ARMED AND HAMMERED BBQ

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

Power ranking

#3119

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1502

peak 1547 · rated over 20 contests ⓘ

Contests

in the data

First seen

2013-04-26

latest 2023-04-14

Best ToY finish

#1045

Master 2015

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

2 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 20 contests

Avg finish

top 54%

overall standings

Best overall

679.4288 / 720

Master · Pigs & Pedals

Perfect 180s

Current form

637.08 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 649.65 (-12.57)

Walk rate

45%

contests with a top-10 call

Top-10 streak

best run (overall)

Best single call

174.8572

Chicken · Peak City Pigfest

Consistency

±14.19

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 165.54 · weakest Pork Ribs (159.63)

Road miles

1,330

mi across 20 mapped stops · furthest 80 mi

Schedule strength

46%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1560)

Purse competed for

$23K

listed at 2 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

GCs in 2 state-championship entries

Master avg

649.65 / 720

20 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.

High-water mark

679.4288 career-best overall

94.4% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 679.4288 at Pigs & Pedals — 94.4% of a perfect 720.

Master
2015-07-31

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

Slapshot BBQ has finished one call ahead of ARMED AND HAMMERED BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2015 their best year

2015 was the year it came together: 4 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 1 category win, at an average finish in the top 37%.

4 contests
2 overall top-10s
1 category wins
average top 37%

A tough matchup

19–0 behind in the head-to-head

REDNECK SCIENTIFIC ahead in 100% of their meetings

REDNECK SCIENTIFIC has come out ahead in 19 of their 19 shared contests.

The weak link

−5.9 points behind their best meat

Pork Ribs is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 5.91 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 5% of the time against 20%.

Pork Ribs avg 159.63
Chicken avg 165.54
1 calls in 20 entries

A strong matchup

8–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 89% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of UP IN $MOKE BBQ TEAM in 8 of their 9 shared contests.

The comeback

3.8 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 3.8 years, then back at Bone Suckin' Sauce Peak City Pig Fest (2023-04-14).

last seen 2019-06-14
back 2023-04-14

Chicken nemesis

14 of 19 shared chicken entries lost

REDNECK SCIENTIFIC ahead 74% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, REDNECK SCIENTIFIC has out-cooked them in 14 of 19 shared chicken entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

Grillin' Thyme has landed one call behind them 2 times.

A June team

Top 45% average finish in June

Something about June: average finish in the top 45% across 5 contests, versus top 54% the rest of the year.

5 June contests
top 54% the rest of the year

The metronome

±1.97% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.97% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 90.2% of a perfect score
20 contests

A standing appointment

5 years running at one contest

They've cooked Pigs & Pedals every year from 2014 to 2018 — the contest they never miss.

5 visits in all
best finish 4th

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.

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

TARHEEL SMOKERS

#3117 of the rated field

1502 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 13
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 23%
Peak: 1517

1–1 in 2 shared contests (50% to ARMED AND HAMMERED BBQ)

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

rated over 13 contests
last seen 2019-05-17

⚔ Head-to-head

THE BEARDED ONE BBQ

#3127 of the rated field

1502 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 21
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 5%
Peak: 1522

No shared contest yet.

Careers of much the same size, 21 contests to 20, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 21 contests
last seen 2022-10-22

⚔ Head-to-head

EF-Q

#3114 of the rated field

1502 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 17
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 24%
Peak: 1533

No shared contest yet.

They've been 1533 at their best, 30 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 16 contests
last seen 2019-10-18

⚔ Head-to-head

Evening Wood

#3128 of the rated field

1502 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 25
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 4%
Peak: 1553

No shared contest yet.

25 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 4% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 25 contests
last seen 2025-09-26

⚔ Head-to-head

BIRD DAWG BBQ

#3111 of the rated field

1503 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 26
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 23%
Peak: 1520

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 26 contests
last seen 2024-06-14

⚔ Head-to-head

SMOLDERING Q

#3122 of the rated field

1502 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 27
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 7%
Peak: 1524

No shared contest yet.

