SMOKY LINCS

SMOKY LINCS is a competition barbecue team with 34 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2019. Their best overall finish is 6th of 34 at the Firin' Up the Fox BBQ Contest (2014). They are ranked #4617 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#4,617

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1471

peak 1471 · rated over 34 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

May 24, 2013

latest May 31, 2019 · 6 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#715

Master 2014 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

6 podiums

Overall top-10s

6% of 34 contests

Avg finish

top 62%

overall standings

Best overall

667.9196 / 720

Master · Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown (Formerly Morton BBQ Throwdown)

Perfect 180s

1 🔥

Current form

638.75 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 640.77 (-2.02)

Walk rate

50%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

180 🔥

Pork · Red, White & BBQ (Day 2)

Consistency

±16.44

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 164.13 · weakest Brisket (155.53)

Road miles

2,838

across 34 mapped stops · furthest 129 mi

Schedule strength

41%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1554)

Purse competed for

$9,525

listed at 1 contest — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 2 state-championship entries

Master avg

640.77 / 720

34 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (12 found in their record)

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

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

High-water mark

667.9196 career-best overall

92.8% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 667.9196 at Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown (Formerly Morton BBQ Throwdown) — 92.8% of a perfect 720.

Master
Jul 22, 2016

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

Kalamazoo Pit Posse has finished one call ahead of SMOKY LINCS 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2016 their best year

2016 was the year it came together: 5 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 1 category win, at an average finish in the top 47%.

5 contests
1 overall top-10
1 category win
average top 47%

A tough matchup

24–3 behind in the head-to-head

QUAU ahead in 89% of their meetings

QUAU has come out ahead in 24 of their 27 shared contests.

The weak link

−8.6 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 8.60 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 18% of the time against 24%.

Brisket avg 155.53
Chicken avg 164.13
6 calls in 34 entries

A strong matchup

9–3 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 75% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of SAUCED N SMOKED in 9 of their 12 shared contests.

Show 5 more storylines

Chicken nemesis

17 of 27 shared chicken entries lost

QUAU ahead 63% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, QUAU has out-cooked them in 17 of 27 shared chicken entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

NUTHATCH HILL BBQ CO. has landed one call behind them 2 times.

A July team

Top 43% average finish in July

Something about July: average finish in the top 43% across 8 contests, versus top 62% the rest of the year.

8 July contests
top 62% the rest of the year

The metronome

±2.28% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±2.28% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 89.0% of a perfect score
34 contests

A standing appointment

7 years running at one contest

They've cooked Up In Smoke on the Square every year from 2013 to 2019 — the contest they never miss.

7 visits in all
best finish 16th

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
2019 ↗	Master	#1581 (118 pts)	#1672 (118 pts)	#1459 (143 pts)	#1350 (173 pts)	#1418 (148 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#765 (429 pts)	#507 (724 pts)	#827 (424 pts)	#683 (539 pts)	#557 (654 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#798 (471 pts)	#583 (691 pts)	#931 (411 pts)	#916 (416 pts)	#666 (596 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#775 (483 pts)	#730 (548 pts)	#611 (668 pts)	#592 (683 pts)	#1069 (318 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#1167 (240 pts)	#1180 (260 pts)	#1234 (250 pts)	#966 (365 pts)	#1219 (240 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#715 (495 pts)	#598 (655 pts)	#671 (565 pts)	#818 (450 pts)	#766 (470 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#985 (294 pts)	#1089 (279 pts)	#1150 (259 pts)	#822 (399 pts)	#1004 (299 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to SMOKY LINCS, each with one reason worth a look.

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

CARNIVORE'S PARADISE

#4,604 of the rated field

1471 power rating

Contests: 46
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 9%
Peak: 1524

3–7 in 10 shared contests (30% to SMOKY LINCS)

These two have cooked 10 of the same contests — CARNIVORE'S PARADISE ahead 7–3 — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.

rated over 45 contests
last seen Nov 5, 2021

⚔ Head-to-head

BAR BQ POSSE

#4,636 of the rated field

1470 power rating

Contests: 8
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1470

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to SMOKY LINCS)

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 8 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 8 contests
last seen Jun 21, 2019

⚔ Head-to-head

PORKIN' AIN'T EASY

#4,635 of the rated field

1470 power rating

Contests: 5
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1470

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to SMOKY LINCS)

