Among the elite
#487
of 6,485 rated teams
In the top 7% of every rated team in the data
A power rating of 1680 puts them #487 of 6,485 rated teams — the top 7% of the field.
- rating 1680
- peak 1680
- 44 rated contests
SMOKEY D'S WANNABEES
SMOKEY D'S WANNABEES is a competition barbecue team with 50 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2026. They have won 3 Grand Championships, most recently at the Cruisin' and BBQin' (2026), and finished Reserve Grand Champion once. They are ranked #487 of 6,485 teams in the KCBS power rankings. Also listed in KCBS results as “Smokey D's Wannabee's”.
At a glance (the record in numbers)
Rating
1680
peak 1680 · rated over 44 contests
Contests
50
in the data
First seen
Mar 15, 2013
latest Sep 30, 2026 · 13.5 years on the trail
Grand champs
3
1 reserve · wins it all 6% of the time
Category wins
4
21 podiums
Overall top-10s
19
38% of 50 contests
Best top-10 run
6
straight overall top-10s
Avg finish
top 37%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
1 🔥
Current form
698.48 ▲
last 5 Master vs avg 677.04 (+21.44)
Walk rate
76%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±26.15
spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Pork Ribs
avg 171.18 · weakest Chicken (166.95)
Road miles
6,461
across 50 mapped stops · furthest 494 mi
Schedule strength
63%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1579)
Purse competed for
$433K
listed at 35 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
2 🏅
won from 28 state-championship entries
Master avg
677.04 / 720
44 Master contests · 3 GCs
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 ↗ | Master | #53 (1,708 pts) | #91 (1,450 pts) | #87 (1,483 pts) | #138 (1,103 pts) | #83 (1,393 pts) |
| 2025 ↗ | Backyard | — | — | #220 (212 pts) | — | — |
| 2025 ↗ | Master | #243 (912 pts) | #257 (877 pts) | #144 (1,404 pts) | #266 (862 pts) | #222 (1,017 pts) |
| 2024 ↗ | Master | #314 (700 pts) | #342 (685 pts) | #368 (650 pts) | #271 (820 pts) | #307 (755 pts) |
| 2014 ↗ | Master | #860 (389 pts) | #912 (394 pts) | #1045 (319 pts) | #1101 (299 pts) | #935 (359 pts) |
| 2013 ↗ | Master | #909 (327 pts) | #1084 (282 pts) | #801 (407 pts) | #901 (357 pts) | #1027 (292 pts) |
Overall rank by season
Teams like this (closest power rating)
The teams rated closest to SMOKEY D'S WANNABEES, each with one reason worth a look.
#488 of the rated field
- Contests
- 45
- GCs
- 5
- Top-10s
- 78%
- Peak
- 1692
Careers of much the same size, 45 contests to 50, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.
⚔ Compare careers#486 of the rated field
- Contests
- 40
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 38%
- Peak
- 1692
Their rating is built on 1 Grand Championship in 40 contests, alongside a 38% overall top-10 rate.
⚔ Compare careers#491 of the rated field
- Contests
- 42
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 57%
- Peak
- 1679
1–1 in 3 shared contests (33% to SMOKEY D'S WANNABEES)
These two have cooked 3 of the same contests — honours even — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.
⚔ Head-to-head#484 of the rated field
- Contests
- 40
- GCs
- 2
- Top-10s
- 45%
- Peak
- 1702
5–4 in 9 shared contests (56% to SMOKEY D'S WANNABEES)
Both teams' first contest in the data came in 2013.
⚔ Head-to-head#492 of the rated field
- Contests
- 82
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 48%
- Peak
- 1722
2–0 in 2 shared contests (100% to SMOKEY D'S WANNABEES)
They've been 1722 at their best, 44 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.
⚔ Head-to-head#482 of the rated field
- Contests
- 119
- GCs
- 3
- Top-10s
- 30%
- Peak
- 1739
5–6 in 11 shared contests (45% to SMOKEY D'S WANNABEES)
Level with SMOKEY D'S WANNABEES on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.
