DARKSIDE BBQ

DARKSIDE BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 23 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2022. Their best overall finish is 6th of 14 at the Grill Billies BBQ Show Down (2014). They are ranked #3434 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings. Also listed in KCBS results as “Dark Side BBQ” and “Darkside BBQ - KS”.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#3,434

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1495

peak 1502 · rated over 20 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Aug 17, 2013

latest Apr 8, 2022 · 8.6 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#1141

Master 2018 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

3 podiums

Overall top-10s

9% of 23 contests

Avg finish

top 60%

overall standings

Best overall

673.1088 / 720

Master · Smoke In the Springs

Perfect 180s

Current form

650.09 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 639.80 (+10.29)

Walk rate

35%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

176.5828

Chicken · Smoke In the Springs

Consistency

±15.69

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 164.13 · weakest Pork (156.21)

Road miles

9,354

across 23 mapped stops · furthest 949 mi

Schedule strength

38%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1551)

Purse competed for

$48K

listed at 3 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 5 state-championship entries

Master avg

639.80 / 720

18 Master contests · 0 GCs

Backyard avg

319.95 / 360

2 Backyard contests · 0 GCs

These overall scores sit on different scales (Master out of 720, Backyard out of 360), so they're kept separate — averaging them together would be misleading.

This team cooks the Backyard series — its own boards, records and Team of the Year are here.

Storylines (12 found in their record)

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

High-water mark

673.1088 career-best overall

93.5% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 673.1088 at Smoke In the Springs — 93.5% of a perfect 720.

Master
Apr 12, 2019

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

BULLDOG BARBEQUE has finished one call ahead of DARKSIDE BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2019 their best year

2019 was the year it came together: 3 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 45%.

3 contests
0 overall top-10s
0 category wins
average top 45%

A tough matchup

8–0 behind in the head-to-head

Boxer Q BBQ ahead in 100% of their meetings

Boxer Q BBQ has come out ahead in 8 of their 8 shared contests.

The weak link

−7.9 points behind their best meat

Pork is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 7.92 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 6% of the time against 25%.

Pork avg 156.21
Chicken avg 164.13
1 call in 18 entries

A strong matchup

6–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of SILVER FOX BBQ in 6 of their 6 shared contests.

The comeback

2.1 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 2.1 years, then back at Whistlestop Festival & Rocket City BBQ (Aug 13, 2021).

last seen Jul 12, 2019
back Aug 13, 2021

Show 5 more storylines

Chicken nemesis

6 of 9 shared chicken entries lost

777 BBQ ahead 67% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, 777 BBQ has out-cooked them in 6 of 9 shared chicken entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

SMOKIN' USA has landed one call behind them 2 times.

An October team

Top 49% average finish in October

Something about October: average finish in the top 49% across 3 contests, versus top 60% the rest of the year.

3 October contests
top 60% the rest of the year

The long haul

9,354 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 9,354 miles across 23 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 949 miles to Winnipeg Barbeque and Blues Festival.

23 mapped stops
furthest 949 mi

The metronome

±2.07% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±2.07% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 88.9% 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
2018 ↗	Master	#1141 (231 pts)	#1041 (286 pts)	#1122 (256 pts)	#1219 (221 pts)	#1212 (226 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#2274 (60 pts)	#2353 (60 pts)	#2349 (60 pts)	#2326 (60 pts)	#2345 (60 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#1252 (223 pts)	#847 (428 pts)	#1240 (248 pts)	#1532 (178 pts)	#939 (368 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to DARKSIDE BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.

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

Pork Dorks

#3,427 of the rated field

1495 power rating

Contests: 11
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 9%
Peak: 1504

2–0 in 2 shared contests (100% to DARKSIDE BBQ)

2 contests in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team DARKSIDE BBQ has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 9 contests
last seen Sep 5, 2025

⚔ Head-to-head

ROAD WARRIORS BBQ

#3,428 of the rated field

1495 power rating

Contests: 18
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 11%
Peak: 1509

Their last contest in the data was back in 2019, 3 years before DARKSIDE BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 18 contests

⚔ Compare careers

ZWARTE HAND

#3,431 of the rated field

1495 power rating

Contests: 14
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 14%
Peak: 1505

Fewer contests behind them than DARKSIDE BBQ has cooked, 14 to 23, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.

rated over 14 contests
last seen Sep 9, 2017

⚔ Compare careers

ALL FIRED UP AND KICKING ASH

#3,440 of the rated field

1494 power rating

Contests: 14
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 14%
Peak: 1503

14 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 14% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 14 contests
last seen Jan 27, 2017

⚔ Compare careers

CHICK HUGGINS BBQ

#3,433 of the rated field

1495 power rating

Contests: 31
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 10%
Peak: 1513

