James Brothers BBQ

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

Power ranking

#5394

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1453

peak 1502 · rated over 12 contests ⓘ

Contests

in the data

First seen

2013-07-26

latest 2018-10-05

Best ToY finish

#1775

Master 2016

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

1 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 12 contests

Avg finish

top 71%

overall standings

Best overall

659.9772 / 720

Master · BBQ at the Races Kansas Speedway

Perfect 180s

Current form

595.18 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 625.18 (-30.00)

Walk rate

17%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

176.5600

Pork · Blue Springs Barbeque Blaze-Off

Consistency

±45.24

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 161.21 · weakest Pork (147.32)

Road miles

854

mi across 12 mapped stops · furthest 111 mi

Schedule strength

48%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1562)

Master avg

625.18 / 720

12 Master contests · 0 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (6 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.

A tough matchup

7–0 behind in the head-to-head

SLAPS BBQ ahead in 100% of their meetings

SLAPS BBQ has come out ahead in 7 of their 7 shared contests.

The weak link

−13.9 points behind their best meat

Pork is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 13.89 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 8% of the time against 0%.

Pork avg 147.32
Chicken avg 161.21
1 calls in 12 entries

A strong matchup

4–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 80% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of Splitlog Smokers in 4 of their 5 shared contests.

The comeback

1.6 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 1.6 years, then back at Rock N Ribs BBQ Festival (2015-04-24).

last seen 2013-09-06
back 2015-04-24

Chicken nemesis

7 of 7 shared chicken entries lost

VALLEY OAKS STEAK COMPANY ahead 100% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, VALLEY OAKS STEAK COMPANY has out-cooked them in 7 of 7 shared chicken entries.

A September team

Top 54% average finish in September

Something about September: average finish in the top 54% across 3 contests, versus top 71% the rest of the year.

3 September contests
top 71% the rest of the year

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.

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

Faith Technologies

#5390 of the rated field

1453 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 5
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1453

2–0 in 2 shared contests (100% to James Brothers BBQ)

2 contests in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team James Brothers BBQ has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 5 contests
last seen 2018-04-20

⚔ Head-to-head

Hot Mess BBQ NH

#5382 of the rated field

1453 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 10
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1453

No shared contest yet.

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 2026-05-16

⚔ Head-to-head

THE SMOKIN BUDS

#5377 of the rated field

1453 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 10
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1501

No shared contest yet.

Careers of much the same size, 10 contests to 12, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 10 contests
last seen 2016-08-12

⚔ Head-to-head

HOLY SMOQUE BBQ

#5386 of the rated field

1453 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 16
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1453

No shared contest yet.

16 contests and no Grand Championship yet.

rated over 15 contests
last seen 2019-07-12

⚔ Head-to-head

WOOD JUICE BBQ

#5378 of the rated field

1453 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 8
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1453

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 8 contests
last seen 2023-08-11

⚔ Head-to-head

MISSISSIPPI MEAT MAFIA

#5388 of the rated field

1453 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 20
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1453

No shared contest yet.

They turned up 5 years after James Brothers BBQ did, first appearing in 2018.

rated over 20 contests
last seen 2026-04-24

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
SLAPS BBQ	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
Smoke on the Water	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
VALLEY OAKS STEAK COMPANY	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
HI-TECH SMOKERS	6	3	3	50%	⚔ compare
UNFAMOUS DAVE'S	6	1	5	17%	⚔ compare
DIRT ROAD BBQ	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare
R BUTTS R SMOKIN	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare
GETTIN' BASTED	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare
THE SMOKING HILLS	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare
Splitlog Smokers	5	4	1	80%	⚔ compare
A SLEW OF SOWS AND A SMOKER	5	4	1	80%	⚔ compare
Sons of a Brisket	5	1	4	20%	⚔ compare
THUMP & STRUM BBQ	5	0	5	0%	⚔ compare
PELLET ENVY	5	0	5	0%	⚔ compare
Theslabs.com	5	0	5	0%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	12	0	0	169.1200	150.7772	161.21	top 65%
Pork Ribs	12	0	0	168.5488	143.3600	158.93	top 64%
Pork	12	1	1	176.5600	20.0000	147.32	top 70%
Brisket	12	1	0	171.4056	140.4800	157.72	top 60%

“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 state / province

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
MO	11	0	top 72%
KS	1	0	top 61%

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	3	0	top 81%
Large (40+)	9	0	top 68%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
*Independence Fire & Ice BBQ	3	48	0	top 81%	2018-10-05

The story so far (15 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 5.2 yrs 2013-07-26 → 2018-10-05

Busiest season 2017 3 contests

Contests a season 2.4 across 5 seasons in the data

Cooks most in MO 11 of 12 contests · 2 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 10 1 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 12 entries · 0 wins · 0 calls

Strongest meat Chicken averages 161.21 · weakest Pork (147.32)