⚔ Head-to-headFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TEAM CRAWFORD | 21 | 12 | 9 | 57% | ⚔ compare |
| HOT DADDY'S BBQ | 21 | 7 | 14 | 33% | ⚔ compare |
| Bucknutz BBQ | 20 | 15 | 5 | 75% | ⚔ compare |
| Low Eye Que | 19 | 10 | 9 | 53% | ⚔ compare |
| IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | 19 | 3 | 16 | 16% | ⚔ compare |
| WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ | 18 | 6 | 12 | 33% | ⚔ compare |
| SHIGGIN & GRINNIN | 17 | 5 | 12 | 29% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOKEHOUSE 72 | 16 | 12 | 4 | 75% | ⚔ compare |
| BUCKSHOT BBQ - TX | 15 | 13 | 2 | 87% | ⚔ compare |
| NEVER EASY BBQ | 15 | 11 | 4 | 73% | ⚔ compare |
| BBQ Pit Bros | 15 | 8 | 7 | 53% | ⚔ compare |
| T-Rex BBQ | 14 | 10 | 4 | 71% | ⚔ compare |
| Smokin Suckers | 13 | 12 | 1 | 92% | ⚔ compare |
| WHEN PIGS DIE | 13 | 7 | 6 | 54% | ⚔ compare |
| Son of a Boar BBQ | 13 | 2 | 11 | 15% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 45 | 14 | 1 | 6 | 178.8572 | 20 | 166.95 | top 47% |
| Pork Ribs | 46 | 24 | 0 | 9 | 178.2972 | 161.7142 | 171.18 | top 35% |
| Pork | 44 | 15 | 1 | 2 | 177.7028 | 151.9084 | 170.23 | top 42% |
| Brisket | 44 | 17 | 2 | 4 | 180 🔥 | 157.7028 | 168.68 | top 41% |
“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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (<20 teams) | 5 | 0 | top 40% |
| Medium (20–39) | 23 | 3 | top 41% |
| Large (40+) | 16 | 0 | top 30% |
Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa State BBQ Championship | 3 | 11 | 0 | top 36% | Apr 3, 2026 |
| Cruisin' and BBQin' | 2 | 1 | 1 | top 27% | Jul 31, 2026 |
| BBQ & Fly-In on the River | 2 | 6 | 0 | top 26% | Aug 14, 2026 |
| American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest | 2 | 13 | 0 | top 11% | Nov 5, 2025 |
More numbers
Busiest season
2026
15 contests · 2 GCs
Contests a season
10
across 5 seasons in the data
Most contests held in
IA
29 of 50 contests · 6 states in all
Contests visited
39
4 of them more than once
Most-entered meat
Pork Ribs
46 entries · 0 wins · 24 calls
First title
Sep 12, 2014
Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Opponents faced
1,674
finished ahead 2,638 times, behind 798
Longest layoff
9.5 yrs
Sep 19, 2014 → Mar 29, 2024
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
20266 milestones
- First state championship Shenandoah ShenDig
- Career-best overall score703.9544 Shenandoah ShenDig
- First perfect 180 (Brisket) Tri City BBQ Fest
- 50th tracked contest American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Sides
- Peak power rating (1680) American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest
- Most recent contest American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Sides
20251 milestone
- 25th tracked contest Iowa State BBQ Championship
20142 milestones
- First Grand Championship Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
- Biggest field won (30 teams) Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
20138 milestones
