TNK BBQ

TNK BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 39 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2018. Their best overall finish is 2nd of 68 at the Bixby BBQ'n Blues Festival (JUDGES FULL) (2017), and they have finished Reserve Grand Champion twice. They are ranked #893 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#893

of 6,476 rated · rankings

Rating

1617

peak 1624 · rated over 39 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

May 3, 2013

latest Oct 26, 2018 · 5.5 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#343

Master 2016 · every season

Grand champs

2 reserve

Category wins

12 podiums

Overall top-10s

23% of 39 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 44%

overall standings

Best overall

703.4172 / 720

Master · Bixby BBQ'n Blues Festival (JUDGES FULL)

Perfect 180s

1 🔥

Current form

668.82 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 666.73 (+2.09)

Walk rate

69%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

180 🔥

Pork · Bixby BBQ'N Blues Festival

Consistency

±14.55

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 167.86 · weakest Brisket (164.47)

Road miles

3,158

across 39 mapped stops · furthest 167 mi

Schedule strength

66%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1583)

Master avg

666.73 / 720

39 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (12 found in their record)

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

The heartbreaker

0.5716 points from the title

Came within 0.5716 points of the Grand Championship at Bixby BBQ'n Blues Festival (JUDGES FULL) (May 5, 2017).

Perfect scores on the board

1 perfect 180

1 perfect 180 in the data — every judge at the table handing back a nine, all in pork.

Pork ×1

Happy hunting ground

Top 16% average finish here

Bixby BBQ'n Blues Festival is their spot: an average finish in the top 16% across 3 visits.

3 visits
best finish 2nd
average top 16%

A multi-meat day

1 contest with 2+ category wins

They've won two or more meats on the same day 1 time — the best of them 2 category wins at Bixby BBQ'n Blues Festival (JUDGES FULL) (May 5, 2017).

Pork Ribs 1st
Brisket 1st

They almost always walk

69% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 27 of 39 contests

A top-10 category call in 69% of their 39 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

703.4172 career-best overall

97.7% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 703.4172 at Bixby BBQ'n Blues Festival (JUDGES FULL) — 97.7% of a perfect 720.

Master
May 5, 2017

The one to beat

3× one call ahead of them

BUFFALO'S BBQ has finished one call ahead of TNK BBQ 3 times — their closest competition in the data.

Show 5 more storylines

A strong matchup

17–2 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 89% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of POPS' SMOKIN' BBQ in 17 of their 19 shared contests.

Chicken nemesis

23 of 29 shared chicken entries lost

BUTCHER BBQ ahead 79% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, BUTCHER BBQ has out-cooked them in 23 of 29 shared chicken entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

RED BARN BBQ has landed one call behind them 2 times.

The long haul

3,158 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 3,158 miles across 39 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 167 miles to Valley Music Fest BBQ Cookoff.

39 mapped stops
furthest 167 mi

The metronome

±2.02% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±2.02% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 92.6% of a perfect score
39 contests

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	#856 (364 pts)	#969 (324 pts)	#912 (364 pts)	#800 (434 pts)	#937 (339 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#442 (856 pts)	#693 (581 pts)	#245 (1,291 pts)	#562 (706 pts)	#450 (881 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#343 (1,070 pts)	#361 (1,050 pts)	#237 (1,355 pts)	#358 (1,055 pts)	#350 (1,080 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#363 (1,034 pts)	#384 (974 pts)	#271 (1,229 pts)	#282 (1,159 pts)	#551 (679 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#648 (573 pts)	#565 (693 pts)	#718 (523 pts)	#673 (563 pts)	#452 (843 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#841 (359 pts)	#924 (349 pts)	#864 (369 pts)	#798 (414 pts)	#788 (404 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to TNK BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.

TEAM BREW & QUE

#894 of the rated field

1617 power rating

Contests: 45
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 22%
Peak: 1617

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 45 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 45 contests
last seen Jul 17, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

A Good Rub BBQ

#892 of the rated field

1617 power rating

Contests: 28
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 43%
Peak: 1628

Careers of much the same size, 28 contests to 39, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 28 contests
last seen Oct 13, 2023

⚔ Compare careers

SMOKING FINNS FI

#895 of the rated field

1617 power rating

Contests: 24
GCs: 5
Top-10s: 58%
Peak: 1617

Their rating is built on 5 Grand Championships in 24 contests, alongside a 58% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 20 contests
last seen May 15, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

CHIP ON OUR SHOULDER

#896 of the rated field

1616 ▼ 1 power rating

Contests: 40
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 18%
Peak: 1626

3–2 in 5 shared contests (60% to TNK BBQ)

These two have cooked 5 of the same contests — TNK BBQ ahead 3–2 — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.

rated over 40 contests
last seen Mar 3, 2018

⚔ Head-to-head

OLD 99 MEAT CO.

