected, the highlight for the Washington Commanders is the selection of Heisman Trophy-winning LSU QB Jayden Daniels as the No. 2 overall pick.

Capitals' playoff-clinching win a reminder that D.C. is a hockey town

The Capitals have completed an improbable push to the playoffs.

Week 8 NASCAR power rankings: Martinsville runner-up rises to No. 1

Sunday's Cook Out 400 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway saw Hendrick Motorsports finish 1-2-3 in the race that served as the 40th anniversary of the team's first win.

NASCAR's Hendrick Motorsports just might be better than ever

When William Byron took the checkered flag in the Cook Out 400 at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday, he earned Hendrick Motorsports' 305th all-time win in the NASCAR Cup Series.

Three to watch, one to avoid as NASCAR heads to Martinsville

Martin Truex Jr. is one of the favorites to take the checkered flag in Martinsville. Which other NASCAR Cup Series drivers are worth keeping an eye on (for better or worse) come Sunday?

NASCAR fails spectacularly with call on controversial Richmond finish

What's worse than a controversial finish in sports in which an obvious uncalled penalty decides the outcome? How about the sanctioning body openly admitting that said penalty should have been called, but it wasn't because it would have decided the outcome?

Week 7 NASCAR power rankings: Martin Truex Jr. takes over top spot

Truex did everything right Sunday, leading 228 laps but falling victim to a caution with two laps to go and then losing the race in the pits and finishing fourth. He did prove one thing, though (if he hadn't already): His rough ending to 2023 is behind him.

NASCAR Richmond finish exposes the dark side of auto racing

Denny Hamlin was the first driver to cross the finish line in Sunday night's Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond Raceway. Don't be mistaken, though: Hamlin himself did not win this race.

Three to watch, one to avoid as NASCAR heads to Richmond

Denny Hamlin could easily race to glory as the NASCAR Cup Series heads to Richmond. Who else is worth monitoring? And perhaps more importantly, avoiding?

The Capitals are a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma

The Washington Capitals are manifesting success. Somehow.

Week 6 NASCAR power rankings: Kyle Larson hangs on at No. 1 as fresh face lurks

Sunday's EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, was uneventful, with no yellow flags aside from the two scheduled stage breaks and William Byron leading 42 of 68 laps en route to the win.

Arbitrary track limits rule puts damper on NASCAR weekend at COTA

NASCAR sometimes can't seem to get out of its own way and that was the case in Austin this weekend.

Three to watch, one to avoid as NASCAR heads to Austin

Breaking down the favorites (deserved and less so) for Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race in Austin.

Ageless Alex Ovechkin has surging Capitals on brink of improbable playoff push

Ovechkin is dragging the rest of his team — which looked dead in the water a few weeks ago — with him.

Week 5 NASCAR power rankings: Kyle Larson in driver's seat after topsy-turvy race

Sunday's Food City 500 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway Raceway provided tons of twists and turns, with exceptionally high tire wear giving fans a recipe for 54 lead changes and five lead-lap finishers. Here's how it shook up things in the power rankings.

NASCAR may have accidentally found a winning formula at Bristol

Sunday's Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway, the fifth race of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season, probably wasn't the type of race the series was envisioning.

Three to watch, one to avoid for NASCAR in Food City 500

Here are three drivers — a favorite, a contender and a dark horse — who you might want to consider trusting your money with, as well as one who you probably don't.

Commanders take first offseason misstep with Sam Howell trade

The Commanders had done nearly everything right during the 2024 NFL offseason. Then on Thursday, the team took its first wrong turn.

Breaking down the Commanders' eventful start to free agency

Now under new management, the Washington Commanders are making noise at the start of the 2024 league year.

Week 4 NASCAR power rankings: Old name returns to No. 1, but who follows?

At Sunday's Shriners Children's 500 at Phoenix Raceway, winner Christopher Bell charged through the field on fresh tires during the final run and into the seventh spot in our Week 4 power rankings.

Three to watch, one to avoid for NASCAR at Phoenix Raceway

Here are three drivers — a favorite, contender and dark horse — for the upcoming race and a driver you should probably avoid.

Three more Capitals players who could be on the trade block amid team's busy deadline

With still a day to go as of Thursday afternoon, here are three more Caps players who could potentially find themselves on the move.