The heartbreaker
0.0344
points from the title
Came within 0.0344 points of the Grand Championship at Boomer Backyard BBQ Cookoff (BACKYARD ONLY) (Aug 15, 2026).
SASSY SMOKE BBQ
SASSY SMOKE BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 22 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2025 and 2026. They have won 3 Grand Championships, most recently at the Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 1 (MASTER & BACKYARD) (2026), and finished Reserve Grand Champion twice. They are ranked #881 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings.
At a glance (the record in numbers)
Rating
1618
peak 1625 · rated over 17 contests3 invitational or side-series contests not counted
Contests
22
in the data
First seen
Apr 25, 2025
latest Aug 28, 2026 · 1.3 years on the trail
Grand champs
3
2 reserve · wins it all 14% of the time
Category wins
3
8 podiums
Overall top-10s
12
55% of 22 contests
Best top-10 run
4
straight overall top-10s
Avg finish
top 32%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
1 🔥
Current form
343.16 ▲
last 5 Backyard vs avg 341.26 (+1.90)
Walk rate
55%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±6.89
spread of their Backyard overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Chicken
avg 171.85 · weakest Pork (162.24)
Road miles
3,253
across 22 mapped stops · furthest 614 mi
Schedule strength
72%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1591)
Purse competed for
$100K
listed at 19 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
3 🏅
won from 9 state-championship entries
Master avg
669.60 / 720
1 Master contest · 0 GCs
Backyard avg
341.26 / 360
16 Backyard contests · 3 GCs
These overall scores sit on different scales (Master out of 720, Backyard out of 360), so they're kept separate — averaging them together would be misleading.
This team cooks the Backyard series — its own boards, records and Team of the Year are here.
Team of the Year (rank per category by season — the year links to the full board on kcbs.us)
Teams like this (closest power rating)
The teams rated closest to SASSY SMOKE BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.
#880 of the rated field
- Contests
- 51
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 45%
- Peak
- 1618
1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to SASSY SMOKE BBQ)
One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team SASSY SMOKE BBQ has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.
⚔ Head-to-head#883 of the rated field
- Contests
- 22
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 36%
- Peak
- 1619
This is the highest they've ever been rated, 21 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.
⚔ Compare careers#878 of the rated field
- Contests
- 35
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 29%
- Peak
- 1619
A longer road to the same neighbourhood — 35 contests to 22.
⚔ Compare careers#882 of the rated field
- Contests
- 38
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 42%
- Peak
- 1618
Their rating is built on 1 Grand Championship in 38 contests, alongside a 42% overall top-10 rate.
⚔ Compare careers#884 of the rated field
- Contests
- 41
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 27%
- Peak
- 1628
Their last contest in the data was back in 2021, 5 years before SASSY SMOKE BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.
⚔ Compare careers#877 of the rated field
- Contests
- 67
- GCs
- 2
- Top-10s
- 25%
- Peak
- 1647
They were already cooking in 2013, 12 years before SASSY SMOKE BBQ's first contest.