- First tracked contest NKC MO State BBQ Championship
- First call NKC MO State BBQ Championship
- First overall top-10 NKC MO State BBQ Championship
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score661.1426 NKC MO State BBQ Championship
- First category win (Pork) Lynch Livestock Pig Stampede
- First overall podium Kings of BBQ 2013
- First Reserve Championship Kings of BBQ 2013
- 10th tracked contest Kings of BBQ 2013
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +16.2 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour | Sep 12, 2014 |
| +15.2 | Shenandoah ShenDig | Jul 17, 2026 |
| +15 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest | Oct 30, 2024 |
| +14 | Kings of BBQ 2013 | Sep 20, 2013 |
| +13.7 | Cruisin' and BBQin' | Jul 31, 2026 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -18 | Cass County | Aug 8, 2014 |
| -9.7 | 8th Annual Qlathe BBQ Championship | Mar 20, 2026 |
| -8 | 8th Annual E'burg BBQ Contest | Jul 26, 2024 |
| -7.2 | Smokin' in the Creek BBQ Contest | Apr 25, 2025 |
| -5.9 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour | Jul 19, 2013 |
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 | GCs | Top-10s | Category wins | Walk rate | Avg finish | Best overall (% of perfect) | Avg overall (% of perfect) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 15 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 60% | top 29% | 97.8% | 95.9% |
| 2025 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 75% | top 50% | 96% | 94.5% |
| 2024 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 75% | top 46% | 97.2% | 94.4% |
| 2014 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 100% | top 42% | 96.9% | 89.9% |
| 2013 | 11 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 91% | top 27% | 95.2% | 92.9% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 30, 2026 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Sides Kansas City, KS | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sep 30, 2026 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest Kansas City, KS | 59 / 360 (693.1088) | 131 (171.9888) | 65 (175.4172) | 130 (172) | 80 (173.7028) |
| Sep 18, 2026 | Tri City BBQ Fest 🏅 Denison, IA | 4 / 26 (697.6572) | 13 (171.4056) | 12 (171.9772) | 9 (174.2744) | 1 (180) |
| Aug 14, 2026 | BBQ & Fly-In on the River 🏅 Excelsior Springs, MO | 6 / 83 (698.8116) | 16 (176) | 8 (177.7144) | 47 (170.8344) | 12 (174.2628) |
| Jul 31, 2026 | Cruisin' and BBQin' 🏅 Hampton, IA | 1 / 26 (699.9660) | 3 (177.7144) | 5 (176.5600) | 15 (171.4172) | 4 (174.2744) |
| Jul 24, 2026 | 10th Annual E'burg BBQ Contest 🏅 Emmetsburg, IA | 4 / 17 (702.8348) | 11 (175.4288) | 4 (175.4288) | 6 (177.7028) | 6 (174.2744) |
| Jul 17, 2026 | Shenandoah ShenDig 🏅 Shenandoah, IA | 1 / 28 (703.9544) | 3 (178.8572) | 9 (175.4172) | 6 (176.5600) | 8 (173.1200) |
| Jul 17, 2026 | Shenandoah ShenDig (ONE MEAT CHICKEN) Shenandoah, IA | — | 15 (166.2628) | — | — | — |
