VETERANS Q

VETERANS Q is a competition barbecue team with 11 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2016 and 2019. Their best overall finish is 5th of 30 at the McHenry Rotary Blues Brews & BBQ (2018). They are ranked #2787 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#2,787

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1511

peak 1511 · rated over 11 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Oct 14, 2016

latest May 3, 2019 · 2.5 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#776

Master 2018 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

1 podium

Overall top-10s

9% of 11 contests

Avg finish

top 60%

overall standings

Best overall

667.2568 / 720

Master · Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Day 1

Perfect 180s

Current form

661.60 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 649.01 (+12.59)

Walk rate

36%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

174.8800

Chicken · McHenry Rotary Blues Brews & BBQ

Consistency

±13.03

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 165.97 · weakest Pork (158.66)

Road miles

818

across 11 mapped stops · furthest 118 mi

Schedule strength

68%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1586)

State championships

0 🏅

won from 1 state-championship entry

Master avg

649.01 / 720

11 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (9 found in their record)

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

On the rise

+38 rating points in a year

Their power rating has climbed 38 points across 5 contests since May 4, 2018 — from 1473 up to 1511.

5 contests since May 4, 2018
now 1511

High-water mark

667.2568 career-best overall

92.7% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 667.2568 at Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Day 1 — 92.7% of a perfect 720.

Master
Jun 22, 2018

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

CHANNABILLY BBQ has finished one call ahead of VETERANS Q 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 1 category win, at an average finish in the top 40%.

4 contests
1 overall top-10
1 category win
average top 40%

A tough matchup

9–1 behind in the head-to-head

One2BBQ ahead in 90% of their meetings

One2BBQ has come out ahead in 9 of their 10 shared contests.

The weak link

−7.3 points behind their best meat

Pork is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 7.31 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 0% of the time against 18%.

Pork avg 158.66
Chicken avg 165.97
0 calls in 11 entries

A strong matchup

4–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of THE 4 SMOKEMEN BBQ in 4 of their 4 shared contests.

Show 2 more storylines

Chicken nemesis

7 of 10 shared chicken entries lost

One2BBQ ahead 70% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, One2BBQ has out-cooked them in 7 of 10 shared chicken entries.

The metronome

±1.81% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.81% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 90.1% of a perfect score
11 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
2019 ↗	Master	#1581 (118 pts)	#1539 (128 pts)	#1719 (113 pts)	#1888 (83 pts)	#1825 (88 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#776 (420 pts)	#706 (505 pts)	#767 (465 pts)	#999 (310 pts)	#780 (440 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#1015 (326 pts)	#926 (421 pts)	#817 (486 pts)	#1106 (316 pts)	#1046 (331 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#2274 (60 pts)	#2353 (60 pts)	#2349 (60 pts)	#2326 (60 pts)	#2345 (60 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to VETERANS Q, 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.

LOS HERMANOS DE CARNE

#2,802 of the rated field

1511 power rating

Contests: 11
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1519

Careers of much the same size, 11 contests to 11, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 11 contests
last seen Sep 30, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

Five Q

#2,781 of the rated field

1512 power rating

Contests: 11
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 27%
Peak: 1512

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 11 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 11 contests
last seen Aug 29, 2025

⚔ Compare careers

Whole Hog Cafe

#2,789 of the rated field

1511 power rating

Contests: 11
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1518

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

rated over 11 contests
last seen Oct 21, 2022

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THIN BLUE QUE

#2,786 of the rated field

1512 power rating

Contests: 10
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 10%
Peak: 1518

Careers of much the same size, 10 contests to 11, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 10 contests
last seen May 26, 2023

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Slowburn BBQ - AR

#2,783 of the rated field

1512 power rating

Contests: 13
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 23%
Peak: 1531

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

rated over 13 contests
last seen Sep 30, 2026

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Animal House BBQ

#2,799 of the rated field

1511 power rating

Contests: 13
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1511

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 13 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 13 contests
last seen Jun 26, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
CARNIVORE'S PARADISE	10	3	7	30%	⚔ compare
One2BBQ	10	1	9	10%	⚔ compare
CHANNABILLY BBQ	9	3	6	33%	⚔ compare
CAPTAIN RON'S BREW-N-QUE	9	1	8	11%	⚔ compare
RACK MASTERS BBQ	7	3	4	43%	⚔ compare
THE BBQ BUS	7	2	5	29%	⚔ compare
QUAU	7	2	5	29%	⚔ compare
Carrol Lou's Smokehouse	7	2	5	29%	⚔ compare
SMOKE FREAKS	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
BLUE ISLAND BBQ CO.	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
BIG "E" BBQ	6	1	5	17%	⚔ compare
HATFIELD AND MCCOY BARBECUE	6	1	5	17%	⚔ compare
Its 5 Oclock Somewhere	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare
WE WILL ROCK QUE	5	4	1	80%	⚔ compare
STRESS RELIEF BBQ	5	4	1	80%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	11	2	1	1	174.8800	156.5600	165.97	top 48%
Pork Ribs	11	4	0	0	169.1316	151.3716	162.52	top 50%
Pork	11	0	0	0	164.5256	149.6228	158.66	top 71%
Brisket	11	1	0	0	171.4056	156.5028	161.87	top 56%

