HOGTOWN BARBECUE

HOGTOWN BARBECUE is a competition barbecue team with 44 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2016 and 2020. Their best overall finish is 4th of 30 at the Barbourville BBQ Cookoff & Festival (2019). They are ranked #1477 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#1,477

of 6,476 rated · rankings

Rating

1566

peak 1566 · rated over 43 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Oct 14, 2016

latest Aug 14, 2020 · 3.8 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#204

Master 2020 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

15 podiums

Overall top-10s

16% of 44 contests

Avg finish

top 58%

overall standings

Best overall

690.8116 / 720

Master · Barbourville BBQ Cookoff & Festival

Perfect 180s

Current form

670.54 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 663.69 (+6.85)

Walk rate

68%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

178.8572

Brisket · Big Blue Barbecue

Consistency

±13.91

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork Ribs

avg 167.63 · weakest Brisket (163.40)

Road miles

6,081

across 44 mapped stops · furthest 365 mi

Schedule strength

82%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1608)

Purse competed for

$164K

listed at 17 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 18 state-championship entries

Master avg

663.69 / 720

43 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (14 found in their record)

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

On the rise

+27 rating points in a year

Their power rating has climbed 27 points across 11 contests since Aug 16, 2019 — from 1539 up to 1566.

11 contests since Aug 16, 2019
now 1566

They almost always walk

68% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 30 of 44 contests

A top-10 category call in 68% of their 44 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

690.8116 career-best overall

95.9% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 690.8116 at Barbourville BBQ Cookoff & Festival — 95.9% of a perfect 720.

Master
Jun 14, 2019

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

ELKHAWG SMOKERS has finished one call ahead of HOGTOWN BARBECUE 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2020 their best year

2020 was the year it came together: 5 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 1 category win, at an average finish in the top 45%.

5 contests
2 overall top-10s
1 category win
average top 45%

A tough matchup

24–4 behind in the head-to-head

BLUE CHIP BBQ ahead in 86% of their meetings

BLUE CHIP BBQ has come out ahead in 24 of their 28 shared contests.

The weak link

−4.2 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 4.24 points below their pork ribs, and turns into a call 25% of the time against 40%.

Brisket avg 163.40
Pork Ribs avg 167.63
11 calls in 44 entries

Show 7 more storylines

A strong matchup

14–2 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 88% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of BULLHEADED BBQ in 14 of their 16 shared contests.

Pork Ribs nemesis

20 of 28 shared pork ribs entries lost

BLUE CHIP BBQ ahead 71% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, BLUE CHIP BBQ has out-cooked them in 20 of 28 shared pork ribs entries.

They cook the hard rooms

1608 average field rating faced

A tougher draw than 82% of rated fields

The fields they enter average a 1608 power rating — a tougher draw than 82% of every rated contest in the data.

43 rated contests

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

BAR-BEAM-QUE has landed one call behind them 2 times.

A July team

Top 48% average finish in July

Something about July: average finish in the top 48% across 5 contests, versus top 58% the rest of the year.

5 July contests
top 58% the rest of the year

The long haul

6,081 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 6,081 miles across 44 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 365 miles to Capital City Cook Off.

44 mapped stops
furthest 365 mi

The metronome

±1.93% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.93% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 92.2% of a perfect score
44 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
2020 ↗	Master	#204 (595 pts)	#309 (400 pts)	#242 (500 pts)	#204 (605 pts)	#171 (655 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#223 (1,242 pts)	#97 (1,753 pts)	#61 (1,935 pts)	#167 (1,401 pts)	#363 (890 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#420 (831 pts)	#249 (1,217 pts)	#330 (1,006 pts)	#420 (856 pts)	#365 (942 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#516 (742 pts)	#574 (702 pts)	#305 (1,142 pts)	#495 (797 pts)	#471 (857 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

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

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

PORKY'S PIT CREW

#1,480 of the rated field

1566 power rating

Contests: 38
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 13%
Peak: 1571

