RED OAK BBQ

At a glance (everything the results say about this team, in numbers)

Power ranking

#3792

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1487

peak 1531 · rated over 29 contests ⓘ

Contests

in the data

First seen

2013-06-07

latest 2026-08-14

Best ToY finish

#455

Master 2026

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

2 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 34 contests

Avg finish

top 60%

overall standings

Best overall

683.9088 / 720

Master · Smoke in the Spring (OPEN FORMAT)

Perfect 180s

1 🔥

Current form

679.33 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 654.38 (+24.94)

Walk rate

35%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

180.0000 🔥

Pork · Smoke in the Spring (OPEN FORMAT)

Consistency

±17.71

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork Ribs

avg 166.25 · weakest Brisket (160.33)

Road miles

2,661

mi across 34 mapped stops · furthest 193 mi

Schedule strength

65%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1582)

Purse competed for

$459K

listed at 17 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

GCs in 14 state-championship entries

Master avg

654.38 / 720

29 Master contests · 0 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (12 found in this team's record)

Each card leads with the number that made it a story — read straight out of their results, no editorialising.

Perfect scores on the board

1 perfect 180s

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

Pork ×1

High-water mark

683.9088 career-best overall

95.0% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 683.9088 at Smoke in the Spring (OPEN FORMAT) — 95.0% of a perfect 720.

Master
2026-04-10

Their season

2013 their best year

2013 was the year it came together: 3 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 30%.

3 contests
0 overall top-10s
0 category wins
average top 30%

A tough matchup

18–2 behind in the head-to-head

B & C SMOKERS ahead in 90% of their meetings

B & C SMOKERS has come out ahead in 18 of their 20 shared contests.

The weak link

−5.9 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 5.92 points below their pork ribs, and turns into a call 7% of the time against 10%.

Brisket avg 160.33
Pork Ribs avg 166.25
2 calls in 29 entries

A strong matchup

12–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of Smoke & Beer BBQ in 12 of their 12 shared contests.

The comeback

1.9 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 1.9 years, then back at American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST (2021-09-16).

last seen 2019-10-19
back 2021-09-16

Pork Ribs nemesis

16 of 17 shared pork ribs entries lost

THE SMOKING HILLS ahead 94% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, THE SMOKING HILLS has out-cooked them in 16 of 17 shared pork ribs entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

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

An October team

Top 49% average finish in October

Something about October: average finish in the top 49% across 6 contests, versus top 60% the rest of the year.

6 October contests
top 60% the rest of the year

The metronome

±2.46% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±2.46% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 90.9% of a perfect score
34 contests

A standing appointment

4 years running at one contest

They've cooked Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest every year from 2016 to 2019 — the contest they never miss.

4 visits in all
best finish 15th

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The nearest teams in the power rankings, with a different reason on each card — six teams on one rating are rarely on it for the same reason. Rating decides who makes the list; where teams tie on it, the ones this team has actually cooked against come first, then teams at a similar point in their own career. KCBS doesn’t publish where a team is from, so nothing here is inferred from geography.

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

PayHeed BBQ

#3790 of the rated field

1487 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 8
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1487

1–3 in 4 shared contests (25% to RED OAK BBQ)

These two have cooked 4 of the same contests — PayHeed BBQ ahead 3–1 — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.

rated over 8 contests
last seen 2025-11-05

⚔ Head-to-head

MAGNUM P.I.G.

#3778 of the rated field

1487 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 7
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1487

1–2 in 3 shared contests (33% to RED OAK BBQ)

Their last contest in the data was back in 2016, 10 years before RED OAK BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 7 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

Up In Smoke MO

#3808 of the rated field

1487 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 6
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 17%
Peak: 1487

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

Fewer contests behind them than RED OAK BBQ has cooked, 6 to 34, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.

rated over 6 contests
last seen 2018-04-20

⚔ Head-to-head

SMOKAPALOOZA

#3803 of the rated field

1487 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 24
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 13%
Peak: 1505

No shared contest yet.

24 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 13% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 24 contests
last seen 2024-08-31

⚔ Head-to-head

First Start/ Big B's BBQ

#3786 of the rated field

1487 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 14
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 14%
Peak: 1487

No shared contest yet.

