FIGHTIN' RIBTIPS

FIGHTIN' RIBTIPS is a competition barbecue team with 9 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2019. Their best overall finish is 6th of 40 at the Route 66 Smoke Out (TEAMS AND JUDGES FULL) (2015). They are ranked #2590 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#2,590

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1517

peak 1529 · rated over 9 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Oct 11, 2013

latest Jun 28, 2019 · 5.7 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#1009

Master 2015 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

0 podiums

Overall top-10s

11% of 9 contests

Avg finish

top 49%

overall standings

Best overall

679.9660 / 720

Master · Route 66 Smoke Out (TEAMS AND JUDGES FULL)

Perfect 180s

Current form

648.23 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 652.17 (-3.94)

Walk rate

78%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

173.7260

Pork Ribs · Route 66 Smoke Out (TEAMS AND JUDGES FULL)

Consistency

±11.49

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 163.22 · weakest Brisket (162.91)

Road miles

760

across 9 mapped stops · furthest 83 mi

Schedule strength

37%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1550)

Purse competed for

$6,300

listed at 1 contest — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 1 state-championship entry

Master avg

652.17 / 720

9 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (9 found in their record)

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

They almost always walk

78% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 7 of 9 contests

A top-10 category call in 78% of their 9 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

679.9660 career-best overall

94.4% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 679.9660 at Route 66 Smoke Out (TEAMS AND JUDGES FULL) — 94.4% of a perfect 720.

Master
May 1, 2015

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

HUSKY HOG BBQ has finished one call ahead of FIGHTIN' RIBTIPS 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

A tough matchup

8–0 behind in the head-to-head

QUAU ahead in 100% of their meetings

QUAU has come out ahead in 8 of their 8 shared contests.

A strong matchup

6–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 86% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of MEATSMACK in 6 of their 7 shared contests.

The comeback

3.1 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 3.1 years, then back at BBQ SmokeDown at Chicagoland (Jun 28, 2019).

last seen May 28, 2016
back Jun 28, 2019

Chicken nemesis

6 of 8 shared chicken entries lost

QUAU ahead 75% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, QUAU has out-cooked them in 6 of 8 shared chicken entries.

Show 2 more storylines

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

DAD'S SMOKIN' BUTT BBQ has landed one call behind them 2 times.

The metronome

±1.60% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.60% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 90.6% of a perfect score
9 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
2019 ↗	Master	#1955 (60 pts)	#2049 (60 pts)	#2026 (60 pts)	#2029 (60 pts)	#1973 (65 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#1624 (150 pts)	#1883 (120 pts)	#1593 (175 pts)	#1872 (120 pts)	#1078 (310 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#1009 (300 pts)	#1122 (280 pts)	#1022 (330 pts)	#1034 (325 pts)	#1000 (330 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#1358 (202 pts)	#1248 (252 pts)	#1234 (252 pts)	#1407 (212 pts)	#1615 (162 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#1970 (75 pts)	#1412 (180 pts)	#2043 (75 pts)	#1918 (105 pts)	#2034 (75 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to FIGHTIN' RIBTIPS, each with one reason worth a look.

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

CANETUCK'S BBQ TEAM

#2,595 of the rated field

1517 power rating

Contests: 9
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 44%
Peak: 1532

Their last contest in the data was back in 2014, 5 years before FIGHTIN' RIBTIPS's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 9 contests

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SMOAKWOOD

#2,593 of the rated field

1517 power rating

Contests: 10
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 30%
Peak: 1517

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 10 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 10 contests
last seen Oct 25, 2025

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BBQwithDREW

#2,583 of the rated field

1518 power rating

Contests: 8
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 25%
Peak: 1529

Careers of much the same size, 8 contests to 9, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 8 contests
last seen Aug 2, 2024

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CAPTAIN PJ'S BBQ

#2,585 of the rated field

1517 power rating

Contests: 8
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 25%
Peak: 1517

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

rated over 8 contests
last seen May 11, 2018

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GET SOME BBQ ASSASSINS

#2,591 of the rated field

1517 power rating

Contests: 8
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 13%
Peak: 1517

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

rated over 8 contests
last seen Sep 15, 2017

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SWEET PETE'S SMOKIN' HOT MEAT

#2,589 of the rated field

1517 power rating

Contests: 8
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 25%
Peak: 1523

Their last contest in the data was back in 2016, 3 years before FIGHTIN' RIBTIPS's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 8 contests