Careers of much the same size, 38 contests to 44, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 37 contests
last seen Jun 16, 2023

⚔ Compare careers

SmoQued On Main St

#1,475 of the rated field

1567 power rating

Contests: 52
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 31%
Peak: 1573

52 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 31% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 51 contests
last seen Sep 11, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

THIS IS HOW WE QUE IT

#1,479 of the rated field

1566 power rating

Contests: 29
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 17%
Peak: 1596

They've been 1596 at their best, 30 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 29 contests
last seen Sep 29, 2022

⚔ Compare careers

PIGTAILERS BBQ

#1,474 of the rated field

1567 power rating

Contests: 24
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 25%
Peak: 1582

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

rated over 24 contests
last seen May 12, 2023

⚔ Compare careers

E.O.D. WRECKINQ

#1,481 of the rated field

1566 power rating

Contests: 20
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 10%
Peak: 1576

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

rated over 20 contests
last seen Jun 9, 2018

⚔ Compare careers

COMING IN HOT STL

#1,478 of the rated field

1566 power rating

Contests: 23
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 35%
Peak: 1583

Fewer contests behind them than HOGTOWN BARBECUE has cooked, 23 to 44, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.

rated over 17 contests
last seen Sep 14, 2024

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
BLUE CHIP BBQ	28	4	24	14%	⚔ compare
Extra Mile BBQ	27	5	22	19%	⚔ compare
WeQ4U	26	6	20	23%	⚔ compare
CONTINENTAL BARBEQUE CO.	22	3	19	14%	⚔ compare
THE ALGOOD BAR-B-Q PIT CREW	20	3	17	15%	⚔ compare
HIGH ON THE HAWG	19	6	13	32%	⚔ compare
SMOKE ON THIS	18	4	14	22%	⚔ compare
UNCLE TOAD'S COMPETITION BBQ	18	2	16	11%	⚔ compare
ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN	18	2	16	11%	⚔ compare
GREY STREET BBQ	18	0	18	0%	⚔ compare
BUTTS-N-RACKS BBQ, LLC	17	5	12	29%	⚔ compare
BULLHEADED BBQ	16	14	2	88%	⚔ compare
FARMER'S RETREAT SMOKIN BARBEQUE	16	4	12	25%	⚔ compare
MEAT MISTERS	15	6	9	40%	⚔ compare
SMOKE-N-PEPPERS	15	4	11	27%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	43	10	1	5	178.2972	155.3484	167.50	top 52%
Pork Ribs	43	17	1	6	177.7144	150.8000	167.63	top 45%
Pork	43	7	0	1	176.5600	154.2288	165.36	top 58%
Brisket	44	11	1	3	178.8572	143.3256	163.40	top 60%

“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 50%
Medium (20–39)	26	top 59%
Large (40+)	15	top 58%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
KY	21	top 59%
TN	11	top 60%
IN	7	top 54%
AL	1	top 64%
VA	1	top 70%
GA	1	top 34%
OH	1	top 73%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cook-Off	3	19	top 64%	Oct 18, 2019
Jim Beam BBQ Classic	3	21	top 72%	Oct 4, 2019
Bands & BBQ at the Point	3	18	top 74%	Sep 13, 2019
Barbourville BBQ Cookoff & Festival	3	4	top 52%	Jun 14, 2019
Big Blue Barbecue	2	5	top 48%	Aug 14, 2020
Fire on the Mountain	2	6	top 35%	Jul 24, 2020
Covid-Que Relief (Day 2)	2	9	top 51%	Jun 20, 2020
Bloomin' BBQ & Bluegrass	2	23	top 56%	May 17, 2019
High on the Hog Festival	2	14	top 51%	Apr 19, 2019
TN River BBQ Battle & Music Fest	2	13	top 49%	Mar 29, 2019
Grilling & Chillin BBQ	2	20	top 60%	Sep 21, 2018
Great American BBQ Festival (JUDGES FULL)	2	20	top 57%	Aug 24, 2018
Fire on the Mountain	2	4	top 50%	Jul 27, 2018