“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)	5	0	top 52%
Large (40+)	6	0	top 67%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
IL	10	0	top 58%
IN	1	0	top 78%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Route 66 Smoke Out	3	13	0	top 56%	May 3, 2019
CIBR-BBQ Central Illinois Bragging Right BBQ	2	29	0	top 78%	Oct 13, 2017

More numbers

Busiest season 2017 5 contests

Contests a season 2.8 across 4 seasons in the data

Most contests held in IL 10 of 11 contests · 2 states in all

Contests visited 8 2 of them more than once

Opponents faced 200 finished ahead 171 times, behind 267

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

20192 milestones

May 3 Peak power rating (1511) Route 66 Smoke Out
May 3 Most recent contest Route 66 Smoke Out

20185 milestones

Jun 22 Career-best overall score667.2568 Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Day 1
Aug 18 First category win (Chicken) McHenry Rotary Blues Brews & BBQ
Aug 18 First overall top-10 McHenry Rotary Blues Brews & BBQ
Aug 18 10th tracked contest McHenry Rotary Blues Brews & BBQ
Aug 18 Career-best single call (Chicken)174.8800 McHenry Rotary Blues Brews & BBQ

20172 milestones

May 5 First call Route 66 Smoke Out
Jul 14 First overall past 90% of a perfect score648.9940 Sam's Club National BBQ Tour

20161 milestone

Oct 14 First tracked contest CIBR-BBQ Central Illinois Bragging Right BBQ

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+15.9	McHenry Rotary Blues Brews & BBQ	Aug 18, 2018
+10.1	Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Day 1	Jun 22, 2018
+6.8	Route 66 Smoke Out	May 3, 2019
+5.7	Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Day 2	Jun 23, 2018
+1.5	Route 66 Smoke Out	May 4, 2018

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-8.3	CIBR-BBQ Central Illinois Bragging Right BBQ	Oct 14, 2016
-4.9	RED, WHITE and BAR-B-Q ( DAY 2)	May 27, 2017
-4.3	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	Jul 14, 2017
-4.3	Route 66 Smoke Out	May 5, 2017
-3.9	Heritage Days BBQ Showdown	Jun 23, 2017

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)
2019	1	0	0	0%	top 39%	91.7%	91.7%
2018	4	1	1	50%	top 40%	92.7%	91.9%
2017	5	0	0	40%	top 75%	90.1%	88.6%
2016	1	0	0	0%	top 85%	89.3%	89.3%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
May 3, 2019	Route 66 Smoke Out 🏅 Dwight, IL	13 / 33 (660.4340)	11 (169.1200)	14 (165.7028)	20 (164.5256)	19 (161.0856)
Aug 18, 2018	McHenry Rotary Blues Brews & BBQ McHenry, IL	5 / 30 (663.3488)	1 (174.8800)	9 (163.3944)	15 (163.4172)	13 (161.6572)
Jun 23, 2018	Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Day 2 Belvidere, IL	23 / 44 (659.9772)	27 (165.1428)	8 (169.1316)	38 (154.2972)	8 (171.4056)
Jun 22, 2018	Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Day 1 Belvidere, IL	19 / 51 (667.2568)	22 (168.5372)	15 (168.5256)	21 (164.5256)	24 (165.6684)
May 4, 2018	Route 66 Smoke Out Dwight, IL	21 / 38 (656.9828)	19 (165.6800)	26 (161.6572)	24 (162.2628)	16 (167.3828)
Oct 13, 2017	CIBR-BBQ Central Illinois Bragging Right BBQ Arthur, IL	29 / 41 (642.7656)	13 (168.5828)	19 (162.2972)	36 (151.9428)	27 (159.9428)
Jul 14, 2017	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour South Bend, IN	21 / 27 (648.9940)	10 (169.7028)	8 (167.9656)	24 (154.7884)	20 (156.5372)
Jun 23, 2017	Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Belvidere, IL	31 / 42 (633.5540)	25 (161.1428)	36 (156.5484)	28 (159.3600)	32 (156.5028)
May 27, 2017	RED, WHITE and BAR-B-Q ( DAY 2) Westmont, IL	48 / 59 (624.9488)	40 (160.5372)	48 (154.2400)	57 (149.6228)	30 (160.5488)
May 5, 2017	Route 66 Smoke Out Dwight, IL	21 / 29 (638.1600)	27 (156.5600)	10 (166.8344)	20 (158.2628)	21 (156.5028)
Oct 14, 2016	CIBR-BBQ Central Illinois Bragging Right BBQ Authur, IL	47 / 55 (642.7316)	26 (165.7372)	49 (151.3716)	36 (162.2400)	38 (163.3828)

VETERANS Q

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

State championships

Master avg

Storylines (9 found in their record)

On the rise

High-water mark

The one to beat

Their season

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

Chicken nemesis

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)