#883 of the rated field

1618 ▲ 1 power rating

Contests: 22
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 36%
Peak: 1619

1–1 in 2 shared contests (50% to TNK BBQ)

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

rated over 21 contests
last seen Feb 14, 2020

⚔ Head-to-head

PIG NEWTON

#879 of the rated field

1618 ▲ 1 power rating

Contests: 94
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 17%
Peak: 1657

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to TNK BBQ)

Both teams' first contest in the data came in 2013.

rated over 94 contests
last seen Jun 5, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
BIG BUTTS NEED RUBBIN TOO	34	11	23	32%	⚔ compare
BUTCHER BBQ	29	5	24	17%	⚔ compare
BUFFALO'S BBQ	29	4	25	14%	⚔ compare
INDIAN TERRITORY SMOKE	25	9	16	36%	⚔ compare
Three Hog Night Smokers	25	8	17	32%	⚔ compare
SPICY SPITFIRE	21	8	13	38%	⚔ compare
MOOCHEWSOOEY	20	11	9	55%	⚔ compare
UNCLE BC'S	20	5	15	25%	⚔ compare
POPS' SMOKIN' BBQ	19	17	2	89%	⚔ compare
LITTLE PIG TOWN BBQ	19	4	15	21%	⚔ compare
CLARK CREW BBQ	19	1	18	5%	⚔ compare
THE AMERICAN DREAM BBQ	18	2	16	11%	⚔ compare
Bonemaker Outdoors	16	8	8	50%	⚔ compare
CAVEMAN CUISINE	16	3	13	19%	⚔ compare
MOVIN' THE CHAINS	15	7	8	47%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	39	10	0	0	175.4172	147.4282	167.86	top 48%
Pork Ribs	39	14	2	7	177.7372	153.6456	167.72	top 39%
Pork	39	12	0	3	180 🔥	150.7884	166.68	top 48%
Brisket	39	9	1	2	178.8572	147.4172	164.47	top 48%

“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	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	1	top 47%
Medium (20–39)	22	top 50%
Large (40+)	16	top 36%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
OK	30	top 45%
AR	7	top 42%
KS	2	top 47%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Bixby BBQ'n Blues Festival	3	2	top 16%	May 4, 2018
Firelake BBQ Cook Off (Day 2)	3	11	top 45%	Mar 25, 2017
Morris Twister Days BBQ Competition	2	8	top 32%	Apr 22, 2016
Firelake BBQ Cook Off	2	17	top 33%	Mar 25, 2016
Okfuskee Firefighters Wildfire Cookoff	2	15	top 49%	Jun 5, 2015

More numbers

Busiest season 2016 10 contests

Contests a season 6.5 across 6 seasons in the data

Most contests held in OK 30 of 39 contests · 3 states in all

Contests visited 32 5 of them more than once

Opponents faced 631 finished ahead 982 times, behind 667

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

20181 milestone

Oct 26 Most recent contest 10th Annual Smokin the Fort BBQ & Music Festival

20173 milestones

May 5 First multi-meat day Bixby BBQ'n Blues Festival (JUDGES FULL)
May 5 Career-best overall score703.4172 Bixby BBQ'n Blues Festival (JUDGES FULL)
Jun 9 Peak power rating (1624) Mocklahoma Ribs & Roll BBQ Championship-Day 1

20163 milestones

Mar 25 First category win (Pork Ribs) Firelake BBQ Cook Off
May 6 First perfect 180 (Pork) Bixby BBQ'N Blues Festival
Jul 8 25th tracked contest 15th Annual Bordertown Bash

20152 milestones

Jul 10 First overall podium 14th Annual Bordertown Bash
Jul 10 First Reserve Championship 14th Annual Bordertown Bash

20141 milestone

Jul 11 10th tracked contest 13th Annual Bordertown Bash

20134 milestones

May 3 First tracked contest Bixby BBQ & Blues Festival
May 3 First call Bixby BBQ & Blues Festival
May 3 First overall past 90% of a perfect score649.7138 Bixby BBQ & Blues Festival
Jun 7 First overall top-10 It's A Smokin Good Thang

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+17.4	14th Annual Bordertown Bash	Jul 10, 2015
+12.8	Firelake BBQ Cook Off (Day 1)	Mar 24, 2017
+12	Bixby BBQ'n Blues Festival (JUDGES FULL)	May 5, 2017
+10.5	Morris Twister Days BBQ Competition	Apr 24, 2015
+10.1	Mocklahoma Ribs & Roll BBQ Championship	Jun 10, 2016