Level with ARMED AND HAMMERED BBQ on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 26 contests
last seen 2021-09-24

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
SMOKIN SKULLIES	19	4	15	21%	⚔ compare
REDNECK SCIENTIFIC	19	0	19	0%	⚔ compare
HOLY SMOKE BBQ-NC	17	7	10	41%	⚔ compare
MUTTLEY CREW BBQ	17	2	15	12%	⚔ compare
THE SMOKEHOUSE MAFIA	17	1	16	6%	⚔ compare
SAUCED! BBQ TEAM	13	2	11	15%	⚔ compare
FatHeads bbq	13	2	11	15%	⚔ compare
CAROLINA SMOKE	11	6	5	55%	⚔ compare
K & D SMOKERS	11	2	9	18%	⚔ compare
BANGIN' BBQ	10	7	3	70%	⚔ compare
PICKIN' PORKERS	10	3	7	30%	⚔ compare
EVEL QUE-NIEVEL	10	2	8	20%	⚔ compare
OLD COLONY SMOKEHOUSE	10	2	8	20%	⚔ compare
WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ	10	0	10	0%	⚔ compare
UP IN $MOKE BBQ TEAM	9	8	1	89%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	20	4	1	1	174.8572	155.3600	165.54	top 48%
Pork Ribs	20	1	0	0	172.6172	145.1426	159.63	top 62%
Pork	20	3	0	1	173.1772	147.3600	162.08	top 53%
Brisket	20	4	0	0	170.8228	146.2056	162.39	top 48%

“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 contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	6	0	top 58%
Large (40+)	14	0	top 53%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Pigs & Pedals	5	4	top 58%	2018-08-03
Bone Suckin' Sauce Peak City Pig Fest	3	23	top 73%	2023-04-14
Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down	2	24	top 71%	2018-10-12
Beak Week BBQ Challenge	2	20	top 63%	2016-09-09
Peak City Pigfest	2	10	top 22%	2016-06-17

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

On the trail 10 yrs 2013-04-26 → 2023-04-14

Busiest season 2015 4 contests

Contests a season 2.5 across 8 seasons in the data

Cooks most in NC 20 of 20 contests

Contests visited 11 5 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 20 entries · 1 win · 4 calls

Strongest meat Chicken averages 165.54 · weakest Pork Ribs (159.63)

Walk rate 45% a top-10 call in 9 of 20 contests

Overall top-10 rate 15% 3 of 20 contests

Best top-10 run 2 straight contests

Master average 649.65 out of 720 · 20 contests · 0 GCs

Opponents faced 361 431–481 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 1,330 20 mapped stops · furthest 80 mi

Schedule strength 1560 average field rating faced — tougher than 46% of rated contests

Purse competed for $23,425 listed at 2 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships 0 from 2 state-championship entries

Longest layoff 3.8 yrs 2019-06-14 → 2023-04-14

Power rating 1502 peak 1547 · #3119 of 6,413 rated

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

2013
Apr 26 First tracked contest BBQ Capital Cook-Off
Apr 26 First call BBQ Capital Cook-Off
Sep 20 First overall past 90% of a perfect score661.0284 Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic
2015
Jun 19 First category win (Chicken) Peak City Pigfest
Jun 19 First overall top-10 Peak City Pigfest
Jun 19 Career-best single call (Chicken)174.8572 Peak City Pigfest
Jul 31 Career-best overall score679.4288 Pigs & Pedals
2016
Jun 17 10th tracked contest Peak City Pigfest
Jun 17 Peak power rating (1547) Peak City Pigfest
2023
Apr 14 Most recent contest Bone Suckin' Sauce Peak City Pig Fest

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+14.3	Pigs & Pedals	2015-07-31
+9.3	Peak City Pigfest	2015-06-19
+8.8	Peak City Pigfest	2016-06-17
+4.8	Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally	2014-09-19
+3.3	BBQ Capital Cook-Off	2013-04-26

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-10.7	Bone Suckin' Sauce Peak City Pig Fest	2023-04-14
-9.4	Pigs & Pedals	2018-08-03
-7.9	Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down	2017-10-13
-7.1	*Pigs & Pedals	2017-08-04
-6.3	Bone Suckin Sauce Peak City Pig Fest	2019-06-14

