SMOKEY GQ MN
Rating
1645
peak 1653
Contests
56
in the data
First seen
latest 2026-06-26
Best ToY finish
#33
Backyard 2026
Grand champs
2
3 reserve
Category wins
3
19 podiums
Overall top-10s
34
of 56 contests
Avg finish
top 35%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
1 🔥
Current form
338.35 ▲
last 5 vs career avg 336.63 (+1.72)
Walk rate
71%
contests with a top-10 call
Top-10 streak
15
best run (overall)
Consistency
±8.80
std dev of overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Chicken
avg 168.63 · weakest Pork (167.39)
Road miles
8866
mi across 55 mapped stops · furthest 391 mi
Storylines
🎯 The one to beat
Furlongs Smoke & Seafood has finished one call ahead of SMOKEY GQ 3 times — their closest competition in the data.
👀 Looking over their shoulder
HOT DADDY'S BBQ has landed one call behind them 4 times.
⚔️ A strong matchup
They've finished ahead of Sugar Shack in 16 of their 21 shared contests.
🏕️ Happy hunting ground
Iowa State BBQ Championship is their spot: 1 Grand Championship in 2 visits.
💔 The heartbreaker
Finished level on points with the champion at Dowagiac BBQ Competition and Summer Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) (2025-07-19) — the Grand Championship went to the KCBS tiebreaker.
🗡️ Giant slayer
Took the Grand Championship over a 49-team field at Iowa State BBQ Championship.
📅 A May team
Something about May: average finish in the top 25% across 10 contests, versus top 35% the rest of the year.
🐣 Announced themselves early
Finished 5 of 15 at their very first tracked contest, Bourbon, Brews & BBQ(BACKYARD ONLY) ().
Teams like this (closest power rating, MN first)
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 51 | 29 | 2 | 10 | 180.0000 🔥 | 156.5256 | 168.63 | top 38% |
| Pork Ribs | 55 | 34 | 1 | 9 | 178.2972 | 145.6112 | 167.70 | top 39% |
| Pork | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 167.3944 | 167.3944 | 167.39 | top 50% |
| Brisket | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — |
“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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| MN | 18 | 0 | top 33% |
| IA | 14 | 1 | top 40% |
| WI | 12 | 1 | top 33% |
| MO | 3 | 0 | top 41% |
| MI | 1 | 0 | top 12% |
| KS | 1 | 0 | top 55% |
| IL | 1 | 0 | top 11% |
By contest size
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (<20 teams) | 17 | 0 | top 45% |
| Medium (20–39) | 24 | 1 | top 31% |
| Large (40+) | 10 | 1 | top 27% |
The story so far
- Busiest season: 2025 (12 contests)
- Cooks mostly in MN (22 of 56 contests)
- Most-entered category: Pork Ribs (55 entries)
- First Grand Championship in the data: Iowa State BBQ Championship (2025-04-04)
- Wins it all in 4% of contests
- All-time average overall score: 336.63
- 1 perfect 180 on the books 🔥
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
Category scores over time
Overall finish over time (top-% of field, lower is better)
Where they finish (overall)
Best vs average (by meat)
Team of the Year rank by season
Season by season
| Season | Contests | GCs | Category wins | Best overall | Avg overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | 1 | 0 | 0 | 329.6456 | 329.65 |
| 2026 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 350.2856 | 338.30 |
| 2025 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 354.2972 | 340.23 |
| 2024 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 349.1084 | 337.65 |
| 2023 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 344.5828 | 338.42 |
| 2022 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 345.0972 | 336.18 |
| 2021 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 337.7028 | 332.54 |
