TAR RIVER BBQ

TAR RIVER BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 10 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2016. Their best overall finish is 18th of 43 at the VA BBQ Championships (2014). They are ranked #4556 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#4,556

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1472

peak 1472 · rated over 10 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

May 17, 2013

latest Apr 29, 2016 · 3 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#970

Master 2014 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

3 podiums

Overall top-10s

0% of 10 contests

Avg finish

top 66%

overall standings

Best overall

646.7768 / 720

Master · Shenandoah Valley BBQ Fest

Perfect 180s

Current form

625.73 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 621.41 (+4.32)

Walk rate

40%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

173.1544

Pork Ribs · Chesapeake Jubilee BBQ Cook-Off

Consistency

±15.33

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Brisket

avg 155.88 · weakest Pork Ribs (154.61)

Road miles

785

across 10 mapped stops · furthest 148 mi

Schedule strength

26%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1535)

Master avg

621.41 / 720

10 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (4 found in their record)

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

A tough matchup

9–0 behind in the head-to-head

Serial Griller ahead in 100% of their meetings

Serial Griller has come out ahead in 9 of their 9 shared contests.

A strong matchup

3–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 75% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of MEATATARIAN'S in 3 of their 4 shared contests.

Brisket nemesis

7 of 9 shared brisket entries lost

Serial Griller ahead 78% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, Serial Griller has out-cooked them in 7 of 9 shared brisket entries.

The metronome

±2.13% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±2.13% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 86.3% of a perfect score
10 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	#2274 (60 pts)	#2353 (60 pts)	#2349 (60 pts)	#2326 (60 pts)	#2112 (100 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#1167 (240 pts)	#1254 (240 pts)	#806 (450 pts)	#1281 (240 pts)	#1144 (265 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#970 (326 pts)	#954 (371 pts)	#1199 (261 pts)	#892 (411 pts)	#680 (546 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#1950 (79 pts)	#1535 (154 pts)	#2600 (59 pts)	#1071 (284 pts)	#2609 (59 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to TAR RIVER BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.

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

Broke Bob's BBQ

#4,571 of the rated field

1472 power rating

Contests: 11
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1514

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to TAR RIVER BBQ)

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

rated over 11 contests
last seen Aug 17, 2018

⚔ Head-to-head

CAROLINA SMOKE

#4,534 of the rated field

1472 power rating

Contests: 36
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 6%
Peak: 1472

0–2 in 2 shared contests (0% to TAR RIVER BBQ)

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 36 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 36 contests
last seen May 17, 2019

⚔ Head-to-head

Grillin' Thyme

#4,565 of the rated field

1472 power rating

Contests: 37
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 8%
Peak: 1472

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to TAR RIVER BBQ)

37 contests to 10: their number has had years to settle where TAR RIVER BBQ's is still finding its level.

rated over 37 contests
last seen May 17, 2024

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Smoke on the Water BBQ

#4,545 of the rated field

1472 power rating

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

Level with TAR RIVER BBQ on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

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

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 Jun 27, 2025

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
Serial Griller	9	0	9	0%	⚔ compare
WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ	9	0	9	0%	⚔ compare
Smoke-A-Holics	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
MAKIN BACON BBQ	7	2	5	29%	⚔ compare
BIG DOG BBQ VA	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
APORKALYPSE NOW	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare
On a Roll BBQ	5	1	4	20%	⚔ compare
412Q	5	1	4	20%	⚔ compare
JD'S SMOKIN MISFITS	5	1	4	20%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN SKULLIES	5	0	5	0%	⚔ compare
HAMBONES BY THE FIRE	5	0	5	0%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	10	1	0	0	162.8572	139.9772	155.40	top 62%
Pork Ribs	10	1	0	1	173.1544	141.7144	154.61	top 68%
Pork	10	2	1	1	172.5828	142.8116	155.52	top 65%
Brisket	10	1	0	1	172.5944	138.8570	155.88	top 57%

“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)	3	0	top 67%
Large (40+)	7	0	top 66%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
VA	9	0	top 65%
NC	1	0	top 78%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
VA BBQ Championships	2	18	0	top 51%	Aug 21, 2015

