CAROLINA SMOKE

CAROLINA SMOKE is a competition barbecue team with 36 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2014 and 2019. Their best overall finish is 9th of 28 at the Smoke on the Harbor BBQ Throwdown (2015). They are ranked #4526 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#4,526

of 6,476 rated · rankings

Rating

1472

peak 1472 · rated over 36 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

May 9, 2014

latest May 17, 2019 · 5 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#552

Master 2018 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

3 podiums

Overall top-10s

6% of 36 contests

Avg finish

top 67%

overall standings

Best overall

667.3028 / 720

Master · Jiggy With the Piggy

Perfect 180s

Current form

648.92 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 636.28 (+12.64)

Walk rate

42%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

175.4172

Pork · Jiggy With the Piggy

Consistency

±29.78

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 162.18 · weakest Pork Ribs (157.99)

Road miles

5,373

across 36 mapped stops · furthest 206 mi

Schedule strength

53%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1569)

Purse competed for

$42K

listed at 3 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 3 state-championship entries

Master avg

636.28 / 720

36 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (11 found in their record)

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

High-water mark

667.3028 career-best overall

92.7% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 667.3028 at Jiggy With the Piggy — 92.7% of a perfect 720.

Master
May 4, 2018

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

Smokin Gringos BBQ has finished one call ahead of CAROLINA SMOKE 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2018 their best year

2018 was the year it came together: 8 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 47%.

8 contests
1 overall top-10
0 category wins
average top 47%

A tough matchup

31–0 behind in the head-to-head

MUTTLEY CREW BBQ ahead in 100% of their meetings

MUTTLEY CREW BBQ has come out ahead in 31 of their 31 shared contests.

The weak link

−4.2 points behind their best meat

Pork Ribs is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 4.18 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 6% of the time against 3%.

Pork Ribs avg 157.99
Chicken avg 162.18
2 calls in 36 entries

A strong matchup

7–3 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 70% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of COASTAL SMOKE in 7 of their 10 shared contests.

Chicken nemesis

27 of 29 shared chicken entries lost

SMOKIN SKULLIES ahead 93% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, SMOKIN SKULLIES has out-cooked them in 27 of 29 shared chicken entries.

Show 4 more storylines

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

BAD MOTHER SMOKERS has landed one call behind them 2 times.

An October team

Top 55% average finish in October

Something about October: average finish in the top 55% across 5 contests, versus top 67% the rest of the year.

5 October contests
top 67% the rest of the year

The long haul

5,373 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 5,373 miles across 36 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 206 miles to BBQ Gives Back.

36 mapped stops
furthest 206 mi

A standing appointment

4 years running at one contest

They've cooked Kings of Q BBQ Cook-off and Festival every year from 2016 to 2019 — the contest they never miss.

4 visits in all
best finish 17th

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	#1226 (180 pts)	#1295 (180 pts)	#1111 (245 pts)	#1196 (215 pts)	#787 (410 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#552 (645 pts)	#658 (560 pts)	#661 (555 pts)	#397 (895 pts)	#274 (1,155 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#886 (400 pts)	#986 (385 pts)	#832 (475 pts)	#795 (505 pts)	#864 (445 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#941 (353 pts)	#816 (473 pts)	#1013 (353 pts)	#760 (518 pts)	#1138 (288 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#594 (615 pts)	#552 (705 pts)	#470 (820 pts)	#484 (815 pts)	#503 (745 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#900 (363 pts)	#800 (458 pts)	#973 (363 pts)	#975 (363 pts)	#926 (363 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to CAROLINA SMOKE, each with one reason worth a look.

