BAD NEWS BEER 'N' QUE

BAD NEWS BEER 'N' QUE is a competition barbecue team with 19 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2018. Their best overall finish is 10th of 25 at the Truman Heritage Festival BBQ Championship (2016). They are ranked #5093 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#5,093

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1461

peak 1461 · rated over 19 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Jun 7, 2013

latest May 18, 2018 · 4.9 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#1368

Master 2015 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

0 podiums

Overall top-10s

5% of 19 contests

Avg finish

top 68%

overall standings

Best overall

669.0512 / 720

Master · Main Street BBQ & Bluesfest

Perfect 180s

Current form

641.02 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 627.93 (+13.09)

Walk rate

21%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

172.5600

Pork · Truman Heritage Festival BBQ Championship

Consistency

±42.84

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 161.03 · weakest Brisket (156.48)

Road miles

1,520

across 19 mapped stops · furthest 139 mi

Schedule strength

31%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1541)

Master avg

627.93 / 720

19 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (7 found in their record)

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

High-water mark

669.0512 career-best overall

92.9% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 669.0512 at Main Street BBQ & Bluesfest — 92.9% of a perfect 720.

Master
Apr 15, 2016

Their season

2016 their best year

2016 was the year it came together: 3 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 35%.

3 contests
1 overall top-10
0 category wins
average top 35%

A tough matchup

11–1 behind in the head-to-head

THUMP & STRUM BBQ ahead in 92% of their meetings

THUMP & STRUM BBQ has come out ahead in 11 of their 12 shared contests.

The weak link

−4.5 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 4.54 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 5% of the time against 6%.

Brisket avg 156.48
Chicken avg 161.03
1 call in 19 entries

A strong matchup

7–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of SMKN Q MO in 7 of their 7 shared contests.

Chicken nemesis

10 of 12 shared chicken entries lost

THUMP & STRUM BBQ ahead 83% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, THUMP & STRUM BBQ has out-cooked them in 10 of 12 shared chicken entries.

A May team

Top 55% average finish in May

Something about May: average finish in the top 55% across 3 contests, versus top 68% the rest of the year.

3 May contests
top 68% the rest of the year

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	#1739 (125 pts)	#1883 (120 pts)	#1790 (135 pts)	#1613 (175 pts)	#2228 (80 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#1368 (182 pts)	#1320 (222 pts)	#1585 (162 pts)	#1911 (117 pts)	#1213 (242 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#1672 (146 pts)	#1746 (146 pts)	#1532 (176 pts)	#1741 (146 pts)	#1729 (146 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#1970 (75 pts)	#2073 (75 pts)	#2043 (75 pts)	#2080 (75 pts)	#2034 (75 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to BAD NEWS BEER 'N' QUE, each with one reason worth a look.

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

BIG LOG BBQ

#5,108 of the rated field

1460 power rating

Contests: 9
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1460

2–2 in 4 shared contests (50% to BAD NEWS BEER 'N' QUE)

These two have cooked 4 of the same contests — honours even — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.

rated over 9 contests
last seen Apr 20, 2018

⚔ Head-to-head

Big D & Briquettes BBQ

#5,099 of the rated field

1461 power rating

Contests: 6
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1461

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to BAD NEWS BEER 'N' QUE)

Fewer contests behind them than BAD NEWS BEER 'N' QUE has cooked, 6 to 19, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.

rated over 6 contests
last seen Sep 27, 2024

⚔ Head-to-head

Sloppy Seconds

#5,091 of the rated field

1461 power rating

Contests: 20
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1520

They've been 1520 at their best, 60 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 20 contests
last seen Sep 27, 2024

⚔ Compare careers

The Spice Is Right

#5,103 of the rated field

1461 power rating

Contests: 19
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 5%
Peak: 1461

19 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 5% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 18 contests
last seen Jun 7, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

HOT ASH BBQ COMPANY

#5,083 of the rated field

1461 power rating

Contests: 16
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1461

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

rated over 16 contests
last seen Aug 24, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

