LITTLE LUKE'S BBQ

LITTLE LUKE'S BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 24 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2018. Their best overall finish is 4th of 34 at the Smoke in the Park (2015). They are ranked #935 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

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At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#935

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1612

peak 1615 · rated over 24 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

May 10, 2013

latest Aug 24, 2018 · 5.3 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#503

Master 2017 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

10 podiums

Overall top-10s

38% of 24 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 36%

overall standings

Best overall

677.6688 / 720

Master · Twin Valley Fire and Smoke

Perfect 180s

Current form

656.69 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 641.03 (+15.66)

Walk rate

67%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

178.8800

Brisket · Twin Valley Fire and Smoke

Consistency

±38.68

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 162.66 · weakest Pork Ribs (157.54)

Road miles

2,179

across 24 mapped stops · furthest 147 mi

Schedule strength

35%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1546)

Master avg

641.03 / 720

24 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (11 found in their record)

Each card leads with the number behind the story, straight from their results.

They almost always walk

67% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 16 of 24 contests

A top-10 category call in 67% of their 24 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

677.6688 career-best overall

94.1% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 677.6688 at Twin Valley Fire and Smoke — 94.1% of a perfect 720.

Master
May 19, 2017

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

BEERBEQUE has finished one call ahead of LITTLE LUKE'S BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2015 their best year

2015 was the year it came together: 3 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 1 category win, at an average finish in the top 13%.

3 contests
3 overall top-10s
1 category win
average top 13%

A tough matchup

14–2 behind in the head-to-head

LO' -N- SLO' BBQ ahead in 88% of their meetings

LO' -N- SLO' BBQ has come out ahead in 14 of their 16 shared contests.

The weak link

−5.1 points behind their best meat

Pork Ribs is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 5.13 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 42% of the time against 17%.

Pork Ribs avg 157.54
Chicken avg 162.66
10 calls in 24 entries

A strong matchup

11–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 92% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of Fire Ants BBQ in 11 of their 12 shared contests.

Show 4 more storylines

Chicken nemesis

14 of 16 shared chicken entries lost

LO' -N- SLO' BBQ ahead 88% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, LO' -N- SLO' BBQ has out-cooked them in 14 of 16 shared chicken entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

CAMP BACON BBQ has landed one call behind them 2 times.

A May team

Top 22% average finish in May

Something about May: average finish in the top 22% across 4 contests, versus top 36% the rest of the year.

4 May contests
top 36% the rest of the year

A standing appointment

5 years running at one contest

They've cooked New Holland Summer Fest (JUDGES FULL) every year from 2014 to 2018 — the contest they never miss.

5 visits in all
best finish 7th

Team of the Year (rank per category by season — the year links to the full board on kcbs.us)

Year	Series	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2018 ↗	Master	#1954 (60 pts)	#1819 (100 pts)	#1996 (60 pts)	#2030 (60 pts)	#1990 (60 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#503 (755 pts)	#629 (635 pts)	#514 (770 pts)	#599 (675 pts)	#525 (750 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#595 (660 pts)	#506 (805 pts)	#568 (725 pts)	#642 (625 pts)	#790 (480 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#685 (529 pts)	#1157 (269 pts)	#551 (704 pts)	#810 (454 pts)	#927 (374 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#810 (376 pts)	#1071 (286 pts)	#532 (621 pts)	#1051 (291 pts)	#968 (316 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to LITTLE LUKE'S BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.

26 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.

TWO CRACKERS Q-ING

#936 of the rated field

1612 power rating

Contests: 20
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 60%
Peak: 1623

Careers of much the same size, 20 contests to 24, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 20 contests
last seen Sep 24, 2021

⚔ Compare careers

Eggspert BBQ Minnesota

#934 of the rated field

1612 power rating

Contests: 22
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 41%
Peak: 1613

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 18 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 18 contests
last seen Oct 30, 2024

⚔ Compare careers

PIGGY D'S BBQ

#938 of the rated field

1612 power rating

Contests: 41
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 46%
Peak: 1627

Their rating is built on 1 Grand Championship in 41 contests, alongside a 46% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 41 contests
last seen Aug 23, 2019

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YAZOO'S DELTA Q

#937 of the rated field

1612 power rating

Contests: 12
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 50%
Peak: 1612

Level with LITTLE LUKE'S BBQ on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 12 contests
last seen Sep 15, 2018

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PAPA'S PIT CREW

#939 of the rated field

1612 power rating

Contests: 53
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 30%
Peak: 1612

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 51 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 51 contests
last seen Aug 14, 2026

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Mad Dog BBQ

#933 of the rated field

1612 power rating

Contests: 64
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 28%
Peak: 1651

They turned up 6 years after LITTLE LUKE'S BBQ did, first appearing in 2019.

rated over 64 contests
last seen May 8, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

