On the rise
+52
rating points in a year
Their power rating has climbed 52 points across 12 contests since Apr 3, 2026 — from 1521 up to 1573.
- 12 contests since Apr 3, 2026
- now 1573
Tame the Flame BBQ
Tame the Flame BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 19 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2025 and 2026. Their best overall finish is 3rd of 39 at the Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 2) (2026). They are ranked #1379 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings.
At a glance (the record in numbers)
Rating
1573
peak 1573 · rated over 16 contests3 invitational or side-series contests not counted
Contests
19
in the data
First seen
Apr 4, 2025
latest Sep 27, 2026 · 1.5 years on the trail
Grand champs
0
0 reserve
Category wins
4
8 podiums
Overall top-10s
12
63% of 19 contests
Best top-10 run
5
straight overall top-10s
Avg finish
top 47%
overall standings
Best overall
647.2000 / 720
Perfect 180s
0
Current form
335.49 ▼
last 5 Backyard vs avg 337.86 (-2.37)
Walk rate
79%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±6.12
spread of their Backyard overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Pork Ribs
avg 169.72 · weakest Brisket (155.92)
Road miles
2,323
across 19 mapped stops · furthest 580 mi
Schedule strength
70%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1588)
Purse competed for
$55K
listed at 14 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0 🏅
won from 11 state-championship entries
Master avg
647.20 / 720
1 Master contest · 0 GCs
Backyard avg
337.86 / 360
17 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.
Team of the Year (rank per category by season — the year links to the full board on kcbs.us)
Teams like this (closest power rating)
The teams rated closest to Tame the Flame BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.
36 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.
#1,370 of the rated field
- Contests
- 20
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 25%
- Peak
- 1574
1–1 in 2 shared contests (50% to Tame the Flame BBQ)
2 contests in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team Tame the Flame BBQ has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.
⚔ Head-to-head#1,375 of the rated field
- Contests
- 22
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 9%
- Peak
- 1574
This is the highest they've ever been rated, 17 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.
⚔ Compare careers#1,374 of the rated field
- Contests
- 24
- GCs
- 5
- Top-10s
- 38%
- Peak
- 1594
Careers of much the same size, 24 contests to 19, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.
⚔ Compare careers#1,382 of the rated field
- Contests
- 12
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 50%
- Peak
- 1573
Their rating is built on 1 Grand Championship in 12 contests, alongside a 50% overall top-10 rate.
⚔ Compare careers#1,373 of the rated field
- Contests
- 12
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 33%
- Peak
- 1574
Their last contest in the data was back in 2017, 9 years before Tame the Flame BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.
⚔ Compare careers#1,376 of the rated field
- Contests
- 22
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 18%
- Peak
- 1586
They were already cooking in 2013, 12 years before Tame the Flame BBQ's first contest.
⚔ Compare careersFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BEER TIME BBQ | 13 | 8 | 5 | 62% | ⚔ compare |
| SUSQUEHANNA SMOKERS | 13 | 7 | 5 | 54% | ⚔ compare |
| All About the Wood | 13 | 7 | 6 | 54% | ⚔ compare |
| Capt. Blue BBQ | 13 | 4 | 9 | 31% | ⚔ compare |
| FIRE & SHINE BBQ | 13 | 2 | 11 | 15% | ⚔ compare |
| Clean Smoke BBQ Team | 11 | 6 | 5 | 55% | ⚔ compare |
| Leaning Jowler BBQ | 11 | 0 | 11 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| Backwooder BBQ | 10 | 5 | 5 | 50% | ⚔ compare |
| Castleton Q | 10 | 5 | 5 | 50% | ⚔ compare |
| MRC_Barbecue | 10 | 4 | 6 | 40% | ⚔ compare |
| Rough Cut Q | 10 | 2 | 8 | 20% | ⚔ compare |
| 4 BOXERS Q | 8 | 8 | 0 | 100% | ⚔ compare |
| PJ's Magic Smoke | 8 | 8 | 0 | 100% | ⚔ compare |
| Yardogs BBQ | 8 | 4 | 4 | 50% | ⚔ compare |
| Pinky Out BBQ | 8 | 3 | 5 | 38% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 18 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 175.4056 | 161.6456 | 167.30 | top 60% |
| Pork Ribs | 18 | 14 | 3 | 6 | 176.5600 | 155.9428 | 169.72 | top 36% |
| Pork | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 166.2628 | 157.6456 | 163.00 | top 81% |
| Brisket | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 155.9200 | 155.9200 | 155.92 | top 97% |
“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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (<20 teams) | 9 | 0 | top 51% |
| Medium (20–39) | 6 | 0 | top 29% |
| Large (40+) | 3 | 0 | top 73% |
Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First State BBQ Bash (BACKYARD SUNDAY) | 2 | 8 | 0 | top 38% | Sep 27, 2026 |
| Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 2) | 2 | 3 | 0 | top 40% | Jul 25, 2026 |
| York County BBQ Festival (Day 2) | 2 | 5 | 0 | top 29% | Jun 13, 2026 |
