BIG FIRE

BIG FIRE is a competition barbecue team with 11 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2018. Their best overall finish is 9th of 97 at the Dana Point State BBQ Championship (2014). They are ranked #4531 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#4,531

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1472

peak 1508 · rated over 11 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Mar 22, 2013

latest Sep 28, 2018 · 5.5 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#1279

Master 2013 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

0 podiums

Overall top-10s

9% of 11 contests

Avg finish

top 65%

overall standings

Best overall

683.9772 / 720

Master · Dana Point State BBQ Championship

Perfect 180s

Current form

638.68 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 632.02 (+6.66)

Walk rate

18%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

174.2744

Pork Ribs · Dana Point State BBQ Championship

Consistency

±47.11

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 164.92 · weakest Pork (146.63)

Road miles

2,160

across 11 mapped stops · furthest 410 mi

Schedule strength

34%

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

Master avg

632.02 / 720

11 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (6 found in their record)

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

High-water mark

683.9772 career-best overall

95.0% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 683.9772 at Dana Point State BBQ Championship — 95.0% of a perfect 720.

Master
Oct 2, 2014

A tough matchup

8–1 behind in the head-to-head

LADY OF Q ahead in 89% of their meetings

LADY OF Q has come out ahead in 8 of their 9 shared contests.

The weak link

−18.3 points behind their best meat

Pork is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 18.29 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 0% of the time against 0%.

Pork avg 146.63
Chicken avg 164.92
0 calls in 11 entries

A strong matchup

5–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 83% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of MOSSY ROCK BBQ in 5 of their 6 shared contests.

Chicken nemesis

9 of 10 shared chicken entries lost

Burnin and Lootin ahead 90% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, Burnin and Lootin has out-cooked them in 9 of 10 shared chicken entries.

An October team

Top 57% average finish in October

Something about October: average finish in the top 57% across 4 contests, versus top 65% the rest of the year.

4 October contests
top 65% 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
2018 ↗	Master	#1954 (60 pts)	#1949 (70 pts)	#1996 (60 pts)	#2030 (60 pts)	#1990 (60 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#1708 (124 pts)	#1761 (129 pts)	#1987 (114 pts)	#1730 (134 pts)	#1965 (114 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#1775 (120 pts)	#1508 (185 pts)	#1512 (185 pts)	#1872 (120 pts)	#1839 (120 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#1676 (120 pts)	#1690 (135 pts)	#1715 (135 pts)	#1790 (120 pts)	#1763 (120 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#1537 (160 pts)	#2167 (75 pts)	#1513 (180 pts)	#2172 (75 pts)	#1809 (135 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#1279 (200 pts)	#1336 (200 pts)	#1462 (175 pts)	#1510 (160 pts)	#1307 (205 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to BIG FIRE, each with one reason worth a look.

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

CHAR WARS COMPETITION BBQ

#4,511 of the rated field

1473 power rating

Contests: 6
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1473

2–0 in 2 shared contests (100% to BIG FIRE)

2 contests in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team BIG FIRE has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 6 contests
last seen Mar 17, 2017

⚔ Head-to-head

Triple T

#4,535 of the rated field

1472 power rating

Contests: 5
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1472

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to BIG FIRE)

Fewer contests behind them than BIG FIRE has cooked, 5 to 11, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.

rated over 5 contests
last seen Jun 3, 2022

⚔ Head-to-head

Smoke on the Water BBQ

#4,545 of the rated field

1472 power rating

Contests: 11
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 9%
Peak: 1472

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 11 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 11 contests
last seen Sep 18, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

Smoke on the Water and Fire in my Eye

#4,547 of the rated field

1472 power rating

Contests: 11
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1472

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

rated over 11 contests
last seen Jun 27, 2025

⚔ Compare careers

CROW RIVER BBQ

#4,532 of the rated field

1472 power rating

Contests: 12
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1504

12 contests and no Grand Championship yet.

rated over 12 contests
last seen Jul 14, 2017

⚔ Compare careers

Double Smokin' Trouble

#4,553 of the rated field

1472 power rating

Contests: 10
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1510

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

rated over 10 contests
last seen Jun 22, 2018

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
Burnin and Lootin	10	2	8	20%	⚔ compare
LADY OF Q	9	1	8	11%	⚔ compare
Que'd Up	7	4	3	57%	⚔ compare
Sharpe's Woodshed	7	2	5	29%	⚔ compare
COOL GRILLING	7	2	5	29%	⚔ compare
Smokin it Up BBQ	7	2	5	29%	⚔ compare
OUTTA GAS BBQ	7	2	5	29%	⚔ compare
LOOT N' BOOTY BBQ	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
THE PIT CREW BBQ OF AZ	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
LEFT COAST Q	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
MOSSY ROCK BBQ	6	5	1	83%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN' HART'S	6	2	4	33%	⚔ compare
TWISTED BRISKET BBQ	6	2	4	33%	⚔ compare
Rooftop BBQ	6	1	5	17%	⚔ compare
RIDGE ROUTE BOYS BBQ	6	1	5	17%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	11	0	172.5600	154.7656	164.92	top 52%
Pork Ribs	11	1	174.2744	153.1888	162.28	top 53%
Pork	11	0	169.7028	20	146.63	top 69%
Brisket	11	1	171.4744	152.5484	158.19	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 field size and state