More numbers

Busiest season 2015 4 contests

Contests a season 2.5 across 4 seasons in the data

Most contests held in VA 9 of 10 contests · 2 states in all

Contests visited 9 1 of them more than once

Opponents faced 228 finished ahead 139 times, behind 265

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

20162 milestones

Apr 29 10th tracked contest 3rd Annual Pickin' N Pullin
Apr 29 Most recent contest 3rd Annual Pickin' N Pullin

20151 milestone

May 15 Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)173.1544 Chesapeake Jubilee BBQ Cook-Off

20141 milestone

Oct 17 Career-best overall score646.7768 Shenandoah Valley BBQ Fest

20134 milestones

May 17 First tracked contest Chesapeake Jubilee BBQ Cook-off
May 17 First call Chesapeake Jubilee BBQ Cook-off
May 17 First category win (Pork) Chesapeake Jubilee BBQ Cook-off
May 17 Peak power rating (1497) Chesapeake Jubilee BBQ Cook-off

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+5.3	VA BBQ Championships	Aug 22, 2014
+1.9	Shenandoah Valley BBQ Fest	Oct 17, 2014
+0.6	VA BBQ Championships	Aug 21, 2015

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-11.7	Rockahock's Pickin' and Pullin' Festival	Apr 4, 2014
-6	2nd Annual Pickin' N' Pullin BBQ Competition	Apr 17, 2015
-5.6	Eastern Carolina BBQ ThrowDown	Oct 9, 2015
-4.4	Chesapeake Jubilee	May 16, 2014
-3.5	Chesapeake Jubilee BBQ Cook-Off	May 15, 2015

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	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2016	1	0	0%	top 65%	87.4%	87.4%
2015	4	0	25%	top 71%	88.9%	86.8%
2014	4	0	50%	top 63%	89.8%	85.8%
2013	1	1	100%	top 62%	85.2%	85.2%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Apr 29, 2016	3rd Annual Pickin' N Pullin Lanexa, VA	31 / 48 (629.5312)	44 (150.2400)	33 (158.2628)	37 (155.3484)	17 (165.6800)
Oct 9, 2015	Eastern Carolina BBQ ThrowDown Rocky Mount, NC	38 / 49 (632.4456)	43 (153.0628)	33 (162.2400)	35 (158.8800)	33 (158.2628)
Aug 21, 2015	VA BBQ Championships Hampton, VA	28 / 46 (639.8972)	26 (159.9772)	23 (165.7144)	29 (161.7028)	39 (152.5028)
May 15, 2015	Chesapeake Jubilee BBQ Cook-Off Chesapeake, VA	25 / 36 (617.6804)	33 (139.9772)	2 (173.1544)	28 (149.0972)	20 (155.4516)
Apr 17, 2015	2nd Annual Pickin' N' Pullin BBQ Competition Lanexa, VA	35 / 46 (609.0856)	30 (159.3712)	42 (146.2744)	42 (148.5600)	30 (154.8800)
Oct 17, 2014	Shenandoah Valley BBQ Fest Woodstock, VA	21 / 40 (646.7768)	26 (157.7028)	33 (151.3484)	4 (172.5828)	12 (165.1428)
Aug 22, 2014	VA BBQ Championships Hampton, VA	18 / 43 (625.6460)	13 (159.9772)	28 (150.2628)	36 (142.8116)	3 (172.5944)
May 16, 2014	Chesapeake Jubilee Chesapeake, VA	22 / 32 (601.0748)	23 (148.5144)	24 (149.6916)	24 (150.2744)	15 (152.5944)
Apr 4, 2014	Rockahock's Pickin' and Pullin' Festival Lanexa, VA	37 / 41 (598.8228)	16 (162.3428)	37 (147.3944)	39 (146.2512)	39 (142.8344)
May 17, 2013	Chesapeake Jubilee BBQ Cook-off Chesapeake, VA	21 / 34 (613.1430)	8 (162.8572)	29 (141.7144)	1 (169.7144)	29 (138.8570)

TAR RIVER BBQ

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 (4 found in their record)

A tough matchup

A strong matchup

Brisket nemesis

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 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)