Familiar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
Uncle Pig's Barbeque Pit	17	5	12	29%	⚔ compare
LO' -N- SLO' BBQ	16	2	14	13%	⚔ compare
HAWG NATION BBQ	14	8	6	57%	⚔ compare
PIGHEADED BBQ	14	5	9	36%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN' TEX BBQ	13	8	5	62%	⚔ compare
QUEGASM	13	8	5	62%	⚔ compare
BEERBEQUE	13	3	10	23%	⚔ compare
Fire Ants BBQ	12	11	1	92%	⚔ compare
WEEKEND SMOKERS	12	9	3	75%	⚔ compare
WILBUR'S REVENGE	12	8	4	67%	⚔ compare
DRILLING & GRILLING	12	5	7	42%	⚔ compare
ROCKIN ROBYNS BBQ	12	3	9	25%	⚔ compare
SMOKOPOLIS BBQ	11	4	7	36%	⚔ compare
SIR-PORK'S-ALOT BBQ	10	9	1	90%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN FOOLZ	10	6	4	60%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	24	4	0	1	174.2628	146.8116	162.66	top 40%
Pork Ribs	24	10	1	6	177.7144	20	157.54	top 37%
Pork	24	4	1	2	172.5944	144.4684	160.16	top 45%
Brisket	24	1	1	1	178.8800	148.5372	160.67	top 39%

“Calls” = top-10 category finishes (getting called to the stage). Scores here are the final weighted totals KCBS publishes; per-criterion appearance/taste/tenderness marks aren’t in the public results feed.

By field size and state

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	3	0	top 28%
Large (40+)	21	0	top 37%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
PA	14	top 36%
NJ	6	top 44%
DE	2	top 28%
MD	1	top 20%
VA	1	top 22%

Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
New Holland Summer Fest (JUDGES FULL)	5	7	top 31%	Aug 24, 2018
Smoke in the Park	3	4	top 40%	Sep 22, 2017
Que by the Sea	2	23	top 56%	Sep 17, 2016
New Jersey State Barbecue Championship	2	7	top 55%	Jul 8, 2016
Que for the Troops	2	8	top 36%	Jun 6, 2014

More numbers

Busiest season 2017 6 contests

Contests a season 4 across 6 seasons in the data

Most contests held in PA 14 of 24 contests · 5 states in all

Contests visited 15 5 of them more than once

Opponents faced 487 finished ahead 818 times, behind 443

Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)

20181 milestone

Aug 24 Most recent contest New Holland Summer Fest (JUDGES FULL)

20173 milestones

May 19 Career-best overall score677.6688 Twin Valley Fire and Smoke
May 19 Career-best single call (Brisket)178.8800 Twin Valley Fire and Smoke
Sep 15 Peak power rating (1615) Smoke on the Water New Jersey State Barbecue Championship

20152 milestones

Sep 25 First category win (Pork) Smoke in the Park
Sep 25 10th tracked contest Smoke in the Park

20141 milestone

Aug 1 First overall past 90% of a perfect score655.9200 Southern Maryland Brew & BBQ

20133 milestones

May 10 First tracked contest BBQ Jamboree
May 10 First call BBQ Jamboree
May 31 First overall top-10 Que for the Troops

Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+15.5	Smoke in the Park	Sep 25, 2015
+14.4	New Holland Summer Fest	Aug 28, 2015
+11.6	Smokin Hot Atlantic City BBQ Championship $15,000	Oct 9, 2015
+11.5	Southern Maryland Brew & BBQ	Aug 1, 2014
+11.3	Twin Valley Fire and Smoke	May 19, 2017

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-16.3	New Jersey State Barbecue Championship	Jul 12, 2013
-12.2	Keystone Classic Barbeque	Oct 3, 2014
-5.1	Que by the Sea	Sep 17, 2016
-1.6	Smoke in the Park	Sep 22, 2017
-1.3	New Holland Summer Fest (JUDGES FULL)	Aug 24, 2018

Scores over time (% of a perfect score — tap a meat to add it)

Overall finish over time (top-% of field, lower is better)

Where they finish (overall)

Best vs average (by meat)

How entries end (by meat)

Season by season

Season	Contests	Top-10s	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2018	1	0	0	0%	top 48%	88.6%	88.6%
2017	6	3	2	83%	top 27%	94.1%	92.2%
2016	6	2	0	83%	top 35%	91.5%	90.1%
2015	3	3	1	100%	top 13%	92.5%	92.3%
2014	5	0	0	20%	top 53%	91.1%	86.8%
2013	3	1	0	67%	top 46%	89%	81.3%

Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Aug 24, 2018	New Holland Summer Fest (JUDGES FULL) New Holland, PA	34 / 71 (638.1368)	17 (167.4056)	36 (157.6800)	37 (157.6456)	42 (155.4056)
Sep 22, 2017	Smoke in the Park Lemoyne, PA	24 / 44 (651.3488)	25 (162.8344)	14 (166.2628)	28 (157.1316)	19 (165.1200)
Sep 15, 2017	Smoke on the Water New Jersey State Barbecue Championship Atlantic City, NJ	11 / 42 (666.1824)	16 (165.6684)	7 (172.5600)	15 (166.2628)	16 (161.6912)
Aug 25, 2017	New Holland Summer Fest New Holland, PA	9 / 69 (662.1716)	40 (160.5484)	1 (177.7144)	27 (161.6688)	30 (162.2400)
Jul 28, 2017	Smoke in the Grove (JUDGES FULL) Spring Grove, PA	8 / 51 (665.6000)	6 (170.8572)	21 (163.3944)	18 (166.2628)	20 (165.0856)
Jun 9, 2017	Historic New Castle Colonial BBQ Competition New Castle, DE	16 / 46 (658.2056)	6 (171.4056)	43 (145.1084)	3 (172)	12 (169.6916)
May 19, 2017	Twin Valley Fire and Smoke Morgantown, PA	8 / 53 (677.6688)	30 (166.2516)	24 (163.9772)	14 (168.5600)	1 (178.8800)
Sep 23, 2016	Smoke in the Park Lemoyne, PA	20 / 38 (649.5772)	5 (173.1200)	25 (158.8572)	27 (157.0972)	23 (160.5028)
Sep 17, 2016	Que by the Sea Seaside Heights, NJ	28 / 44 (621.5424)	19 (163.3940)	41 (141.0856)	27 (157.0972)	17 (159.9656)
Aug 26, 2016	New Holland Summer Fest New Holland, PA	19 / 66 (653.5544)	2 (174.2628)	14 (168.5256)	47 (155.3944)	38 (155.3716)
Jul 8, 2016	New Jersey State Barbecue Championship North Wildwood, NJ	7 / 65 (651.9084)	11 (165.7028)	9 (167.9540)	5 (167.3828)	35 (150.8688)
Jun 10, 2016	The Historic New Castle Colonial BBQ Competition at Battery Park New Castle, DE	8 / 39 (658.7888)	24 (158.2628)	3 (170.3088)	14 (164.5372)	11 (165.6800)
May 6, 2016	Smoke in the Valley BBQ competition Greenlane, PA	16 / 47 (655.3256)	22 (164)	15 (163.9656)	9 (166.2628)	25 (161.0972)
Oct 9, 2015	Smokin Hot Atlantic City BBQ Championship $15,000 Atlantic City, NJ	8 / 46 (662.2856)	27 (159.4400)	2 (173.1772)	15 (166.8228)	12 (162.8456)
Sep 25, 2015	Smoke in the Park Lemoyne, PA	4 / 34 (666.2972)	15 (163.9656)	4 (168.0116)	1 (172.5944)	12 (161.7256)
Aug 28, 2015	New Holland Summer Fest New Holland, PA	7 / 70 (665.1312)	17 (168.0112)	3 (173.7144)	46 (154.8456)	12 (168.5600)
Oct 3, 2014	Keystone Classic Barbeque Harrisburg, PA	47 / 53 (601.0172)	48 (146.8116)	47 (145.1200)	47 (145.0856)	14 (164)
Sep 20, 2014	Que by the Sea Seaside Heights, NJ	23 / 48 (624.9592)	21 (158.7884)	11 (161.7028)	37 (151.3712)	27 (153.0968)
Aug 22, 2014	New Holland Summer Fest New Holland, PA	37 / 70 (623.8512)	49 (153.0628)	44 (155.4056)	40 (154.2628)	18 (161.1200)
Aug 1, 2014	Southern Maryland Brew & BBQ Leonardtown, MD	12 / 59 (655.9200)	11 (166.2400)	8 (171.4516)	30 (156.5600)	19 (161.6684)
Jun 6, 2014	Que for the Troops Levittown, PA	36 / 65 (619.8968)	44 (153.0856)	34 (154.2972)	16 (163.9768)	42 (148.5372)
Jul 12, 2013	New Jersey State Barbecue Championship North Wildwood, NJ	64 / 65 (477.5656)	27 (155.9772)	65 (20)	52 (144.4684)	14 (157.1200)
May 31, 2013	Que for the Troops Levittown, PA	8 / 46 (640.5706)	14 (158.8570)	2 (171.9998)	20 (156.5712)	17 (153.1426)
May 10, 2013	BBQ Jamboree Fredericksburg, VA	13 / 60 (637.1424)	23 (156)	2 (168.5714)	16 (159.9996)	26 (152.5714)

LITTLE LUKE'S BBQ

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

Rating

Contests

First seen

Best ToY finish

Grand champs

Category wins

Overall top-10s

Best top-10 run

Avg finish

Best overall

Perfect 180s

Current form

Walk rate

Best single call

Consistency

Strongest meat

Road miles

Schedule strength

Master avg

Storylines (11 found in their record)

They almost always walk

High-water mark

The one to beat

Their season

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

Chicken nemesis

Looking over their shoulder

A May team

A standing appointment

Team of the Year (rank per category by season — the year links to the full board on kcbs.us)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

Familiar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)

By meat

By field size and state

By contest size

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)

More numbers

Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)

Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)

📈 Biggest rating jumps

📉 Toughest weekends

Scores over time (% of a perfect score — tap a meat to add it)

Overall finish over time (top-% of field, lower is better)

Where they finish (overall)

Best vs average (by meat)

How entries end (by meat)

Season by season

Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)

Career map (orange GC · green top-10 · grey the rest — tap a pin)