SULTANS OF SWINE, NC

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

Power ranking

#6132

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1423

peak 1423 · rated over 13 contests ⓘ

Contests

in the data

First seen

2014-04-18

latest 2016-06-03

Best ToY finish

#845

Master 2015

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

0 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 13 contests

Avg finish

top 79%

overall standings

Best overall

656.5140 / 720

Master · Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally

Perfect 180s

Current form

599.07 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 622.44 (-23.38)

Walk rate

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

170.8688

Pork Ribs · 19th Annual Firehouse BBQ Cook-Off

Consistency

±47.39

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork

avg 162.05 · weakest Chicken (156.34)

Road miles

630

mi across 13 mapped stops · furthest 84 mi

Schedule strength

32%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1542)

Master avg

622.44 / 720

13 Master contests · 0 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (5 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

10–0 behind in the head-to-head

CHECKERED PIG ahead in 100% of their meetings

CHECKERED PIG has come out ahead in 10 of their 10 shared contests.

The weak link

−5.7 points behind their best meat

Chicken is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 5.71 points below their pork, and turns into a call 0% of the time against 8%.

Chicken avg 156.34
Pork avg 162.05
0 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 EAT MY BUTT BBQ in 4 of their 5 shared contests.

Pork nemesis

10 of 10 shared pork entries lost

CHECKERED PIG ahead 100% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, CHECKERED PIG has out-cooked them in 10 of 10 shared pork entries.

Going the wrong way

-45 rating points in a year

The rating has slipped 45 points across 7 contests since 2015-06-05 — from 1468 down to 1423.

7 contests since 2015-06-05
now 1423

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.

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

Smoke Wagon BBQ

#6133 of the rated field

1423 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 16
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 6%
Peak: 1423

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to SULTANS OF SWINE, NC)

One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team SULTANS OF SWINE, NC has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 16 contests
last seen 2025-09-26

⚔ Head-to-head

THE LICKS

#6135 of the rated field

1422 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 15
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1422

No shared contest yet.

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 15 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 15 contests
last seen 2025-06-27

⚔ Head-to-head

Hog Wash

#6131 of the rated field

1423 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 16
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 19%
Peak: 1423

No shared contest yet.

Careers of much the same size, 16 contests to 13, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 15 contests
last seen 2024-07-19

⚔ Head-to-head

Sitt 'n Smoke

#6136 of the rated field

1422 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 10
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1422

No shared contest yet.

Level with SULTANS OF SWINE, NC on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 10 contests
last seen 2026-08-07

⚔ Head-to-head

ALWAYS SAUCED

#6130 of the rated field

1423 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 20
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 10%
Peak: 1423

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 20 contests
last seen 2026-06-12

⚔ Head-to-head

Rock'm Sock'mmm BBQ

#6134 of the rated field

1423 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 8
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1423

No shared contest yet.

They turned up 7 years after SULTANS OF SWINE, NC did, first appearing in 2021.

rated over 8 contests
last seen 2024-08-02

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
CHECKERED PIG	10	0	10	0%	⚔ compare
SAUCED! BBQ TEAM	10	0	10	0%	⚔ compare
REDNECK SCIENTIFIC	9	0	9	0%	⚔ compare
THE SMOKEHOUSE MAFIA	9	0	9	0%	⚔ compare
BIG SHOW BBQ COOKIN' TEAM	9	0	9	0%	⚔ compare
PICKIN' PORKERS	8	1	7	13%	⚔ compare
CAROLINA SMOKIN JOHN'S BBQ	8	1	7	13%	⚔ compare
K & D SMOKERS	8	1	7	13%	⚔ compare
HICKORY BARBEQUE COMPANY	8	1	7	13%	⚔ compare
SMOKE THIS	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
WHO CARES BBQ	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
MUTTLEY CREW BBQ	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
BUBBAJACK'S	7	2	5	29%	⚔ compare
HOLY SMOKE BBQ-NC	7	2	5	29%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN SKULLIES	7	1	6	14%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	12	0	166.2400	147.3484	156.34	top 83%
Pork Ribs	13	0	170.8688	144.5600	156.60	top 73%
Pork	13	1	170.2856	153.0628	162.05	top 63%
Brisket	13	0	168.5256	146.7772	159.48	top 63%

“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
NC	12	0	top 79%
SC	1	0	top 86%

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	6	0	top 83%
Large (40+)	7	0	top 76%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Hog Happenin' BBQ & Bike Fest	2	22	0	top 77%	2016-06-03

The story so far (14 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 2.1 yrs 2014-04-18 → 2016-06-03

Busiest season 2015 6 contests

Contests a season 4.3 across 3 seasons in the data

Cooks most in NC 12 of 13 contests · 2 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 12 1 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Pork Ribs 13 entries · 0 wins · 0 calls

