KEEP CALM AND BLAZE ON

KEEP CALM AND BLAZE ON is a competition barbecue team with 23 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2015 and 2017. Their best overall finish is 4th of 28 at the Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (2016). They are ranked #1200 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#1,200

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1587

peak 1587 · rated over 23 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Jun 19, 2015

latest Sep 22, 2017 · 2.3 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#296

Master 2016 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

7 podiums

Overall top-10s

48% of 23 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 43%

overall standings

Best overall

678.2972 / 720

Master · National Western BBQ Throwdown

Perfect 180s

Current form

674.89 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 663.61 (+11.28)

Walk rate

87%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

178.2972

Brisket · National Western BBQ Throwdown

Consistency

±10.47

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 167.01 · weakest Brisket (164.26)

Road miles

8,073

across 23 mapped stops · furthest 626 mi

Schedule strength

59%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1575)

Master avg

663.61 / 720

23 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (11 found in their record)

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

On the rise

+29 rating points in a year

Their power rating has climbed 29 points across 9 contests since Sep 30, 2016 — from 1558 up to 1587.

9 contests since Sep 30, 2016
now 1587

They almost always walk

87% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 20 of 23 contests

A top-10 category call in 87% of their 23 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

678.2972 career-best overall

94.2% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 678.2972 at National Western BBQ Throwdown — 94.2% of a perfect 720.

Master
Jan 6, 2017

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

GRILLIN' BEAVERS has finished one call ahead of KEEP CALM AND BLAZE ON 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2015 their best year

2015 was the year it came together: 3 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 30%.

3 contests
2 overall top-10s
0 category wins
average top 30%

A tough matchup

12–1 behind in the head-to-head

JO-BAWB'S BBQ ahead in 92% of their meetings

JO-BAWB'S BBQ has come out ahead in 12 of their 13 shared contests.

Chicken nemesis

12 of 13 shared chicken entries lost

JO-BAWB'S BBQ ahead 92% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, JO-BAWB'S BBQ has out-cooked them in 12 of 13 shared chicken entries.

Show 4 more storylines

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

BRACKEN RACKS BBQ has landed one call behind them 2 times.

A May team

Top 28% average finish in May

Something about May: average finish in the top 28% across 4 contests, versus top 43% the rest of the year.

4 May contests
top 43% the rest of the year

The long haul

8,073 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 8,073 miles across 23 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 626 miles to Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Championship.

23 mapped stops
furthest 626 mi

The metronome

±1.45% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.45% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 92.2% of a perfect score
23 contests

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
2017 ↗	Master	#445 (851 pts)	#336 (1,086 pts)	#379 (991 pts)	#562 (706 pts)	#443 (891 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#296 (1,177 pts)	#444 (892 pts)	#180 (1,502 pts)	#299 (1,182 pts)	#284 (1,207 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#983 (313 pts)	#1145 (273 pts)	#1116 (293 pts)	#1066 (313 pts)	#1019 (323 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to KEEP CALM AND BLAZE ON, each with one reason worth a look.

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

SMOKE ON THE PRAIRIE BBQ - WY

#1,190 of the rated field

1588 power rating

Contests: 10
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 50%
Peak: 1588

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to KEEP CALM AND BLAZE ON)

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

rated over 10 contests
last seen Aug 25, 2017

⚔ Head-to-head

SKYY FULL OF SMOKE

#1,203 of the rated field

1587 power rating

Contests: 24
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 4%
Peak: 1587

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 24 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 24 contests
last seen Sep 24, 2021

⚔ Compare careers

DANCES WITH SMOKE BARBEQUE

#1,193 of the rated field

1588 power rating

Contests: 24
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 54%
Peak: 1600

Careers of much the same size, 24 contests to 23, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 22 contests
last seen May 28, 2022

⚔ Compare careers

HOT AND FAST BBQ

#1,199 of the rated field

1587 power rating

Contests: 23
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 35%
Peak: 1590

23 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 35% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 22 contests
last seen Apr 6, 2020

⚔ Compare careers

SHOT IN THE DARK COMPETITION BBQ TEAM

#1,198 of the rated field

1587 power rating

Contests: 29
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 14%
Peak: 1587

Level with KEEP CALM AND BLAZE ON on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 28 contests
last seen Sep 29, 2022

⚔ Compare careers

Groundhog Smokers

#1,208 of the rated field

1587 power rating

Contests: 18
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 56%
Peak: 1588

Both teams' first contest in the data came in 2015.

