SMOKIN VAN NORMAN

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

Power ranking

#902

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1615

peak 1615 · rated over 22 contests ⓘ

Contests

in the data

First seen

2013-09-27

latest 2021-03-19

Best ToY finish

#635

Master 2019

Grand champs

1 reserve

Category wins

2 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 23 contests

Avg finish

top 35%

overall standings

Best overall

703.9544 / 720

Master · Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship Barbeque

Perfect 180s

Current form

679.80 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 666.57 (+13.23)

Walk rate

48%

contests with a top-10 call

Top-10 streak

best run (overall)

Best single call

178.2972

Brisket · *Border War Barbeque

Consistency

±22.11

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork Ribs

avg 167.34 · weakest Brisket (166.13)

Road miles

711

mi across 23 mapped stops · furthest 67 mi

Schedule strength

44%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1557)

Purse competed for

$104K

listed at 6 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

GCs in 15 state-championship entries

Master avg

666.57 / 720

22 Master contests · 0 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (9 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.

The heartbreaker

4.6056 points from the title

Came within 4.6056 points of the Grand Championship at Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship Barbeque (2018-09-21).

Happy hunting ground

Top 4% average finish here

Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship Barbeque is their spot: an average finish in the top 4% across 2 visits.

2 visits
best finish 2nd
average top 4%

High-water mark

703.9544 career-best overall

97.8% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 703.9544 at Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship Barbeque — 97.8% of a perfect 720.

Master
2018-09-21

The one to beat

3× one call ahead of them

913 BBQ has finished one call ahead of SMOKIN VAN NORMAN 3 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2018 their best year

2018 was the year it came together: 3 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 14%.

3 contests
2 overall top-10s
0 category wins
average top 14%

A strong matchup

9–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of ALMOST FLAMOUS BARBEQUE in 9 of their 9 shared contests.

Pork Ribs nemesis

11 of 16 shared pork ribs entries lost

913 BBQ ahead 69% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, 913 BBQ has out-cooked them in 11 of 16 shared pork ribs entries.

A September team

Top 19% average finish in September

Something about September: average finish in the top 19% across 9 contests, versus top 35% the rest of the year.

9 September contests
top 35% the rest of the year

A standing appointment

4 years running at one contest

They've cooked Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship every year from 2013 to 2016 — the contest they never miss.

5 visits in all
best finish 9th

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.

SMOKE ON WHEELS

#900 of the rated field

1616 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 54
GCs: 3
Top-10s: 31%
Peak: 1669

5–1 in 6 shared contests (83% to SMOKIN VAN NORMAN)

These two have cooked 6 of the same contests — SMOKIN VAN NORMAN ahead 5–1 — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.

rated over 51 contests
last seen 2025-09-26

⚔ Head-to-head

Bubba Grills

#904 of the rated field

1615 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 25
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 36%
Peak: 1615

No shared contest yet.

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 24 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 24 contests
last seen 2025-07-25

⚔ Head-to-head

STICKY FINGERS BARBECUE TEAM

#899 of the rated field

1616 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 25
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 84%
Peak: 1616

No shared contest yet.

Careers of much the same size, 25 contests to 23, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 24 contests
last seen 2021-09-25
on a 5-contest top-10 run

⚔ Head-to-head

FALLOUT BBQ

#898 of the rated field

1616 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 38
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 34%
Peak: 1668

No shared contest yet.

Their rating is built on 1 Grand Championship in 38 contests, alongside a 34% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 34 contests
last seen 2026-05-15

⚔ Head-to-head

FRIULI VIOLENT GRILLERS

#897 of the rated field

1616 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 15
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 73%
Peak: 1616

No shared contest yet.

4 straight overall top-10s says this rating is a moving target.

rated over 14 contests
last seen 2019-09-14

⚔ Head-to-head

MOON RIVER BARBEQUE

#903 of the rated field

1615 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 46
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 22%
Peak: 1622

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 46 contests
last seen 2019-03-08

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
913 BBQ	15	2	13	13%	⚔ compare
SKUNK RIVER BBQ	14	6	8	43%	⚔ compare
Fat&Dumb BBQ	13	9	4	69%	⚔ compare
PIG NEWTON	12	7	5	58%	⚔ compare
HIGH i QUE	12	5	7	42%	⚔ compare
T'S SMOKIN PIT	10	8	2	80%	⚔ compare
OVERLAND PORK BBQ	10	7	3	70%	⚔ compare
KCQ	10	2	8	20%	⚔ compare
DIRT ROAD BBQ	10	2	8	20%	⚔ compare
ALMOST FLAMOUS BARBEQUE	9	9	0	100%	⚔ compare
Just Smoked Your Butt	9	8	1	89%	⚔ compare
RUB'N WOOD	9	6	3	67%	⚔ compare
F.O.M.S.B.	9	5	4	56%	⚔ compare
GETTIN' SAUCED	9	4	5	44%	⚔ compare
BREW 'N' BAR-B-QUE	9	4	5	44%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	22	2	0	175.4172	154.8228	166.53	top 43%
Pork Ribs	23	7	0	177.1428	153.6344	167.34	top 39%
Pork	22	5	1	176.5600	143.9200	166.30	top 40%
Brisket	22	5	1	178.2972	139.9316	166.13	top 36%