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
QUAU	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
MEATSMACK	7	6	1	86%	⚔ compare
Its 5 Oclock Somewhere	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
2 SKINNY COOKS	6	6	0	100%	⚔ compare
One2BBQ	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare
SMOKY LINCS	5	3	2	60%	⚔ compare
BLUE ISLAND BBQ CO.	5	3	2	60%	⚔ compare
BONEHEAD BBQ	5	2	3	40%	⚔ compare
THE CHILLY WATER SMOKERS	5	1	4	20%	⚔ compare
CAPTAIN RON'S BREW-N-QUE	5	1	4	20%	⚔ compare
iBQ'n	5	0	5	0%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	9	2	173.1428	150.7884	163.22	top 52%
Pork Ribs	9	2	173.7260	154.8228	162.97	top 49%
Pork	9	2	169.6800	155.3944	163.07	top 51%
Brisket	9	3	170.8572	150.2744	162.91	top 45%

“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)	1	0	top 32%
Large (40+)	8	0	top 51%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Central Illinois Bragging Rights	3	12	top 49%	Oct 9, 2015
Route 66 Smoke Out	2	6	top 31%	May 6, 2016
Red, White and BBQ (Day 2)	2	24	top 44%	May 23, 2015

More numbers

Busiest season 2015 3 contests

Contests a season 1.8 across 5 seasons in the data

Most contests held in IL 9 of 9 contests

Contests visited 5 3 of them more than once

Opponents faced 231 finished ahead 224 times, behind 212

Longest layoff 3.1 yrs May 28, 2016 → Jun 28, 2019

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

20191 milestone

Jun 28 Most recent contest BBQ SmokeDown at Chicagoland

20154 milestones

May 1 First overall top-10 Route 66 Smoke Out (TEAMS AND JUDGES FULL)
May 1 Career-best overall score679.9660 Route 66 Smoke Out (TEAMS AND JUDGES FULL)
May 1 Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)173.7260 Route 66 Smoke Out (TEAMS AND JUDGES FULL)
May 23 Peak power rating (1529) Red, White and BBQ (Day 2)

20141 milestone

May 24 First overall past 90% of a perfect score652.4800 Red, White, And BBQ

20132 milestones

Oct 11 First tracked contest Central Illinois Bragging Rights
Oct 11 First call Central Illinois Bragging Rights

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+12	Route 66 Smoke Out (TEAMS AND JUDGES FULL)	May 1, 2015
+7.4	Central Illinois Bragging Rights	Oct 10, 2014
+4.6	Red, White and BBQ (Day 2)	May 23, 2015
+2.9	Red, White, And BBQ	May 24, 2014
+2.1	Route 66 Smoke Out	May 6, 2016

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-7.1	BBQ SmokeDown at Chicagoland	Jun 28, 2019
-3.8	Central Illinois Bragging Rights	Oct 9, 2015
-2.8	Red, White & BBQ (Day 2)	May 28, 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	Top-10s	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2019	1	0	0%	top 83%	88.6%	88.6%
2016	2	0	50%	top 56%	90.7%	90.6%
2015	3	1	100%	top 40%	94.4%	91.6%
2014	2	0	100%	top 39%	90.6%	90.6%
2013	1	0	100%	top 49%	89.4%	89.4%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Jun 28, 2019	BBQ SmokeDown at Chicagoland 🏅 Joliet, IL	35 / 42 (637.6116)	38 (153.7144)	39 (154.8228)	28 (162.2400)	24 (166.8344)
May 28, 2016	Red, White & BBQ (Day 2) Westmont, IL	35 / 55 (653.0172)	40 (162.8572)	19 (166.2516)	45 (158.8000)	17 (165.1084)
May 6, 2016	Route 66 Smoke Out Dwight, IL	19 / 40 (651.3372)	26 (158.2512)	20 (166.8344)	30 (155.3944)	4 (170.8572)
Oct 9, 2015	Central Illinois Bragging Rights Arthur, IL	31 / 48 (642.1484)	44 (150.7884)	27 (161.6800)	32 (160.5372)	10 (169.1428)
May 23, 2015	Red, White and BBQ (Day 2) Westmont, IL	24 / 58 (657.0172)	15 (169.6800)	46 (155.9772)	10 (169.6800)	31 (161.6800)
May 1, 2015	Route 66 Smoke Out (TEAMS AND JUDGES FULL) Dwight, IL	6 / 40 (679.9660)	15 (167.9656)	4 (173.7260)	11 (169.1200)	10 (169.1544)
Oct 10, 2014	Central Illinois Bragging Rights Arthur, IL	12 / 37 (652.5828)	6 (169.7256)	10 (164.5944)	29 (157.1200)	20 (161.1428)
May 24, 2014	Red, White, And BBQ Westmont, IL	33 / 72 (652.4800)	42 (162.8228)	17 (168)	10 (169.6800)	58 (151.9772)
Oct 11, 2013	Central Illinois Bragging Rights Arthur, IL	26 / 53 (643.3600)	7 (173.1428)	35 (154.8572)	19 (165.0856)	37 (150.2744)

FIGHTIN' RIBTIPS

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 (9 found in their record)

They almost always walk

High-water mark

The one to beat

A tough matchup

A strong matchup

The comeback

Chicken nemesis

Looking over their shoulder

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

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)