SMOKIN RETURNS

SMOKIN RETURNS is a competition barbecue team with 11 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2019. Their best overall finish is 16th of 535 at the 34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open (2013). They are ranked #2345 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#2,345

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1525

peak 1529 · rated over 11 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Apr 5, 2013

latest Sep 12, 2019 · 6.4 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#1471

Master 2013 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

0 podiums

Overall top-10s

0% of 11 contests

Avg finish

top 47%

overall standings

Best overall

680.5484 / 720

Master · 34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open

Perfect 180s

Current form

647.52 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 654.09 (-6.57)

Walk rate

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

176

Pork Ribs · 36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Open

Consistency

±11.57

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 167.11 · weakest Pork Ribs (161.11)

Road miles

161

across 11 mapped stops

Schedule strength

47%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1561)

Purse competed for

$68K

listed at 1 contest — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 1 state-championship entry

Master avg

654.09 / 720

11 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (8 found in their record)

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

High-water mark

680.5484 career-best overall

94.5% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 680.5484 at 34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open — 94.5% of a perfect 720.

Master
Oct 3, 2013

A tough matchup

9–1 behind in the head-to-head

SLAPS BBQ ahead in 90% of their meetings

SLAPS BBQ has come out ahead in 9 of their 10 shared contests.

The weak link

−6.0 points behind their best meat

Pork Ribs is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 5.99 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 0% of the time against 0%.

Pork Ribs avg 161.11
Chicken avg 167.11
0 calls in 11 entries

A strong matchup

6–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of T'S SMOKIN PIT in 6 of their 6 shared contests.

The comeback

1.9 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 1.9 years, then back at Independence Fire & Ice BBQ (Sep 11, 2015).

last seen Oct 3, 2013
back Sep 11, 2015

Chicken nemesis

7 of 9 shared chicken entries lost

BURNT FINGER BBQ ahead 78% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, BURNT FINGER BBQ has out-cooked them in 7 of 9 shared chicken entries.

An October team

Top 30% average finish in October

Something about October: average finish in the top 30% across 3 contests, versus top 47% the rest of the year.

3 October contests
top 47% the rest of the year

Show 1 more storyline

The metronome

±1.54% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.54% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 90.8% of a perfect score
11 contests

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
2016 ↗	Master	#1775 (120 pts)	#1883 (120 pts)	#1884 (120 pts)	#1872 (120 pts)	#1839 (120 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#2158 (60 pts)	#2209 (60 pts)	#2031 (90 pts)	#2225 (60 pts)	#2214 (60 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#1471 (150 pts)	#1458 (170 pts)	#1571 (150 pts)	#1332 (200 pts)	#1506 (150 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to SMOKIN RETURNS, each with one reason worth a look.

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

TEXAS PEPPER JELLY

#2,354 of the rated field

1525 power rating

Contests: 11
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 9%
Peak: 1546

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to SMOKIN RETURNS)

One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team SMOKIN RETURNS has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 9 contests
last seen Mar 22, 2019

⚔ Head-to-head

PAT BBQ

#2,350 of the rated field

1525 power rating

Contests: 7
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 43%
Peak: 1525

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to SMOKIN RETURNS)

Fewer contests behind them than SMOKIN RETURNS has cooked, 7 to 11, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.

rated over 7 contests
last seen Jun 8, 2019

⚔ Head-to-head

SALT CREEK BAR-B-QUE

#2,355 of the rated field

1525 power rating

Contests: 6
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 33%
Peak: 1525

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to SMOKIN RETURNS)

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

rated over 6 contests
last seen Sep 7, 2018

⚔ Head-to-head

EZ-D'S SMOKE SHACK

#2,351 of the rated field

1525 power rating

Contests: 11
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 18%
Peak: 1525

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 Jul 18, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

MADCOW BARBEQUE

#2,336 of the rated field

1525 power rating

Contests: 11
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 55%
Peak: 1542

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

rated over 11 contests
last seen Jul 20, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

Sasquatch Inferno

#2,347 of the rated field

1525 power rating

Contests: 9
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 33%
Peak: 1530

Careers of much the same size, 9 contests to 11, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 9 contests
last seen Sep 26, 2025

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
Theslabs.com	10	3	7	30%	⚔ compare
SLAPS BBQ	10	1	9	10%	⚔ compare
DIRT ROAD BBQ	10	1	9	10%	⚔ compare
PIG NEWTON	9	4	5	44%	⚔ compare
VALLEY OAKS STEAK COMPANY	9	3	6	33%	⚔ compare
50 SHADES OF QUE	9	2	7	22%	⚔ compare
BURNT FINGER BBQ	9	1	8	11%	⚔ compare
SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ	9	1	8	11%	⚔ compare
Bare Bones BBQ Team	8	5	3	63%	⚔ compare
ALL FORKED UP FOR Q	8	3	5	38%	⚔ compare
SMOOTH SMOKE	8	2	6	25%	⚔ compare
GETTIN' BASTED	8	1	7	13%	⚔ compare
ROADKILL BBQ	7	6	1	86%	⚔ compare
HI-TECH SMOKERS	7	6	1	86%	⚔ compare
S&S BBQ	7	4	3	57%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	11	172	159.4400	167.11	top 40%
Pork Ribs	11	176	143.8400	161.11	top 57%
Pork	11	174.2628	158.8000	163.25	top 58%
Brisket	11	171.4056	157.6916	162.62	top 50%