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	Top-10s	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2023	1	0	0	0%	top 88%	87.8%	87.8%
2019	1	0	0	100%	top 79%	87.5%	87.5%
2018	3	0	0	33%	top 68%	90.5%	89%
2017	3	0	0	0%	top 69%	90.1%	88.6%
2016	3	1	0	67%	top 49%	92.9%	91.5%
2015	4	2	1	50%	top 37%	94.4%	92.2%
2014	2	0	0	50%	top 44%	92%	91.1%
2013	3	0	0	67%	top 43%	91.8%	90.3%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2023-04-14	Bone Suckin' Sauce Peak City Pig Fest 🏅 Apex, NC	28 / 32 (631.8284)	26 (162.2400)	26 (157.7028)	29 (147.3600)	21 (164.5256)
2019-06-14	Bone Suckin Sauce Peak City Pig Fest 🏅 Apex, NC	30 / 38 (630.0916)	10 (170.8572)	35 (149.6344)	33 (150.2400)	21 (159.3600)
2018-10-12	Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down Rocky Mount, NC	24 / 39 (637.4628)	21 (161.0972)	26 (155.9200)	23 (161.0856)	19 (159.3600)
2018-08-03	Pigs & Pedals Asheboro, NC	43 / 48 (634.1940)	32 (163.9884)	26 (164.5828)	42 (156.5372)	46 (149.0856)
2018-06-15	Bone Suckin Sauce Peak City Pig Fest Apex, NC	23 / 44 (651.8168)	29 (164.5256)	35 (154.2172)	4 (168.5484)	13 (164.5256)
2017-10-13	Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down Rocky Mount, NC	40 / 50 (642.6284)	39 (157.0628)	23 (165.1200)	47 (151.9084)	13 (168.5372)
2017-08-04	*Pigs & Pedals Asheboro, NC	36 / 46 (621.5312)	24 (161.6800)	39 (149.0856)	18 (164.5600)	42 (146.2056)
2017-06-16	Peak City Pig Fest Apex, NC	23 / 47 (649.0400)	17 (166.8344)	27 (162.8344)	29 (160.5484)	28 (158.8228)
2016-09-09	Beak Week BBQ Challenge Goldsboro, NC	28 / 44 (655.8632)	12 (171.9772)	25 (166.2628)	34 (158.8232)	33 (158.8000)
2016-08-05	Pigs & Pedals Asheboro, NC	29 / 47 (651.9656)	40 (155.3600)	30 (159.4628)	8 (170.2628)	22 (166.8800)
2016-06-17	Peak City Pigfest Apex, NC	10 / 46 (669.1088)	32 (162.8228)	6 (172.6172)	16 (166.8344)	15 (166.8344)
2015-10-09	Eastern Carolina BBQ ThrowDown Rocky Mount, NC	24 / 49 (654.0912)	16 (167.3828)	37 (161.0856)	22 (163.9428)	22 (161.6800)
2015-09-11	Beak Week BBQ Challenge Goldsboro, NC	20 / 32 (651.8972)	12 (168.5600)	19 (162.2628)	20 (163.9656)	24 (157.1088)
2015-07-31	Pigs & Pedals Asheboro, NC	4 / 31 (679.4288)	8 (172.0000)	13 (165.1316)	3 (173.1772)	10 (169.1200)
2015-06-19	Peak City Pigfest Apex, NC	10 / 45 (670.2976)	1 (174.8572)	26 (159.4288)	19 (165.7372)	9 (170.2744)
2014-09-19	Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally Salisbury, NC	26 / 64 (662.1140)	15 (173.7028)	48 (156.5028)	11 (170.8228)	40 (161.0856)
2014-08-01	Pigs & Pedals Asheboro, NC	15 / 32 (649.0172)	7 (172.5600)	15 (159.9772)	20 (158.2056)	17 (158.2744)
2013-10-11	Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down Rocky Mount, NC	24 / 55 (643.9084)	42 (156.5372)	34 (156.5600)	28 (161.1312)	10 (169.6800)
2013-09-20	Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic Salisbury, NC	33 / 72 (661.0284)	53 (161.7028)	20 (169.1200)	60 (159.3828)	12 (170.8228)
2013-04-26	BBQ Capital Cook-Off Lexington, NC	29 / 71 (645.7138)	22 (165.1428)	65 (145.1426)	19 (168.5714)	10 (166.8570)

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
2023 ↗	Master	#1565 (57 pts)	#1597 (57 pts)	#1693 (57 pts)	#1570 (57 pts)	#1217 (77 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#1955 (60 pts)	#1508 (135 pts)	#2026 (60 pts)	#2029 (60 pts)	#1868 (80 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#1223 (195 pts)	#1264 (200 pts)	#1354 (180 pts)	#938 (340 pts)	#1074 (270 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#1338 (190 pts)	#1340 (225 pts)	#1460 (190 pts)	#1359 (215 pts)	#1261 (240 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#1399 (195 pts)	#1883 (120 pts)	#1330 (235 pts)	#1250 (260 pts)	#1484 (185 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#1045 (288 pts)	#1145 (273 pts)	#1385 (203 pts)	#1066 (313 pts)	#1390 (193 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#1449 (182 pts)	#1139 (287 pts)	#1507 (182 pts)	#1333 (227 pts)	#1561 (172 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#1444 (155 pts)	#1475 (165 pts)	#1571 (150 pts)	#1419 (180 pts)	#995 (300 pts)