Wild Hog BBQ

#5,112 of the rated field

1460 power rating

Contests: 15
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 33%
Peak: 1460

Level with BAD NEWS BEER 'N' QUE on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 15 contests
last seen Jun 26, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
THUMP & STRUM BBQ	12	1	11	8%	⚔ compare
NICKLE BOYS BBQ	11	3	8	27%	⚔ compare
ALL FORKED UP FOR Q	10	2	8	20%	⚔ compare
SLAPS BBQ	10	0	10	0%	⚔ compare
Sons of a Brisket	10	0	10	0%	⚔ compare
SMOOTH SMOKE	9	1	8	11%	⚔ compare
Theslabs.com	9	0	9	0%	⚔ compare
PELLET ENVY	9	0	9	0%	⚔ compare
GETTIN' BASTED	9	0	9	0%	⚔ compare
BUTT BROS BBQ	8	6	2	75%	⚔ compare
BURNT FINGER BBQ	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
SMKN Q MO	7	7	0	100%	⚔ compare
HANG 'EM' HIGH	7	3	4	43%	⚔ compare
WALDO BBQ	7	1	6	14%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	18	1	171.4056	143.9656	161.03	top 60%
Pork Ribs	19	1	168.5712	141.6228	158.08	top 65%
Pork	19	3	172.5600	144.5484	160.82	top 63%
Brisket	19	1	172.5600	143.4400	156.48	top 64%

“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)	5	0	top 62%
Large (40+)	14	0	top 70%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Smokin' On The Summit	4	21	top 63%	Jun 2, 2017
Racing for the BBQ	2	43	top 79%	Jul 28, 2017
Truman Heritage Festival BBQ Championship	2	10	top 39%	May 6, 2016

More numbers

Busiest season 2015 5 contests

Contests a season 3.2 across 6 seasons in the data

Most contests held in MO 19 of 19 contests

Contests visited 14 3 of them more than once

Opponents faced 537 finished ahead 342 times, behind 717

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

20181 milestone

May 18 Most recent contest 23rd Annual Platte City BBQ Cook Off at Basswood Resort

20163 milestones

Apr 15 Career-best overall score669.0512 Main Street BBQ & Bluesfest
May 6 First overall top-10 Truman Heritage Festival BBQ Championship
May 6 Career-best single call (Pork)172.5600 Truman Heritage Festival BBQ Championship

20152 milestones

May 1 First overall past 90% of a perfect score664.5372 Truman Heritage Festival BBQ Championship
May 1 10th tracked contest Truman Heritage Festival BBQ Championship

20133 milestones

Jun 7 First tracked contest SMOKIN on the Summit
Jun 7 Peak power rating (1489) SMOKIN on the Summit
Sep 27 First call Hermann BBQ & Brats Festival

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+13.7	Main Street BBQ & Bluesfest	Apr 15, 2016
+11.5	Smokin' on the Summit	Jun 5, 2015
+9.7	Truman Heritage Festival BBQ Championship	May 1, 2015
+8.2	Truman Heritage Festival BBQ Championship	May 6, 2016
+6.9	Smokin' on the Summit BBQ	Jun 3, 2016

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-11.5	7th Annual Main Street BBQ & Bluesfest	Apr 17, 2015
-11.1	Blue Springs Barbeque Blaze-Off	Sep 6, 2013
-11	SMOKIN on the Summit	Jun 7, 2013
-9.9	Racing for the BBQ	Jul 25, 2014
-9.8	Smokin on the Summit	Jun 6, 2014

