High-water mark
687.9084
career-best overall
95.5% of a perfect 720
Their best day on record: 687.9084 at 5th Annual Qlathe BBQ Championship — 95.5% of a perfect 720.
- Master
- Mar 17, 2023
Spitballs BBQ
Spitballs BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 16 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2019 and 2026. Their best overall finish is 12th of 71 at the Qlathe BBQ Championship (2022). They are ranked #1345 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.
At a glance (the record in numbers)
Rating
1576
peak 1576 · rated over 13 contests1 invitational or side-series contest not counted
Contests
16
in the data
First seen
Jun 21, 2019
latest Jun 26, 2026 · 7 years on the trail
Grand champs
0
0 reserve
Category wins
1
4 podiums
Overall top-10s
0
0% of 16 contests
Avg finish
top 34%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
0
Current form
673.76
last 5 Master vs avg 673.42 (+0.34)
Walk rate
31%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±11.98
spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Pork Ribs
avg 169.41 · weakest Chicken (167.41)
Road miles
218
across 16 mapped stops
Schedule strength
50%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1565)
Purse competed for
$407K
listed at 14 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0 🏅
won from 12 state-championship entries
Master avg
673.42 / 720
13 Master contests · 0 GCs
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 ↗ | Master | #703 (215 pts) | #703 (245 pts) | #913 (180 pts) | #705 (230 pts) | #509 (380 pts) |
| 2022 ↗ | Master | #637 (285 pts) | #537 (405 pts) | #800 (235 pts) | #695 (265 pts) | #837 (180 pts) |
| 2021 ↗ | Master | #1236 (60 pts) | #1286 (60 pts) | #1309 (60 pts) | #1262 (60 pts) | #1245 (60 pts) |
Overall rank by season
Teams like this (closest power rating)
The teams rated closest to Spitballs BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.
34 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.
#1,349 of the rated field
- Contests
- 13
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 54%
- Peak
- 1576
This is the highest they've ever been rated, 13 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.
⚔ Compare careers#1,346 of the rated field
- Contests
- 13
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 31%
- Peak
- 1576
Their last contest in the data was back in 2019, 7 years before Spitballs BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.
⚔ Compare careers#1,343 of the rated field
- Contests
- 16
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 56%
- Peak
- 1576
Careers of much the same size, 16 contests to 16, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.
⚔ Compare careers#1,344 of the rated field
- Contests
- 10
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 10%
- Peak
- 1576
They were already cooking in 2013, 6 years before Spitballs BBQ's first contest.
⚔ Compare careers#1,348 of the rated field
- Contests
- 19
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 42%
- Peak
- 1578
19 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 42% top-10 finishes rather than wins.
⚔ Compare careers#1,350 of the rated field
- Contests
- 25
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 28%
- Peak
- 1576
Level with Spitballs BBQ on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.
⚔ Compare careersFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PIRATES OF BAR-B-QUE BAY | 14 | 5 | 9 | 36% | ⚔ compare |
| MAD MUTT'S BBQ | 13 | 3 | 10 | 23% | ⚔ compare |
| LOVE 2 Q | 12 | 4 | 8 | 33% | ⚔ compare |
| SLAPS BBQ | 12 | 0 | 12 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| KC Meat Sweats | 11 | 6 | 5 | 55% | ⚔ compare |
| 913 BBQ | 11 | 3 | 8 | 27% | ⚔ compare |
| BURNT FINGER BBQ | 11 | 3 | 8 | 27% | ⚔ compare |
| Hawg Wild | 10 | 8 | 2 | 80% | ⚔ compare |
| B & C SMOKERS | 10 | 7 | 3 | 70% | ⚔ compare |
| Barking Dog BBQ | 10 | 7 | 3 | 70% | ⚔ compare |
| OINK, MOO & COCK-A-DOODLE DOO | 10 | 6 | 4 | 60% | ⚔ compare |
| BREW 'N' BAR-B-QUE | 10 | 2 | 8 | 20% | ⚔ compare |
| HUNKA HUNKA BURNIN' RUB | 10 | 1 | 9 | 10% | ⚔ compare |
| Smoke Me Tender BBQ | 9 | 8 | 1 | 89% | ⚔ compare |
| ROADKILL BBQ | 9 | 5 | 4 | 56% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 14 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 179.4400 | 153.6456 | 167.41 | top 44% |
| Pork Ribs | 14 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 179.4400 | 161.0972 | 169.41 | top 40% |
| Pork | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 176.5716 | 156.5140 | 168.10 | top 45% |
| Brisket | 14 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 178.8572 | 153.6800 | 169.08 | top 32% |
“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) | 1 | 0 | top 89% |
| Large (40+) | 13 | 0 | top 30% |
Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship | 5 | 23 | 0 | top 30% | Jun 26, 2026 |
| American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest | 3 | 100 | 0 | top 36% | Sep 27, 2023 |
| Made for KC BBQ Championship (COMPETITORS SERIES) | 2 | 13 | 0 | top 59% | Jun 9, 2023 |
More numbers
Busiest season
2023
5 contests
Contests a season
2.3
across 7 seasons in the data
Most contests held in
KS
14 of 16 contests · 2 states in all
Contests visited
7
3 of them more than once