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 14 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 14 contests
last seen 2019-08-23

⚔ Head-to-head

REBEL YELL BBQ

#3799 of the rated field

1487 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 13
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 8%
Peak: 1487

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 13 contests
last seen 2017-07-07

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
B & C SMOKERS	20	2	18	10%	⚔ compare
LOVE 2 Q	18	4	14	22%	⚔ compare
GETTIN' BASTED	18	1	17	6%	⚔ compare
THE SMOKING HILLS	17	2	15	12%	⚔ compare
AMERICAN FIRE BBQ	16	2	14	13%	⚔ compare
MAN MEAT BBQ	16	1	15	6%	⚔ compare
THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE SMOKE	15	2	13	13%	⚔ compare
GETTIN' SAUCED	15	2	13	13%	⚔ compare
SHIGGIN & GRINNIN	15	1	14	7%	⚔ compare
SLAPS BBQ	15	0	15	0%	⚔ compare
PARK AVENUE PORK	14	5	9	36%	⚔ compare
SMOKERS PURGATORY	14	4	10	29%	⚔ compare
SMOKE ON WHEELS	14	4	10	29%	⚔ compare
MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ	14	3	11	21%	⚔ compare
SMOKE THIS BBQ MO	14	3	11	21%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	30	3	0	0	175.4056	135.9312	163.65	top 60%
Pork Ribs	29	3	0	0	176.5716	149.6688	166.25	top 48%
Pork	29	4	1	2	180.0000 🔥	150.7656	164.37	top 56%
Brisket	29	2	0	0	173.7372	147.3828	160.33	top 63%

“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 state / province

Where	Contests	Avg finish
KS	24	top 62%
MO	4	top 44%
IA	1	top 64%

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	7	0	top 67%
Large (40+)	22	0	top 58%

Contest-by-contest record (recurring contests they've cooked twice or more)

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest	4	15	top 64%	2019-07-12
American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest	3	321	top 75%	2023-09-27
Big Blue BBQ Championship	3	20	top 80%	2019-05-31
American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest	2	277	top 68%	2025-11-05
Blues, BBQ & Bargains	2	14	top 45%	2014-07-18
Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest	2	22	top 46%	2014-06-06

The story so far (18 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 13.2 yrs 2013-06-07 → 2026-08-14

Busiest season 2026 6 contests

Contests a season 2.6 across 13 seasons in the data

Cooks most in KS 28 of 34 contests · 3 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 19 6 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 30 entries · 0 wins · 3 calls

Strongest meat Pork Ribs averages 166.25 · weakest Brisket (160.33)

Walk rate 35% a top-10 call in 12 of 34 contests

Overall top-10 rate 0% 0 of 34 contests

Master average 654.38 out of 720 · 29 contests · 0 GCs

Perfect 180s 1 every judge at the table handing back a nine

Opponents faced 2,513 2,681–4,018 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 2,661 34 mapped stops · furthest 193 mi

Schedule strength 1582 average field rating faced — tougher than 65% of rated contests

Purse competed for $459,320 listed at 17 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships 0 from 14 state-championship entries

Longest layoff 1.9 yrs 2019-10-19 → 2021-09-16

Power rating 1487 peak 1531 · #3792 of 6,413 rated

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

2013
Jun 7 First tracked contest Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest
Jun 7 First call Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest
Jul 19 First overall past 90% of a perfect score648.4684 Blues, BBQ & Bargains
2016
Oct 29 Peak power rating (1531) 37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue(OPEN)
2017
Jun 2 10th tracked contest *Big Blue BBQ Championship(TEAM FULL)
2024
Oct 30 25th tracked contest American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest
2026
Apr 10 First category win (Pork) Smoke in the Spring (OPEN FORMAT)
Apr 10 First perfect 180 (Pork) Smoke in the Spring (OPEN FORMAT)
Apr 10 Career-best overall score683.9088 Smoke in the Spring (OPEN FORMAT)
Aug 14 Most recent contest BBQ & Fly-In on the River

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+14.7	34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open	2013-10-03
+10	Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest	2016-06-03
+6.2	Blues, BBQ & Bargains	2013-07-19
+5.9	37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue(OPEN)	2016-10-29
+5	BBQ & Fly-In on the River	2026-08-14

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-10.7	*Big Blue BBQ Championship(TEAMS FULL)	2018-06-01
-8.7	Big Blue BBQ Championship	2019-05-31
-7.2	38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN)	2017-09-01
-6.5	Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest	2019-07-12
-6.4	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - OPEN CONTEST	2022-09-29