Fewer contests behind them than SMOKY LINCS has cooked, 5 to 34, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.

rated over 5 contests
last seen Aug 25, 2017

⚔ Head-to-head

ELWOOD BBQ

#4,628 of the rated field

1470 power rating

Contests: 29
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 10%
Peak: 1531

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

rated over 29 contests
last seen Sep 2, 2023

⚔ Compare careers

SHO DAWG BBQ

#4,610 of the rated field

1471 power rating

Contests: 28
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 4%
Peak: 1471

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

rated over 28 contests
last seen Aug 5, 2022

⚔ Compare careers

Onkel Felix BBQ

#4,612 of the rated field

1471 power rating

Contests: 27
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 41%
Peak: 1471

They turned up 6 years after SMOKY LINCS did, first appearing in 2019.

rated over 27 contests
last seen Sep 26, 2026
on a 3-contest top-10 run

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
QUAU	27	3	24	11%	⚔ compare
Its 5 Oclock Somewhere	23	3	20	13%	⚔ compare
CAPTAIN RON'S BREW-N-QUE	21	5	16	24%	⚔ compare
One2BBQ	21	0	21	0%	⚔ compare
FIDDLIN' FATBACK	18	8	10	44%	⚔ compare
ALL IN QUE	18	3	15	17%	⚔ compare
RACK MASTERS BBQ	17	5	12	29%	⚔ compare
CHANNABILLY BBQ	17	3	14	18%	⚔ compare
BONEHEAD BBQ	16	2	14	13%	⚔ compare
CLUCK , OINK & MOO BARBECUE	15	5	10	33%	⚔ compare
BLUE ISLAND BBQ CO.	15	3	12	20%	⚔ compare
MEATSMACK	14	9	5	64%	⚔ compare
DESIGNATED SMOKIN' AREA	14	6	8	43%	⚔ compare
NUTTHIN BUT PORK	14	6	8	43%	⚔ compare
THE CHILLY WATER SMOKERS	14	2	12	14%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	34	8	1	3	178.3200	153.0856	164.13	top 53%
Pork Ribs	34	7	0	0	171.9772	143.3716	158.88	top 59%
Pork	34	6	1	2	180 🔥	145.7142	162.23	top 55%
Brisket	34	6	1	1	174.3200	134.2628	155.53	top 66%

“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)	13	0	top 61%
Large (40+)	21	0	top 63%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Up In Smoke on the Square	7	16	top 67%	May 31, 2019
Route 66 Smoke Out	5	15	top 66%	May 3, 2019
Red, White and BBQ (Day 2)	3	31	top 79%	May 23, 2015
Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown (JUDGES FULL)	2	12	top 51%	Jul 20, 2018
RED, WHITE and BAR-B-Q ( DAY 2)	2	36	top 65%	May 26, 2018
Heritage Days BBQ Showdown	2	15	top 61%	Jun 23, 2017
Morton BBQ Throwdown	2	17	top 43%	Jul 25, 2014
Firin' Up the Fox BBQ Contest	2	6	top 28%	Jul 11, 2014

More numbers

Busiest season 2018 6 contests

Contests a season 4.9 across 7 seasons in the data

Most contests held in IL 34 of 34 contests

Contests visited 17 8 of them more than once

Opponents faced 499 finished ahead 540 times, behind 899

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

20191 milestone

May 31 Most recent contest Up In Smoke on the Square

20171 milestone

Jul 21 25th tracked contest Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown (JUDGES FULL)

20162 milestones

May 28 First perfect 180 (Pork) Red, White & BBQ (Day 2)
Jul 22 Career-best overall score667.9196 Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown (Formerly Morton BBQ Throwdown)

20144 milestones

Jul 11 First category win (Chicken) Firin' Up the Fox BBQ Contest
Jul 11 First overall top-10 Firin' Up the Fox BBQ Contest
Aug 22 10th tracked contest Up In Smoke On The Square
Aug 22 Peak power rating (1499) Up In Smoke On The Square

20133 milestones

May 24 First tracked contest Westmont Red, White & BBQ
Jul 5 First call Firin' Up the Fox BBQ Contest
Aug 23 First overall past 90% of a perfect score656.5028 Up In Smoke on the Square