rated over 18 contests
last seen Mar 13, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
Backdraft BBQ	17	5	12	29%	⚔ compare
BRACKEN RACKS BBQ	14	14	0	100%	⚔ compare
BURNIN BOBS BUTTS N BONES	14	4	10	29%	⚔ compare
JO-BAWB'S BBQ	13	1	12	8%	⚔ compare
ROCKET BOYS PYRO BBQ	12	9	3	75%	⚔ compare
Lost Weekend Grill	11	10	1	91%	⚔ compare
GRILLIN' BEAVERS	11	7	4	64%	⚔ compare
Big Daddy's Backyard BBQ	11	6	5	55%	⚔ compare
WILD HOGS BBQ	11	5	6	45%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN TIMBERS BBQ	9	8	1	89%	⚔ compare
B-S BBQ OUTLAWS	9	5	4	56%	⚔ compare
WE'RE BURNIN DAYLIGHT BBQ	8	8	0	100%	⚔ compare
Frank's BBQ Trading Post	8	7	1	88%	⚔ compare
PROUD SOULS BARBECUE	8	5	3	63%	⚔ compare
CRAZY COYOTE	8	4	4	50%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	23	10	0	2	177.7372	157.6916	167.01	top 46%
Pork Ribs	23	11	2	2	175.4400	151.3600	166.94	top 39%
Pork	23	8	0	1	175.4056	157.7028	165.39	top 46%
Brisket	23	10	1	2	178.2972	143.9544	164.26	top 44%

“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)	19	0	top 41%
Large (40+)	4	0	top 51%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
CO	14	top 35%
MT	3	top 35%
WY	2	top 43%
KS	1	top 82%
AR	1	top 94%
NE	1	top 24%
NV	1	top 97%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Boats, Bands, & BBQ	2	7	top 36%	May 19, 2017
Wild West BBQ Cook Off	2	8	top 34%	May 12, 2017
Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	2	4	top 45%	Apr 14, 2017
National Western BBQ Throwdown	2	7	top 29%	Jan 6, 2017
Griller's Cup	2	11	top 43%	Jul 15, 2016
Leadville BBQ and Brew Festival	2	6	top 26%	Jun 24, 2016

More numbers

Busiest season 2016 12 contests

Contests a season 7.7 across 3 seasons in the data

Most contests held in CO 14 of 23 contests · 7 states in all

Contests visited 17 6 of them more than once

Opponents faced 348 finished ahead 427 times, behind 311

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

20174 milestones

Jan 6 Career-best overall score678.2972 National Western BBQ Throwdown
Jan 6 Career-best single call (Brisket)178.2972 National Western BBQ Throwdown
Sep 22 Peak power rating (1587) BBBrew For Hope
Sep 22 Most recent contest BBBrew For Hope

20162 milestones

Jun 3 First category win (Pork Ribs) Royal Gorge Holy Smoke BBQ Showdown
Jun 10 10th tracked contest Boats, Bands, & BBQ

20154 milestones

Jun 19 First tracked contest Miles City Cowtown Cook-Off
Jun 19 First call Miles City Cowtown Cook-Off
Jun 19 First overall top-10 Miles City Cowtown Cook-Off
Jun 19 First overall past 90% of a perfect score661.7948 Miles City Cowtown Cook-Off

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+14	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	Apr 15, 2016
+12.4	National Western BBQ Throwdown	Jan 6, 2017
+10.2	Leadville BBQ and Brew Festival	Jun 26, 2015
+9.7	Boats, Bands, & BBQ	May 19, 2017
+9.5	Wild West BBQ Cook Off	May 12, 2017

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-10.4	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional)	Apr 22, 2016
-8.5	Kansas Winter Q and Chest to Chest National Cook Off	Mar 10, 2017
-7.5	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	Apr 14, 2017
-6	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Championship	Sep 30, 2016
-1.4	Boats, Bands, & BBQ	Jun 10, 2016

