AXE-MEN BBQ

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

Power ranking

#3904

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1485

peak 1510 · rated over 14 contests ⓘ

Contests

in the data

First seen

2014-10-17

latest 2018-10-19

Best ToY finish

#1616

Master 2015

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

0 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 14 contests

Avg finish

top 61%

overall standings

Best overall

666.7772 / 720

Master · 10th Annual Lambs Farm Barn Burner Bar-B-Q

Perfect 180s

Current form

631.13 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 639.98 (-8.85)

Walk rate

36%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

174.2972

Chicken · Windy City BBQ Classic

Consistency

±18.74

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 162.63 · weakest Brisket (158.20)

Road miles

1,372

mi across 14 mapped stops · furthest 221 mi

Schedule strength

42%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1556)

Master avg

639.98 / 720

14 Master contests · 0 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (6 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.

High-water mark

666.7772 career-best overall

92.6% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 666.7772 at 10th Annual Lambs Farm Barn Burner Bar-B-Q — 92.6% of a perfect 720.

Master
2015-10-16

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

D.F.G.'S BBQ has finished one call ahead of AXE-MEN BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

A tough matchup

10–0 behind in the head-to-head

YELLOW RIVER BBQ ahead in 100% of their meetings

YELLOW RIVER BBQ has come out ahead in 10 of their 10 shared contests.

The weak link

−4.4 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 4.43 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 7% of the time against 21%.

Brisket avg 158.20
Chicken avg 162.63
1 calls in 14 entries

A strong matchup

4–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of Q-N WITH ATTITUDE in 4 of their 4 shared contests.

Chicken nemesis

10 of 11 shared chicken entries lost

BIG "E" BBQ ahead 91% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, BIG "E" BBQ has out-cooked them in 10 of 11 shared chicken entries.

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.

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

SMOKE 2 PULL

#3905 of the rated field

1485 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 25
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 4%
Peak: 1521

1–2 in 3 shared contests (33% to AXE-MEN BBQ)

These two have cooked 3 of the same contests — SMOKE 2 PULL ahead 2–1 — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.

rated over 25 contests
last seen 2018-10-19

⚔ Head-to-head

4 Schmidt's and Giggles BBQ

#3923 of the rated field

1485 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 5
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1485

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to AXE-MEN BBQ)

Fewer contests behind them than AXE-MEN BBQ has cooked, 5 to 14, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.

rated over 5 contests
last seen 2020-10-16

⚔ Head-to-head

Feher Nyul BBQ Team

#3924 of the rated field

1485 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 13
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 46%
Peak: 1521

No shared contest yet.

They've been 1521 at their best, 36 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 13 contests
last seen 2023-08-12

⚔ Head-to-head

BAM BAMS BBQ

#3922 of the rated field

1485 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 13
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 15%
Peak: 1512

No shared contest yet.

13 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 15% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 13 contests
last seen 2018-08-31

⚔ Head-to-head

Close Butt No Cigar

#3907 of the rated field

1485 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 12
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 8%
Peak: 1485

No shared contest yet.

Level with AXE-MEN BBQ on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 12 contests
last seen 2020-10-23

⚔ Head-to-head

D'S SMOKEHOUSE

#3913 of the rated field

1485 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 12
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1485

No shared contest yet.

Their last contest in the data was back in 2014, 4 years before AXE-MEN BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 12 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
BIG "E" BBQ	11	1	10	9%	⚔ compare
THE SMOKE HUNTERS	10	1	9	10%	⚔ compare
YELLOW RIVER BBQ	10	0	10	0%	⚔ compare
DESIGNATED SMOKIN' AREA	9	4	5	44%	⚔ compare
JH OLD SCHOOL	9	1	8	11%	⚔ compare
VALET PORKING	8	3	5	38%	⚔ compare
Mac Attack BBQ	7	2	5	29%	⚔ compare
MUD'S BBQ	7	1	6	14%	⚔ compare
QUAU	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
TIM'S FULL BELLI DELI	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
BLUE ISLAND BBQ CO.	6	3	3	50%	⚔ compare
Steamboat BBQ	6	2	4	33%	⚔ compare
Risky Brisket	6	1	5	17%	⚔ compare
RACK MASTERS BBQ	6	1	5	17%	⚔ compare
Its 5 Oclock Somewhere	6	1	5	17%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	14	3	174.2972	150.2856	162.63	top 55%
Pork Ribs	14	1	169.6800	143.3488	160.58	top 53%
Pork	14	2	170.8228	149.0856	158.57	top 66%
Brisket	14	1	170.8344	149.0744	158.20	top 59%

“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	Avg finish
IL	9	top 57%
WI	4	top 74%
IN	1	top 49%

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	3	0	top 60%
Large (40+)	11	0	top 62%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
*Best of the Midwest BBQ Cook-off	2	28	top 76%	2018-10-19
Red, White & BBQ (Day 2)	2	20	top 56%	2016-05-28
Red, White and BBQ (Day 2)	2	29	top 80%	2015-05-23

The story so far (15 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 4 yrs 2014-10-17 → 2018-10-19

Busiest season 2015 6 contests

Contests a season 2.8 across 5 seasons in the data

Cooks most in IL 9 of 14 contests · 3 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 11 3 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 14 entries · 0 wins · 3 calls

Strongest meat Chicken averages 162.63 · weakest Brisket (158.20)

Walk rate 36% a top-10 call in 5 of 14 contests

Overall top-10 rate 7% 1 of 14 contests

Master average 639.98 out of 720 · 14 contests · 0 GCs

Opponents faced 318 251–361 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 1,372 14 mapped stops · furthest 221 mi

