LAST SMOKER STANDING

LAST SMOKER STANDING is a competition barbecue team with 14 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2020. Their best overall finish is 9th of 44 at the Sevierville Bloomin' BBQ and Bluegrass Festival (2015). They are ranked #3820 of 6,477 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

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At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#3,820

of 6,477 rated · rankings

Rating

1487

peak 1511 · rated over 14 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

May 17, 2013

latest Aug 14, 2020 · 7.2 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#1071

Master 2015 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

2 podiums

Overall top-10s

21% of 14 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 63%

overall standings

Best overall

690.1940 / 720

Master · Sevierville Bloomin' BBQ and Bluegrass Festival

Perfect 180s

Current form

644.17 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 659.12 (-14.96)

Walk rate

64%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

177.7144

Pork Ribs · Sevierville Bloomin' BBQ and Bluegrass Festival

Consistency

±20.41

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Brisket

avg 166.76 · weakest Pork Ribs (162.78)

Road miles

1,378

across 14 mapped stops · furthest 213 mi

Schedule strength

49%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1564)

Purse competed for

$18K

listed at 2 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 2 state-championship entries

Master avg

659.12 / 720

14 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (6 found in their record)

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

They almost always walk

64% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 9 of 14 contests

A top-10 category call in 64% of their 14 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

690.1940 career-best overall

95.9% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 690.1940 at Sevierville Bloomin' BBQ and Bluegrass Festival — 95.9% of a perfect 720.

Master
May 15, 2015

A tough matchup

12–0 behind in the head-to-head

SMOKE ON THIS ahead in 100% of their meetings

SMOKE ON THIS has come out ahead in 12 of their 12 shared contests.

A strong matchup

8–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of CRITTER COOKER'S in 8 of their 8 shared contests.

Brisket nemesis

9 of 9 shared brisket entries lost

CONTAGIOUS Q ahead 100% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, CONTAGIOUS Q has out-cooked them in 9 of 9 shared brisket entries.

A May team

Top 55% average finish in May

Something about May: average finish in the top 55% across 7 contests, versus top 63% the rest of the year.

7 May contests
top 63% the rest of the year

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
2020 ↗	Master	#1079 (59 pts)	#1091 (59 pts)	#1103 (59 pts)	#696 (124 pts)	#833 (79 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#1955 (60 pts)	#1824 (95 pts)	#1967 (70 pts)	#2029 (60 pts)	#2010 (60 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#1954 (60 pts)	#2012 (60 pts)	#1996 (60 pts)	#2030 (60 pts)	#1873 (85 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#1708 (124 pts)	#1920 (119 pts)	#1494 (184 pts)	#1433 (194 pts)	#1433 (194 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#1375 (200 pts)	#1249 (260 pts)	#1884 (120 pts)	#1840 (125 pts)	#1012 (345 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#1071 (276 pts)	#1064 (306 pts)	#945 (371 pts)	#1491 (186 pts)	#1344 (206 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#1416 (190 pts)	#1605 (165 pts)	#1024 (330 pts)	#1243 (255 pts)	#1548 (175 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#1163 (232 pts)	#1198 (237 pts)	#907 (347 pts)	#1165 (252 pts)	#1181 (242 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to LAST SMOKER STANDING, each with one reason worth a look.

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

TENNESSEE RIVER PORKERS

#3,813 of the rated field

1487 power rating

Contests: 13
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 15%
Peak: 1507

Their last contest in the data was back in 2015, 5 years before LAST SMOKER STANDING's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 13 contests

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A&R Q

#3,833 of the rated field

1486 power rating

Contests: 14
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 29%
Peak: 1524

They've been 1524 at their best, 38 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 11 contests
last seen Mar 20, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

River Smokers WV

#3,822 of the rated field

1487 power rating

Contests: 19
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 11%
Peak: 1529

Careers of much the same size, 19 contests to 14, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 19 contests
last seen May 14, 2021

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DIVINE SMOKE

#3,824 of the rated field

1487 power rating

Contests: 10
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 10%
Peak: 1502