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-9.3	Carlton Landing's 2nd Annual Smoke on the Water BBQ Comptition	Jun 16, 2017
-8.1	Hot Pursuit BBQ	Jul 2, 2016
-7.6	Grand Lake BBQ & Festival	May 19, 2017
-7.6	Fire Lake BBQ Cook-off Day 2	Mar 24, 2018
-4.6	Hot Pursuit BBQ Cookoff	Jul 24, 2015

Scores over time (% of a perfect score, averaged over 5 contests — 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	4	0	0	50%	top 53%	94.4%	92.7%
2017	7	2	2	86%	top 42%	97.7%	93.8%
2016	10	3	1	70%	top 40%	94.4%	92.9%
2015	8	2	0	63%	top 39%	95.2%	93.6%
2014	7	0	0	57%	top 55%	92.9%	90.3%
2013	3	2	0	100%	top 40%	92.3%	91.4%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Oct 26, 2018	10th Annual Smokin the Fort BBQ & Music Festival Fort Gibson, OK	13 / 27 (656.4344)	8 (169.7032)	17 (155.3484)	12 (165.1200)	9 (166.2628)
Jul 13, 2018	17th Annual Bordertown Bash Fort Smith, AR	20 / 32 (670.1716)	25 (161.6800)	17 (171.4288)	14 (169.6800)	20 (167.3828)
May 4, 2018	Bixby BBQ'n Blues Festival Bixby, OK	15 / 68 (679.9200)	27 (167.9772)	14 (172.5600)	9 (176)	27 (163.3828)
Mar 24, 2018	Fire Lake BBQ Cook-off Day 2 Shawnee, OK	63 / 79 (664.5600)	61 (167.4056)	33 (170.3200)	55 (167.4400)	71 (159.3944)
Jul 7, 2017	16th Annual Bordertown Bash Fort Smith, AR	12 / 31 (673.0284)	18 (168.5372)	2 (177.1428)	23 (163.3828)	18 (163.9656)
Jun 16, 2017	Carlton Landing's 2nd Annual Smoke on the Water BBQ Comptition Carlton Landing, OK	20 / 26 (650.1484)	18 (163.3828)	2 (171.9772)	20 (158.2284)	20 (156.5600)
Jun 9, 2017	Mocklahoma Ribs & Roll BBQ Championship-Day 1 Okmulgee, OK	8 / 29 (679.3828)	10 (173.1200)	8 (168.5828)	8 (171.9772)	16 (165.7028)
May 19, 2017	Grand Lake BBQ & Festival Langley, OK	28 / 36 (663.2684)	33 (162.8000)	20 (169.1200)	31 (161.6456)	16 (169.7028)
May 5, 2017	Bixby BBQ'n Blues Festival (JUDGES FULL) Bixby, OK	2 / 68 (703.4172)	18 (170.8228)	1 (177.7372)	3 (176)	1 (178.8572)
Mar 25, 2017	Firelake BBQ Cook Off (Day 2) Shawnee, OK	43 / 77 (667.2912)	41 (169.7028)	7 (176.5600)	60 (163.3828)	63 (157.6456)
Mar 24, 2017	Firelake BBQ Cook Off (Day 1) Shawnee, OK	11 / 87 (689.1200)	35 (169.1428)	17 (173.7144)	34 (169.7028)	7 (176.5600)
Oct 21, 2016	Smokin' The Fort-BBQ & Bluegrass Festival FortGibson, OK	13 / 28 (670.1828)	7 (173.1200)	20 (161.6688)	5 (175.4056)	18 (159.9884)
Sep 23, 2016	Bikes Blues and BBQ Fayetteville, AR	18 / 43 (654.6968)	34 (161.0856)	12 (169.6800)	30 (159.9312)	16 (164)
Aug 13, 2016	Valley Music Fest BBQ Cookoff Russellville, AR	8 / 28 (672.4684)	11 (169.6800)	6 (169.6800)	20 (162.2628)	5 (170.8456)
Jul 8, 2016	15th Annual Bordertown Bash Fort Smith, AR	21 / 39 (658.6968)	30 (164.5372)	18 (167.9656)	12 (169.1200)	26 (157.0740)
Jul 2, 2016	Hot Pursuit BBQ Shawnee, OK	22 / 27 (642.6512)	15 (166.2400)	16 (162.2400)	27 (154.8000)	17 (159.3712)
Jun 17, 2016	Smoke on the water-Annual Carlton Landing BBQ Competition Carlton Landing, OK	10 / 31 (678.1944)	5 (175.4172)	8 (170.8572)	14 (166.8344)	14 (165.0856)
Jun 10, 2016	Mocklahoma Ribs & Roll BBQ Championship Okmulgee, OK	8 / 41 (677.6456)	9 (173.1200)	9 (171.9772)	25 (159.4056)	6 (173.1428)