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	Top-10s	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2018	1	0	0%	top 86%	86.3%	86.3%
2017	3	0	0%	top 64%	90.1%	89.2%
2016	3	1	33%	top 35%	92.9%	91.9%
2015	5	0	40%	top 64%	92.3%	85.2%
2014	4	0	0%	top 88%	87.8%	86%
2013	3	0	33%	top 78%	89.1%	85.8%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
May 18, 2018	23rd Annual Platte City BBQ Cook Off at Basswood Resort Platte City, MO	32 / 37 (621.0972)	37 (149.1428)	27 (161.1316)	24 (161.1200)	29 (149.7028)
Oct 6, 2017	Independence Fire & Ice BBQ Independence, MO	45 / 76 (640.3768)	46 (161.6456)	42 (159.9428)	46 (162.8228)	51 (155.9656)
Jul 28, 2017	Racing for the BBQ Lee's Summit, MO	43 / 54 (638.1260)	38 (164.5372)	44 (153.6916)	43 (157.6572)	36 (162.2400)
Jun 2, 2017	Smokin' On The Summit Lee's Summit, MO	35 / 65 (648.9940)	15 (171.4056)	64 (141.6228)	17 (169.7028)	19 (166.2628)
Jun 3, 2016	Smokin' on the Summit BBQ Lee's Summit, MO	25 / 67 (656.5028)	26 (168)	28 (165.0972)	49 (157.7028)	21 (165.7028)
May 6, 2016	Truman Heritage Festival BBQ Championship Grandview, MO	10 / 25 (660.5144)	11 (165.1544)	9 (168.5256)	5 (172.5600)	19 (154.2744)
Apr 15, 2016	Main Street BBQ & Bluesfest Washington, MO	14 / 53 (669.0512)	30 (166.2628)	17 (168.5712)	18 (167.3828)	18 (166.8344)
Jul 24, 2015	Racing for the BBQ Lees Summit, MO	50 / 63 (637.5772)	42 (162.2400)	50 (154.8116)	55 (159.4284)	40 (161.0972)
Jun 5, 2015	Smokin' on the Summit Lee's Summit, MO	21 / 78 (657.7028)	25 (166.8800)	44 (155.4172)	10 (170.2628)	22 (165.1428)
May 1, 2015	Truman Heritage Festival BBQ Championship Grandview, MO	12 / 32 (664.5372)	7 (168.5600)	16 (164.0344)	27 (159.3828)	5 (172.5600)
Apr 17, 2015	7th Annual Main Street BBQ & Bluesfest Washington, MO	49 / 49 (466.7656)	—	31 (159.9772)	29 (157.7028)	42 (149.0856)
Apr 3, 2015	Smokin On Big Creek BBQ Contest Benefiting Operation BBQ Relief (Judges Full) Pleasant Hill, MO	54 / 71 (640.5028)	54 (157.6916)	52 (159.4172)	55 (160.5828)	36 (162.8112)
Sep 26, 2014	Hermann Bar-BQ and Brats Festival Hermann, MO	32 / 37 (631.9200)	22 (164.5600)	34 (152.5256)	33 (155.9656)	25 (158.8688)
Jul 25, 2014	Racing for the BBQ Lee's Summit, MO	49 / 54 (622.1604)	46 (159.9544)	33 (161.1316)	46 (156.5600)	53 (144.5144)
Jun 6, 2014	Smokin on the Summit Lee's Summit, MO	69 / 79 (598.7312)	19 (166.8228)	75 (143.9200)	76 (144.5484)	69 (143.4400)
Apr 11, 2014	6th Annual Main Street BBQ & Bluesfest Washington, MO	40 / 46 (623.2912)	44 (149.1084)	19 (164.5600)	31 (160.5256)	42 (149.0972)
Sep 27, 2013	Hermann BBQ & Brats Festival Hermann, MO	23 / 39 (641.6000)	17 (166.2744)	28 (157.0972)	10 (168.5828)	30 (149.6456)
Sep 6, 2013	Blue Springs Barbeque Blaze-Off Blue Springs, MO	64 / 72 (606.7088)	70 (143.9656)	53 (156.5260)	61 (158.2744)	62 (147.9428)
Jun 7, 2013	SMOKIN on the Summit Lees Summit, MO	69 / 81 (604.5716)	74 (146.2858)	55 (155.4286)	59 (154.8570)	64 (148.0002)

BAD NEWS BEER 'N' QUE

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 (7 found in their record)

High-water mark

Their season

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

Chicken nemesis

A May team

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

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)