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

rated over 10 contests
last seen Jul 12, 2018

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MAY THE SMOKE BE WITH YOU

#3,821 of the rated field

1487 power rating

Contests: 9
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 11%
Peak: 1502

Level with LAST SMOKER STANDING on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 9 contests
last seen Oct 30, 2021

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BBQ BUDDHA

#3,837 of the rated field

1486 power rating

Contests: 9
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 11%
Peak: 1504

Fewer contests behind them than LAST SMOKER STANDING has cooked, 9 to 14, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.

rated over 9 contests
last seen Oct 18, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
HOGGY BOTTOM BOYS	12	6	6	50%	⚔ compare
SMOKE ON THIS	12	0	12	0%	⚔ compare
SOGGY BOTTOM SMOKERS	11	2	9	18%	⚔ compare
Sons of Smoke	9	3	6	33%	⚔ compare
CONTAGIOUS Q	9	1	8	11%	⚔ compare
Under the Radar	9	0	9	0%	⚔ compare
CRITTER COOKER'S	8	8	0	100%	⚔ compare
Q SMOKE	8	4	4	50%	⚔ compare
BAR-B-Q 101	8	4	4	50%	⚔ compare
DIRTY OL' BUTT SLAPPERS	8	3	5	38%	⚔ compare
LATE NIGHT WHISKEY SMOKERS	8	2	6	25%	⚔ compare
RIVER ROAD GRILLBILLIES	8	2	6	25%	⚔ compare
ROCKY TOP BARBEQUE	8	1	7	13%	⚔ compare
UNCULTURED SWINE	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
CAUGHT BY THE FIRE	7	6	1	86%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	14	2	0	0	175.4172	150.2400	163.36	top 65%
Pork Ribs	14	4	1	2	177.7144	120.9028	162.78	top 56%
Pork	14	2	0	0	172.5600	154.2744	166.22	top 60%
Brisket	14	2	0	0	177.1544	158.2628	166.76	top 54%

“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 59%
Medium (20–39)	6	top 73%
Large (40+)	7	top 55%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
TN	12	top 57%
SC	1	top 100%
GA	1	top 88%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Bloomin' BBQ & Bluegrass	3	24	0	top 66%	May 17, 2019
Bloomin' BBQ & Bluegrass	2	14	0	top 45%	May 20, 2016

More numbers

Busiest season 2013 3 contests

Contests a season 1.8 across 8 seasons in the data

Most contests held in TN 12 of 14 contests · 3 states in all

Contests visited 11 2 of them more than once

Opponents faced 219 finished ahead 200 times, behind 297

Longest layoff 1.2 yrs May 17, 2019 → Aug 14, 2020

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

20201 milestone

Aug 14 Most recent contest Rufus Teague BBQ Throwdown - Aiken

20172 milestones

May 19 10th tracked contest Bloomin' BBQ & Bluegrass
May 19 Peak power rating (1511) Bloomin' BBQ & Bluegrass

20153 milestones

May 15 First category win (Pork Ribs) Sevierville Bloomin' BBQ and Bluegrass Festival
May 15 Career-best overall score690.1940 Sevierville Bloomin' BBQ and Bluegrass Festival
May 15 Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)177.7144 Sevierville Bloomin' BBQ and Bluegrass Festival

20141 milestone

Sep 12 First overall top-10 Grills Gone Wild BBQ Fest

20133 milestones

May 17 First tracked contest Bloomin' BBQ & Bluegrass
May 17 First overall past 90% of a perfect score653.1424 Bloomin' BBQ & Bluegrass
Jul 19 First call Smokin the Valley Blueberry Festival and Bar-B-Que Cook-Off

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+13.1	Sevierville Bloomin' BBQ and Bluegrass Festival	May 15, 2015
+9.1	Bloomin' BBQ & Bluegrass	May 20, 2016
+8.7	Tony Stone-Cookeville Cookoff	Sep 11, 2015
+3.4	Bloomin' BBQ & Bluegrass	May 19, 2017
+0.5	Grills Gone Wild BBQ Fest	Sep 12, 2014