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+12.8	Firin' Up the Fox BBQ Contest	Jul 11, 2014
+11.4	Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown (JUDGES FULL)	Jul 21, 2017
+10.1	Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown (Formerly Morton BBQ Throwdown)	Jul 22, 2016
+7.9	Up In smoke on the Square ( WAIT LIST ONLY FOR JUDGES)	Jun 1, 2018
+7.6	Route 66 Smoke Out	May 6, 2016

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-14.7	Westmont Red, White & BBQ	May 24, 2013
-11.4	Up In smoke on the Square	Jun 2, 2017
-9.5	Route 66 Smoke Out (TEAMS AND JUDGES FULL)	May 1, 2015
-8.3	Up In Smoke on the Square	May 31, 2019
-8	Smoke on the Prairie	Jun 13, 2014

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)
2019	2	0	0	0%	top 81%	88.6%	88.5%
2018	6	0	1	50%	top 64%	90.7%	89.6%
2017	6	0	0	50%	top 65%	91.8%	89.4%
2016	5	1	1	80%	top 47%	92.8%	90.9%
2015	5	0	0	40%	top 75%	89%	87.6%
2014	5	1	1	60%	top 54%	92.1%	88.7%
2013	5	0	0	40%	top 59%	91.2%	87.8%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
May 31, 2019	Up In Smoke on the Square 🏅 Lincoln, IL	30 / 36 (636.4684)	33 (157.0856)	36 (148.5028)	16 (166.8572)	20 (164.0228)
May 3, 2019	Route 66 Smoke Out 🏅 Dwight, IL	26 / 33 (638.1256)	31 (155.3484)	20 (161.7260)	23 (163.3712)	24 (157.6800)
Oct 12, 2018	CIBR-BBQ Central Illinois Bragging Right BBQ Arthur, IL	30 / 45 (641.0400)	25 (164.5828)	22 (160.5600)	24 (162.8000)	43 (153.0972)
Jul 20, 2018	Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown (JUDGES FULL) Peoria, IL	33 / 43 (649.5772)	21 (168.5372)	14 (167.4172)	30 (160.5372)	40 (153.0856)
Jun 30, 2018	I-39 Smokin Car Show Minonk, IL	20 / 29 (628.5256)	2 (174.3200)	25 (149.7144)	12 (159.4056)	26 (145.0856)
Jun 1, 2018	Up In smoke on the Square ( WAIT LIST ONLY FOR JUDGES) Lincoln, IL	16 / 40 (646.1600)	4 (172)	37 (145.0972)	10 (163.3828)	10 (165.6800)
May 26, 2018	RED, WHITE and BAR-B-Q ( DAY 2) Westmont, IL	41 / 60 (650.2516)	48 (163.4172)	29 (164)	17 (170.8228)	48 (152.0116)
May 4, 2018	Route 66 Smoke Out Dwight, IL	24 / 38 (653.1196)	32 (158.8456)	28 (160.5828)	29 (159.3712)	1 (174.3200)
Oct 6, 2017	Decatur's Smokin BBQ Festival (JUDGES FULL) Decatur, IL	18 / 30 (661.0284)	13 (168.5256)	15 (163.4284)	22 (163.9544)	18 (165.1200)
Jul 21, 2017	Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown (JUDGES FULL) Peoria, IL	12 / 48 (651.8740)	18 (164.5256)	22 (159.4172)	24 (160.5484)	9 (167.3828)
Jun 23, 2017	Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Belvidere, IL	32 / 42 (631.8972)	26 (161.1200)	33 (158.8688)	34 (155.9656)	33 (155.9428)
Jun 2, 2017	Up In smoke on the Square Lincoln, IL	31 / 32 (618.6052)	25 (161.6340)	29 (147.9316)	26 (161.1084)	31 (147.9312)
May 27, 2017	RED, WHITE and BAR-B-Q ( DAY 2) Westmont, IL	36 / 59 (647.3828)	3 (174.2744)	55 (147.9772)	48 (157.7028)	14 (167.4284)
May 5, 2017	Route 66 Smoke Out Dwight, IL	20 / 29 (650.1832)	10 (170.8228)	28 (149.6688)	15 (162.8228)	10 (166.8688)
Jul 22, 2016	Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown (Formerly Morton BBQ Throwdown) Peoria, IL	10 / 37 (667.9196)	5 (173.1200)	7 (168.6056)	7 (169.7028)	27 (156.4912)