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

TAR RIVER BBQ

#4,548 of the rated field

1472 power rating

Contests: 10
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1472

2–0 in 2 shared contests (100% to CAROLINA SMOKE)

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

rated over 10 contests
last seen Apr 29, 2016

⚔ Head-to-head

BUTT BURNERS BBQ - NC

#4,536 of the rated field

1472 power rating

Contests: 7
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1501

1–1 in 2 shared contests (50% to CAROLINA SMOKE)

Fewer contests behind them than CAROLINA SMOKE has cooked, 7 to 36, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.

rated over 7 contests
last seen Oct 13, 2017

⚔ Head-to-head

QIS - QUALITY IN SMOKE

#4,517 of the rated field

1473 power rating

Contests: 41
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 7%
Peak: 1527

They've been 1527 at their best, 55 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 41 contests
last seen May 8, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

LOS NERDS

#4,529 of the rated field

1472 power rating

Contests: 28
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 4%
Peak: 1472

28 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 4% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 28 contests
last seen Aug 2, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

Bone Daddy's BBQ

#4,512 of the rated field

1473 power rating

Contests: 27
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 11%
Peak: 1473

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

rated over 27 contests
last seen Aug 9, 2025

⚔ Compare careers

MESS-IN-A ROUND BBQ

#4,552 of the rated field

1472 power rating

Contests: 23
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 4%
Peak: 1472

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 22 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 22 contests
last seen Mar 20, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
MUTTLEY CREW BBQ	31	0	31	0%	⚔ compare
THE SMOKEHOUSE MAFIA	30	1	29	3%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN SKULLIES	29	1	28	3%	⚔ compare
REDNECK SCIENTIFIC	29	1	28	3%	⚔ compare
HOLY SMOKE BBQ-NC	26	11	15	42%	⚔ compare
SAUCED! BBQ TEAM	26	1	25	4%	⚔ compare
FatHeads bbq	24	5	19	21%	⚔ compare
K & D SMOKERS	22	2	20	9%	⚔ compare
OLD COLONY SMOKEHOUSE	19	2	17	11%	⚔ compare
HICKORY BARBEQUE COMPANY	18	4	14	22%	⚔ compare
PICKIN' PORKERS	18	2	16	11%	⚔ compare
WHO CARES BBQ	18	1	17	6%	⚔ compare
WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ	17	0	17	0%	⚔ compare
Grillin' Thyme	16	6	10	38%	⚔ compare
BOBO'S QUE	16	5	11	31%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	36	1	0	174.2628	137.6800	162.18	top 62%
Pork Ribs	36	2	0	170.8916	140.4916	157.99	top 66%
Pork	36	6	1	175.4172	144.5372	161.96	top 55%
Brisket	35	7	2	174.8456	126.8116	158.55	top 58%

“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)	13	0	top 68%
Large (40+)	23	0	top 67%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
NC	28	top 68%
SC	4	top 71%
VA	4	top 60%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Kings of Q BBQ Cook-off and Festival	4	17	top 72%	May 17, 2019
Jiggy With The Piggy	4	29	top 59%	May 3, 2019
Pigs & Pedals	4	22	top 75%	Aug 3, 2018
Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic	3	49	top 91%	Sep 15, 2017
Beak Week BBQ Challenge	3	25	top 78%	Sep 8, 2017
Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down	2	12	top 40%	Oct 12, 2018
Jiggy with the Piggy BBQ Challenge	2	55	top 72%	May 8, 2015

More numbers

Busiest season 2018 8 contests

Contests a season 6 across 6 seasons in the data

Most contests held in NC 28 of 36 contests · 3 states in all

Contests visited 21 7 of them more than once

Opponents faced 569 finished ahead 593 times, behind 1,194

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

20191 milestone

May 17 Most recent contest Kings of Q BBQ Cook-off and Festival

20182 milestones

May 4 Career-best overall score667.3028 Jiggy With the Piggy
May 4 Career-best single call (Pork)175.4172 Jiggy With the Piggy

20171 milestone

Oct 13 25th tracked contest Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down

20153 milestones

Jul 31 First overall past 90% of a perfect score653.0628 Pigs & Pedals
Sep 11 10th tracked contest Beak Week BBQ Challenge
Nov 13 First overall top-10 Smoke on the Harbor BBQ Throwdown

20143 milestones

May 9 First tracked contest Jiggy with the Piggy BBQ Challenge
May 9 Peak power rating (1495) Jiggy with the Piggy BBQ Challenge
Oct 10 First call Eastern Carolina BBQ ThrowDown

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+14	Bone Suckin Sauce Peak City Pig Fest	Jun 15, 2018
+10.5	Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down	Oct 12, 2018
+9.5	Jiggy With the Piggy	May 5, 2017
+9.3	Smoke on the Harbor BBQ Throwdown	Nov 13, 2015
+8.9	Jiggy With the Piggy	May 4, 2018