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)
2017	8	5	2	88%	top 41%	94.2%	92.7%
2016	12	4	1	83%	top 47%	93.6%	92%
2015	3	2	0	100%	top 30%	91.9%	91.6%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Sep 22, 2017	BBBrew For Hope Ft.Collins, CO	9 / 25 (674.7656)	2 (177.7372)	22 (151.3600)	3 (174.2628)	5 (171.4056)
Jul 21, 2017	Arvada on Tap - A Craft Beer and BBQ Fest Arvada, CO	17 / 46 (668.4112)	17 (169.1084)	17 (165.6916)	18 (169.6684)	23 (163.9428)
Jun 16, 2017	Miles City Cowtown Cookoff Miles City, MT	8 / 26 (677.7484)	6 (171.4056)	6 (171.4056)	10 (168.5600)	8 (166.3772)
May 19, 2017	Boats, Bands, & BBQ Pueblo, CO	7 / 36 (676.3996)	4 (175.4056)	11 (168.5372)	27 (159.3368)	6 (173.1200)
May 12, 2017	Wild West BBQ Cook Off Lamar, CO	8 / 31 (677.1200)	5 (173.7372)	20 (159.9772)	4 (175.4056)	16 (168)
Apr 14, 2017	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Fort Collins, CO	23 / 30 (644.9828)	17 (163.9312)	1 (174.8572)	19 (162.2400)	28 (143.9544)
Mar 10, 2017	Kansas Winter Q and Chest to Chest National Cook Off Great Bend, KS	28 / 34 (641.6456)	3 (175.4628)	33 (152.4800)	29 (157.7028)	29 (156)
Jan 6, 2017	National Western BBQ Throwdown Denver, CO	7 / 38 (678.2972)	17 (165.7028)	6 (172.0116)	22 (162.2856)	1 (178.2972)
Sep 30, 2016	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Championship Bentonville, AR	47 / 50 (673.6228)	41 (169.6684)	28 (169.6800)	14 (174.2628)	49 (160.0116)
Sep 9, 2016	Colorado Pork & Hops Challenge Grand Junction, CO	25 / 49 (658.7316)	34 (161.6688)	31 (162.2628)	5 (173.7028)	30 (161.0972)
Jul 15, 2016	Griller's Cup Laramie, WY	13 / 27 (662.2400)	24 (158.2628)	11 (170.2972)	7 (169.6800)	12 (164)
Jun 24, 2016	Leadville BBQ and Brew Festival Leadville, CO	10 / 33 (665.0400)	20 (165.6684)	11 (166.2632)	18 (162.2512)	3 (170.8572)
Jun 17, 2016	Custer County Community Table/Miles City Cowtown Cook-off Miles City, MT	11 / 26 (666.8116)	13 (162.2744)	9 (169.7028)	14 (162.8344)	5 (172)
Jun 10, 2016	Boats, Bands, & BBQ Pueblo, CO	16 / 30 (651.7944)	19 (162.8000)	10 (168.5372)	16 (162.2400)	22 (158.2172)
Jun 3, 2016	Royal Gorge Holy Smoke BBQ Showdown Canon City, CO	9 / 30 (656.5144)	25 (157.6916)	1 (175.4400)	18 (160.5372)	7 (162.8456)
May 20, 2016	5th Annual Valley Veteran's BBQ Competition Valley, NE	10 / 42 (670.7084)	7 (170.8112)	4 (173.1200)	22 (164.5372)	17 (162.2400)
May 13, 2016	Wild West BBQ Cook Off Lamar, CO	14 / 33 (659.3600)	19 (165.1200)	6 (170.2972)	26 (159.4056)	14 (164.5372)
Apr 22, 2016	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) Las Vegas, NV	29 / 30 (648.5488)	25 (164.0572)	19 (169.1200)	29 (158.2400)	28 (157.1316)
Apr 15, 2016	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Fort Collins, CO	4 / 28 (672.5484)	10 (169.1200)	5 (170.8456)	4 (170.8800)	12 (161.7028)
Jan 8, 2016	National Western BBQ Throwdown Denver, CO	14 / 36 (659.3484)	22 (161.6800)	13 (165.1200)	15 (163.4400)	7 (169.1084)
Jul 17, 2015	Griller's Cup Laramie, WY	11 / 29 (657.0628)	9 (169.7028)	17 (162.2744)	14 (161.6456)	12 (163.4400)
Jun 26, 2015	Leadville BBQ and Brew Festival Leadville, CO	6 / 27 (659.4516)	9 (166.2856)	7 (163.4516)	6 (165.6916)	6 (164.0228)
Jun 19, 2015	Miles City Cowtown Cook-Off Miles City, MT	8 / 26 (661.7948)	9 (164.0344)	9 (166.8572)	8 (165.1316)	7 (165.7716)

KEEP CALM AND BLAZE ON

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

Rating

Contests

First seen

Best ToY finish

Grand champs

Category wins

Overall top-10s

Best top-10 run

Avg finish

Best overall

Perfect 180s

Current form

Walk rate

Best single call

Consistency

Strongest meat

Road miles

Schedule strength

Master avg

Storylines (11 found in their record)

On the rise

They almost always walk

High-water mark

The one to beat

Their season

A tough matchup

Chicken nemesis

Looking over their shoulder

A May team

The long haul

The metronome

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)