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

rated over 29 contests
last seen Apr 17, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

SQUAT AND GOBBLE BARBEQUE

#3,435 of the rated field

1495 power rating

Contests: 34
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 15%
Peak: 1522

Both teams' first contest in the data came in 2013.

rated over 33 contests
last seen May 26, 2023

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
INDIGO PIG	9	3	6	33%	⚔ compare
777 BBQ	9	2	7	22%	⚔ compare
BLACK EYE BBQ	8	2	6	25%	⚔ compare
Boxer Q BBQ	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
RICH AND STU'S VOODOO BBQ	7	4	3	57%	⚔ compare
ROCK N BLUES BBQ	7	3	4	43%	⚔ compare
BLUE BUCKET BBQ	7	2	5	29%	⚔ compare
KC SMOKE DAWGS	7	1	6	14%	⚔ compare
913 BBQ	7	1	6	14%	⚔ compare
HIGH i QUE	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
SILVER FOX BBQ	6	6	0	100%	⚔ compare
Showtime	6	5	1	83%	⚔ compare
R U Rdy 4 BBQ	6	4	2	67%	⚔ compare
B & C SMOKERS	6	2	4	33%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN WILLE'S BARBECUE	6	1	5	17%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	20	5	1	2	176.5828	152.5372	164.13	top 49%
Pork Ribs	20	1	0	0	169.7144	143.9884	158.35	top 63%
Pork	18	1	0	0	170.8228	141.7028	156.21	top 76%
Brisket	18	5	0	1	170.2972	142.8572	160.84	top 51%

“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	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	2	top 55%
Medium (20–39)	8	top 62%
Large (40+)	10	top 59%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
KS	10	top 64%
AR	4	top 62%
AL	2	top 28%
OK	1	top 71%
CA	1	top 65%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Smoke in the Spring	4	38	0	top 70%	Apr 8, 2022

More numbers

Busiest season 2018 4 contests

Contests a season 2.6 across 9 seasons in the data

Most contests held in KS 10 of 23 contests · 5 states in all

Contests visited 17 1 of them more than once

Opponents faced 711 finished ahead 507 times, behind 658

Longest layoff 2.1 yrs Jul 12, 2019 → Aug 13, 2021

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

20221 milestone

Apr 8 Most recent contest Smoke in the Spring

20211 milestone

Aug 13 Peak power rating (1502) Whistlestop Festival & Rocket City BBQ

20192 milestones

Apr 12 Career-best overall score673.1088 Smoke In the Springs
Apr 12 Career-best single call (Chicken)176.5828 Smoke In the Springs

20161 milestone

May 6 10th tracked contest The Whistlestop Festival & Rocket City BBQ

20152 milestones

Apr 10 First category win (Chicken) Smoke in the Spring
Apr 10 First overall past 90% of a perfect score657.0056 Smoke in the Spring

20141 milestone

Jun 13 First overall top-10 Grill Billies BBQ Show Down

20132 milestones

Aug 17 First tracked contest Winnipeg Barbeque And Blues Festival
Aug 17 First call Winnipeg Barbeque And Blues Festival

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+10.7	The Whistlestop Festival & Rocket City BBQ	May 3, 2019
+8.7	Smoke In the Springs	Apr 12, 2019
+8.5	Whistlestop Festival & Rocket City BBQ	Aug 13, 2021
+8.4	Go Hog Wild Arkansas BBQ Championship	Oct 6, 2017
+6.3	Smoke in the Spring	Apr 10, 2015

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-7.2	Smoke in the Spring	Apr 8, 2022
-6.6	Smoke in the Spring	Apr 8, 2016
-5.8	Winnipeg Barbeque and Blues Festival	Aug 16, 2014
-5.2	Smoke in the Spring (WFC Quilfyer)	Apr 7, 2017
-4.5	Winnipeg Barbeque And Blues Festival	Aug 17, 2013