Schedule strength 1556 average field rating faced — tougher than 42% of rated contests

Longest layoff 1.5 yrs 2017-04-28 → 2018-10-19

Power rating 1485 peak 1510 · #3904 of 6,413 rated

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

2014
Oct 17 First tracked contest 9th Annual Lambs Farm Barn Burner Bar-B-Q
Oct 17 First call 9th Annual Lambs Farm Barn Burner Bar-B-Q
2015
Apr 24 First overall past 90% of a perfect score650.7200 Wabash Ribber Fest
Sep 11 Career-best single call (Chicken)174.2972 Windy City BBQ Classic
Oct 16 First overall top-10 10th Annual Lambs Farm Barn Burner Bar-B-Q
Oct 16 Career-best overall score666.7772 10th Annual Lambs Farm Barn Burner Bar-B-Q
2016
May 28 10th tracked contest Red, White & BBQ (Day 2)
May 28 Peak power rating (1510) Red, White & BBQ (Day 2)
2018
Oct 19 Most recent contest *Best of the Midwest BBQ Cook-off

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+11.3	10th Annual Lambs Farm Barn Burner Bar-B-Q	2015-10-16
+7.1	Red, White & BBQ (Day 2)	2016-05-28
+5.9	Windy City BBQ Classic	2015-09-11
+3.4	CCS Fest: CCS Spring Festival & BBQ Competition	2016-04-22
+1.7	Wabash Ribber Fest	2015-04-24

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-12.9	*Best of the Midwest BBQ Cook-off	2018-10-19
-10	Red, White and BBQ (Day 2)	2015-05-23
-9.3	*The Great Wisconsin Tune Up BBQ Competition	2017-04-28
-5	Red, White & BBQ (Day 1)	2016-05-27
-3.1	Heritage Days BBQ Showdown	2016-06-24

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	Top-10s	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2018	1	0	0%	top 98%	82.8%	82.8%
2017	1	0	0%	top 91%	85.1%	85.1%
2016	5	0	0%	top 57%	92.5%	90%
2015	6	1	67%	top 54%	92.6%	89.7%
2014	1	0	100%	top 62%	88.3%	88.3%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2018-10-19	*Best of the Midwest BBQ Cook-off Union Grove, WI	41 / 42 (596.3772)	33 (153.1084)	41 (143.3488)	39 (149.6800)	35 (150.2400)
2017-04-28	*The Great Wisconsin Tune Up BBQ Competition Manawa, WI	21 / 23 (612.9256)	20 (150.2856)	11 (157.6456)	21 (150.2288)	15 (154.7656)
2016-10-21	Best of the Midwest BBQ Cook-off Union Grove, WI	28 / 51 (641.5428)	41 (153.6456)	13 (165.6916)	33 (158.2400)	25 (163.9656)
2016-06-24	Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Belvidere, IL	22 / 33 (638.6052)	12 (166.8228)	13 (167.3940)	27 (151.9084)	24 (152.4800)
2016-05-28	Red, White & BBQ (Day 2) Westmont, IL	20 / 55 (666.1944)	15 (171.4172)	13 (167.9772)	17 (170.2744)	43 (156.5256)
2016-05-27	Red, White & BBQ (Day 1) Westmont, IL	32 / 42 (638.0912)	35 (159.3484)	36 (157.6800)	34 (157.6456)	17 (163.4172)
2016-04-22	CCS Fest: CCS Spring Festival & BBQ Competition Indianapolis, IN	24 / 49 (656.4228)	37 (162.2284)	18 (166.3088)	34 (161.6572)	18 (166.2284)
2015-10-16	10th Annual Lambs Farm Barn Burner Bar-B-Q Libertyville, IL	8 / 35 (666.7772)	22 (160.5600)	12 (166.2744)	6 (169.1084)	7 (170.8344)
2015-09-11	Windy City BBQ Classic Chicago, IL	23 / 61 (654.2056)	6 (174.2972)	47 (154.8228)	36 (162.8344)	25 (162.2512)
2015-08-28	Grill Games Kenosha, WI	25 / 49 (642.7196)	6 (170.8456)	36 (152.5028)	35 (156.0000)	15 (163.3712)
2015-05-23	Red, White and BBQ (Day 2) Westmont, IL	52 / 58 (624.9944)	43 (160.5256)	37 (161.1316)	53 (153.0628)	51 (150.2744)
2015-05-22	Red, White and BBQ (Day 1) Westmont, IL	29 / 41 (634.2168)	22 (163.4284)	35 (149.0972)	28 (159.4284)	18 (162.2628)
2015-04-24	Wabash Ribber Fest Mt. Carmel, IL	24 / 46 (650.7200)	29 (161.1200)	13 (169.6800)	10 (170.8228)	39 (149.0972)
2014-10-17	9th Annual Lambs Farm Barn Burner Bar-B-Q Libertyville, IL	26 / 42 (635.8628)	10 (169.1428)	9 (168.5600)	37 (149.0856)	36 (149.0744)

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
2017 ↗	Master	#2158 (68 pts)	#2206 (73 pts)	#1953 (118 pts)	#2223 (68 pts)	#2046 (98 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#2199 (73 pts)	#1869 (123 pts)	#2024 (118 pts)	#2885 (58 pts)	#2336 (63 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#1616 (130 pts)	#969 (350 pts)	#1776 (120 pts)	#1790 (120 pts)	#1506 (170 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#2576 (67 pts)	#1774 (142 pts)	#1641 (152 pts)	#2618 (67 pts)	#2589 (67 pts)