SMOKEN SOULS BARBECUE

SMOKEN SOULS BARBECUE is a competition barbecue team with 18 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2016 and 2021. Their best overall finish is 9th of 39 at the Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down (2018). They are ranked #4775 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#4,775

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1468

peak 1508 · rated over 18 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

May 6, 2016

latest Jun 4, 2021 · 5.1 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#726

Master 2020 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

1 podium

Overall top-10s

6% of 18 contests

Avg finish

top 67%

overall standings

Best overall

666.7660 / 720

Master · Kings of Q BBQ Cook-off and Festival

Perfect 180s

Current form

646.75

last 5 Master vs avg 647.12 (-0.37)

Walk rate

39%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

174.9028

Pork · Peak City Pigfest

Consistency

±10.28

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 165.23 · weakest Pork Ribs (158.15)

Road miles

1,947

across 18 mapped stops · furthest 227 mi

Schedule strength

67%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1584)

Purse competed for

$65K

listed at 7 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 8 state-championship entries

Master avg

647.12 / 720

18 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (10 found in their record)

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

High-water mark

666.7660 career-best overall

92.6% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 666.7660 at Kings of Q BBQ Cook-off and Festival — 92.6% of a perfect 720.

Master
May 17, 2019

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

Q & STEW BEST EVER BBQ has finished one call ahead of SMOKEN SOULS BARBECUE 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2018 their best year

2018 was the year it came together: 4 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 56%.

4 contests
1 overall top-10
0 category wins
average top 56%

A tough matchup

16–0 behind in the head-to-head

MUTTLEY CREW BBQ ahead in 100% of their meetings

MUTTLEY CREW BBQ has come out ahead in 16 of their 16 shared contests.

The weak link

−7.1 points behind their best meat

Pork Ribs is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 7.08 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 0% of the time against 6%.

Pork Ribs avg 158.15
Chicken avg 165.23
0 calls in 18 entries

A strong matchup

5–2 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 71% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of DIG ON SWINE in 5 of their 7 shared contests.

Chicken nemesis

11 of 16 shared chicken entries lost

MUTTLEY CREW BBQ ahead 69% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, MUTTLEY CREW BBQ has out-cooked them in 11 of 16 shared chicken entries.

Show 3 more storylines

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

Punishers BBQ has landed one call behind them 2 times.

A May team

Top 55% average finish in May

Something about May: average finish in the top 55% across 3 contests, versus top 67% the rest of the year.

3 May contests
top 67% the rest of the year

The metronome

±1.43% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.43% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 89.9% of a perfect score
18 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
2021 ↗	Master	#857 (143 pts)	#907 (143 pts)	#923 (148 pts)	#906 (138 pts)	#676 (243 pts)
2020 ↗	Master	#726 (116 pts)	#753 (116 pts)	#753 (116 pts)	#598 (166 pts)	#666 (126 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#858 (332 pts)	#890 (337 pts)	#1100 (252 pts)	#923 (322 pts)	#637 (532 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#839 (379 pts)	#876 (374 pts)	#1067 (284 pts)	#868 (379 pts)	#858 (394 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#2212 (60 pts)	#2088 (90 pts)	#2304 (60 pts)	#2260 (60 pts)	#1678 (145 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#1215 (240 pts)	#1153 (290 pts)	#1307 (240 pts)	#885 (440 pts)	#1285 (240 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to SMOKEN SOULS BARBECUE, each with one reason worth a look.

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

BLUE SMOKE BBQ OF INDIANA

#4,787 of the rated field

1467 power rating

Contests: 16
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1467

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 16 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 16 contests
last seen Aug 25, 2023

⚔ Compare careers

503BACKYARDBBQ

#4,798 of the rated field

1467 power rating

Contests: 22
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 27%
Peak: 1510

Careers of much the same size, 22 contests to 18, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 21 contests
last seen Aug 19, 2023

⚔ Compare careers

Grill on Grill Action

#4,782 of the rated field

1467 power rating

Contests: 15
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1467

15 contests and no Grand Championship yet.

rated over 15 contests
last seen Jun 26, 2026

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DD'S BBQ

#4,796 of the rated field

1467 power rating

Contests: 23
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 4%
Peak: 1516

Level with SMOKEN SOULS BARBECUE on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 23 contests
last seen Sep 10, 2021