More numbers

Busiest season 2019 14 contests

Contests a season 8.8 across 5 seasons in the data

Most contests held in KY 22 of 44 contests · 7 states in all

Contests visited 26 13 of them more than once

Most-entered meat Brisket 44 entries · 1 win · 11 calls

Opponents faced 596 finished ahead 662 times, behind 934

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

20203 milestones

Aug 14 Career-best single call (Brisket)178.8572 Big Blue Barbecue
Aug 14 Peak power rating (1566) Big Blue Barbecue
Aug 14 Most recent contest Big Blue Barbecue

20192 milestones

Jun 14 Career-best overall score690.8116 Barbourville BBQ Cookoff & Festival
Jul 26 First category win (Pork Ribs) Fire on the Mountain

20181 milestone

Oct 19 25th tracked contest Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cook-Off

20172 milestones

Jul 28 First overall top-10 Fire on the Mountain
Oct 6 10th tracked contest Jim Beam BBQ Classic

20163 milestones

Oct 14 First tracked contest Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cookoff
Oct 14 First call Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cookoff
Oct 14 First overall past 90% of a perfect score649.0512 Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cookoff

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+17.9	Barbourville BBQ Cookoff & Festival	Jun 14, 2019
+16.4	Big Blue Barbecue	Aug 14, 2020
+16.3	Covid-Que Relief (Day 2)	Jun 20, 2020
+14.3	Operation Stand Down KY II Annual Smoke off	Apr 5, 2019
+12.7	Fire on the Mountain	Jul 26, 2019

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-9.2	Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cookoff	Oct 14, 2016
-8.5	Covid-Que Relief (Day 1)	Jun 19, 2020
-8.1	Bands & BBQ at the Point	Sep 13, 2019
-7.8	Bands & BBQ at the Point	Sep 15, 2017
-7	Jim Beam BBQ Classic	Oct 6, 2017