| Jul 10, 2026 | Cameron Elks BBQ Cook-Off (MASTERS and BACKYARD 1) 🏅 Cameron, MO | 9 / 37 (694.7884) | 12 (175.4056) | 3 (178.2972) | 16 (172.5600) | 19 (168.5256) |
| Jun 19, 2026 | Rose Festival's 25th Annual KCBS BBQ Competition 🏅 State Center, IA | 14 / 20 (679.3028) | 12 (174.8456) | 7 (173.1200) | 11 (169.6800) | 16 (161.6572) |
| May 8, 2026 | Minnesota in May 🏅 St. Peter, MN | 10 / 77 (690.2400) | 34 (171.9772) | 34 (169.1428) | 18 (173.7028) | 8 (175.4172) |
| May 8, 2026 | Minnesota in May (ONE MEAT RIBS) St. Peter, MN | — | — | 13 (170.2744) | — | — |
| May 1, 2026 | SmokeHouse Barbeque Showdown (OPEN FORMAT) (REGISTRATION FULL) 🏅 Cambridge, IA | 7 / 17 (682.1716) | 1 (178.8572) | 19 (168.5372) | 18 (169.6684) | 20 (165.1088) |
| Apr 3, 2026 | Iowa State BBQ Championship 🏅 Altoona, IA | 20 / 42 (679.3144) | 28 (170.8228) | 14 (171.9772) | 22 (168.5372) | 23 (167.9772) |
| Mar 20, 2026 | 8th Annual Qlathe BBQ Championship 🏅 Olathe, KS | 52 / 68 (659.8508) | 67 (152.5140) | 31 (169.1084) | 44 (167.4056) | 24 (170.8228) |
| Nov 5, 2025 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Sides Kansas City, KS | — | — | — | — | — |
| Nov 5, 2025 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS | 75 / 401 (691.4060) | 107 (173.7260) | 10 (178.2972) | 105 (174.2628) | 251 (165.1200) |
| Aug 22, 2025 | Cruisin' and BBQin' 🏅 Hampton, IA | 9 / 18 (682.1944) | 15 (167.3828) | 10 (170.2744) | 12 (166.2400) | 2 (178.2972) |
| Aug 15, 2025 | BBQ & Fly-In on the River 🏅 Excelsior Springs, MO | 28 / 62 (685.0628) | 44 (168.5372) | 41 (167.4056) | 22 (173.7028) | 10 (175.4172) |
| Jul 25, 2025 | 9th Annual E'burg BBQ Contest 🏅 Emmetsburg, IA | 19 / 31 (670.2404) | 18 (169.1316) | 9 (170.2744) | 21 (166.8344) | 22 (164) |
| Jun 27, 2025 | Art of the Que (Masters and Backyard 1) 🏅 Spencer, IA | 6 / 15 (689.0856) | 6 (171.9656) | 3 (174.8572) | 7 (174.2628) | 10 (168) |
| Jun 27, 2025 | Art of the Que (One Meat Ribs) Spencer, IA | — | — | 3 (173.1544) | — | — |
| Jun 20, 2025 | Rose Festival's 24th Annual KCBS BBQ Competition 🏅 State Center, IA | 15 / 25 (675.3028) | 9 (171.9772) | 15 (169.1200) | 16 (170.8228) | 19 (163.3828) |
| May 16, 2025 | King of the Corn 🏅 Ottumwa, IA | 22 / 33 (677.0400) | 24 (165.6800) | 5 (173.7028) | 23 (166.2516) | 10 (171.4056) |
| Apr 25, 2025 | Smokin' in the Creek BBQ Contest 🏅 Sugar Creek, MO | 29 / 40 (676.4688) | 32 (167.3828) | 16 (173.7144) | 17 (171.9888) | 31 (163.3828) |
| Apr 4, 2025 | Iowa State BBQ Championship 🏅 Altoona, IA | 11 / 49 (681.0400) | 17 (172) | 10 (173.1084) | 22 (169.6916) | 27 (166.2400) |
| Mar 21, 2025 | 7th Annual Qlathe BBQ Championship 🏅 Olathe, KS | 47 / 70 (673.0172) | 41 (169.6800) | 59 (162.2516) | 32 (171.9772) | 40 (169.1084) |
| Oct 30, 2024 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Sides Kansas City, KS | — | — | — | — | — |
| Oct 30, 2024 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS | 13 / 444 (699.9888) | 56 (176.5600) | 177 (170.8344) | 39 (176.5600) | 26 (176.0344) |
