JW HAYES BBQ

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

Power ranking

#2693

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1513

peak 1555 · rated over 17 contests ⓘ

Contests

in the data

First seen

2013-10-04

latest 2022-06-03

Best ToY finish

#721

Master 2015

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

3 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 17 contests

Avg finish

top 52%

overall standings

Best overall

686.2172 / 720

Master · *Newport Beach Winter Q

Perfect 180s

Current form

645.15 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 660.65 (-15.49)

Walk rate

65%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

177.7144

Pork Ribs · *Newport Beach Winter Q

Consistency

±19.56

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 168.26 · weakest Pork (161.48)

Road miles

632

mi across 17 mapped stops · furthest 51 mi

Schedule strength

45%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1558)

Purse competed for

$8K

listed at 1 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

GCs in 1 state-championship entries

Master avg

660.65 / 720

17 Master contests · 0 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (10 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.

They almost always walk

65% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 11 of 17 contests

A top-10 category call in 65% of their 17 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

686.2172 career-best overall

95.3% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 686.2172 at *Newport Beach Winter Q — 95.3% of a perfect 720.

Master
2017-01-27

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

DAY OF THE PIG BBQ has finished one call ahead of JW HAYES BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2015 their best year

2015 was the year it came together: 5 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 33%.

5 contests
1 overall top-10s
0 category wins
average top 33%

A tough matchup

16–0 behind in the head-to-head

LADY OF Q ahead in 100% of their meetings

LADY OF Q has come out ahead in 16 of their 16 shared contests.

The weak link

−6.8 points behind their best meat

Pork is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 6.78 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 6% of the time against 24%.

Pork avg 161.48
Chicken avg 168.26
1 calls in 17 entries

A strong matchup

7–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of BLUES ROCK BBQ in 7 of their 7 shared contests.

The comeback

3.8 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 3.8 years, then back at Horse Town Brew N Que Festival (2022-06-03).

last seen 2018-08-17
back 2022-06-03

Chicken nemesis

12 of 13 shared chicken entries lost

ZZYZX BAR.B.Q ahead 92% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, ZZYZX BAR.B.Q has out-cooked them in 12 of 13 shared chicken entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

DG FIREHOUSE BBQ has landed one call behind them 2 times.

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.

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

KenzielouQ

#2683 of the rated field

1514 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 19
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 42%
Peak: 1579

No shared contest yet.

They've been 1579 at their best, 65 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 18 contests
last seen 2024-10-11

⚔ Head-to-head

WATER HAWGS BBQ

#2687 of the rated field

1513 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 15
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 13%
Peak: 1516

No shared contest yet.

Their last contest in the data was back in 2019, 3 years before JW HAYES BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 15 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

Whimpy's

#2696 of the rated field

1513 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 14
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1537

No shared contest yet.

Careers of much the same size, 14 contests to 17, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 14 contests
last seen 2024-10-04

⚔ Head-to-head

EXPOSED BONE BBQ

#2712 of the rated field

1513 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 14
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 7%
Peak: 1513

No shared contest yet.

14 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 7% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 14 contests
last seen 2023-06-23

⚔ Head-to-head

Twin States BBQ

#2715 of the rated field

1513 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 13
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 31%
Peak: 1513

No shared contest yet.

They turned up 6 years after JW HAYES BBQ did, first appearing in 2019.

rated over 13 contests
last seen 2021-05-21

⚔ Head-to-head

Slowburn BBQ - AR

#2707 of the rated field

1513 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 12
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 25%
Peak: 1531

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 12 contests
last seen 2026-08-14

