High-water mark
667.3140
career-best overall
92.7% of a perfect 720
Their best day on record: 667.3140 at 14th Annual Cookin on the Kaw — 92.7% of a perfect 720.
- Master
- 2017-10-13
DOWNHOME COOKIN & BBQ
At a glance (everything the results say about this team, in numbers)
Rating
1496
peak 1513 · rated over 11 contests ⓘ
Contests
11
in the data
First seen
2013-07-26
latest 2017-10-13
Best ToY finish
#973
Master 2017
Grand champs
0
0 reserve
Category wins
0
1 podiums
Overall top-10s
0
of 11 contests
Avg finish
top 58%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
0
Current form
654.55 ▲
last 5 Master vs avg 652.90 (+1.65)
Walk rate
36%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±8.55
std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Chicken
avg 166.90 · weakest Pork Ribs (161.42)
Road miles
1,949
mi across 11 mapped stops · furthest 278 mi
Schedule strength
48%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1562)
Master avg
652.90 / 720
11 Master contests · 0 GCs
Storylines (8 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.
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 42%.
- 3 contests
- 0 overall top-10s
- 0 category wins
- average top 42%
A tough matchup
7–0
behind in the head-to-head
IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ ahead in 100% of their meetings
IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ has come out ahead in 7 of their 7 shared contests.
The weak link
−5.5
points behind their best meat
Pork Ribs is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 5.48 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 0% of the time against 9%.
- Pork Ribs avg 161.42
- Chicken avg 166.90
- 0 calls in 11 entries
A strong matchup
3–0
ahead in the head-to-head
Ahead in 100% of their meetings
They've finished ahead of Disciples of Blues and BBQ in 3 of their 3 shared contests.
The comeback
1.8 yrs
off the trail, then back
Off the trail for 1.8 years, then back at *Up in Smoke BBQ Bash (2017-07-21).
- last seen 2015-10-03
- back 2017-07-21
Chicken nemesis
6 of 7
shared chicken entries lost
SPITFIRE ahead 86% of the time
Even in their strongest meat, SPITFIRE has out-cooked them in 6 of 7 shared chicken entries.
The metronome
±1.19%
swing around their own average
Their overall lands within ±1.19% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.
- averages 90.7% of a perfect score
- 11 contests
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.
117 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.
#3370 of the rated field
- Contests
- 6
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1504
2–1 in 3 shared contests (67% to DOWNHOME COOKIN & BBQ)
These two have cooked 3 of the same contests — DOWNHOME COOKIN & BBQ ahead 2–1 — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.
⚔ Head-to-head#3353 of the rated field
- Contests
- 22
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 5%
- Peak
- 1531
2–1 in 3 shared contests (67% to DOWNHOME COOKIN & BBQ)
They've been 1531 at their best, 35 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.
⚔ Head-to-head#3365 of the rated field
- Contests
- 5
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1496
1–2 in 3 shared contests (33% to DOWNHOME COOKIN & BBQ)
Fewer contests behind them than DOWNHOME COOKIN & BBQ has cooked, 5 to 11, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.
⚔ Head-to-head#3384 of the rated field
- Contests
- 25
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 8%
- Peak
- 1530
2–1 in 3 shared contests (67% to DOWNHOME COOKIN & BBQ)
25 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 8% top-10 finishes rather than wins.
⚔ Head-to-head#3373 of the rated field
- Contests
- 11
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 18%
- Peak
- 1504
No shared contest yet.
Level with DOWNHOME COOKIN & BBQ on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.
⚔ Head-to-head#3376 of the rated field
- Contests
- 12
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 50%
- Peak
- 1503
No shared contest yet.
They turned up 11 years after DOWNHOME COOKIN & BBQ did, first appearing in 2024.
⚔ Head-to-headFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DIG-IN COOKERS | 7 | 1 | 6 | 14% | ⚔ compare |
| IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| SPITFIRE | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| BLACK DOG BBQ IA | 6 | 2 | 4 | 33% | ⚔ compare |
| THE SMOKING HILLS | 6 | 1 | 5 | 17% | ⚔ compare |
| LUCKY'S Q | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| GRILLS GONE WILD IOWA | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| DRY 2 DA BONE | 5 | 1 | 4 | 20% | ⚔ compare |
| Chick Hooven Swine BBQ | 5 | 1 | 4 | 20% | ⚔ compare |
| BIG CHAIN BBQ GANG | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| Pig Skin BBQ | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| BIG T'Z Q CRU | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| WOODWARD BARBEQUE | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| SWINE ASSASSINS | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| CITY SLICKERS BBQ | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 174.8456 | 154.8800 | 166.90 | top 43% |
| Pork Ribs | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 167.9656 | 147.3372 | 161.42 | top 61% |
| Pork | 11 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 175.4056 | 152.4912 | 163.14 | top 55% |