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)
2022	1	0	0	0%	top 85%	89.2%	89.2%
2021	1	0	0	0%	top 31%	88.4%	88.4%
2019	3	0	0	33%	top 45%	93.5%	91.2%
2018	4	0	0	0%	top 70%	90.4%	88.3%
2017	4	1	0	25%	top 62%	92%	88.9%
2016	2	0	0	0%	top 80%	85.8%	85.8%
2015	4	0	1	75%	top 57%	91.3%	90.2%
2014	3	1	0	67%	top 58%	88.2%	87.4%
2013	1	0	0	100%	top 65%	86%	86%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Apr 8, 2022	Smoke in the Spring 🏅 Osage City, KS	80 / 94 (642.0916)	79 (161.1316)	92 (147.3372)	40 (170.8228)	66 (162.8000)
Aug 13, 2021	Whistlestop Festival & Rocket City BBQ 🏅 Huntsville, AL	15 / 49 (318.2288)	13 (163.4172)	26 (154.8116)	—	—
Jul 12, 2019	Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest 🏅 Mayetta, KS	42 / 59 (652.5488)	22 (169.7028)	32 (167.4516)	55 (155.9656)	44 (159.4288)
May 3, 2019	The Whistlestop Festival & Rocket City BBQ 🏅 Huntsville, AL	14 / 54 (321.6800)	11 (161.7144)	25 (159.9656)	—	—
Apr 12, 2019	Smoke In the Springs 🏅 Osage City, KS	40 / 104 (673.1088)	9 (176.5828)	28 (169.7144)	64 (164.5600)	64 (162.2516)
May 25, 2018	10th Annual Gillett Heritage Days Festival BBQ cook off Gillett, AR	12 / 18 (650.8684)	13 (164.5600)	11 (163.4400)	13 (165.1428)	12 (157.7256)
May 4, 2018	The Whistlestop Festival & Rocket City BBQ Huntsville, AL	—	—	—	—	—
May 4, 2018	Bixby BBQ'n Blues Festival Bixby, OK	48 / 68 (631.8284)	48 (159.3828)	20 (169.1200)	63 (147.9428)	43 (155.3828)
Apr 7, 2018	Smoke on the Border Gravette, AR	24 / 33 (623.7712)	12 (168)	26 (152.5028)	27 (158.7884)	31 (144.4800)
Oct 6, 2017	Go Hog Wild Arkansas BBQ Championship Sheridan, AR	9 / 25 (662.2856)	6 (169.1656)	12 (162.8572)	10 (165.1200)	10 (165.1428)
Sep 22, 2017	Bikes, Blues and BBQ Fayetteville, AR	28 / 38 (620.3088)	23 (163.3828)	32 (146.1944)	32 (150.7772)	21 (159.9544)
May 5, 2017	The Whistlestop Festival & Rocket City BBQ Huntsville, AL	—	—	—	—	—
Apr 7, 2017	Smoke in the Spring (WFC Quilfyer) Osage City, KS	77 / 100 (638.1488)	67 (163.9428)	79 (155.3600)	95 (150.2744)	32 (168.5716)
May 6, 2016	The Whistlestop Festival & Rocket City BBQ Huntsville, AL	—	—	—	—	—
Apr 8, 2016	Smoke in the Spring Osage City, KS	87 / 109 (617.6344)	64 (162.2628)	53 (162.8572)	107 (141.7028)	84 (150.8116)
Oct 9, 2015	Smoke on the Water Topeka, KS	16 / 33 (643.9432)	20 (158.2628)	11 (163.4748)	25 (154.2400)	9 (167.9656)
Jul 31, 2015	Rossville Tall Corn Festival BBQ Contest Rossville, KS	34 / 46 (646.2168)	33 (162.2512)	37 (158.8228)	40 (154.8456)	7 (170.2972)
Jun 12, 2015	Fire on the Frontier BBQ Classic Hays, KS	23 / 35 (650.8344)	23 (165.1200)	26 (162.2628)	33 (154.8916)	15 (168.5600)
Apr 10, 2015	Smoke in the Spring Osage City, KS	38 / 97 (657.0056)	1 (176)	71 (157.6800)	66 (159.9428)	37 (163.3828)
Oct 10, 2014	Smoke on the Water at Lake Shawnee Topeka, KS	23 / 37 (623.3140)	31 (152.5372)	36 (143.9884)	18 (159.9656)	5 (166.8228)
Aug 16, 2014	Winnipeg Barbeque and Blues Festival Winnipeg Manitoba Canada	18 / 26 (628.5716)	16 (158.8688)	17 (159.3828)	24 (149.7256)	12 (160.5944)
Jun 13, 2014	Grill Billies BBQ Show Down Niverville Manitoba Canada	6 / 14 (634.9368)	9 (159.4284)	9 (157.6912)	12 (149.7600)	2 (168.0572)
Aug 17, 2013	Winnipeg Barbeque And Blues Festival Winnipeg, Manitoba, CA	17 / 26 (618.9604)	2 (166.8800)	19 (151.9888)	15 (157.2344)	24 (142.8572)

DARKSIDE BBQ

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

Rating

Contests

First seen

Best ToY finish

Grand champs

Category wins

Overall top-10s

Avg finish

Best overall

Perfect 180s

Current form

Walk rate

Best single call

Consistency

Strongest meat

Road miles

Schedule strength

Purse competed for

State championships

Master avg

Backyard avg

Storylines (12 found in their record)

High-water mark

The one to beat

Their season

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

The comeback

Chicken nemesis

Looking over their shoulder

An October 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)