SMOKEY GQ MN
Rating
1627
peak 1653 · rated over 55 contests
Best runs
15
straight top-10s
Contests
61
in the data
First seen
2019-05-10
latest 2026-08-07
Best ToY finish
#35
Backyard 2026
Grand champs
2
3 reserve
Category wins
3
19 podiums
Overall top-10s
37
of 61 contests
Avg finish
top 37%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
1 🔥
Current form
338.68 ▲
last 5 Backyard vs avg 336.94 (+1.74)
Walk rate
72%
contests with a top-10 call
Top-10 streak
15
best run (overall)
Consistency
±8.71
std dev of Backyard overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Chicken
avg 168.76 · weakest Brisket (162.26)
Road miles
9597
mi across 60 mapped stops · furthest 400 mi
Schedule strength
60%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1555)
Purse competed for
$270K
listed at 53 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
1 🏅
GCs in 20 state-championship entries
Master avg
657.60 / 720
1 Master contest · 0 GCs
Backyard avg
336.94 / 360
55 Backyard contests · 2 GCs
Master and Backyard overall scores sit on different scales (Master is out of 720, Backyard out of 360), so they're kept separate — averaging them together would be misleading.
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
DAWGS BBQ has landed one call behind them 4 times.
⚔️ A strong matchup
They've finished ahead of Sugar Shack in 16 of their 22 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.
😤 Chicken nemesis
Even in their strongest meat, DAWGS BBQ has out-cooked them in 25 of 38 shared chicken entries.
📅 A May team
Something about May: average finish in the top 25% across 10 contests, versus top 37% the rest of the year.
🐣 Announced themselves early
Finished 5 of 15 at their very first tracked contest, Bourbon, Brews & BBQ(BACKYARD ONLY) ().
🔁 The comeback
Off the trail for 1.8 years, then back at American Royal Backyard and Steak Contest (2021-03-12).
Teams like this (closest power rating, MN first)
Familiar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DAWGS BBQ | 38 | 19 | 19 | 50% | ⚔ compare |
| FENDER BENDER BBQ | 31 | 16 | 15 | 52% | ⚔ compare |
| Sensuous BBQ | 31 | 12 | 19 | 39% | ⚔ compare |
| Big Ten Bones | 29 | 13 | 16 | 45% | ⚔ compare |
| Furlongs Smoke & Seafood | 26 | 5 | 21 | 19% | ⚔ compare |
| Big Racks BBQ | 25 | 14 | 11 | 56% | ⚔ compare |
| Sugar Shack | 22 | 16 | 6 | 73% | ⚔ compare |
| DAD BOD BARBEQUE | 21 | 9 | 12 | 43% | ⚔ compare |
| Porket About It | 21 | 9 | 12 | 43% | ⚔ compare |
| UGLY BABY BBQ | 20 | 16 | 4 | 80% | ⚔ compare |
| Unknown Smokers | 20 | 14 | 6 | 70% | ⚔ compare |
| WEEZ'S GROOVIN' BBQ | 20 | 5 | 15 | 25% | ⚔ compare |
| T Daddys BBQ | 19 | 13 | 6 | 68% | ⚔ compare |
| Big Bear BBQ | 19 | 10 | 9 | 53% | ⚔ compare |
| HOT DADDY'S BBQ | 19 | 6 | 13 | 32% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 56 | 33 | 2 | 10 | 180.0000 🔥 | 156.5256 | 168.76 | top 39% |
| Pork Ribs | 60 | 36 | 1 | 9 | 178.2972 | 145.6112 | 167.81 | top 40% |
| Pork | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 167.3944 | 163.4172 | 165.41 | top 67% |
| Brisket | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 162.2628 | 162.2628 | 162.26 | top 76% |
“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 | 20 | 0 | top 38% |
| IA | 17 | 1 | top 38% |
| 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) | 18 | 0 | top 47% |
| Medium (20–39) | 28 | 1 | top 33% |
| Large (40+) | 10 | 1 | top 27% |
Contest-by-contest record (recurring contests they've cooked twice or more)
The story so far
- Busiest season: 2026 (14 contests)