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POP'S HOBO BBQ

#4,778 of the rated field

1468 power rating

Contests: 14
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 21%
Peak: 1468

Both teams' first contest in the data came in 2016.

rated over 14 contests
last seen Jun 13, 2025

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WOBBLY HOGS BBQ

#4,761 of the rated field

1468 power rating

Contests: 14
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 7%
Peak: 1468

Their last contest in the data was back in 2016, 5 years before SMOKEN SOULS BARBECUE's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 14 contests

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
MUTTLEY CREW BBQ	16	0	16	0%	⚔ compare
FatHeads bbq	13	5	8	38%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN SKULLIES	13	0	13	0%	⚔ compare
HOLY SMOKE BBQ-NC	12	4	8	33%	⚔ compare
MCADOO HEIGHTS BBQ	12	0	12	0%	⚔ compare
REDNECK SCIENTIFIC	12	0	12	0%	⚔ compare
TWISTED PAIR BBQ	11	3	8	27%	⚔ compare
HICKORY BARBEQUE COMPANY	11	2	9	18%	⚔ compare
THE SMOKEHOUSE MAFIA	11	0	11	0%	⚔ compare
OLD COLONY SMOKEHOUSE	10	0	10	0%	⚔ compare
PICKIN' PORKERS	9	3	6	33%	⚔ compare
ELITE BBQ SMOKERS	9	1	8	11%	⚔ compare
SMOKE MONSTER BBQ	9	0	9	0%	⚔ compare
WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ	9	0	9	0%	⚔ compare
SmoKing Aces BBQ - NC	8	4	4	50%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	18	1	0	172	157.7256	165.23	top 57%
Pork Ribs	18	0	0	169.1200	148.4916	158.15	top 75%
Pork	18	2	1	174.9028	150.8000	161.80	top 62%
Brisket	18	5	0	173.7144	145.0400	161.94	top 55%

“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)	1	top 94%
Medium (20–39)	8	top 65%
Large (40+)	9	top 66%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
NC	15	top 63%
VA	2	top 91%
SC	1	top 79%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic	3	22	top 70%	Sep 20, 2019
Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down	2	9	top 41%	Oct 11, 2019
Bone Suckin Sauce Peak City Pig Fest	2	16	top 50%	Jun 14, 2019
Jiggy With the Piggy	2	34	top 65%	May 5, 2017

More numbers

Busiest season 2019 4 contests

Contests a season 3 across 6 seasons in the data

Most contests held in NC 15 of 18 contests · 3 states in all

Contests visited 13 4 of them more than once

Opponents faced 325 finished ahead 276 times, behind 552

Longest layoff 1.1 yrs Oct 11, 2019 → Oct 29, 2020

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

20211 milestone

Jun 4 Most recent contest GrillBillies BBQ Shootout

20192 milestones

May 17 Career-best overall score666.7660 Kings of Q BBQ Cook-off and Festival
May 17 Peak power rating (1508) Kings of Q BBQ Cook-off and Festival

20182 milestones

Oct 12 First overall top-10 Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down
Oct 12 10th tracked contest Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down

20164 milestones

May 6 First tracked contest Jiggy With the Piggy
Jun 17 First call Peak City Pigfest
Jun 17 First overall past 90% of a perfect score649.0856 Peak City Pigfest
Jun 17 Career-best single call (Pork)174.9028 Peak City Pigfest

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+12.2	Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down	Oct 12, 2018
+8	Kings of Q BBQ Cook-off and Festival	May 17, 2019
+7.9	Bone Suckin Sauce Peak City Pig Fest	Jun 15, 2018
+4.9	Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic	Sep 16, 2016
+4.8	Jiggy With the Piggy	May 5, 2017