May 6, 2016	Bixby BBQ'N Blues Festival Bixby, OK	20 / 83 (674.1828)	32 (166.8228)	31 (163.9772)	2 (180)	25 (163.3828)
Apr 22, 2016	Morris Twister Days BBQ Competition Morris, OK	12 / 31 (679.3716)	16 (169.1316)	8 (172.5600)	22 (165.6800)	8 (172)
Mar 25, 2016	Firelake BBQ Cook Off Shawnee, OK	22 / 66 (678.2172)	29 (169.6800)	1 (177.1544)	27 (169.6800)	50 (161.7028)
Jul 24, 2015	Hot Pursuit BBQ Cookoff Shawnee, OK	22 / 32 (658.1712)	12 (171.9884)	12 (171.4288)	22 (163.3828)	28 (151.3712)
Jul 10, 2015	14th Annual Bordertown Bash Fort Smith, AR	2 / 44 (685.0972)	15 (169.7144)	3 (176.5944)	7 (173.1200)	19 (165.6684)
Jun 19, 2015	Eureka BBQ Bash Eureka, KS	12 / 27 (666.7656)	8 (167.4056)	17 (164.5600)	5 (173.7028)	18 (161.0972)
Jun 5, 2015	Okfuskee Firefighters Wildfire Cookoff Okemah, OK	15 / 30 (671.9544)	4 (175.4172)	3 (175.4172)	8 (173.7028)	25 (147.4172)
May 15, 2015	Grand Lake BBQ Festival Langley, OK	12 / 35 (681.0400)	26 (166.8228)	11 (171.9772)	8 (173.1200)	17 (169.1200)
May 8, 2015	Boots & BBQ Festival Claremore, OK	15 / 29 (677.0856)	13 (173.7028)	17 (166.8456)	11 (172)	17 (164.5372)
Apr 24, 2015	Morris Twister Days BBQ Competition Morris, OK	8 / 31 (678.2168)	15 (170.2628)	2 (172)	2 (177.1428)	19 (158.8112)
Mar 27, 2015	Firelake BBQ Cook Off Shawnee, OK	17 / 52 (675.3600)	15 (171.4172)	23 (169.6800)	31 (164.5372)	15 (169.7256)
Jul 11, 2014	13th Annual Bordertown Bash Fort Smith, AR	22 / 35 (634.6628)	28 (159.3600)	25 (156.5144)	30 (150.7884)	9 (168)
Jun 20, 2014	Ol' Glory BBQ Bash Fredonia, KS	21 / 42 (668.5256)	28 (163.9656)	33 (161.0972)	19 (168.0228)	2 (175.4400)
Jun 6, 2014	Okfuskee Firefighters Wildfire Cookoff Okemah, OK	16 / 33 (654.7544)	10 (169.7260)	11 (165.6800)	24 (158.2400)	12 (161.1084)
May 9, 2014	Boots & BBQ Festival Claremore, OK	19 / 29 (657.5884)	18 (169.1200)	24 (158.8112)	18 (165.6800)	18 (163.9772)
May 2, 2014	Bixby BBQ'N Blues Festival Bixby, OK	31 / 80 (647.2568)	13 (170.8456)	54 (153.6456)	38 (161.6572)	31 (161.1084)
Mar 28, 2014	Firelake BBQ Cook-off Shawnee, OK	29 / 43 (632.9828)	10 (169.1544)	29 (155.3716)	37 (150.8228)	29 (157.6340)
Mar 14, 2014	Smokin' At The Run Shootout Miami, OK	22 / 41 (655.3484)	27 (165.6684)	32 (159.9772)	16 (166.2856)	23 (163.4172)
Aug 2, 2013	Smokin on Route 66 Miami, OK	8 / 17 (664.4572)	4 (175.4172)	15 (160.5372)	8 (167.3828)	11 (161.1200)
Jun 7, 2013	It's A Smokin Good Thang Tecumseh, OK	8 / 27 (660.5712)	19 (155.9998)	4 (169.1432)	16 (161.7140)	5 (173.7142)
May 3, 2013	Bixby BBQ & Blues Festival Bixby, OK	38 / 88 (649.7138)	78 (147.4282)	49 (159.4286)	7 (173.7144)	17 (169.1426)

TNK 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 (12 found in their record)

The heartbreaker

Perfect scores on the board

Happy hunting ground

A multi-meat day

They almost always walk

High-water mark

The one to beat

A strong matchup

Chicken nemesis

Looking over their shoulder

The long haul

The metronome

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, averaged over 5 contests — 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)