| Brisket | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 173.7144 | 145.0972 | 161.44 | 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 state / province
| Where | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| IA | 4 | 0 | top 71% |
| MO | 3 | 0 | top 49% |
| MN | 2 | 0 | top 49% |
| KS | 1 | 0 | top 65% |
| NE | 1 | 0 | top 41% |
By contest size
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medium (20–39) | 2 | 0 | top 75% |
| Large (40+) | 9 | 0 | top 54% |
Contest-by-contest record (recurring contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| *Up in Smoke BBQ Bash | 3 | 28 | 0 | top 63% | 2017-07-21 |
The story so far (15 numbers that describe this team)
On the trail
4.2 yrs
2013-07-26 → 2017-10-13
Busiest season
2017
5 contests
Contests a season
2.8
across 4 seasons in the data
Cooks most in
IA
4 of 11 contests · 5 states/provinces in all
Contests visited
9
1 of them cooked more than once
Most-entered meat
Chicken
11 entries · 0 wins · 1 calls
Strongest meat
Chicken
averages 166.90 · weakest Pork Ribs (161.42)
Walk rate
36%
a top-10 call in 4 of 11 contests
Overall top-10 rate
0%
0 of 11 contests
Master average
652.90
out of 720 · 11 contests · 0 GCs
Opponents faced
1,210
921–1,136 across every shared overall standing
Road miles
1,949
11 mapped stops · furthest 278 mi
Schedule strength
1562
average field rating faced — tougher than 48% of rated contests
Longest layoff
1.8 yrs
2015-10-03 → 2017-07-21
Power rating
1496
peak 1513 · #3375 of 6,413 rated
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
- 2013
- First tracked contest Up in Smoke BBQ Bash
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score661.0288 Up in Smoke BBQ Bash
- 2014
- Peak power rating (1513) 35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open
- 2017
- First call *Up in Smoke BBQ Bash
- 10th tracked contest Big Muddy Brew N Que
- Career-best single call (Pork)175.4056 Big Muddy Brew N Que
- Career-best overall score667.3140 14th Annual Cookin on the Kaw
- Most recent contest 14th Annual Cookin on the Kaw
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +4.5 | 10th Annual Big Island BBQ | 2017-08-25 |
| +4.1 | Cass County | 2013-08-09 |
| +3.6 | Up in Smoke BBQ Bash | 2013-07-26 |
| +3.1 | 34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open | 2013-10-03 |
| +2.8 | Big Muddy Brew N Que | 2017-09-02 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -10 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour | 2017-07-28 |
| -6 | *Up in Smoke BBQ Bash | 2017-07-21 |
| -4.6 | 36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Open | 2015-10-03 |
| -3.4 | Up in Smoke BBQ Bash | 2015-07-24 |
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 | GCs | Top-10s | Category wins | Walk rate | Avg finish | Best overall (% of perfect) | Avg overall (% of perfect) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 80% | top 68% | 92.7% | 90.9% |
| 2015 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 63% | 90% | 90% |
| 2014 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 49% | 91% | 91% |
| 2013 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 42% | 91.8% | 90.7% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-10-13 | 14th Annual Cookin on the Kaw Desoto, KS | 36 / 55 (667.3140) | 16 (174.8456) | 47 (160.5028) | 40 (166.2400) | 36 (165.7256) |
| 2017-09-02 | Big Muddy Brew N Que Winona, MN | 11 / 21 (657.6344) | 14 (164.0000) | 17 (159.3944) | 2 (175.4056) | 14 (158.8344) |
| 2017-08-25 | 10th Annual Big Island BBQ Albert Lea, MN | 26 / 56 (662.8232) | 11 (173.1772) | 38 (160.5372) | 9 (170.8572) | 36 (158.2516) |
| 2017-07-28 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Ankeny, IA | 29 / 30 (637.6344) | 29 (156.0000) | 17 (166.8344) | 10 (169.7028) | 30 (145.0972) |
| 2017-07-21 | *Up in Smoke BBQ Bash Mason City, IA | 38 / 49 (647.3372) | 5 (173.1200) | 37 (157.6916) | 45 (155.9656) | 32 (160.5600) |
| 2015-10-03 | 36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Open Kansas City, MO | 345 / 606 (647.9088) | 101 (171.4400) | 555 (147.3372) | 85 (171.4516) | 385 (157.6800) |
| 2015-07-24 | Up in Smoke BBQ Bash Mason City, IA | 37 / 54 (647.9088) | 15 (170.8344) | 45 (157.1316) | 44 (157.1084) | 28 (162.8344) |
| 2014-10-02 | 35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO | 270 / 552 (655.3024) | 346 (162.2512) | 205 (166.8456) | 474 (152.4912) | 44 (173.7144) |
| 2013-10-03 | 34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO | 227 / 535 (643.4400) | 385 (154.8800) | 156 (164.5828) | 291 (159.4172) | 138 (164.5600) |
| 2013-08-09 | Cass County Weeping Water, NE | 18 / 44 (653.6000) | 24 (164.5372) | 12 (167.9656) | 30 (155.9772) | 20 (165.1200) |
| 2013-07-26 | Up in Smoke BBQ Bash Mason City, IA | 28 / 66 (661.0288) | 12 (170.8344) | 24 (166.8228) | 50 (159.9428) | 28 (163.4288) |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 ↗ | Master | #973 (351 pts) | #699 (576 pts) | #1013 (361 pts) | #635 (641 pts) | #1039 (336 pts) |
| 2015 ↗ | Master | #2158 (60 pts) | #1935 (110 pts) | #2209 (60 pts) | #2225 (60 pts) | #2214 (60 pts) |
| 2014 ↗ | Master | #2084 (75 pts) | #2167 (75 pts) | #2161 (75 pts) | #2172 (75 pts) | #2148 (75 pts) |
| 2013 ↗ | Master | #1346 (179 pts) | #1287 (214 pts) | #1316 (214 pts) | #1656 (144 pts) | #1447 (169 pts) |