| Twin Valley Fire and Smoke (Day 2) | 2 | 11 | 0 | top 56% | May 16, 2026 |
| Rekindled Ironman | 2 | 3 | 0 | top 22% | Apr 3, 2026 |
| Catskills Barbeque - Backyard Competition (Day 2) | 2 | 6 | 0 | top 81% | Jun 7, 2025 |
More numbers
Busiest season
2026
15 contests
Contests a season
9.5
across 2 seasons in the data
Most contests held in
PA
10 of 19 contests · 5 states in all
Contests visited
12
6 of them more than once
Opponents faced
314
finished ahead 377 times, behind 398
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
20265 milestones
- Career-best overall score647.2000 8th Annual KCBS World Invitational: Wells Cup, Cocktail Ancillary, Dessert Ancillary (Saturday, May 23, 2026)
- 10th tracked contest 8th Annual KCBS World Invitational: Master Series Invitational and the Backyard Series Invitational (Sunday, May 24, 2026)
- Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)176.5600 York County BBQ Festival (Day 2)
- Peak power rating (1573) First State BBQ Bash (BACKYARD SUNDAY)
- Most recent contest First State BBQ Bash (BACKYARD SUNDAY)
20256 milestones
- First tracked contest Rekindled Ironman
- First call Rekindled Ironman
- First category win (Chicken) Rekindled Ironman
- First overall top-10 Rekindled Ironman
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score338.8000 Rekindled Ironman
- First overall podium Big Knob BBQ Fest
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +15.8 | Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 2) | Jul 25, 2026 |
| +12 | York County BBQ Festival (Day 1) | Jun 12, 2026 |
| +11.4 | Rekindled Ironman | Apr 3, 2026 |
| +10.5 | York County BBQ Festival (Day 2) | Jun 13, 2026 |
| +9.7 | Big Knob BBQ Fest | May 23, 2025 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -8 | Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 1) | Jul 24, 2026 |
| -7.2 | Catskills Barbeque - Backyard Competition (Day 2) | Jun 7, 2025 |
| -2.7 | Catskills Barbeque - Backyard Competition (Day 1) | Jun 6, 2025 |
| -0.2 | Twin Valley Fire and Smoke (Day 2) | May 16, 2026 |
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 | 15 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 73% | top 46% | 96.7% | 93.5% |
| 2025 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 100% | top 52% | 94.4% | 94.1% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 2026 | First State BBQ Bash (BACKYARD SUNDAY) Milford, DE | 9 / 16 (337.6572) | 10 (168.5372) | 7 (169.1200) | — | — |
| Sep 25, 2026 | First State BBQ Bash 🏅 Milford, DE | 8 / 39 (338.2288) | 5 (173.1200) | 11 (165.1088) | — | — |
| Aug 21, 2026 | Stoney Creek BBQ Cookoff 🏅 Edinburg, VA | 15 / 26 (337.0628) | 26 (161.6456) | 3 (175.4172) | — | — |
| Jul 25, 2026 | Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 2) 🏅 New Freedom, PA | 3 / 39 (345.7028) | — | 5 (173.1428) | — | — |
| Jul 24, 2026 | Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 1) 🏅 New Freedom, PA | 31 / 43 (318.7772) | 29 (162.8344) | 31 (155.9428) | — | — |
| Jul 11, 2026 | K.S. Que (BACKYARD ONLY) Kennett Square, PA | 6 / 15 (331.3600) | 7 (166.2400) | 7 (165.1200) | — | — |
| Jun 13, 2026 | York County BBQ Festival (Day 2) 🏅 Delta, PA | 5 / 13 (347.9772) | 11 (171.4172) | 2 (176.5600) | — | — |
| Jun 12, 2026 | York County BBQ Festival (Day 1) 🏅 Delta, PA | 5 / 25 (342.2284) | 15 (165.6684) | 1 (176.5600) | — | — |
| Jun 5, 2026 | Loudoun Rotary BBQ Classic (BACKYARD ONLY) Leesburg, VA | 6 / 12 (339.3600) | 3 (173.1200) | 6 (166.2400) | 8 (166.2628) | — |
| May 24, 2026 | 8th Annual KCBS World Invitational: Master Series Invitational and the Backyard Series Invitational (Sunday, May 24, 2026) unrated Lebanon, TN | 38 / 82 (335.9316) | 44 (163.9544) | 26 (171.9772) | — | — |
| May 23, 2026 | 8th Annual KCBS World Invitational: Wells Cup, Cocktail Ancillary, Dessert Ancillary (Saturday, May 23, 2026) unrated Lebanon, TN | 116 / 117 (647.2000) | 111 (163.9544) | 76 (169.6800) | 117 (157.6456) | 114 (155.9200) |
| May 22, 2026 | 8th Annual KCBS World Invitational: World Chicken Finals (Friday, May 22, 2026) unrated Lebanon, TN | — | 72 (161.6572) | — | — | — |
| May 16, 2026 | Twin Valley Fire and Smoke (Day 2) 🏅 Morgantown, PA | 11 / 17 (335.9316) | 15 (162.8000) | 1 (173.1316) | — | — |
| May 15, 2026 | Twin Valley Fire and Smoke (Day 1) 🏅 Morgantown, PA | 12 / 25 (335.3600) | 17 (164.5372) | 6 (170.8228) | — | — |
| Apr 3, 2026 | Rekindled Ironman 🏅 Seven Valleys, PA | 3 / 14 (342.7884) | 8 (168.5256) | 1 (174.2628) | — | — |
| Jun 7, 2025 | Catskills Barbeque - Backyard Competition (Day 2) Grahamsville, NY | 7 / 8 (338.2404) | 5 (169.6916) | 8 (168.5488) | 6 (165.0856) | — |
| Jun 6, 2025 | Catskills Barbeque - Backyard Competition (Day 1) Grahamsville, NY | 6 / 8 (339.9772) | 5 (169.7144) | 6 (170.2628) | — | — |
| May 23, 2025 | Big Knob BBQ Fest 🏅 Rochester, PA | 3 / 12 (338.2168) | 4 (168.5484) | 2 (169.6684) | — | — |
| Apr 4, 2025 | Rekindled Ironman 🏅 Seven Valleys, PA | 5 / 23 (338.8000) | 1 (175.4056) | 7 (163.3944) | — | — |
An unrated contest — an invitational, or a Competitor or Kosher Series board — is in the record but doesn’t move the power rating.