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
LADY OF Q	16	0	16	0%	⚔ compare
Sharpe's Woodshed	14	1	13	7%	⚔ compare
Que'd Up	13	8	5	62%	⚔ compare
NOTHING COMPARES 2 Q	13	5	8	38%	⚔ compare
SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ	13	2	11	15%	⚔ compare
ZZYZX BAR.B.Q	13	1	12	8%	⚔ compare
FU MAN QUE CREW	12	8	4	67%	⚔ compare
Smokin it Up BBQ	12	6	6	50%	⚔ compare
COOL GRILLING	12	6	6	50%	⚔ compare
DG FIREHOUSE BBQ	12	4	8	33%	⚔ compare
Burnin and Lootin	12	2	10	17%	⚔ compare
Meat Candy Q	11	4	7	36%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN' HART'S	11	4	7	36%	⚔ compare
JET COATINGS - MONKEY STYLE	11	3	8	27%	⚔ compare
BIG POPPA SMOKERS	11	0	11	0%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	17	4	1	177.1428	153.1656	168.26	top 43%
Pork Ribs	17	6	0	177.7144	154.2628	167.56	top 39%
Pork	17	1	0	173.1428	140.4800	161.48	top 64%
Brisket	17	3	2	175.4400	146.2284	163.36	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)	3	0	top 52%
Large (40+)	14	0	top 52%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Dana Point State BBQ Championship	2	29	0	top 57%	2016-10-07

The story so far (17 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 8.7 yrs 2013-10-04 → 2022-06-03

Busiest season 2015 5 contests

Contests a season 2.8 across 6 seasons in the data

Cooks most in CA 17 of 17 contests

Contests visited 16 1 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 17 entries · 0 wins · 4 calls

Strongest meat Chicken averages 168.26 · weakest Pork (161.48)

Walk rate 65% a top-10 call in 11 of 17 contests

Overall top-10 rate 12% 2 of 17 contests

Master average 660.65 out of 720 · 17 contests · 0 GCs

Opponents faced 376 466–502 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 632 17 mapped stops · furthest 51 mi

Schedule strength 1558 average field rating faced — tougher than 45% of rated contests

Purse competed for $8,000 listed at 1 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships 0 from 1 state-championship entries

Longest layoff 3.8 yrs 2018-08-17 → 2022-06-03

Power rating 1513 peak 1555 · #2693 of 6,413 rated

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

2013
Oct 4 First tracked contest Dana Point State BBQ Championship
2015
Mar 20 First overall past 90% of a perfect score667.9772 4th Annual Santa Anita Winners' Circle BBQ Championship
May 8 First call West Coast BBQ Classic
Jun 26 First overall top-10 Newport Beach Barbecue Contest
2017
Jan 27 10th tracked contest *Newport Beach Winter Q
Jan 27 Career-best overall score686.2172 *Newport Beach Winter Q
Jan 27 Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)177.7144 *Newport Beach Winter Q
Jan 27 Peak power rating (1555) *Newport Beach Winter Q
2022
Jun 3 Most recent contest Horse Town Brew N Que Festival

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+13.6	*Newport Beach Winter Q	2017-01-27
+8.9	City of Dana Point State BBQ Championship	2015-10-02
+8.9	West Coast BBQ Classic	2015-05-08
+8.4	Newport Beach Barbecue Contest	2015-06-26
+8	7th Annual Vista BBQ Classic	2015-07-24

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-11.9	*OC BBQ Competition	2017-10-13
-11.5	Horse Town Brew N Que Festival	2022-06-03
-6.9	Dana Point State BBQ Championship	2013-10-04
-6.4	7th Annual Santa Anita Winners Circle BBQ Championship	2018-03-23
-4.2	Turf & Surf BBQ Championship	2018-08-17