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-11.5	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	Jun 12, 2015
-11.1	Beach Boogie and Barbeque	Aug 29, 2014
-10.6	Kings of Q BBQ cook off and Festival	May 20, 2016
-9.6	Kings of Q BBQ Cook-off and Festival	May 17, 2019
-9.5	Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic	Sep 16, 2016

Scores over time (% of a perfect score, averaged over 5 contests — 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	3	0	33%	top 72%	90.4%	89.6%
2018	8	1	63%	top 47%	92.7%	90.9%
2017	6	0	50%	top 63%	91.4%	89.5%
2016	6	0	17%	top 92%	87.3%	82.7%
2015	8	1	50%	top 66%	91.8%	89.1%
2014	5	0	20%	top 76%	89.9%	87.9%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
May 17, 2019	Kings of Q BBQ Cook-off and Festival 🏅 Ayden, NC	33 / 36 (635.3144)	33 (159.4172)	12 (165.0972)	36 (144.5372)	13 (166.2628)
May 3, 2019	Jiggy With The Piggy 🏅 Kannapolis, NC	39 / 60 (649.5316)	39 (163.9428)	53 (151.9316)	26 (165.0972)	16 (168.5600)
Apr 26, 2019	BBQ Capital Cook Off 🏅 Lexington, NC	25 / 43 (650.7772)	32 (158.2400)	35 (154.2516)	18 (166.3084)	5 (171.9772)
Oct 12, 2018	Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down Rocky Mount, NC	12 / 39 (657.0860)	29 (155.9660)	12 (166.8572)	16 (163.9656)	5 (170.2972)
Aug 3, 2018	Pigs & Pedals Asheboro, NC	28 / 48 (651.8972)	33 (163.9772)	34 (157.6572)	31 (162.2628)	23 (168)
Jul 12, 2018	SC Festival Of Discovery Greenwood, SC	59 / 89 (634.1144)	27 (169.1200)	70 (151.3600)	61 (158.2400)	61 (155.3944)
Jun 15, 2018	Bone Suckin Sauce Peak City Pig Fest Apex, NC	10 / 44 (662.1828)	19 (167.4172)	27 (157.6800)	15 (163.9656)	2 (173.1200)
May 18, 2018	Kings of Q BBQ cook off and Festival Ayden, NC	20 / 38 (659.8856)	25 (165.6800)	38 (147.3600)	4 (172)	3 (174.8456)
May 4, 2018	Jiggy With the Piggy Kannapolis, NC	29 / 70 (667.3028)	15 (174.2628)	66 (148.5028)	4 (175.4172)	22 (169.1200)
Apr 27, 2018	Pickin N Pullin BBQ competition Lenexa, VA	26 / 45 (651.8512)	34 (158.1940)	23 (165.7028)	38 (155.9544)	8 (172)
Mar 23, 2018	BBQ Gives Back Urbanna, VA	37 / 75 (654.1596)	71 (153.6340)	36 (164.5256)	21 (166.2628)	14 (169.7372)
Oct 13, 2017	Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down Rocky Mount, NC	25 / 50 (656.4800)	28 (166.8112)	30 (163.3944)	24 (164.5600)	33 (161.7144)
Sep 15, 2017	Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic Salisbury, NC	58 / 63 (630.6060)	55 (158.2516)	50 (159.3716)	52 (158.2056)	50 (154.7772)
Sep 8, 2017	Beak Week BBQ Challenge Goldsboro, NC	25 / 39 (654.1716)	21 (166.8460)	33 (159.3828)	34 (155.3944)	9 (172.5484)
Aug 4, 2017	Pigs & Pedals Asheboro, NC	38 / 46 (617.5320)	33 (156.5144)	40 (149.0628)	8 (168.5600)	45 (143.3948)
May 19, 2017	Kings of Q BBQ cook off and Festival Ayden, NC	17 / 36 (647.3488)	24 (161.1200)	6 (170.2744)	23 (160)	25 (155.9544)
May 5, 2017	Jiggy With the Piggy Kannapolis, NC	30 / 75 (658.2172)	51 (160.5484)	26 (167.4172)	18 (168.5372)	29 (161.7144)
Sep 16, 2016	Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic Salisbury, NC	66 / 68 (489.0056)	51 (161.0856)	46 (158.8000)	16 (169.1200)	—