Category scores over time

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

Where they finish (overall)

Best vs average (by meat)

How entries end (by meat)

Team of the Year rank by season

Season by season

Season	Contests	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2026	6	1	67%	top 61%	95%	94.4%
2025	2	0	0%	top 69%	92.1%	92.1%
2024	2	0	0%	top 66%	92.2%	92.2%
2023	2	0	0%	top 72%	90.5%	90.5%
2022	2	0	0%	top 83%	88.7%	88.7%
2021	1	0	0%	top 69%	89.7%	89.7%
2019	4	0	50%	top 66%	90.4%	89%
2018	3	0	0%	top 73%	91%	88.1%
2017	3	0	33%	top 71%	90.3%	89.5%
2016	2	0	50%	top 32%	92.7%	92.4%
2015	1	0	0%	top 58%	89.8%	89.8%
2014	3	0	67%	top 53%	91.6%	90.6%
2013	3	0	67%	top 30%	93.3%	91.1%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2026-08-14	BBQ & Fly-In on the River 🏅 Excelsior Springs, MO	43 / 83 (683.3372)	50 (169.6916)	16 (176.5716)	39 (171.9656)	60 (165.1084)
2026-07-24	Masters at the Midway: Johnson County Fair BBQ Championship 🏅 Gardner, KS	20 / 29 (671.8628)	6 (175.4056)	19 (167.3944)	22 (166.2628)	24 (162.8000)
2026-07-17	Shenandoah ShenDig 🏅 Shenandoah, IA	18 / 28 (681.6344)	20 (167.3828)	13 (170.8344)	22 (169.6800)	7 (173.7372)
2026-07-17	Shenandoah ShenDig (ONE MEAT CHICKEN) Shenandoah, IA	—	11 (169.6800)	—	—	—
2026-06-05	Big Blue BBQ Championship 🏅 Marysville, KS	16 / 25 (675.8856)	6 (171.9772)	23 (163.3828)	12 (170.8572)	15 (169.6684)
2026-04-10	Smoke in the Spring (OPEN FORMAT) 🏅 Osage City, KS	57 / 101 (683.9088)	96 (161.0972)	49 (171.9772)	1 (180.0000)	46 (170.8344)
2025-11-05	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Sides Kansas City, KS	—	—	—	—	—
2025-11-05	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS	277 / 401 (663.3940)	308 (163.9656)	227 (168.0000)	277 (165.7256)	243 (165.7028)
2024-10-30	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Sides Kansas City, KS	—	—	—	—	—
2024-10-30	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS	293 / 444 (663.9200)	354 (162.2400)	142 (172.0000)	193 (169.7028)	346 (159.9772)
2023-09-27	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Sides Kansas City, KS	—	—	—	—	—
2023-09-27	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS	352 / 487 (651.9200)	370 (162.8000)	323 (164.5944)	295 (165.7028)	380 (158.8228)
2022-10-01	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - SIDES Kansas City, KS	—	—	—	—	—
2022-09-29	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS	417 / 505 (638.6972)	425 (158.8344)	228 (167.9656)	450 (154.8000)	404 (157.0972)
2021-09-16	American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS	321 / 467 (646.1940)	300 (162.8228)	74 (173.1428)	374 (156.5484)	376 (153.6800)
2019-10-19	Rock-N-Q on the planes 🏅 Great Bend, KS	18 / 28 (650.7772)	22 (161.1316)	10 (168.5600)	27 (153.6456)	12 (167.4400)
2019-09-12	40th American Royal World Series of Barbecue- OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS	125 / 468 (323.3484)	42 (174.8572)	217 (166.2512)	423 (150.7656)	230 (163.9656)
2019-07-12	Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest 🏅 Mayetta, KS	50 / 59 (643.8744)	28 (168.5372)	41 (162.2744)	47 (161.6684)	57 (151.3944)
2019-05-31	Big Blue BBQ Championship 🏅 Marysville, KS	26 / 29 (627.8744)	28 (146.2744)	25 (156.5256)	10 (168.5600)	25 (156.5144)
2018-09-15	39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	264 / 467 (655.3488)	338 (161.0972)	216 (166.8344)	94 (170.8572)	349 (156.5600)
2018-07-13	*Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest Mayetta, KS	33 / 48 (650.7884)	40 (158.8800)	13 (169.1428)	37 (162.8228)	30 (159.9428)
2018-06-01	*Big Blue BBQ Championship(TEAMS FULL) Marysville, KS	39 / 42 (597.5312)	42 (135.9312)	26 (159.9544)	33 (154.2628)	38 (147.3828)
2017-09-01	38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	322 / 407 (632.3656)	170 (168.5140)	373 (149.6688)	354 (154.7772)	276 (159.4056)
2017-07-14	*Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest Mayetta, KS	44 / 58 (650.2060)	47 (162.2632)	25 (169.1200)	57 (153.6800)	27 (165.1428)
2017-06-02	*Big Blue BBQ Championship(TEAM FULL) Marysville, KS	20 / 35 (649.6344)	8 (170.8572)	22 (162.2860)	14 (165.1084)	26 (151.3828)
2016-10-29	37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue(OPEN) Kansas City, KS	209 / 557 (662.7884)	164 (168.5600)	309 (163.4172)	159 (169.1084)	298 (161.7028)
2016-06-03	Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest Mayetta, KS	15 / 55 (667.3140)	28 (165.7028)	20 (165.1200)	30 (166.2284)	5 (170.2628)
2015-10-03	36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Open Kansas City, MO	352 / 606 (646.7656)	279 (164.5600)	88 (171.4172)	464 (156.5256)	438 (154.2628)
2014-10-02	35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO	335 / 552 (646.1940)	440 (156.5256)	192 (167.4172)	375 (159.4512)	265 (162.8000)
2014-07-18	Blues, BBQ & Bargains Hays, KS	19 / 33 (651.8400)	28 (158.2400)	21 (161.0972)	3 (174.8456)	22 (157.6572)
2014-06-06	Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest Mayetta, KS	22 / 54 (659.3484)	22 (167.4056)	41 (157.6800)	7 (173.1200)	28 (161.1428)
2013-10-03	34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO	35 / 535 (671.9540)	127 (167.3828)	140 (165.1656)	25 (173.7028)	115 (165.7028)
2013-07-19	Blues, BBQ & Bargains Hays, KS	14 / 42 (648.4684)	12 (169.6800)	5 (170.2744)	19 (161.1312)	33 (147.3828)
2013-06-07	Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest Mayetta, KS	35 / 69 (647.4284)	48 (157.1426)	8 (173.1430)	28 (165.1428)	58 (152.0000)