Scores over time (% of a perfect score, averaged over 5 contests — 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)
2020	5	2	1	60%	top 45%	95.8%	93.1%
2019	14	3	2	100%	top 48%	95.9%	93.4%
2018	14	1	0	43%	top 68%	94.4%	91.3%
2017	10	1	0	60%	top 64%	93.4%	91.3%
2016	1	0	0	100%	top 91%	90.1%	90.1%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Aug 14, 2020	Big Blue Barbecue 🏅 Shelbyville, IN	5 / 50 (689.6800)	21 (168.5600)	24 (166.8228)	4 (175.4400)	1 (178.8572)
Jul 24, 2020	Fire on the Mountain 🏅 Leburn, KY	14 / 30 (673.6912)	16 (166.2972)	4 (173.7600)	7 (171.9884)	25 (161.6456)
Jun 20, 2020	Covid-Que Relief (Day 2) Franklin, IN	9 / 63 (681.6684)	22 (170.8572)	27 (166.8800)	25 (169.6684)	9 (174.2628)
Jun 19, 2020	Covid-Que Relief (Day 1) Franklin, IN	61 / 69 (642.1144)	46 (164.5600)	38 (165.0972)	57 (158.2400)	65 (154.2172)
Feb 21, 2020	Capital City Cook Off 🏅 Montgomery, AL	16 / 25 (665.5656)	18 (162.7884)	13 (166.2516)	12 (169.1428)	13 (167.3828)
Oct 18, 2019	Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cook-Off 🏅 Munfordville, KY	19 / 31 (675.8856)	15 (169.1200)	7 (173.1200)	11 (170.8228)	24 (162.8228)
Oct 4, 2019	Jim Beam BBQ Classic 🏅 Springfield, KY	21 / 42 (666.1140)	31 (165.0972)	6 (173.1200)	3 (176.5600)	41 (151.3368)
Sep 27, 2019	New Albany Blues Brews and BBQ Festival 🏅 New Albany, IN	15 / 23 (667.2800)	15 (166.2400)	14 (163.3944)	14 (164.5372)	5 (173.1084)
Sep 20, 2019	Grillin & Chillin BBQ 🏅 Owensboro, KY	13 / 34 (674.8004)	14 (170.2744)	10 (170.2744)	11 (169.6916)	17 (164.5600)
Sep 13, 2019	Bands & BBQ at the Point 🏅 Carrollton, KY	20 / 28 (653.5428)	7 (174.2628)	15 (166.8344)	13 (169.1200)	25 (143.3256)
Aug 16, 2019	Madison Ribberfest BBQ & Blues Festival 🏅 Madsion, IN	19 / 47 (672.4572)	1 (178.2972)	2 (176.5716)	19 (169.6800)	46 (147.9084)
Aug 9, 2019	Big Blue Barbecue 🏅 Shelbyville, IN	25 / 29 (663.2456)	23 (165.0856)	3 (174.2628)	21 (168.5372)	28 (155.3600)
Jul 26, 2019	Fire on the Mountain 🏅 Leburn, KY	6 / 25 (681.0056)	5 (173.1200)	1 (177.7144)	8 (174.2628)	21 (155.9084)
Jul 19, 2019	Chillin & Grillin in the Glades 🏅 Wise, VA	19 / 27 (666.1484)	15 (169.1200)	8 (171.4172)	14 (167.4056)	24 (158.2056)
Jun 14, 2019	Barbourville BBQ Cookoff & Festival 🏅 Barbourville, KY	4 / 30 (690.8116)	3 (175.4172)	3 (176.5600)	8 (171.9772)	17 (166.8572)
May 17, 2019	Bloomin' BBQ & Bluegrass 🏅 Sevierville, TN	23 / 43 (661.5656)	13 (170.8112)	8 (171.4516)	29 (162.2400)	32 (157.0628)
Apr 19, 2019	High on the Hog Festival 🏅 Winchester, TN	14 / 39 (682.7312)	4 (177.7028)	14 (171.4172)	22 (167.3828)	25 (166.2284)
Apr 5, 2019	Operation Stand Down KY II Annual Smoke off 🏅 Franklin, KY	6 / 28 (683.9316)	2 (175.4172)	18 (167.3944)	4 (175.4172)	14 (165.7028)
Mar 29, 2019	TN River BBQ Battle & Music Fest 🏅 Savannah, TN	13 / 29 (679.8856)	18 (169.1200)	6 (171.9772)	19 (166.8228)	15 (171.9656)
Oct 19, 2018	Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cook-Off Munfordville, KY	22 / 29 (652.3772)	24 (159.3828)	22 (162.8000)	16 (166.2516)	16 (163.9428)
Oct 5, 2018	Jim Beam BBQ Classic Springfield, KY	34 / 42 (655.7940)	26 (165.6684)	23 (166.8228)	28 (162.8000)	36 (160.5028)
Sep 21, 2018	Grilling & Chillin BBQ Owensboro, KY	27 / 37 (635.7944)	20 (163.3828)	24 (157.6916)	32 (154.2288)	24 (160.4912)