- Cooks mostly in MN (24 of 61 contests)
- Most-entered category: Pork Ribs (60 entries)
- First Grand Championship in the data: Iowa State BBQ Championship (2025-04-04)
- Wins it all in 3% of contests
- Average Master overall score: 657.60 / 720
- Average Backyard overall score: 336.94 / 360
- 1 perfect 180 on the books 🔥
Milestones
- 🚩 — First tracked contest · Bourbon, Brews & BBQ(BACKYARD ONLY)
- 📣 — First call · Bourbon, Brews & BBQ(BACKYARD ONLY)
- 🎖️ 2023-07-07 — 25th tracked contest · Art of the Que
- 🏆 2025-04-04 — First Grand Championship · Iowa State BBQ Championship
- 📈 2025-06-20 — Peak power rating (1653) · Camp High Hopes Rib Fest (BACKYARD ONLY)
- 🔥 2025-07-19 — First perfect 180 (Chicken) · Dowagiac BBQ Competition and Summer Festival (BACKYARD ONLY)
- 🎖️ 2026-04-24 — 50th tracked contest · Smoke & Fire (BACKYARD ONLY)
- ⭐ 2026-07-10 — Career-best overall score (657.6000) · KTD Smokn' Gobbler
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +13.7 | Iowa State BBQ Championship | 2025-04-04 |
| +13 | Minnesota in May | 2021-05-07 |
| +12.9 | Heritage Days BBQ Showdown (Day One) | 2022-06-24 |
| +12.8 | Bring'n Home the Bacon II Day 1 (BACKYARD ONLY) | 2022-10-14 |
| +11.8 | BBQ Fest - Chippewa Falls, WI (BACKYARD ONLY) | 2026-05-15 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -18.2 | Art of the Que (Masters and Backyard 1) | 2025-06-27 |
| -15.9 | KTD Smokn' Gobbler | 2026-07-10 |
| -15 | Smoke & Fire (BACKYARD ONLY) | 2026-04-24 |
| -12.1 | Chippewa Valley Ribfest (BACKYARD ONLY) | 2026-08-07 |
| -11.6 | Boomer Backyard BBQ Cookoff (BACKYARD ONLY) | 2024-08-17 |
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 | GCs | Top-10s | Category wins | Walk rate | Avg finish | Best overall (% of perfect) | Avg overall (% of perfect) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 100% | top 33% | 91.6% | 91.6% |
| 2026 | 14 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 57% | top 43% | 97.3% | 94% |
| 2025 | 12 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 75% | top 38% | 98.4% | 94.5% |
| 2024 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 50% | top 40% | 97% | 93.8% |
| 2023 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 78% | top 32% | 95.7% | 94% |
| 2022 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 100% | top 29% | 95.9% | 93.4% |
| 2021 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 75% | top 34% | 93.8% | 92.4% |
| 2019 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 42% | 84.6% | 84.6% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-07 | Chippewa Valley Ribfest (BACKYARD ONLY) Montevideo, MN | 11 / 14 (332.4800) | 10 (165.0972) | 8 (167.3828) | — | — |
| 2026-07-31 | Cruisin' and BBQin' 🏅 Hampton, IA | 8 / 26 (337.6456) | 4 (171.9772) | 11 (165.6684) | — | — |
| 2026-07-18 | Great River Threshers BBQ Contest (BACKYARD ONLY) (Day 2) Miles, IA | 10 / 28 (346.2516) | 5 (175.4172) | 12 (170.8344) | — | — |
| 2026-07-17 | Great River Threshers BBQ Contest (BACKYARD ONLY) (Day 1) Miles, IA | 7 / 27 (347.3944) | 7 (173.1316) | 5 (174.2628) | — | — |
| 2026-07-10 | KTD Smokn' Gobbler 🏅 Worthington, MN | 30 / 33 (657.6000) | 29 (165.0972) | 26 (166.8228) | 28 (163.4172) | 25 (162.2628) |
| 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) | — | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 ↗ | Backyard | #35 (885 pts) | #29 (946 pts) | #30 (966 pts) | — | — |
| 2026 ↗ | Master | #1116 (58 pts) | #1170 (58 pts) | #1195 (58 pts) | #1124 (58 pts) | #1118 (58 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) | — | — |