Sep 9, 2016	Beak Week BBQ Challenge Goldsboro, NC	41 / 44 (623.2228)	39 (155.9428)	39 (156.5372)	31 (162.2628)	42 (148.4800)
Aug 12, 2016	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Richmond, VA	24 / 28 (628.3772)	11 (167.4400)	27 (143.3372)	5 (170.2628)	26 (147.3372)
Aug 5, 2016	Pigs & Pedals Asheboro, NC	41 / 47 (597.5204)	37 (159.9888)	40 (151.9200)	34 (158.8000)	45 (126.8116)
May 20, 2016	Kings of Q BBQ cook off and Festival Ayden, NC	29 / 30 (614.6972)	14 (166.2512)	24 (156.5372)	29 (146.2516)	29 (145.6572)
May 6, 2016	Jiggy With the Piggy Kannapolis, NC	68 / 76 (618.0684)	47 (162.8456)	75 (140.4916)	56 (159.9428)	57 (154.7884)
Nov 13, 2015	Smoke on the Harbor BBQ Throwdown Mount Pleasant, SC	9 / 28 (661.0628)	15 (163.4172)	12 (162.2400)	2 (173.1428)	16 (162.2628)
Oct 9, 2015	Eastern Carolina BBQ ThrowDown Rocky Mount, NC	22 / 49 (654.8000)	22 (165.0856)	44 (151.9772)	9 (168.5828)	14 (169.1544)
Sep 18, 2015	Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic Salisbury, NC	49 / 59 (630.1484)	30 (166.2512)	57 (146.2172)	47 (159.3944)	46 (158.2856)
Sep 11, 2015	Beak Week BBQ Challenge Goldsboro, NC	25 / 32 (635.8740)	11 (169.1200)	31 (147.3712)	31 (153.0972)	11 (166.2856)
Jul 31, 2015	Pigs & Pedals Asheboro, NC	22 / 31 (653.0628)	12 (167.3828)	6 (169.7028)	28 (158.2744)	27 (157.7028)
Jun 12, 2015	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour N. Charleston, SC	28 / 29 (617.0968)	16 (164.5828)	13 (162.2512)	28 (147.9772)	28 (142.2856)
May 15, 2015	Chesapeake Jubilee BBQ Cook-Off Chesapeake, VA	17 / 36 (638.2400)	34 (137.6800)	13 (163.9772)	11 (166.8456)	6 (169.7372)
May 8, 2015	Jiggy with the Piggy BBQ Challenge Kannapolis, NC	55 / 74 (641.0860)	66 (153.6684)	13 (170.8916)	45 (163.9888)	60 (152.5372)
Oct 31, 2014	Hog Happnin' Shelby, NC	55 / 61 (626.2172)	34 (165.1428)	52 (157.1428)	26 (165.7372)	59 (138.1944)
Oct 10, 2014	Eastern Carolina BBQ ThrowDown Rocky Mount, NC	31 / 53 (641.5652)	8 (170.8456)	31 (159.9656)	29 (160.5256)	45 (150.2284)
Sep 19, 2014	Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally Salisbury, NC	47 / 64 (647.3376)	43 (164.5372)	41 (160.5832)	25 (166.2628)	53 (155.9544)
Aug 29, 2014	Beach Boogie and Barbeque Myrtle Beach, SC	34 / 38 (625.1084)	27 (162.8456)	25 (162.8800)	33 (154.8456)	35 (144.5372)
May 9, 2014	Jiggy with the Piggy BBQ Challenge Kannapolis, NC	56 / 80 (625.1200)	61 (154.3200)	27 (165.1544)	61 (155.9656)	67 (149.6800)

CAROLINA SMOKE

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 (11 found in their record)

High-water mark

The one to beat

Their season

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

Chicken nemesis

Looking over their shoulder

An October team

The long haul

A standing appointment

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

By state / province (where the contests were held)

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, averaged over 5 contests — 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)