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	2	0	top 58%
Large (40+)	9	0	top 66%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
CA	7	0	top 61%
AZ	4	0	top 71%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Dana Point State BBQ Championship	3	9	0	top 60%	Oct 7, 2016
Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	2	11	0	top 58%	Mar 17, 2017

More numbers

Busiest season 2013 3 contests

Contests a season 1.8 across 6 seasons in the data

Most contests held in CA 7 of 11 contests · 2 states in all

Contests visited 8 2 of them more than once

Opponents faced 361 finished ahead 264 times, behind 464

Longest layoff 1.5 yrs Mar 31, 2017 → Sep 28, 2018

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

20181 milestone

Sep 28 Most recent contest Mazatzal Grill Masters BBQ competition & Testicle Festival

20171 milestone

Mar 31 10th tracked contest 6th Annual Santa Anita Winners Circle BBQ Championship

20144 milestones

Oct 2 First overall top-10 Dana Point State BBQ Championship
Oct 2 First overall past 90% of a perfect score683.9772 Dana Point State BBQ Championship
Oct 2 Career-best overall score683.9772 Dana Point State BBQ Championship
Oct 2 Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)174.2744 Dana Point State BBQ Championship

20133 milestones

Mar 22 First tracked contest Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Mar 22 First call Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Aug 16 Peak power rating (1508) Ribs, Pigs & Watermelons

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+14.5	Dana Point State BBQ Championship	Oct 2, 2014
+5.1	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	Mar 22, 2013
+2.6	Ribs, Pigs & Watermelons	Aug 16, 2013
+2.1	City of Dana Point State BBQ Championship	Oct 2, 2015

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-14.8	Dana Point State BBQ Championship	Oct 4, 2013
-7.6	5th Annual Santa Anita Winners' Circle BBQ Championship	Apr 1, 2016
-7.5	6th Annual Lake Havasu Music Brews & BBQ Championship	Feb 27, 2015
-7.3	Mazatzal Grill Masters BBQ competition & Testicle Festival	Sep 28, 2018
-5.7	6th Annual Santa Anita Winners Circle BBQ Championship	Mar 31, 2017

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	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2018	1	0	0%	top 88%	87.1%	87.1%
2017	2	0	0%	top 79%	89.4%	89.2%
2016	2	0	0%	top 76%	89%	89%
2015	2	0	0%	top 64%	92.5%	90.1%
2014	1	1	100%	top 9%	95%	95%
2013	3	0	33%	top 60%	89.6%	82.3%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Sep 28, 2018	Mazatzal Grill Masters BBQ competition & Testicle Festival Payson, AZ	35 / 40 (626.7656)	23 (161.1428)	32 (153.6800)	37 (152.5028)	28 (159.4400)
Mar 31, 2017	6th Annual Santa Anita Winners Circle BBQ Championship Arcadia, CA	60 / 77 (641.0632)	55 (163.9772)	35 (167.4060)	63 (156.5600)	62 (153.1200)
Mar 17, 2017	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Tucson, AZ	23 / 29 (643.3484)	22 (166.2628)	25 (159.4056)	21 (161.1200)	25 (156.5600)
Oct 7, 2016	Dana Point State BBQ Championship Dana Point, CA	54 / 75 (641.1312)	50 (161.7256)	50 (160)	54 (161.1200)	49 (158.2856)
Apr 1, 2016	5th Annual Santa Anita Winners' Circle BBQ Championship Arciadia, CA	57 / 72 (641.1084)	12 (172)	12 (172.0228)	72 (139.3828)	52 (157.7028)
Oct 2, 2015	City of Dana Point State BBQ Championship Dana Point, CA	36 / 75 (665.7028)	22 (172.5600)	22 (170.2972)	42 (165.1312)	52 (157.7144)
Feb 27, 2015	6th Annual Lake Havasu Music Brews & BBQ Championship Lake Havasu City, AZ	65 / 82 (631.2800)	67 (154.7656)	41 (162.8460)	54 (161.1200)	66 (152.5484)
Oct 2, 2014	Dana Point State BBQ Championship Dana Point, CA	9 / 97 (683.9772)	42 (168.5256)	7 (174.2744)	27 (169.7028)	13 (171.4744)
Oct 4, 2013	Dana Point State BBQ Championship Dana Point, CA	97 / 99 (490.9372)	41 (164.6056)	79 (153.1888)	99 (20)	74 (153.1428)
Aug 16, 2013	Ribs, Pigs & Watermelons Huntington State Beach, CA	28 / 63 (641.7600)	30 (163.9772)	43 (154.8456)	15 (166.8800)	27 (156.0572)
Mar 22, 2013	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Tucson, AZ	11 / 30 (645.1428)	11 (164.5714)	16 (157.1428)	19 (159.4286)	10 (164)

BIG FIRE

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

Master avg

Storylines (6 found in their record)

High-water mark

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

Chicken nemesis

An October 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)