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

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

Year	Series	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2026 ↗	Master	#455 (322 pts)	#305 (584 pts)	#539 (317 pts)	#312 (537 pts)	#427 (377 pts)
2025 ↗	Master	#1148 (60 pts)	#1221 (60 pts)	#1293 (60 pts)	#1190 (60 pts)	#1190 (60 pts)
2024 ↗	Master	#1182 (60 pts)	#1242 (60 pts)	#1317 (60 pts)	#1231 (60 pts)	#1204 (60 pts)
2023 ↗	Master	#1255 (60 pts)	#1319 (60 pts)	#1432 (60 pts)	#1287 (60 pts)	#1296 (60 pts)
2022 ↗	Master	#1309 (60 pts)	#1341 (60 pts)	#1404 (60 pts)	#1348 (60 pts)	#1333 (60 pts)
2021 ↗	Master	#1236 (60 pts)	#1286 (60 pts)	#1309 (60 pts)	#1262 (60 pts)	#1245 (60 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#1000 (262 pts)	#1091 (242 pts)	#975 (302 pts)	#966 (302 pts)	#992 (292 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#1266 (180 pts)	#1319 (180 pts)	#1173 (240 pts)	#1342 (180 pts)	#1330 (180 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#1292 (205 pts)	#1189 (275 pts)	#1443 (195 pts)	#1296 (235 pts)	#1476 (180 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#1539 (170 pts)	#1883 (120 pts)	#1737 (145 pts)	#1872 (120 pts)	#1265 (245 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#2158 (60 pts)	#2209 (60 pts)	#2209 (60 pts)	#2225 (60 pts)	#2214 (60 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#1159 (253 pts)	#1350 (223 pts)	#1318 (228 pts)	#763 (488 pts)	#1335 (223 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#1471 (150 pts)	#1551 (150 pts)	#1201 (245 pts)	#1560 (150 pts)	#1506 (150 pts)