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-9.9	The Nightmare Before Zom-B-Q	Oct 29, 2020
-9.2	Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic	Sep 20, 2019
-8.8	Jiggy With the Piggy	May 6, 2016
-8.6	Mountain High BBQ Festival & Car Show	Aug 10, 2018
-7.8	Beak Week BBQ Challenge	Sep 9, 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	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2021	2	0	50%	top 87%	90.7%	89.7%
2020	2	0	0%	top 91%	91.1%	89.9%
2019	4	0	50%	top 62%	92.6%	90.1%
2018	4	1	50%	top 56%	91.8%	90.5%
2017	2	0	50%	top 52%	91%	90.2%
2016	4	0	25%	top 69%	90.9%	89%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Jun 4, 2021	GrillBillies BBQ Shootout 🏅 Wendell, NC	17 / 18 (638.8344)	17 (165.1428)	16 (166.3088)	18 (150.8000)	16 (156.5828)
Mar 12, 2021	Rufus Teague BBQ Throwdown - Pirateland 🏅 Myrtle Beach, SC	31 / 39 (653.0744)	33 (160)	31 (163.3944)	36 (155.9656)	8 (173.7144)
Oct 30, 2020	Zom-B-Q 🏅 Wytheville, VA	28 / 33 (655.8512)	28 (165.6912)	28 (161.1200)	15 (168.5372)	25 (160.5028)
Oct 29, 2020	The Nightmare Before Zom-B-Q 🏅 Wytheville, VA	32 / 33 (638.7544)	33 (157.7256)	33 (150.2288)	29 (165.0856)	23 (165.7144)
Oct 11, 2019	Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down 🏅 Rocky Mount, NC	19 / 32 (647.2456)	14 (166.8228)	27 (155.3828)	28 (153.0628)	4 (171.9772)
Sep 20, 2019	Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic 🏅 Salisbury, NC	49 / 56 (633.5200)	39 (161.7028)	53 (150.7772)	45 (157.0744)	34 (163.9656)
Jun 14, 2019	Bone Suckin Sauce Peak City Pig Fest 🏅 Apex, NC	24 / 38 (646.2172)	26 (161.7372)	24 (158.8572)	22 (160.5372)	15 (165.0856)
May 17, 2019	Kings of Q BBQ Cook-off and Festival 🏅 Ayden, NC	13 / 36 (666.7660)	16 (168.5488)	23 (161.0972)	11 (167.9772)	8 (169.1428)
Oct 12, 2018	Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down Rocky Mount, NC	9 / 39 (661.0976)	10 (166.3088)	17 (164.5372)	26 (160.5144)	6 (169.7372)
Sep 14, 2018	Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic Salisbury, NC	22 / 29 (646.2056)	20 (161.7256)	26 (157.0972)	9 (169.1544)	22 (158.2284)
Aug 10, 2018	Mountain High BBQ Festival & Car Show Franklin, NC	45 / 51 (641.5316)	30 (166.8228)	50 (148.4916)	41 (162.2400)	28 (163.9772)
Jun 15, 2018	Bone Suckin Sauce Peak City Pig Fest Apex, NC	16 / 44 (657.0168)	17 (167.9656)	23 (161.0972)	13 (165.6684)	19 (162.2856)
Jun 16, 2017	Peak City Pig Fest Apex, NC	28 / 47 (643.3260)	19 (165.1544)	41 (151.4060)	32 (158.7884)	9 (167.9772)
May 5, 2017	Jiggy With the Piggy Kannapolis, NC	34 / 75 (655.2916)	21 (169.6916)	18 (169.1200)	34 (165.1200)	61 (151.3600)
Sep 16, 2016	Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic Salisbury, NC	31 / 68 (654.1256)	16 (172)	36 (162.2400)	34 (162.2400)	45 (157.6456)
Sep 9, 2016	Beak Week BBQ Challenge Goldsboro, NC	39 / 44 (634.6744)	32 (162.2400)	33 (159.3600)	37 (157.6800)	36 (155.3944)
Jun 17, 2016	Peak City Pigfest Apex, NC	26 / 46 (649.0856)	24 (165.1428)	39 (152.5028)	2 (174.9028)	33 (156.5372)
May 6, 2016	Jiggy With the Piggy Kannapolis, NC	64 / 76 (625.4972)	27 (169.6800)	65 (153.7144)	62 (157.0628)	72 (145.0400)

SMOKEN SOULS BARBECUE

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

Storylines (10 found in their record)

High-water mark

The one to beat

Their season

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

Chicken nemesis

Looking over their shoulder

A May team

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)