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	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2022	1	0	0%	top 89%	89.5%	89.5%
2018	3	0	67%	top 66%	92.9%	90.4%
2017	4	1	75%	top 57%	95.3%	91.1%
2016	3	0	100%	top 44%	94%	92.9%
2015	5	1	60%	top 33%	94.9%	94%
2013	1	0	0%	top 75%	85.9%	85.9%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2022-06-03	Horse Town Brew N Que Festival 🏅 Norco, CA	33 / 37 (644.4460)	30 (159.3828)	35 (158.2056)	34 (160.0232)	19 (166.8344)
2018-08-17	Turf & Surf BBQ Championship Del Mar, CA	35 / 51 (639.2912)	30 (160.5372)	8 (170.2628)	28 (162.2628)	41 (146.2284)
2018-06-01	Horse Town Brew B Que Festival Norco, CA	32 / 57 (669.1432)	9 (173.7028)	15 (172.5600)	42 (163.4516)	41 (159.4288)
2018-03-23	7th Annual Santa Anita Winners Circle BBQ Championship Arcadia, CA	58 / 78 (644.4684)	26 (170.2628)	28 (168.0112)	77 (151.3828)	64 (154.8116)
2017-10-13	*OC BBQ Competition Costa Messa, CA	51 / 56 (628.4228)	39 (164.5256)	50 (154.2628)	56 (140.4800)	13 (169.1544)
2017-07-28	8th Annual Vista BBQ Classic(JUDGES FULL) Vista, CA	25 / 40 (661.1888)	19 (169.7372)	7 (172.0000)	19 (165.7144)	33 (153.7372)
2017-05-12	West Coast BBQ Classic Long Beach, CA	25 / 40 (647.9544)	3 (177.1428)	27 (159.4172)	27 (158.3316)	30 (153.0628)
2017-01-27	*Newport Beach Winter Q Newport, CA	6 / 56 (686.2172)	22 (169.6800)	4 (177.7144)	18 (170.2628)	15 (168.5600)
2016-10-07	Dana Point State BBQ Championship Dana Point, CA	29 / 75 (666.3200)	28 (168.5600)	4 (175.4628)	30 (167.4972)	62 (154.8000)
2016-07-29	8th Annual Vista BBQ Classic Vista, CA	24 / 42 (662.2740)	26 (165.6684)	37 (155.4172)	20 (166.3084)	3 (174.8800)
2016-06-24	* Newport Beach Barbecue Competition Newport, CA	12 / 33 (677.1544)	4 (174.2856)	14 (168.0344)	23 (163.4172)	4 (171.4172)
2015-10-02	City of Dana Point State BBQ Championship Dana Point, CA	18 / 75 (680.6060)	16 (174.2972)	21 (170.8344)	54 (161.6800)	13 (173.7944)
2015-07-24	7th Annual Vista BBQ Classic Vista, CA	17 / 54 (683.4284)	36 (165.1312)	6 (176.0116)	32 (166.8456)	2 (175.4400)
2015-06-26	Newport Beach Barbecue Contest Newport Beach, CA	9 / 29 (678.8456)	9 (172.0000)	11 (168.0000)	6 (173.1428)	15 (165.7028)
2015-05-08	West Coast BBQ Classic Long Beach, CA	18 / 57 (674.8912)	22 (169.7256)	7 (172.5600)	39 (161.1656)	13 (171.4400)
2015-03-20	4th Annual Santa Anita Winners' Circle BBQ Championship Arcadia, CA	47 / 100 (667.9772)	26 (172.5828)	18 (170.8344)	57 (164.0000)	71 (160.5600)
2013-10-04	Dana Point State BBQ Championship Dana Point, CA	74 / 99 (618.3776)	79 (153.1656)	61 (158.8688)	86 (149.1544)	60 (157.1888)

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
2022 ↗	Master	#1309 (60 pts)	#1341 (60 pts)	#1404 (60 pts)	#1348 (60 pts)	#1213 (90 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#1266 (180 pts)	#1089 (265 pts)	#988 (325 pts)	#1342 (180 pts)	#1330 (180 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#965 (355 pts)	#854 (460 pts)	#808 (495 pts)	#1126 (305 pts)	#1002 (350 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#1193 (248 pts)	#1067 (328 pts)	#959 (383 pts)	#1444 (213 pts)	#762 (503 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#721 (489 pts)	#829 (439 pts)	#610 (639 pts)	#886 (409 pts)	#560 (664 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#1970 (75 pts)	#2073 (75 pts)	#2043 (75 pts)	#2080 (75 pts)	#2034 (75 pts)