“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 state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
MO	8	0	top 48%
KS	3	0	top 45%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
BBQ and Fly In on the River	2	31	0	top 58%	Aug 19, 2016

More numbers

Busiest season 2016 4 contests

Contests a season 2.2 across 5 seasons in the data

Most contests held in MO 8 of 11 contests · 2 states in all

Contests visited 10 1 of them more than once

Opponents faced 1,586 finished ahead 1,857 times, behind 1,164

Longest layoff 1.9 yrs Oct 3, 2013 → Sep 11, 2015

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

20191 milestone

Sep 12 Most recent contest 40th American Royal World Series of Barbecue- OPEN CONTEST

20181 milestone

Sep 15 10th tracked contest 39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN)

20152 milestones

Oct 3 Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)176 36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Open
Oct 3 Peak power rating (1529) 36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Open

20133 milestones

Apr 5 First tracked contest Smokin' On Big Creek
Aug 16 First overall past 90% of a perfect score648.4572 BBQ and Fly In on the River
Oct 3 Career-best overall score680.5484 34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+16.2	34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open	Oct 3, 2013
+8.5	36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Open	Oct 3, 2015
+8.3	40th American Royal World Series of Barbecue- OPEN CONTEST	Sep 12, 2019
+6.3	Independence Fire & Ice BBQ	Sep 11, 2015
+3	BBQ and Fly In on the River	Aug 16, 2013

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-5.1	Independence Fire & Ice BBQ	Sep 9, 2016
-4.9	Smokin' On Big Creek	Apr 5, 2013
-3.6	BBQ and Fly In on the River	Aug 19, 2016
-2.5	Racing for the BBQ	Jul 29, 2016
-0.7	37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN)	Oct 29, 2016

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	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2019	1	0%	top 17%	90.9%	90.9%
2018	1	0%	top 60%	90.9%	90.9%
2016	4	0%	top 66%	91.7%	90.2%
2015	2	0%	top 32%	92.6%	92.2%
2013	3	0%	top 39%	94.5%	91.2%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Sep 12, 2019	40th American Royal World Series of Barbecue- OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS	80 / 468 (490.8112)	353 (159.4400)	284 (163.3828)	275 (163.3828)	286 (160.5144)
Sep 15, 2018	39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	278 / 467 (654.1712)	226 (166.8456)	318 (161.6800)	267 (162.8572)	265 (162.7884)
Oct 29, 2016	37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	328 / 557 (648.5144)	78 (172)	372 (159.9656)	414 (158.8572)	355 (157.6916)
Sep 9, 2016	Independence Fire & Ice BBQ Independence, MO	55 / 76 (640.3084)	30 (167.3828)	74 (143.8400)	50 (163.9656)	34 (165.1200)
Aug 19, 2016	BBQ and Fly In on the River Excelsior Springs, MO	39 / 56 (647.9084)	35 (164.5944)	42 (162.8228)	45 (160.5484)	37 (159.9428)
Jul 29, 2016	Racing for the BBQ Lee's Summit, MO	35 / 54 (659.9200)	31 (168)	17 (169.1428)	48 (158.8000)	29 (163.9772)
Oct 3, 2015	36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Open Kansas City, MO	169 / 606 (666.8340)	187 (168)	19 (176)	408 (159.9884)	284 (162.8456)
Sep 11, 2015	Independence Fire & Ice BBQ Independence, MO	27 / 76 (661.0512)	21 (167.9656)	18 (169.1200)	39 (161.1200)	33 (162.8456)
Oct 3, 2013	34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO	16 / 535 (680.5484)	46 (171.4284)	180 (163.4516)	21 (174.2628)	40 (171.4056)
Aug 16, 2013	BBQ and Fly In on the River Excelsior Springs, MO	31 / 66 (648.4572)	29 (163.9656)	54 (153.1316)	15 (169.7028)	31 (161.6572)
Apr 5, 2013	Smokin' On Big Creek Pleasant Hill, MO	49 / 74 (640.5708)	21 (168.5712)	66 (149.7142)	50 (162.2854)	45 (160)

SMOKIN RETURNS

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 (8 found in their record)

High-water mark

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

The comeback

Chicken nemesis

An October team

The metronome

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 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)