| 2019 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 304.4456 | 304.45 |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-26 | Rib Fest (BACKYARD ONLY) Sioux City, IA | 4 / 19 (345.1200) | 7 (169.1200) | 3 (176.0000) | — | — |
| 2026-06-13 | Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 2 (MASTER & BACKYARD) West Salem, WI | 13 / 37 (336.5028) | 11 (170.8228) | 18 (165.6800) | — | — |
| 2026-06-12 | Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 1 (MASTER & BACKYARD) West Salem, WI | 18 / 40 (341.6572) | 17 (170.8344) | 15 (170.8228) | — | — |
| 2026-05-29 | Spring into Summer Backyard BBQ Competition (BACKYARD ONLY) Owatonna, MN | 12 / 25 (338.8116) | 4 (177.7028) | 18 (161.1088) | — | — |
| 2026-05-15 | BBQ Fest - Chippewa Falls, WI (BACKYARD ONLY) Chippewa Falls, WI | 1 / 21 (350.2856) | 3 (174.2856) | 1 (176.0000) | — | — |
| 2026-05-08 | Minnesota in May St. Peter, MN | 18 / 77 (330.2172) | 24 (161.0856) | 13 (169.1316) | — | — |
| 2026-04-24 | Smoke & Fire (BACKYARD ONLY) Stanley, WI | 22 / 24 (318.7656) | 21 (161.0972) | 21 (157.6684) | — | — |
| 2026-04-03 | Iowa State BBQ Championship Altoona, IA | 12 / 42 (343.3828) | 16 (171.4056) | 7 (171.9772) | — | — |
| 2026-03-20 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue Backyard Contest Kansas City, MO | 16 / 33 (339.9312) | 16 (170.8112) | 17 (169.1200) | — | — |
| 2025-07-19 | Dowagiac BBQ Competition and Summer Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Dowagiac, MI | 2 / 17 (354.2972) | 1 (180.0000) | 5 (174.2972) | — | — |
| 2025-07-12 | Great River Threshers BBQ Contest (BACKYARD ONLY) (Day 2) Miles, IA | 5 / 16 (345.0972) | 7 (174.2744) | 5 (170.8228) | — | — |
| 2025-07-11 | Great River Threshers BBQ Contest (BACKYARD ONLY) (Day 1) Miles, IA | 9 / 18 (339.3944) | 2 (178.8572) | 15 (160.5372) | 9 (167.3944) | — |
| 2025-06-27 | Art of the Que (Backyard 2) Spencer, IA | 12 / 17 (328.4912) | 12 (166.8112) | 12 (161.6800) | — | — |
| 2025-06-27 | Art of the Que (Masters and Backyard 1) Spencer, IA | 16 / 15 (320.4800) | 12 (162.8228) | 16 (157.6572) | — | — |
| 2025-06-20 | Camp High Hopes Rib Fest (BACKYARD ONLY) Sioux City, IA | 3 / 20 (346.8916) | 2 (176.0116) | 6 (170.8800) | — | — |
| 2025-06-14 | Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 2 (MASTER & BACKYARD) West Salem, WI | 13 / 36 (335.4056) | 18 (166.2628) | 8 (169.1428) | — | — |
| 2025-06-13 | Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 1 (MASTER & BACKYARD) West Salem, WI | 10 / 36 (343.9772) | 2 (177.7144) | 25 (166.2628) | — | — |
| 2025-05-09 | Minnesota in May St. Peter, MN | 18 / 58 (336.5256) | 29 (163.3828) | 4 (173.1428) | — | — |
| 2025-05-09 | Minnesota in May (ONE MEAT RIBS) St. Peter, MN | — | — | 13 (171.9656) | — | — |
| 2025-04-25 | Smoke & Fire (BACKYARD ONLY) Stanley, WI | 9 / 24 (337.6800) | 8 (168.5372) | 6 (169.1428) | — | — |
| 2025-04-04 | Iowa State BBQ Championship Altoona, IA | 1 / 49 (354.2744) | 4 (176.5600) | 2 (177.7144) | — | — |
| 2024-08-17 | Boomer Backyard BBQ Cookoff (BACKYARD ONLY) Canton, MN | 14 / 18 (330.7656) | 14 (166.8228) | 11 (163.9428) | — | — |
| 2024-07-05 | Smoke & Fire (BACKYARD ONLY) Stanley, WI | 3 / 16 (349.1084) | 4 (173.7028) | 3 (175.4056) | — | — |
| 2024-06-21 | Camp High Hopes Rib Fest (BACKYARD ONLY) Sioux City, IA | 9 / 17 (331.9084) | 8 (166.2284) | 10 (165.6800) | — | — |
| 2024-05-31 | Smokin in Steele Owatonna, MN | 2 / 32 (344.5600) | 3 (170.8344) | 2 (173.7256) | — | — |
| 2024-05-10 | Minnesota in May St. Peter, MN | 25 / 58 (331.9200) | 33 (161.0856) | 11 (170.8344) | — | — |
| 2024-05-10 | Minnesota in May (ONE MEAT RIBS) St. Peter, MN | — | — | 37 (163.3828) | — | — |
| 2023-08-19 | Boomer Backyard BBQ Cookoff (BACKYARD ONLY) Canton, MN | 5 / 16 (339.4060) | 12 (166.8344) | 5 (172.5716) | — | — |
| 2023-08-12 | 5th Annual KCBS World Invitational - BACKYARD SERIES INVITATIONAL Mayetta, KS | 16 / 29 (343.9772) | 24 (165.6800) | 6 (178.2972) | — | — |
