PITT SMOKERS

PITT SMOKERS is a competition barbecue team with 24 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2014 and 2022. Their best overall finish is 8th of 30 at the Laurie Hillbilly BBQ (2019). They are ranked #1640 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings. Also listed in KCBS results as “Pittsmokers”.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#1,640

of 6,476 rated · rankings

Rating

1556

peak 1563 · rated over 23 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Apr 25, 2014

latest Jun 24, 2022 · 8.2 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#881

Master 2016 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

3 podiums

Overall top-10s

8% of 24 contests

Avg finish

top 49%

overall standings

Best overall

689.0744 / 720

Master · Border War Barbeque

Perfect 180s

Current form

659.10 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 650.92 (+8.18)

Walk rate

46%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

177.7144

Chicken · Laurie Hillbilly BBQ

Consistency

±39.24

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork Ribs

avg 165.96 · weakest Brisket (162.13)

Road miles

618

across 24 mapped stops · furthest 116 mi

Schedule strength

51%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1567)

Purse competed for

$39K

listed at 3 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 6 state-championship entries

Master avg

650.92 / 720

23 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (9 found in their record)

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

High-water mark

689.0744 career-best overall

95.7% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 689.0744 at Border War Barbeque — 95.7% of a perfect 720.

Master
Oct 27, 2017

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

Pork Pullers has finished one call ahead of PITT SMOKERS 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2016 their best year

2016 was the year it came together: 4 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 39%.

4 contests
1 overall top-10
0 category wins
average top 39%

A tough matchup

15–1 behind in the head-to-head

HIGH i QUE ahead in 94% of their meetings

HIGH i QUE has come out ahead in 15 of their 16 shared contests.

A strong matchup

8–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 89% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of Royal Smoke in 8 of their 9 shared contests.

The comeback

2.7 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 2.7 years, then back at The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship (Jun 24, 2022).

last seen Oct 25, 2019
back Jun 24, 2022

Pork Ribs nemesis

14 of 16 shared pork ribs entries lost

HIGH i QUE ahead 88% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, HIGH i QUE has out-cooked them in 14 of 16 shared pork ribs entries.

Show 2 more storylines

A June team

Top 34% average finish in June

Something about June: average finish in the top 34% across 5 contests, versus top 49% the rest of the year.

5 June contests
top 49% the rest of the year

A standing appointment

4 years running at one contest

They've cooked Border War Barbeque every year from 2016 to 2019 — the contest they never miss.

4 visits in all
best finish 12th

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
2018 ↗	Master	#1266 (180 pts)	#1319 (180 pts)	#1082 (275 pts)	#1140 (245 pts)	#1115 (255 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#1338 (190 pts)	#1303 (235 pts)	#1414 (205 pts)	#1561 (170 pts)	#1564 (170 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#881 (393 pts)	#992 (358 pts)	#738 (543 pts)	#880 (443 pts)	#973 (358 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#2111 (68 pts)	#1920 (113 pts)	#1968 (103 pts)	#2828 (53 pts)	#2202 (63 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#1140 (260 pts)	#1255 (250 pts)	#1258 (245 pts)	#1065 (310 pts)	#1306 (225 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to PITT SMOKERS, each with one reason worth a look.

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

Ghost River Smoke-A-Holics

#1,643 of the rated field

1555 power rating

Contests: 9
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 33%
Peak: 1555

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to PITT SMOKERS)

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

rated over 8 contests
last seen Oct 2, 2014

⚔ Head-to-head

Ric's Righteous Ribs

#1,641 of the rated field

1556 power rating

Contests: 26
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 31%
Peak: 1574

Careers of much the same size, 26 contests to 24, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 26 contests
last seen Aug 7, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

EGGHEAD-BARBECUE

#1,639 of the rated field

1556 power rating

Contests: 30
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 63%
Peak: 1568

Their rating is built on 1 Grand Championship in 30 contests, alongside a 63% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 30 contests
last seen May 18, 2024

⚔ Compare careers

Neighbor's Brewin' & Quein'

#1,642 of the rated field

1556 power rating

Contests: 17
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 6%
Peak: 1563

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

rated over 17 contests
last seen Sep 8, 2022

⚔ Compare careers

GRILLA WARFARE BBQ

#1,644 of the rated field

1555 power rating

Contests: 15
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 67%
Peak: 1555

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 14 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 14 contests
last seen Oct 21, 2022
on a 6-contest top-10 run

⚔ Compare careers

202 BBQ

#1,638 of the rated field

1556 power rating

Contests: 10
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 40%
Peak: 1556

They turned up 5 years after PITT SMOKERS did, first appearing in 2019.