| Sep 20, 2024 | 36th Annual Jesse James Barbeque Cook Out 🏅 Kearney, MO | 16 / 32 (678.1252) | 7 (175.4056) | 14 (169.6800) | 14 (170.8228) | 22 (162.2168) |
| Jul 26, 2024 | 8th Annual E'burg BBQ Contest 🏅 Emmetsburg, IA | 23 / 28 (668.4340) | 9 (175.4056) | 19 (165.1200) | 22 (163.9428) | 17 (163.9656) |
| Jul 19, 2024 | Shenandoah ShenDig BBQ 🏅 Shenandoah, IA | 17 / 36 (680.4916) | 9 (173.7028) | 25 (168.5716) | 5 (176.5600) | 28 (161.6572) |
| Jun 14, 2024 | 23rd Annual Rose Festival KCBS BBQ Competition 🏅 State Center, IA | 14 / 25 (674.7772) | 25 (159.9428) | 19 (166.8228) | 4 (174.2744) | 4 (173.7372) |
| May 17, 2024 | King of the Corn 🏅 Ottumwa, IA | 16 / 36 (679.3372) | 35 (161.6572) | 15 (169.1428) | 10 (171.9772) | 4 (176.5600) |
| Mar 29, 2024 | Iowa State BBQ Championship 🏅 Altoona, IA | 16 / 42 (677.0976) | 23 (170.8460) | 9 (173.1544) | 30 (167.3944) | 28 (165.7028) |
| Sep 19, 2014 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) Midwest City, OK | 14 / 29 (674.1944) | 2 (177.1428) | 23 (163.3828) | 7 (170.8344) | 20 (162.8344) |
| Sep 12, 2014 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour N. Kansas City, MO | 1 / 30 (697.6916) | 9 (172.5600) | 2 (177.7144) | 9 (170.2744) | 1 (177.1428) |
| Aug 8, 2014 | Cass County Weeping Water, NE | 35 / 35 (526.8460) | 35 (20) | 8 (169.7144) | 13 (167.4400) | 7 (169.6916) |
| May 24, 2014 | Smokin' in the Junction West Des Moines, IA | 5 / 31 (689.0852) | 8 (172.5484) | 2 (174.8456) | 13 (167.4056) | 2 (174.2856) |
| Oct 3, 2013 | 34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO | 49 / 535 (668.5712) | 212 (163.4284) | 77 (168.5256) | 97 (168.0344) | 70 (168.5828) |
| Sep 20, 2013 | Kings of BBQ 2013 Des Moines, IA | 2 / 35 (685.1544) | 2 (178.3200) | 3 (174.8572) | 9 (169.1316) | 18 (162.8456) |
| Sep 6, 2013 | Blue Springs Barbeque Blaze-Off Blue Springs, MO | 9 / 72 (681.0628) | 16 (170.8456) | 9 (171.9772) | 6 (174.8572) | 25 (163.3828) |
| Aug 23, 2013 | Nevada Kiwanis BBQ Contest Nevada, IA | 8 / 17 (666.7656) | 7 (170.8456) | 6 (167.9772) | 14 (157.6800) | 4 (170.2628) |
| Aug 16, 2013 | Lynch Livestock Pig Stampede Waucoma, IA | 7 / 21 (651.9084) | 18 (153.1200) | 7 (163.3828) | 1 (177.7028) | 12 (157.7028) |
| Jul 26, 2013 | Up in Smoke BBQ Bash Mason City, IA | 15 / 66 (670.7888) | 42 (162.8344) | 13 (169.6916) | 6 (172) | 20 (166.2628) |
| Jul 19, 2013 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Des Moines, IA | 19 / 28 (655.3256) | 14 (166.2628) | 3 (173.1660) | 26 (151.9084) | 12 (163.9884) |
| Jun 21, 2013 | Iowa State BBQ Championship Marshalltown, IA | 5 / 28 (684) | 2 (177.7144) | 12 (165.7144) | 2 (175.4286) | 13 (165.1426) |
| May 25, 2013 | Smokin' In The Junction West Des Moines, IA | 9 / 36 (673.1428) | 20 (162.8572) | 2 (176) | 23 (165.7142) | 9 (168.5714) |
| Apr 19, 2013 | Smoke Over Veishea Ames, IA | 16 / 36 (662.8566) | 13 (168.5714) | 23 (161.7142) | 4 (172.5714) | 23 (159.9996) |
| Mar 15, 2013 | NKC MO State BBQ Championship N. Kansas City, MO | 10 / 79 (661.1426) | 25 (162.8570) | 2 (173.1430) | 43 (157.1428) | 10 (167.9998) |