Most runner-up finishes without a title
The cruellest record in the book. Every team here has stood on the stage second, and never once first.
7
reserve championships, no GC
- Set Aug 9, 2025
- How across 53 contests, still waiting
- Standing held outright
- Scope national, and available by state on the record book
The top 25
| # | Holder | Reserve championships, no GC | Set |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Westside BBQ across 53 contests, still waiting |
7 | Aug 9, 2025 |
| =2 | PROUD SOULS BARBECUE across 77 contests, still waiting |
6 | Apr 21, 2023 |
| =2 | LEGENDS OF SMOKE - TEAM RED ARROW across 102 contests, still waiting |
6 | Aug 23, 2019 |
| =4 | Smokin Suckers across 39 contests, still waiting |
5 | May 8, 2026 |
| =4 | THE CALIFORNIA GRILL BILLIES across 42 contests, still waiting |
5 | Aug 21, 2021 |
| =4 | TRUCKY'S TRUE BLU BBQ'UE across 19 contests, still waiting |
5 | Jun 3, 2016 |
| =4 | My Smokin' Grillfriend across 29 contests, still waiting |
5 | Sep 18, 2015 |
| =8 | BBQ Maestros across 71 contests, still waiting |
4 | Aug 14, 2026 |
| =8 | Porket About It across 38 contests, still waiting |
4 | Aug 16, 2025 |
| =8 | Skinny Pig BBQ across 42 contests, still waiting |
4 | Sep 19, 2026 |
| =8 | SMOKE SHOW MAFIA across 73 contests, still waiting |
4 | May 15, 2026 |
| =8 | AWESOME RACKS COOKIN CREW across 108 contests, still waiting |
4 | May 16, 2025 |
| =8 | HABITUAL SMOKERS across 72 contests, still waiting |
4 | Jul 8, 2016 |
| =8 | HAMBONES BY THE FIRE across 70 contests, still waiting |
4 | Jul 12, 2019 |
| =8 | JaBs BBQ across 50 contests, still waiting |
4 | Sep 13, 2024 |
| =8 | Big Daddy's Backyard BBQ across 68 contests, still waiting |
4 | Oct 22, 2022 |
| =8 | HAWG NATION BBQ across 54 contests, still waiting |
4 | Aug 12, 2016 |
| =8 | KEV'S CHEW CHEW BBQ across 65 contests, still waiting |
4 | Apr 26, 2019 |
| =8 | SMOKIN' HOOKERS BAR-B-Q LLC across 38 contests, still waiting |
4 | Jul 15, 2016 |
| =8 | SMOKIN FOOLZ across 52 contests, still waiting |
4 | Jul 5, 2019 |
| =8 | BAR-B-Q'S-2GO across 57 contests, still waiting |
4 | Jul 5, 2019 |
| =22 | Kamado BONO across 6 contests, still waiting |
3 | Aug 22, 2026 |
| =22 | PAPA'S PIT CREW across 53 contests, still waiting |
3 | Aug 14, 2026 |
| =22 | Pit Bull Smokers across 22 contests, still waiting |
3 | Sep 26, 2026 |
| =22 | RJs Smokehouse across 34 contests, still waiting |
3 | Aug 24, 2024 |
Rebuilt nightly from every KCBS result we can find. A record here is only as complete as the data behind it — if a contest is missing from the archive, so is anything that happened at it.
🏆 More from championships
Grand Championships, reserve finishes, dynasties and droughts.
- 🏆 Most Grand Championships
- 🥈 Most Reserve Championships
- 🎯 Best championship rate
- 🗓️ Most Grand Championships in one season
- 🔒 Most consecutive Grand Championships
- 🗺️ Champions in the most states
- 🎪 Most different contests won
- 👑 Most wins at one contest
- 🛡️ Most consecutive wins at one contest
- 🗡️ Biggest field ever beaten
- 🏜️ Longest wait for a first title
- ⏳ Longest span between titles
- 🏅 Most state championships