rated over 10 contests
last seen Aug 23, 2024

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
HIGH i QUE	16	1	15	6%	⚔ compare
SLAPS BBQ	15	1	14	7%	⚔ compare
913 BBQ	14	0	14	0%	⚔ compare
HUNKA HUNKA BURNIN' RUB	13	2	11	15%	⚔ compare
B & C SMOKERS	11	2	9	18%	⚔ compare
AMERICAN FIRE BBQ	11	1	10	9%	⚔ compare
DIRT ROAD BBQ	11	0	11	0%	⚔ compare
Sublime BBQ	11	0	11	0%	⚔ compare
SOCIAL SMOKERS BBQ SQUAD	10	4	6	40%	⚔ compare
BREW 'N' BAR-B-QUE	10	1	9	10%	⚔ compare
Royal Smoke	9	8	1	89%	⚔ compare
PB&J SMOKIN OLD MEN	9	6	3	67%	⚔ compare
MAN MEAT BBQ	9	3	6	33%	⚔ compare
GETTIN' SAUCED	9	0	9	0%	⚔ compare
Four Men and A Pig	9	0	9	0%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	24	4	1	2	177.7144	153.6688	165.93	top 44%
Pork Ribs	23	4	0	0	175.4172	142.2512	165.96	top 43%
Pork	23	2	0	1	175.4172	153.7028	164.51	top 52%
Brisket	23	3	0	0	171.9772	149.1428	162.13	top 55%

“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)	5	0	top 49%
Large (40+)	18	0	top 49%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
KS	18	0	top 46%
MO	5	0	top 60%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Border War Barbeque	4	12	0	top 53%	Oct 25, 2019
Smoke On the Trails	2	20	0	top 33%	Sep 28, 2018

More numbers

Busiest season 2018 6 contests

Contests a season 3.4 across 7 seasons in the data

Most contests held in KS 19 of 24 contests · 2 states in all

Contests visited 19 2 of them more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 24 entries · 1 win · 4 calls

Opponents faced 1,115 finished ahead 1,206 times, behind 1,053

Longest layoff 2.7 yrs Oct 25, 2019 → Jun 24, 2022

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

20221 milestone

Jun 24 Most recent contest The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship

20193 milestones

Aug 2 First category win (Chicken) Laurie Hillbilly BBQ
Aug 2 Career-best single call (Chicken)177.7144 Laurie Hillbilly BBQ
Aug 2 Peak power rating (1563) Laurie Hillbilly BBQ

20171 milestone

Oct 27 Career-best overall score689.0744 Border War Barbeque

20162 milestones

Sep 16 First overall top-10 Battle of the Brisket
Oct 21 10th tracked contest Border War Barbeque

20143 milestones

Apr 25 First tracked contest VFW Post 846 6th Annual BBQ Challenge (10 TEAM SPOTS STILL AVAILABLE)
Jul 25 First call Racing for the BBQ
Jul 25 First overall past 90% of a perfect score663.2568 Racing for the BBQ

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+11.7	Great Lenexa BBQ Battle-Kansas State Championship	Jun 24, 2016
+11.5	Laurie Hillbilly BBQ	Aug 2, 2019
+11.1	Border War Barbeque	Oct 27, 2017
+10.1	Border War Barbeque	Oct 21, 2016
+9.7	Battle of the Brisket	Sep 16, 2016

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-15	Racing for the BBQ	Jul 24, 2015
-7.6	Border War Barbeque	Oct 25, 2019
-4.7	Great Lenexa BBQ Battle-Kansas State Championship	Jun 23, 2017
-4.7	Border War Barbeque	Oct 26, 2018
-4.6	10th Annual VFW Post 846 BBQ Challenge	Apr 20, 2018