“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
KS	18	0	top 31%
MO	4	0	top 54%

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	3	0	top 56%
Large (40+)	19	0	top 32%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship	5	9	top 23%	2019-09-27
Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship Barbeque	2	2	top 4%	2018-09-21
Sugar Mound BBQ Festival	2	52	top 78%	2015-05-23

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

On the trail 7.5 yrs 2013-09-27 → 2021-03-19

Busiest season 2019 7 contests

Contests a season 2.6 across 9 seasons in the data

Cooks most in KS 18 of 23 contests · 2 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 16 3 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Pork Ribs 23 entries · 0 wins · 7 calls

Strongest meat Pork Ribs averages 167.34 · weakest Brisket (166.13)

Walk rate 48% a top-10 call in 11 of 23 contests

Overall top-10 rate 22% 5 of 23 contests

Best top-10 run 2 straight contests

Master average 666.57 out of 720 · 22 contests · 0 GCs

Opponents faced 1,158 1,679–715 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 711 23 mapped stops · furthest 67 mi

Schedule strength 1557 average field rating faced — tougher than 44% of rated contests

Purse competed for $103,600 listed at 6 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships 0 from 15 state-championship entries

Power rating 1615 peak 1615 · #902 of 6,413 rated

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

2013
Sep 27 First tracked contest Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship
Sep 27 First overall past 90% of a perfect score649.0516 Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship
2015
Apr 10 First call The Best Damn BBQ Contest
2016
Sep 23 First overall top-10 Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship
2017
Sep 22 10th tracked contest Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship Barbeque
2018
Sep 21 First overall podium Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship Barbeque
Sep 21 First Reserve Championship Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship Barbeque
Sep 21 Career-best overall score703.9544 Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship Barbeque
Oct 26 Career-best single call (Brisket)178.2972 *Border War Barbeque
2021
Mar 19 Peak power rating (1615) 3rd Annual Qlathe BBQ Championship
Mar 19 Most recent contest 3rd Annual Qlathe BBQ Championship

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+16.1	*Border War Barbeque	2018-10-26
+14.2	Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship Barbeque	2018-09-21
+14	Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship Barbeque	2017-09-22
+13.9	Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship	2016-09-23
+10	VFW Post 846 Battle of the Pits	2019-04-05

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-7.9	Holy Smoke BBQ Contest	2014-08-22
-7	Sugar Mound BBQ Festival	2015-05-23
-4.2	Sugar Mound BBQ Festival	2014-05-24
-1.6	Qlathe BBQ Championship	2019-03-15

