Yardbarker

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

Ross Chastain reminds Cup Series that he hasn't gone anywhere

Ross Chastain's season has been filled with almosts, but even out of the playoffs, he's not quitting.

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

The second round of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs is set to begin this weekend when the green flag drops at Kansas Speedway.

Jayden Daniels is for real, but are the Commanders?

What seemed like a rebuilding football season in the nation's capital suddenly became much more promising on Monday night... but let's not get carried away just yet.

It's time to talk about Kyle Larson's case for all-time greatness

If the conversation hasn't been started already, it should be now. Kyle Larson is one of the greatest NASCAR drivers of all time.

Three to watch, one to avoid for NASCAR's Bristol night race

The first round of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs will conclude on Saturday night when the cars take to the track for the annual Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Commanders part of bizarre history in win over Giants

The Washington Commanders are in the win column in 2024, beating the New York Giants 21-18 on Sunday. That gives rookie QB Jayden Daniels a victory in his home debut.

Wild Watkins Glen finish cements NASCAR's most chaotic season ever

Chaos has been king in the NASCAR Cup Series.

Three to watch, one to avoid for NASCAR at Watkins Glen

The NASCAR Cup Series is on the winding roads of upstate New York this Sunday for the Go Bowling at The Glen at Watkins Glen International.

NASCAR's playoffs are just a Band-Aid over a pipe leak

NASCAR's playoff system has been a subject of controversy since it was first introduced as "The Chase for the Cup" in 2004. As it's evolved into its current form, it's only grown all the more polarizing among fans and even drivers and it naturally becomes a hot topic every year when fall rolls around.

NASCAR power rankings: Joey Logano sneaks into the picture

The NASCAR Cup Series playoffs are officially underway with Joey Logano becoming the first driver to advance to the second round by winning Sunday's Quaker State 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Commanders look just as bad as expected in season-opening blowout loss

Expectations around the league were not very high for the Commanders in 2024, with a rookie QB and new head coach taking over a team that went 4-13 a season ago. There's a good reason for that skepticism, as it turns out.

Atlanta doesn't disappoint as NASCAR playoff opener with eventful race

Sunday's Quaker State 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway was the sixth time the NASCAR Cup Series has been to the track since its 2022 reconfiguration into a miniature superspeedway.

Three to watch, one to avoid for NASCAR's playoff opener at Atlanta

The NASCAR Cup Series playoffs will begin this Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway when the green flag drops on the Quaker State 400.

Round-by-round predictions for 2024 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs

When the green flag drops on Sunday's Quaker State 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, it will also drop on the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. Here are predictions for how this year's playoffs might play out.

NASCAR power rankings: Tyler Reddick, Kyle Larson lead charge into playoffs

The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series regular season is a wrap after Chase Briscoe's exciting win at Darlington Raceway earned him a spot in the playoffs at the last possible minute. Now the field will head to Atlanta Motor Speedway for Sunday's Quaker State 400, the first of three events in the Round of 16.

Southern 500 delivers the Game 7 moment NASCAR fans deserved

Entering Sunday night's Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, the last four NASCAR Cup Series races in a row had gone to extra "overtime" laps.

Three to watch, one to avoid for NASCAR's regular-season finale at Darlington

The NASCAR Cup Series is geared up for the annual Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on Sunday, a Labor Day weekend tradition.  This year, the race will also serve as the final event of the regular season and a last chance for drivers outside the playoff field to race their way in.

Five preseason takeaways for the Washington Commanders

Before the Commanders suit up again to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, there will be plenty of roster decisions made involving cuts and depth-chart moves. Here are five takeaways from Washington's preseason performance that could potentially impact some of those moves.

NASCAR power rankings: Wild Daytona race fails to dramatically alter top of order

Here's where things stand as the Cup Series looks ahead to Sunday's Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, the final race in the regular season.

Harrison Burton's Daytona win exposes biggest flaw with NASCAR's playoffs

Harrison Burton entered Saturday night's Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway 34th in the NASCAR Cup Series points.

Three to watch, one to avoid for NASCAR's return trip to Daytona

NASCAR returns to Daytona on Saturday. Who to back, who to avoid in the penultimate Cup Series race of the regular season.

NASCAR power rankings: Sport's hottest driver sprints ahead of field

Here's how the top 16 shakes out before the Cup Series heads back to Daytona International Speedway for Saturday's Coke Zero Sugar 400.