Opponents faced
1,288
finished ahead 1,997 times, behind 1,112
Longest layoff
2.2 yrs
Jun 21, 2019 → Sep 16, 2021
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
20263 milestones
- Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)179.4400 The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship
- Peak power rating (1576) The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship
- Most recent contest The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship
20232 milestones
- Career-best overall score687.9084 5th Annual Qlathe BBQ Championship
- 10th tracked contest The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship
20222 milestones
- First call Qlathe BBQ Championship
- First category win (Chicken) Qlathe BBQ Championship
20192 milestones
- First tracked contest The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle-Kansas State Championship
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score649.0512 The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle-Kansas State Championship
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +14.5 | Qlathe BBQ Championship | Mar 18, 2022 |
| +13.4 | The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship | Jun 24, 2022 |
| +11 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest | Sep 27, 2023 |
| +10.6 | The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship | Jun 23, 2023 |
| +10.5 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - OPEN CONTEST | Sep 29, 2022 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -6.5 | Made for KC BBQ Championship (COMPETITORS SERIES) | Jun 10, 2022 |
| -5.5 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST | Sep 16, 2021 |
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 | GCs | Top-10s | Category wins | Walk rate | Avg finish | Best overall (% of perfect) | Avg overall (% of perfect) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% | top 41% | 92% | 92% |
| 2025 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 27% | 93.6% | 93.6% |
| 2024 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 35% | 94.4% | 93.5% |
| 2023 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40% | top 23% | 95.5% | 95% |
| 2022 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 40% | top 36% | 95.2% | 94.2% |
| 2021 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 62% | 90.9% | 90.9% |
| 2019 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 40% | 90.1% | 90.1% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 26, 2026 | The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship 🏅 Lenexa, KS | 64 / 157 (662.1712) | 140 (153.6456) | 3 (179.4400) | 101 (161.7028) | 52 (167.3828) |
| Jun 27, 2025 | The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship 🏅 Lenexa, KS | 43 / 159 (673.6228) | 120 (158.8344) | 11 (177.7028) | 85 (165.0856) | 27 (172) |
| Oct 30, 2024 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS | 185 / 444 (679.3600) | 382 (158.8344) | 45 (176) | 239 (167.9656) | 23 (176.5600) |
| Jun 21, 2024 | The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship 🏅 Lenexa, KS | 50 / 172 (667.4060) | 68 (165.6916) | 52 (168.0116) | 58 (166.8456) | 48 (166.8572) |
| Sep 27, 2023 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Sides Kansas City, KS | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sep 27, 2023 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS | 100 / 487 (686.2400) | 269 (167.4400) | 226 (169.6800) | 93 (173.7028) | 38 (175.4172) |
| Jun 23, 2023 | The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship 🏅 Lenexa, KS | 23 / 167 (679.9656) | 59 (166.2856) | 60 (167.9656) | 72 (166.8572) | 2 (178.8572) |
| Jun 9, 2023 | Made for KC BBQ Championship (COMPETITORS SERIES) unrated Kansas City, MO | 13 / 44 (681.6000) | 22 (170.8112) | 28 (168.5372) | 34 (166.8344) | 2 (175.4172) |
| Mar 17, 2023 | 5th Annual Qlathe BBQ Championship 🏅 Olathe, KS | 20 / 68 (687.9084) | 12 (176.5600) | 39 (168.5372) | 15 (174.2628) | 35 (168.5484) |
| Oct 1, 2022 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - SIDES Kansas City, KS | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sep 29, 2022 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS | 131 / 505 (681.0976) | 126 (172) | 207 (168.5716) | 34 (176.5716) | 281 (163.9544) |
| Jun 24, 2022 | The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship 🏅 Lenexa, KS | 17 / 164 (680.5828) | 55 (166.3200) | 14 (172) | 9 (176.5600) | 49 (165.7028) |
| Jun 10, 2022 | Made for KC BBQ Championship (COMPETITORS SERIES) Kansas City, MO | 32 / 36 (666.6856) | 20 (171.9656) | 32 (165.0972) | 30 (166.2400) | 28 (163.3828) |
| Mar 18, 2022 | Qlathe BBQ Championship 🏅 Olathe, KS | 12 / 71 (685.6572) | 1 (179.4400) | 32 (167.4288) | 37 (169.1200) | 25 (169.6684) |
| Sep 16, 2021 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS | 289 / 467 (654.6968) | 48 (174.2628) | 330 (161.6340) | 227 (165.1200) | 377 (153.6800) |
| Jun 21, 2019 | The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle-Kansas State Championship 🏅 Lenexa, KS | 74 / 183 (649.0512) | 82 (161.7028) | 91 (161.0972) | 135 (156.5140) | 27 (169.7372) |
An unrated contest — an invitational, or a Competitor or Kosher Series board — is in the record but doesn’t move the power rating.