Sep 14, 2018	Bands & BBQ at the Point Carrollton, KY	18 / 27 (659.8172)	21 (163.3828)	22 (161.6688)	15 (166.2284)	9 (168.5372)
Aug 24, 2018	Great American BBQ Festival (JUDGES FULL) Franklin, TN	23 / 36 (659.8400)	24 (165.0972)	12 (171.4172)	19 (165.6800)	29 (157.6456)
Jul 27, 2018	Fire on the Mountain Leburn, KY	9 / 13 (662.1372)	3 (171.9656)	10 (163.3944)	11 (159.3716)	7 (167.4056)
Jun 22, 2018	Blount County BBQ Bash Maryville, TN	30 / 36 (640.3544)	18 (167.3944)	19 (163.9544)	33 (157.0856)	30 (151.9200)
Jun 15, 2018	Barbourville BBQ Cookoff & Festival Barbourville, KY	22 / 34 (663.7824)	14 (171.9656)	19 (167.3828)	20 (165.0856)	29 (159.3484)
Jun 8, 2018	Kentucky's Fort Harrod Beef Festival Grill-Off (COMPETITOR'S SERIES) Harrodsburg, KY	—	—	—	—	2 (172)
Apr 27, 2018	Smokin For Garrett Boonville, IN	28 / 38 (639.8404)	30 (159.3944)	25 (160.5488)	26 (157.0744)	20 (162.8228)
Apr 20, 2018	High on the Hog Festival Winchester, TN	28 / 42 (669.5884)	3 (177.7028)	4 (176.5600)	40 (155.9772)	39 (159.3484)
Apr 13, 2018	TN River BBQ Battle & Music Fest Savannah, TN	15 / 28 (670.1256)	11 (170.2628)	19 (166.2400)	22 (162.8000)	8 (170.8228)
Mar 9, 2018	Smoke on the Shores Nashville, TN	65 / 87 (655.8516)	58 (165.0972)	58 (162.2516)	72 (162.2400)	45 (166.2628)
Feb 2, 2018	Brasstown Valley Resort BBQ Throwdown (JUDGES FULL) Young Harris, GA	12 / 35 (679.8628)	8 (173.1200)	19 (169.6800)	12 (170.8228)	20 (166.2400)
Oct 20, 2017	Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cook-off Munfordville, KY	20 / 36 (664.4804)	33 (157.6572)	3 (172.0116)	4 (171.9772)	20 (162.8344)
Oct 6, 2017	Jim Beam BBQ Classic Springfield, KY	38 / 44 (652.4572)	34 (163.9656)	42 (152.5488)	40 (159.9428)	6 (176)
Sep 22, 2017	Grilling & Chillin BBQ Owensboro, KY	20 / 42 (660.9368)	30 (158.2056)	10 (168.5372)	25 (163.3828)	10 (170.8112)
Sep 15, 2017	Bands & BBQ at the Point Carrollton, KY	28 / 33 (639.2340)	9 (171.4056)	32 (150.8000)	20 (163.4056)	29 (153.6228)
Sep 1, 2017	PigMania Lebanon State Championship BBQ & Music Festival ( TEAMS AND JUDGES FULL) 🏅 Lebanon, OH	29 / 40 (644.9488)	25 (166.2400)	13 (169.6916)	33 (159.3600)	37 (149.6572)
Aug 25, 2017	Great American BBQ Festival Franklin, TN	20 / 40 (672.4804)	23 (167.3944)	9 (172.5716)	16 (169.7028)	30 (162.8116)
Jul 28, 2017	Fire on the Mountain Leburn, KY	4 / 13 (667.3256)	12 (163.4056)	3 (170.8572)	12 (157.0628)	2 (176)
Jun 16, 2017	Barbourville BBQ Cookoff & Festival Barbourville, KY	24 / 31 (646.7312)	27 (155.3484)	13 (168.5828)	25 (160.5372)	21 (162.2628)
May 19, 2017	Bloomin' BBQ & Bluegrass Sevierville, TN	29 / 49 (663.3376)	23 (167.3944)	33 (162.8228)	34 (163.4288)	20 (169.6916)
Mar 31, 2017	Blues Hog BBQ & Music Fest Savannah, TN	38 / 48 (660.4800)	21 (170.2628)	30 (165.7144)	46 (156.5256)	25 (167.9772)
Oct 14, 2016	Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cookoff Munfordville, KY	31 / 34 (649.0512)	34 (155.4284)	31 (159.3600)	33 (160.5484)	6 (173.7144)

HOGTOWN 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 (14 found in their record)

On the rise

They almost always walk

High-water mark

The one to beat

Their season

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

Pork Ribs nemesis

They cook the hard rooms

Looking over their shoulder

A July 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, averaged over 5 contests — 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)