⚔ Compare careersFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DAWGS BBQ | 15 | 8 | 7 | 53% | ⚔ compare |
| Big Bear BBQ | 14 | 11 | 3 | 79% | ⚔ compare |
| Sensuous BBQ | 14 | 10 | 4 | 71% | ⚔ compare |
| FENDER BENDER BBQ | 13 | 6 | 7 | 46% | ⚔ compare |
| Big Ten Bones | 12 | 8 | 4 | 67% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOKEY GQ | 12 | 7 | 5 | 58% | ⚔ compare |
| Big Mike's Smokehouse | 10 | 8 | 2 | 80% | ⚔ compare |
| Porket About It | 10 | 5 | 5 | 50% | ⚔ compare |
| SPITFIRE | 9 | 8 | 1 | 89% | ⚔ compare |
| WHEN PIGS DIE | 9 | 7 | 2 | 78% | ⚔ compare |
| Wapatui Smokers | 9 | 7 | 2 | 78% | ⚔ compare |
| SmoQued On Main St | 9 | 7 | 2 | 78% | ⚔ compare |
| Big Racks BBQ | 9 | 4 | 5 | 44% | ⚔ compare |
| HOT DADDY'S BBQ | 9 | 3 | 6 | 33% | ⚔ compare |
| Briskey Business BBQ | 8 | 6 | 2 | 75% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 18 | 9 | 2 | 5 | 180 🔥 | 167.9656 | 171.85 | top 33% |
| Pork Ribs | 19 | 11 | 1 | 3 | 178.3200 | 161.7256 | 169.68 | top 39% |
| Pork | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 162.2400 | 162.2400 | 162.24 | top 91% |
| Brisket | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 167.3828 | 167.3828 | 167.38 | top 59% |
“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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (<20 teams) | 4 | 0 | top 24% |
| Medium (20–39) | 9 | 1 | top 41% |
| Large (40+) | 4 | 2 | top 18% |
Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 1 (MASTER & BACKYARD) | 2 | 1 | 1 | top 32% | Jun 12, 2026 |
| Minnesota in May | 2 | 1 | 1 | top 9% | May 8, 2026 |
| Boomer Backyard BBQ Cookoff (BACKYARD ONLY) | 2 | 2 | 0 | top 32% | Aug 15, 2026 |
| Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 2 (MASTER & BACKYARD) | 2 | 15 | 0 | top 49% | Jun 13, 2026 |
| Smoke & Fire (BACKYARD ONLY) | 2 | 3 | 0 | top 19% | Apr 24, 2026 |
| Art of the Que (Masters and Backyard 1) | 2 | 2 | 0 | top 16% | Jun 27, 2025 |
More numbers
Busiest season
2026
12 contests · 2 GCs
Contests a season
11
across 2 seasons in the data
Most contests held in
WI
8 of 22 contests · 5 states in all
Contests visited
12
6 of them more than once
Most-entered meat
Pork Ribs
19 entries · 1 win · 11 calls
First title
May 30, 2025
Smokin' in Steele
Opponents faced
358
finished ahead 594 times, behind 288
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
20265 milestones
- Biggest field won (77 teams) Minnesota in May
- First perfect 180 (Chicken) Boomer Backyard BBQ Cookoff (BACKYARD ONLY)
- Peak power rating (1625) Boomer Backyard BBQ Cookoff (BACKYARD ONLY)
- Career-best overall score669.6004 MN Masters BBQ
- Most recent contest MN Masters BBQ
202510 milestones
- First tracked contest Smoke & Fire (BACKYARD ONLY)
- First call Smoke & Fire (BACKYARD ONLY)
- First category win (Pork Ribs) Smoke & Fire (BACKYARD ONLY)
- First overall top-10 Smoke & Fire (BACKYARD ONLY)
- First overall podium Smoke & Fire (BACKYARD ONLY)
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score346.8456 Smoke & Fire (BACKYARD ONLY)
- First Grand Championship Smokin' in Steele
- First state championship Smokin' in Steele
- First Reserve Championship Art of the Que (Backyard 2)
- 10th tracked contest Boomer Backyard BBQ Cookoff (BACKYARD ONLY)
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +17.9 | Smokin' in Steele | May 30, 2025 |
| +17.2 | Minnesota in May | May 8, 2026 |
| +17 | Smoke & Fire (BACKYARD ONLY) | Apr 25, 2025 |
| +16.9 | Art of the Que (Backyard 2) | Jun 27, 2025 |
| +15.9 | Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 1 (MASTER & BACKYARD) | Jun 12, 2026 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -10 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue Steak Cook-Off | Mar 20, 2026 |
| -8.8 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue Backyard Contest | Mar 20, 2026 |