Walk rate 17% a top-10 call in 2 of 12 contests

Overall top-10 rate 0% 0 of 12 contests

Master average 625.18 out of 720 · 12 contests · 0 GCs

Opponents faced 437 212–457 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 854 12 mapped stops · furthest 111 mi

Schedule strength 1562 average field rating faced — tougher than 48% of rated contests

Longest layoff 1.6 yrs 2013-09-06 → 2015-04-24

Power rating 1453 peak 1502 · #5394 of 6,413 rated

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

2013
Jul 26 First tracked contest Racing For The BBQ
Jul 26 First call Racing For The BBQ
Aug 17 First overall past 90% of a perfect score659.9772 BBQ at the Races Kansas Speedway
Aug 17 Career-best overall score659.9772 BBQ at the Races Kansas Speedway
Sep 6 Career-best single call (Pork)176.5600 Blue Springs Barbeque Blaze-Off
2015
Sep 11 Peak power rating (1502) Independence Fire & Ice BBQ
2017
Oct 6 10th tracked contest *Independence Fire & Ice BBQ
2018
Oct 5 Most recent contest *Independence Fire & Ice BBQ

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+4.6	Rock N Ribs BBQ Festival	2015-04-24
+4.5	Independence Fire & Ice BBQ	2015-09-11

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-12.3	*Independence Fire & Ice BBQ	2018-10-05
-9.6	The Best Damn BBQ Contest at Smithville Lake	2017-04-07
-8.2	Smoke Out in the Valley	2017-06-17
-6.6	Red White Blue and Que Presented by Lucas Oil Speedway	2018-08-04
-5.9	*Independence Fire & Ice BBQ	2017-10-06

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	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2018	2	0%	top 96%	89%	78.1%
2017	3	0%	top 87%	86.3%	85.7%
2016	2	0%	top 67%	90.7%	88.8%
2015	2	0%	top 42%	90.8%	90.4%
2013	3	67%	top 63%	91.7%	90.1%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2018-10-05	*Independence Fire & Ice BBQ Independence, MO	56 / 56 (483.2688)	29 (163.4288)	40 (159.3600)	56 (20.0000)	52 (140.4800)
2018-08-04	Red White Blue and Que Presented by Lucas Oil Speedway Wheatland, MO	34 / 37 (641.0172)	16 (167.4400)	34 (157.0972)	33 (159.9544)	33 (156.5256)
2017-10-06	*Independence Fire & Ice BBQ Independence, MO	60 / 76 (614.6512)	43 (162.8228)	56 (154.8000)	72 (144.5256)	57 (152.5028)
2017-06-17	Smoke Out in the Valley Buckner, MO	19 / 21 (621.0516)	16 (166.2856)	19 (143.3600)	15 (164.0116)	20 (147.3944)
2017-04-07	The Best Damn BBQ Contest at Smithville Lake Smithville, MO	49 / 54 (615.9088)	41 (160.5600)	44 (156.5716)	53 (143.9544)	37 (154.8228)
2016-09-09	*Independence Fire & Ice BBQ Independence, MO	48 / 76 (653.0056)	61 (157.6572)	35 (165.7028)	56 (162.2400)	27 (167.4056)
2016-04-22	Rock N Ribs BBQ Festival Springfield, MO	43 / 61 (625.5772)	53 (151.9316)	32 (159.4284)	45 (154.8572)	34 (159.3600)
2015-09-11	Independence Fire & Ice BBQ Independence, MO	33 / 76 (653.7144)	46 (158.8116)	26 (166.2856)	30 (164.0228)	26 (164.5944)
2015-04-24	Rock N Ribs BBQ Festival Springfield, MO	26 / 63 (647.8972)	55 (150.7772)	24 (165.1772)	33 (163.4172)	13 (168.5256)
2013-09-06	Blue Springs Barbeque Blaze-Off Blue Springs, MO	40 / 72 (643.8400)	37 (163.3828)	65 (147.9544)	3 (176.5600)	43 (155.9428)
2013-08-17	BBQ at the Races Kansas Speedway Kansas City, KS	19 / 31 (659.9772)	14 (169.1200)	13 (168.5488)	14 (168.6172)	26 (153.6912)
2013-07-26	Racing For The BBQ Lee's Summit, MO	41 / 58 (642.2172)	39 (162.2744)	32 (162.8572)	57 (145.6800)	5 (171.4056)

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
2016 ↗	Master	#1775 (120 pts)	#1883 (120 pts)	#1884 (120 pts)	#1872 (120 pts)	#1839 (120 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#2158 (60 pts)	#2209 (60 pts)	#2209 (60 pts)	#2225 (60 pts)	#2214 (60 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#1970 (75 pts)	#2073 (75 pts)	#2043 (75 pts)	#1168 (250 pts)	#2034 (75 pts)