Jun 24, 2016	Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Belvidere, IL	15 / 33 (652.4912)	21 (163.4400)	4 (171.4172)	20 (161.6456)	21 (155.9884)
Jun 3, 2016	Up In smoke on the Square Lincoln, IL	43 / 52 (622.6740)	40 (160.5484)	41 (155.3828)	31 (161.7144)	48 (145.0284)
May 28, 2016	Red, White & BBQ (Day 2) Westmont, IL	23 / 55 (665.0284)	47 (160.5256)	17 (166.8344)	1 (180)	40 (157.6684)
May 6, 2016	Route 66 Smoke Out Dwight, IL	15 / 40 (665.0168)	7 (170.2744)	10 (171.9772)	19 (166.2168)	26 (156.5484)
Jul 24, 2015	5th Annual Morton BBQ Throwdown Morton, IL	34 / 47 (626.1600)	21 (162.2400)	41 (151.9772)	29 (160.5600)	41 (151.3828)
Jun 5, 2015	Up In Smoke On The Square Lincoln, IL	25 / 40 (641.0744)	32 (158.2628)	5 (170.2972)	34 (153.1200)	23 (159.3944)
May 23, 2015	Red, White and BBQ (Day 2) Westmont, IL	47 / 58 (630.7200)	52 (153.0856)	26 (163.9772)	37 (161.7028)	49 (151.9544)
May 22, 2015	Red, White and BBQ (Day 1) Westmont, IL	31 / 41 (631.3828)	32 (158.2628)	23 (161.7144)	5 (170.2972)	40 (141.1084)
May 1, 2015	Route 66 Smoke Out (TEAMS AND JUDGES FULL) Dwight, IL	33 / 40 (622.6620)	28 (159.9540)	36 (145.0512)	28 (158.8684)	29 (158.7884)
Aug 22, 2014	Up In Smoke On The Square Lincoln, IL	26 / 50 (650.9372)	16 (166.2856)	7 (170.3316)	28 (161.1544)	37 (153.1656)
Jul 25, 2014	Morton BBQ Throwdown Morton, IL	17 / 48 (650.7656)	28 (162.2628)	5 (170.2744)	25 (161.7028)	27 (156.5256)
Jul 11, 2014	Firin' Up the Fox BBQ Contest St. Charles, IL	6 / 34 (662.8228)	1 (178.3200)	32 (148.5372)	6 (168)	5 (167.9656)
Jun 13, 2014	Smoke on the Prairie Brimfield, IL	24 / 28 (617.0288)	15 (166.2860)	27 (143.3716)	25 (153.6684)	23 (153.7028)
May 24, 2014	Red, White, And BBQ Westmont, IL	58 / 72 (613.1088)	28 (166.2744)	43 (158.8800)	58 (153.6916)	72 (134.2628)
Sep 13, 2013	Q the Lou Litchfield, IL	15 / 25 (629.0860)	9 (162.8572)	10 (162.8572)	17 (160.5716)	21 (142.8000)
Aug 23, 2013	Up In Smoke on the Square Lincoln, IL	23 / 46 (656.5028)	29 (162.2400)	16 (168)	15 (167.4628)	27 (158.8000)
Jul 26, 2013	Morton BBQ Throwdown (TEAMS & JUDGES FULL - May email to be put on waitlist) Morton, IL	23 / 45 (637.5428)	15 (165.6800)	24 (158.2400)	34 (158.8228)	27 (154.8000)
Jul 5, 2013	Firin' Up the Fox BBQ Contest St. Charles, IL	13 / 34 (641.7142)	23 (157.1428)	30 (150.2858)	3 (172.5714)	8 (161.7142)
May 24, 2013	Westmont Red, White & BBQ Westmont, IL	68 / 70 (597.1426)	47 (158.2858)	38 (158.8570)	67 (145.7142)	70 (134.2856)

SMOKY LINCS

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

Rating

Contests

First seen

Best ToY finish

Grand champs

Category wins

Overall top-10s

Avg finish

Best overall

Perfect 180s

Current form

Walk rate

Best single call

Consistency

Strongest meat

Road miles

Schedule strength

Purse competed for

State championships

Master avg

Storylines (12 found in their record)

Perfect scores on the board

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 July team

The metronome

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

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)