| -6.6 | MN Masters BBQ | Aug 28, 2026 |
| -0.9 | Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 2 (MASTER & BACKYARD) | Jun 14, 2025 |
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 | GCs | Top-10s | Category wins | Walk rate | Avg finish | Best overall (% of perfect) | Avg overall (% of perfect) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 12 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 42% | top 33% | 98.1% | 94.8% |
| 2025 | 10 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 70% | top 30% | 96.3% | 94.4% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 28, 2026 | MN Masters BBQ 🏅 Pierz, MN | 15 / 22 (669.6004) | 14 (169.6916) | 11 (170.2860) | 20 (162.2400) | 13 (167.3828) |
| Aug 15, 2026 | Boomer Backyard BBQ Cookoff (BACKYARD ONLY) Canton, MN | 2 / 18 (353.1200) | 1 (180) | 7 (173.1200) | — | — |
| Jun 13, 2026 | Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 2 (MASTER & BACKYARD) 🏅 West Salem, WI | 15 / 37 (335.3484) | 13 (169.6684) | 17 (165.6800) | — | — |
| Jun 12, 2026 | Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 1 (MASTER & BACKYARD) 🏅 West Salem, WI | 1 / 40 (351.9772) | 4 (176.5600) | 3 (175.4172) | — | — |
| May 24, 2026 | 8th Annual KCBS World Invitational: Master Series Invitational and the Backyard Series Invitational (Sunday, May 24, 2026) unrated Lebanon, TN | 41 / 82 (333.1088) | 39 (167.9656) | 42 (165.1432) | — | — |
| May 22, 2026 | 8th Annual KCBS World Invitational: World Chicken Finals (Friday, May 22, 2026) unrated Lebanon, TN | — | 39 (171.9772) | — | — | — |
| May 22, 2026 | 8th Annual KCBS World Invitational: World Rib Finals (Friday, May 22, 2026) unrated Lebanon, TN | — | — | 24 (175.4056) | — | — |
| May 15, 2026 | BBQ Fest - Chippewa Falls, WI (BACKYARD ONLY) Chippewa Falls, WI | 5 / 21 (342.2628) | 8 (170.8456) | 6 (171.4172) | — | — |
| May 8, 2026 | Minnesota in May 🏅 St. Peter, MN | 1 / 77 (350.2744) | 3 (175.4056) | 4 (174.8688) | — | — |
| Apr 24, 2026 | Smoke & Fire (BACKYARD ONLY) Stanley, WI | 6 / 24 (341.7028) | 13 (168) | 3 (173.7028) | — | — |
| Mar 20, 2026 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue Backyard Contest Kansas City, MO | 25 / 33 (333.6912) | 13 (171.9656) | 28 (161.7256) | — | — |
| Mar 20, 2026 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue Steak Cook-Off Kansas City, MO | 9 (167.3944) | — | — | — | — |
| Aug 16, 2025 | Boomer Backyard BBQ Cookoff (BACKYARD ONLY) Canton, MN | 9 / 17 (333.0972) | 7 (170.8112) | 13 (162.2860) | — | — |
| Jun 27, 2025 | Art of the Que (Masters and Backyard 1) 🏅 Spencer, IA | 3 / 15 (343.4056) | 2 (173.1428) | 4 (170.2628) | — | — |
| Jun 27, 2025 | Art of the Que (Backyard 2) Spencer, IA | 2 / 17 (341.6916) | 1 (177.7028) | 8 (163.9888) | — | — |
| Jun 27, 2025 | Art of the Que (One Meat Ribs) Spencer, IA | — | — | 9 (169.6800) | — | — |
| Jun 14, 2025 | Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 2 (MASTER & BACKYARD) 🏅 West Salem, WI | 21 / 36 (330.7772) | 14 (168.5372) | 25 (162.2400) | — | — |
| Jun 13, 2025 | Bring'n Home the Bacon (ONE MEAT RIBS) West Salem, WI | — | — | — | — | — |
| Jun 13, 2025 | Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 1 (MASTER & BACKYARD) 🏅 West Salem, WI | 22 / 36 (335.3944) | 22 (168) | 19 (167.3944) | — | — |
| May 30, 2025 | Smokin' in Steele 🏅 Owatonna, MN | 1 / 28 (345.1772) | 2 (173.7256) | 4 (171.4516) | — | — |
| May 9, 2025 | Minnesota in May 🏅 St. Peter, MN | 10 / 58 (342.2628) | 18 (170.8228) | 8 (171.4400) | — | — |
| Apr 25, 2025 | Smoke & Fire (BACKYARD ONLY) Stanley, WI | 3 / 24 (346.8456) | 9 (168.5256) | 1 (178.3200) | — | — |
An unrated contest — an invitational, or a Competitor or Kosher Series board — is in the record but doesn’t move the power rating.