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-10.2	Rufus Teague BBQ Throwdown - Aiken	Aug 14, 2020
-8.6	Smoke-n-Thunder BBQ Classic	Oct 12, 2013
-6.8	Bloomin' BBQ & Bluegrass	May 18, 2018
-6.3	Smokin the Valley Blueberry Festival and Bar-B-Que Cook-Off	Jul 19, 2013
-5.7	The Rotary Club of West Knoxville - Rocky Top Hummin' & Strummin' BBQ Cook-Off	May 30, 2014

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)
2020	1	0	0	0%	top 100%	84.9%	84.9%
2019	1	0	0	0%	top 67%	90.1%	90.1%
2018	1	0	0	0%	top 81%	88.9%	88.9%
2017	2	0	0	50%	top 63%	92.9%	91.7%
2016	2	0	0	100%	top 47%	95.2%	94.2%
2015	2	2	1	100%	top 26%	95.9%	95.7%
2014	2	1	0	100%	top 67%	92.1%	91.1%
2013	3	0	0	67%	top 74%	90.8%	90.7%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Aug 14, 2020	Rufus Teague BBQ Throwdown - Aiken 🏅 Aiken, SC	34 / 34 (611.1320)	33 (153.1204)	34 (120.9028)	12 (170.2744)	21 (166.8344)
May 17, 2019	Bloomin' BBQ & Bluegrass 🏅 Sevierville, TN	29 / 43 (648.4688)	18 (169.1428)	23 (166.2516)	38 (154.2744)	30 (158.8000)
May 18, 2018	Bloomin' BBQ & Bluegrass Sevierville, TN	35 / 43 (640.3656)	38 (155.9312)	34 (158.8116)	34 (160.5028)	20 (165.1200)
Sep 8, 2017	Tony Stone-Cookeville Cook-off Cookeville, TN	26 / 34 (651.8972)	25 (165.0856)	30 (155.9428)	25 (164.5600)	18 (166.3088)
May 19, 2017	Bloomin' BBQ & Bluegrass Sevierville, TN	24 / 49 (668.9712)	42 (154.7772)	12 (170.2628)	10 (171.9656)	17 (171.9656)
Sep 9, 2016	The Tony Stone Cookeville Cookoff Cookeville, TN	19 / 30 (671.3600)	19 (166.2972)	24 (165.6800)	26 (162.8000)	6 (176.5828)
May 20, 2016	Bloomin' BBQ & Bluegrass Sevierville, TN	14 / 46 (685.6576)	6 (175.4056)	35 (162.8232)	23 (170.2744)	6 (177.1544)
Sep 11, 2015	Tony Stone-Cookeville Cookoff Cookeville, TN	10 / 31 (688.5144)	5 (175.4172)	19 (168.5600)	11 (172.5600)	15 (171.9772)
May 15, 2015	Sevierville Bloomin' BBQ and Bluegrass Festival Sevierville, TN	9 / 44 (690.1940)	12 (172.5484)	1 (177.7144)	29 (167.9656)	17 (171.9656)
Sep 12, 2014	Grills Gone Wild BBQ Fest Greeneville, TN	10 / 17 (662.8800)	15 (160)	2 (174.8800)	14 (165.7372)	13 (162.2628)
May 30, 2014	The Rotary Club of West Knoxville - Rocky Top Hummin' & Strummin' BBQ Cook-Off Knoxville, TN	36 / 48 (648.4456)	48 (150.2400)	22 (167.3828)	9 (171.4172)	37 (159.4056)
Oct 12, 2013	Smoke-n-Thunder BBQ Classic Rome, GA	22 / 25 (653.0400)	25 (157.7028)	9 (170.8572)	22 (164.5372)	23 (159.9428)
Jul 19, 2013	Smokin the Valley Blueberry Festival and Bar-B-Que Cook-Off Unicoi, TN	15 / 20 (653.6460)	11 (167.4288)	8 (166.8228)	16 (161.1316)	18 (158.2628)
May 17, 2013	Bloomin' BBQ & Bluegrass Sevierville, TN	28 / 47 (653.1424)	28 (164)	41 (151.9998)	20 (169.1428)	19 (167.9998)

LAST SMOKER STANDING

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

Purse competed for

State championships

Master avg

Storylines (6 found in their record)

They almost always walk

High-water mark

A tough matchup

A strong matchup

Brisket nemesis

A May team

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)