Strongest meat Pork averages 162.05 · weakest Chicken (156.34)

Walk rate 8% a top-10 call in 1 of 13 contests

Overall top-10 rate 0% 0 of 13 contests

Master average 622.44 out of 720 · 13 contests · 0 GCs

Opponents faced 249 130–461 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 630 13 mapped stops · furthest 84 mi

Schedule strength 1542 average field rating faced — tougher than 32% of rated contests

Power rating 1423 peak 1423 · #6132 of 6,413 rated

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

2014
Apr 18 First tracked contest 17th Annual Firehouse BBQ Cook-off
Apr 18 Peak power rating (1490) 17th Annual Firehouse BBQ Cook-off
Sep 19 First overall past 90% of a perfect score656.5140 Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally
Sep 19 Career-best overall score656.5140 Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally
2015
Apr 17 Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)170.8688 19th Annual Firehouse BBQ Cook-Off
Jun 5 First call Hog Happenin' BBQ & Bike Fest
Oct 9 10th tracked contest Waxhaw Grill'n & Chill'n
2016
Jun 3 Most recent contest Hog Happenin' BBQ & Bike Fest

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+4.1	19th Annual Firehouse BBQ Cook-Off	2015-04-17
+2	Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally	2014-09-19

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-11.1	20th Annual Fire House BBQ Cook-Off	2016-04-15
-9.9	Pigs & Pedals	2015-07-31
-9.9	17th Annual Firehouse BBQ Cook-off	2014-04-18
-9.8	Lincolnton Hog Happenin'	2014-06-06
-9	Sooie't Relief BBQ Benefit	2014-08-22

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)
2016	3	0%	top 93%	86.6%	78.7%
2015	6	17%	top 73%	90.9%	89.2%
2014	4	0%	top 78%	91.2%	88.2%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2016-06-03	Hog Happenin' BBQ & Bike Fest Lincolnton, NC	23 / 26 (623.8060)	18 (163.4172)	24 (147.3716)	24 (153.0628)	15 (159.9544)
2016-05-06	Jiggy With the Piggy Kannapolis, NC	69 / 76 (610.7196)	72 (147.3484)	70 (149.6912)	53 (159.9772)	59 (153.7028)
2016-04-15	20th Annual Fire House BBQ Cook-Off Kings Mountain, NC	41 / 41 (465.0400)	—	33 (153.1544)	32 (157.0972)	35 (154.7884)
2015-10-09	Waxhaw Grill'n & Chill'n Waxhaw, NC	23 / 28 (641.6112)	20 (161.6912)	23 (156.5372)	19 (163.9884)	18 (159.3944)
2015-09-18	Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic Salisbury, NC	39 / 59 (654.1600)	31 (166.2400)	48 (153.6916)	29 (166.8112)	25 (167.4172)
2015-07-31	Pigs & Pedals Asheboro, NC	29 / 31 (633.0288)	28 (152.5028)	30 (153.0972)	16 (166.3200)	23 (161.1088)
2015-06-05	Hog Happenin' BBQ & Bike Fest Lincolnton, NC	22 / 34 (645.7144)	34 (151.4400)	18 (162.8116)	8 (169.7372)	20 (161.7256)
2015-05-08	Jiggy with the Piggy BBQ Challenge Kannapolis, NC	62 / 74 (624.4916)	65 (154.8572)	63 (155.3944)	44 (164.0000)	64 (150.2400)
2015-04-17	19th Annual Firehouse BBQ Cook-Off Kings Mountain, NC	20 / 41 (652.5028)	29 (159.3828)	11 (170.8688)	37 (153.7256)	15 (168.5256)
2014-09-19	Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally Salisbury, NC	35 / 64 (656.5140)	56 (157.6456)	38 (161.7144)	13 (170.2856)	22 (166.8684)
2014-08-22	Sooie't Relief BBQ Benefit Greer, SC	32 / 37 (633.5200)	34 (157.0856)	29 (157.6688)	33 (158.2284)	22 (160.5372)
2014-06-06	Lincolnton Hog Happenin' Lincolnton, NC	32 / 38 (620.4684)	36 (148.5372)	33 (144.5600)	19 (165.1200)	18 (162.2512)
2014-04-18	17th Annual Firehouse BBQ Cook-off Kings Mountain, NC	47 / 55 (630.1828)	48 (155.9428)	16 (169.1772)	44 (158.2856)	50 (146.7772)

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	#1450 (181 pts)	#1733 (146 pts)	#1588 (176 pts)	#1609 (176 pts)	#1371 (221 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#845 (398 pts)	#928 (373 pts)	#788 (463 pts)	#724 (518 pts)	#780 (468 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#1099 (275 pts)	#1172 (275 pts)	#1041 (320 pts)	#972 (365 pts)	#977 (340 pts)