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	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2022	1	0	0	0%	top 45%	90.9%	90.9%
2019	3	1	1	33%	top 44%	94.6%	91.9%
2018	6	0	0	50%	top 48%	94.4%	92%
2017	4	0	0	50%	top 45%	95.7%	91.4%
2016	4	1	0	75%	top 39%	93.7%	91.8%
2015	3	0	0	33%	top 72%	91.4%	82.9%
2014	3	0	0	33%	top 52%	92.1%	90.4%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Jun 24, 2022	The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship 🏅 Lenexa, KS	74 / 164 (654.2056)	84 (162.8228)	97 (161.1200)	38 (170.8228)	98 (159.4400)
Oct 25, 2019	Border War Barbeque 🏅 Osawatomie, KS	36 / 44 (645.5656)	37 (160.5484)	40 (157.1204)	25 (166.8112)	36 (161.0856)
Aug 2, 2019	Laurie Hillbilly BBQ 🏅 Laurie, MO	8 / 30 (681.0860)	1 (177.7144)	20 (166.2516)	18 (167.4056)	12 (169.7144)
Jun 21, 2019	The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle-Kansas State Championship 🏅 Lenexa, KS	44 / 183 (658.2400)	30 (168.5944)	14 (172.5600)	100 (161.0856)	112 (156)
Oct 26, 2018	Border War Barbeque Osawatomie, KS	40 / 56 (656.4112)	37 (166.2628)	44 (163.3944)	49 (158.7884)	31 (167.9656)
Sep 28, 2018	Smoke On the Trails Gardner, KS	20 / 68 (679.9084)	28 (169.1316)	31 (167.9884)	17 (170.8228)	9 (171.9656)
Jun 22, 2018	The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle Lenexa, KS	35 / 185 (657.0052)	72 (161.7256)	99 (159.3484)	40 (167.9656)	27 (167.9656)
May 19, 2018	Tasty Expo BBQ Battle of the Grill (BACKYARD ONLY) Overland Park, KS	—	2 (171.4056)	4 (169.6684)	—	—
May 11, 2018	The Grasshopper '18 (formerly Kansas 10x10) (JUDGES FULL) De Soto, KS	28 / 56 (669.1084)	25 (169.1428)	13 (171.4400)	12 (174.8572)	51 (153.6684)
Apr 20, 2018	10th Annual VFW Post 846 BBQ Challenge Overland Park, KS	33 / 46 (647.7828)	41 (153.6688)	18 (167.3828)	40 (154.7656)	10 (171.9656)
Oct 27, 2017	Border War Barbeque Osawatomie, KS	12 / 46 (689.0744)	8 (176)	11 (170.2744)	15 (170.8228)	15 (171.9772)
Sep 29, 2017	Smoke On the Trails Gardner, KS	24 / 64 (666.1028)	21 (169.6800)	22 (167.3828)	27 (167.3828)	37 (161.6572)
Jun 23, 2017	Great Lenexa BBQ Battle-Kansas State Championship 🏅 Lenexa, KS	116 / 184 (622.2740)	53 (163.4400)	169 (142.2512)	37 (167.4400)	134 (149.1428)
Apr 21, 2017	9th Annual VFW Post 846 BBQ Challenge Overland Park, KS	33 / 64 (655.2456)	50 (156.5028)	4 (173.7028)	40 (165.0856)	43 (159.9544)
Oct 21, 2016	Border War Barbeque Osawatomie, KS	13 / 38 (674.7888)	14 (169.1200)	16 (168.5372)	3 (175.4172)	24 (161.7144)
Sep 16, 2016	Battle of the Brisket Mission, KS	8 / 33 (665.0056)	20 (159.3716)	4 (175.4172)	18 (163.3712)	9 (166.8456)
Jun 24, 2016	Great Lenexa BBQ Battle-Kansas State Championship 🏅 Lenexa, KS	31 / 183 (659.8740)	94 (158.2284)	27 (170.2628)	79 (161.1200)	19 (170.2628)
Apr 29, 2016	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Overland Park, KS	24 / 30 (645.5652)	16 (165.6684)	6 (170.8228)	28 (153.7028)	24 (155.3712)
Sep 11, 2015	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour N. Kansas City, MO	22 / 28 (654.1368)	13 (167.9656)	15 (167.3828)	27 (155.9656)	23 (162.8228)
Jul 24, 2015	Racing for the BBQ Lees Summit, MO	63 / 63 (479.2912)	40 (162.2512)	—	51 (161.6800)	50 (155.3600)
Apr 17, 2015	VFW Post 846 7th Annual BBQ Challenge Overland Park, KS	17 / 47 (658.1828)	7 (170.8344)	33 (159.9772)	20 (164.5484)	26 (162.8228)
Oct 2, 2014	35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO	337 / 552 (646.1828)	67 (173.7028)	274 (163.9772)	444 (155.3828)	425 (153.1200)
Jul 25, 2014	Racing for the BBQ Lee's Summit, MO	18 / 54 (663.2568)	37 (162.8228)	23 (165.0972)	9 (170.8112)	25 (164.5256)
Apr 25, 2014	VFW Post 846 6th Annual BBQ Challenge (10 TEAM SPOTS STILL AVAILABLE) Overland Park, KS	40 / 65 (642.8000)	20 (165.7372)	23 (165.7144)	51 (157.6912)	50 (153.6572)

PITT SMOKERS

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)

High-water mark

The one to beat

Their season

A tough matchup

A strong matchup

The comeback

Pork Ribs nemesis

A June team

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 — 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)