| 2023-08-11 | 5th Annual KCBS World Invitational - OPEN Mayetta, KS | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2023-07-21 | Fillmore County Fair BBQ Cookoff (BACKYARD ONLY) Preston, MN | 7 / 15 (336.5028) | 7 (171.9772) | 9 (164.5256) | — | — |
| 2023-07-07 | Art of the Que Spencer, IA | 5 / 28 (337.1088) | 6 (170.2744) | 7 (166.8344) | — | — |
| 2023-06-23 | Camp High Hopes Rib Fest (BACKYARD ONLY) Sioux City, IA | 5 / 15 (330.8116) | 6 (165.7144) | 7 (165.0972) | — | — |
| 2023-06-02 | Smokin in Steele Owatonna, MN | 6 / 29 (344.5828) | 8 (168.5256) | 2 (176.0572) | — | — |
| 2023-05-12 | Minnesota in May St. Peter, MN | 10 / 59 (336.5372) | 23 (162.2400) | 4 (174.2972) | — | — |
| 2023-05-12 | Minnesota in May (One Meat Ribs) St. Peter, MN | — | — | 28 (164.5372) | — | — |
| 2022-10-15 | Bring'n Home the Bacon II Day 2 (BACKYARD ONLY) West Salem, WI | 6 / 20 (338.8000) | 5 (172.5484) | 10 (166.2516) | — | — |
| 2022-10-14 | Bring'n Home the Bacon II Day 1 (BACKYARD ONLY) West Salem, WI | 2 / 22 (345.0972) | 1 (175.4172) | 7 (169.6800) | — | — |
| 2022-08-20 | Boomer Backyard BBQ Cookoff (BACKYARD ONLY) Canton, MN | 5 / 15 (332.5488) | 6 (168.5372) | 7 (164.0116) | — | — |
| 2022-08-05 | B-Dale BBQ Contest (BACKYARD ONLY) Roseville, MN | 4 / 21 (340.5256) | 3 (173.7028) | 10 (166.8228) | — | — |
| 2022-07-22 | Fillmore County Fair BBQ Cookoff (BACKYARD ONLY) Preston, MN | 8 / 13 (334.2284) | 4 (173.1428) | 12 (161.0856) | — | — |
| 2022-07-15 | Bourbon, Brews & BBQ (BACKYARD) Bancroft, IA | 8 / 14 (340.5144) | 4 (175.4172) | 9 (165.0972) | — | — |
| 2022-06-24 | Heritage Days BBQ Showdown (Day One) Belvidere, IL | 4 / 36 (332.5140) | 2 (169.7028) | 6 (162.8112) | — | — |
| 2022-06-03 | Smokin in Steele (Master & Backyard Contest) Owatonna, MN | 5 / 33 (325.1084) | 3 (168.0000) | 10 (157.1084) | — | — |
| 2022-05-13 | Minnesota in May (Backyard) Cambridge, MN | 10 / 38 (334.2400) | 7 (171.9656) | 18 (162.2744) | — | — |
| 2022-03-25 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue Backyard Contest Kansas City, MO | 8 / 25 (338.2284) | 17 (163.3712) | 3 (174.8572) | — | — |
| 2021-10-16 | Bring'n Home the Bacon II Day 2 (BACKYARD) West Salem, WI | 12 / 36 (332.5256) | 14 (165.7028) | 13 (166.8228) | — | — |
| 2021-10-15 | Bring'n Home the Bacon II Day 1 (BACKYARD) West Salem, WI | 12 / 40 (328.5256) | 31 (157.1084) | 4 (171.4172) | — | — |
| 2021-08-22 | Big Island BBQ Backyard Albert Lea, MN | 5 / 15 (336.5372) | 9 (167.9772) | 5 (168.5600) | — | — |
| 2021-08-07 | B-Dale BBQ Contest (BACKYARD ONLY) Roseville, MN | 10 / 21 (328.5368) | 9 (163.9884) | 13 (164.5484) | — | — |
| 2021-06-19 | Camp High Hopes Rib Fest (BACKYARD ONLY) Sioux City, IA | 9 / 22 (328.0000) | 10 (163.9656) | 8 (164.0344) | — | — |
| 2021-05-07 | Minnesota in May Cambridge, MN | 7 / 60 (337.7028) | 19 (164.5828) | 4 (173.1200) | — | — |
| 2021-05-07 | Minnesota in May - One Meat Contest - Ribs Cambridge, MN | — | — | 28 (155.3600) | — | — |
| 2021-03-12 | American Royal Backyard and Steak Contest Kansas City, MO | 10 / 24 (335.9428) | 13 (161.0856) | 3 (174.8572) | — | — |
| 2019-05-10 | Minnesota in May | 24 / 57 (304.4456) | 15 (158.8344) | 33 (145.6112) | — | — |
| Bourbon, Brews & BBQ(BACKYARD ONLY) Bancroft, IA | 5 / 15 (329.6456) | 11 (156.5256) | 3 (173.1200) | — | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 ↗ | Backyard | #33 (818 pts) | #30 (798 pts) | #29 (885 pts) | — | — |
| 2025 ↗ | Backyard | #39 (1048 pts) | #14 (1225 pts) | #46 (967 pts) | — | — |
| 2025 ↗ | Master | — | — | #1020 (120 pts) | — | — |
| 2024 ↗ | Backyard | #75 (738 pts) | #86 (698 pts) | #66 (813 pts) | — | — |
| 2024 ↗ | Master | — | — | #1317 (60 pts) | — | — |