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)
2021	1	0	100%	top 43%	93.6%	93.6%
2020	2	0	0%	top 35%	94.3%	94.3%
2019	7	1	57%	top 29%	95.5%	93.9%
2018	3	2	67%	top 14%	97.8%	95.8%
2017	2	1	100%	top 29%	94.4%	93.2%
2016	1	1	0%	top 8%	94%	94%
2015	3	0	67%	top 57%	92.1%	90.2%
2014	3	0	0%	top 62%	90.9%	87.6%
2013	1	0	0%	top 34%	90.1%	90.1%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2021-03-19	3rd Annual Qlathe BBQ Championship 🏅 Olathe, KS	30 / 70 (673.5884)	47 (165.0972)	45 (165.6800)	8 (175.4056)	32 (167.4056)
2020-07-05	Front Porch Rib Fest Kansas City, MO	—	—	12 (161.1316)	—	—
2020-03-13	2nd Annual Qlathe BBQ Championship 🏅 Olathe, KS	24 / 68 (678.7544)	12 (173.1316)	37 (166.8344)	14 (174.2628)	36 (164.5256)
2019-09-27	Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship 🏅 Shawnee, KS	10 / 102 (679.9084)	22 (171.4172)	7 (173.7028)	30 (169.7028)	33 (165.0856)
2019-09-12	40th American Royal World Series of Barbecue- OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS	59 / 468 (683.3944)	46 (174.2972)	125 (169.7144)	241 (165.1200)	52 (174.2628)
2019-07-12	2nd Annual Cameron Elks BBQ Cook Off (JUDGES FULL) 🏅 Cameron, MO	12 / 35 (683.3484)	14 (170.2972)	21 (163.9428)	3 (175.4056)	5 (173.7028)
2019-05-10	Grasshopper '19 🏅 DeSoto, KS	15 / 53 (687.3828)	16 (174.2744)	19 (170.2856)	16 (173.1544)	27 (169.6684)
2019-04-12	The Best Dam BBQ Contest at Smithville Lake 🏅 Smithville, MO	24 / 54 (663.3144)	14 (170.2744)	23 (166.2628)	38 (161.0972)	25 (165.6800)
2019-04-05	VFW Post 846 Battle of the Pits 🏅 Overland Park, KS	11 / 53 (680.4916)	27 (167.4172)	7 (172.5600)	26 (166.2400)	5 (174.2744)
2019-03-15	Qlathe BBQ Championship 🏅 Olathe, KS	33 / 64 (656.5372)	51 (157.1084)	30 (163.9772)	7 (173.7372)	38 (161.7144)
2018-10-26	*Border War Barbeque Osawatomie, KS	4 / 56 (693.0972)	13 (171.9772)	28 (170.2628)	15 (172.5600)	2 (178.2972)
2018-09-21	Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship Barbeque 🏅 Shawnee, KS	2 / 107 (703.9544)	4 (175.4172)	5 (176.5600)	6 (176.5600)	5 (175.4172)
2018-09-15	39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	154 / 467 (672.4800)	242 (166.2400)	138 (169.7144)	73 (172.5600)	232 (163.9656)
2017-09-22	Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship Barbeque 🏅 Shawnee, KS	6 / 112 (679.4284)	8 (173.7028)	6 (176.0000)	66 (161.7600)	23 (167.9656)
2017-06-10	*Tonganoxie Days BBQ Blowout Tonganoxie, KS	15 / 28 (662.2400)	15 (166.8344)	10 (169.1084)	8 (166.8800)	16 (159.4172)
2016-09-23	Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship 🏅 Shawnee, KS	9 / 111 (676.5256)	44 (165.1428)	15 (170.8456)	14 (170.8572)	16 (169.6800)
2015-09-25	Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship 🏅 Shawnee, KS	33 / 112 (663.3484)	86 (155.3944)	7 (177.1428)	74 (156.5256)	6 (174.2856)
2015-05-23	Sugar Mound BBQ Festival Mound City, KS	52 / 62 (634.0912)	19 (170.8456)	50 (158.2400)	61 (143.9200)	40 (161.0856)
2015-04-10	The Best Damn BBQ Contest Smithville, MO	30 / 52 (651.4288)	45 (154.8456)	9 (170.8800)	29 (164.0116)	23 (161.6916)
2014-09-26	Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship 🏅 Shawnee, KS	40 / 112 (654.7196)	53 (163.9656)	25 (167.9656)	74 (158.2284)	30 (164.5600)
2014-08-22	Holy Smoke BBQ Contest Liberty, MO	23 / 29 (605.5656)	20 (154.8228)	21 (154.2628)	16 (156.5484)	26 (139.9316)
2014-05-24	Sugar Mound BBQ Festival Mound City, KS	62 / 87 (631.9660)	61 (160.5716)	51 (160.0000)	61 (158.8572)	65 (152.5372)
2013-09-27	Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship 🏅 Shawnee, KS	39 / 114 (649.0516)	60 (160.5144)	83 (153.6344)	37 (165.1656)	12 (169.7372)

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
2021 ↗	Master	#1236 (60 pts)	#1286 (60 pts)	#1309 (60 pts)	#855 (155 pts)	#1245 (60 pts)
2020 ↗	Master	#842 (65 pts)	#680 (125 pts)	#612 (166 pts)	#757 (115 pts)	#883 (60 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#635 (515 pts)	#773 (425 pts)	#632 (540 pts)	#697 (475 pts)	#614 (550 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#648 (530 pts)	#854 (390 pts)	#1026 (305 pts)	#930 (345 pts)	#709 (505 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#1467 (175 pts)	#1631 (155 pts)	#1559 (175 pts)	#2260 (60 pts)	#2197 (70 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#1644 (145 pts)	#2353 (60 pts)	#2081 (110 pts)	#2024 (115 pts)	#2086 (105 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#1676 (120 pts)	#1629 (150 pts)	#1326 (225 pts)	#1790 (120 pts)	#1245 (235 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#2084 (75 pts)	#2167 (75 pts)	#2161 (75 pts)	#2172 (75 pts)	#2148 (75 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#1970 (75 pts)	#2073 (75 pts)	#2043 (75 pts)	#2080 (75 pts)	#1625 (140 pts)