Z-QUE

At a glance (everything the results say about this team, in numbers)

Power ranking

#1327

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1576

peak 1576 · rated over 13 contests ⓘ

Contests

in the data

First seen

2015-06-26

latest 2019-08-09

Best ToY finish

#717

Master 2017

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

6 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 13 contests

Avg finish

top 42%

overall standings

Best overall

686.7884 / 720

Master · Freedom Fest BBQ Cook-Off

Perfect 180s

Current form

672.48 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 671.15 (+1.34)

Walk rate

77%

contests with a top-10 call

Top-10 streak

and counting

Best single call

177.7144

Pork · Freedom Fest BBQ Cook-Off

Consistency

±10.66

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 171.32 · weakest Pork Ribs (164.89)

Road miles

427

mi across 13 mapped stops · furthest 78 mi

Schedule strength

77%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1599)

Purse competed for

$5K

listed at 1 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

GCs in 1 state-championship entries

Master avg

671.15 / 720

13 Master contests · 0 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (8 found in this team's record)

Each card leads with the number that made it a story — read straight out of their results, no editorialising.

On the rise

+25 rating points in a year

Their power rating has climbed 25 points across 3 contests since 2018-08-10 — from 1551 up to 1576.

3 contests since 2018-08-10
now 1576

They almost always walk

77% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 10 of 13 contests

A top-10 category call in 77% of their 13 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

686.7884 career-best overall

95.4% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 686.7884 at Freedom Fest BBQ Cook-Off — 95.4% of a perfect 720.

Master
2017-06-23

A tough matchup

11–1 behind in the head-to-head

GETTIN' BASTED ahead in 92% of their meetings

GETTIN' BASTED has come out ahead in 11 of their 12 shared contests.

The weak link

−6.4 points behind their best meat

Pork Ribs is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 6.43 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 31% of the time against 38%.

Pork Ribs avg 164.89
Chicken avg 171.32
4 calls in 13 entries

A strong matchup

11–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of TAILGATE GUYS BBQ in 11 of their 11 shared contests.

Chicken nemesis

9 of 12 shared chicken entries lost

GETTIN' BASTED ahead 75% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, GETTIN' BASTED has out-cooked them in 9 of 12 shared chicken entries.

The metronome

±1.48% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.48% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 93.2% of a perfect score
13 contests

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The nearest teams in the power rankings, with a different reason on each card — six teams on one rating are rarely on it for the same reason. Rating decides who makes the list; where teams tie on it, the ones this team has actually cooked against come first, then teams at a similar point in their own career. KCBS doesn’t publish where a team is from, so nothing here is inferred from geography.

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

Spitballs BBQ

#1320 of the rated field

1576 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 14
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1576

No shared contest yet.

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 2026-06-26

⚔ Head-to-head

Berkee Raes BBQ

#1329 of the rated field

1576 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 13
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 54%
Peak: 1576

No shared contest yet.

Careers of much the same size, 13 contests to 13, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 13 contests
last seen 2024-06-14

⚔ Head-to-head

BACON & WHISKEY

#1330 of the rated field

1576 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 19
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 42%
Peak: 1577

No shared contest yet.

19 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 42% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 19 contests
last seen 2021-06-18

⚔ Head-to-head

ROUGHNECKS BBQ

#1325 of the rated field

1576 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 21
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 38%
Peak: 1598

No shared contest yet.

Level with Z-QUE on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 20 contests
last seen 2018-09-15

⚔ Head-to-head

FLYING PORKERS

#1323 of the rated field

1576 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 28
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 25%
Peak: 1615

No shared contest yet.

They've been 1615 at their best, 39 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 28 contests
last seen 2019-08-23

⚔ Head-to-head

BBQ FREAKS

#1324 of the rated field

1576 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 6
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 100%
Peak: 1576

No shared contest yet.

6 straight overall top-10s says this rating is a moving target.

rated over 6 contests
last seen 2019-06-21

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
GETTIN' BASTED	12	1	11	8%	⚔ compare
TAILGATE GUYS BBQ	11	11	0	100%	⚔ compare
YELLOW JACKET BBQ	10	6	4	60%	⚔ compare
SMOOTH SMOKE	10	3	7	30%	⚔ compare
COUNTRYSIDE BBQ PRO SHOP	9	4	5	44%	⚔ compare
BRICKHEAD BBQ	9	1	8	11%	⚔ compare
UP SAUCE CREEK	8	4	4	50%	⚔ compare
ELI'S PIT CREW	8	4	4	50%	⚔ compare
THE BOAR OF DIRECTORS	8	1	7	13%	⚔ compare
GRAY WOLF BBQ	7	7	0	100%	⚔ compare
WOOD HOOK BBQ	7	6	1	86%	⚔ compare
Hogzilla	7	6	1	86%	⚔ compare
MOKAN MEATHEADS	7	3	4	43%	⚔ compare
SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
A Good Rub BBQ	6	2	4	33%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	13	5	1	2	176.0000	166.8228	171.32	top 37%
Pork Ribs	13	4	0	0	175.4172	146.7772	164.89	top 49%
Pork	13	5	0	2	177.7144	159.3600	168.06	top 44%
Brisket	13	4	0	2	174.8800	151.9544	166.87	top 43%

“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 state / province

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
MO	12	0	top 42%
AR	1	0	top 38%

By contest size

Field	Contests	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	1	top 63%
Medium (20–39)	6	top 30%
Large (40+)	6	top 50%

Contest-by-contest record (recurring contests they've cooked twice or more)

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Freedom Fest BBQ Cook-Off	2	8	0	top 30%	2018-06-29
Table Rock Boats and Bones	2	25	0	top 57%	2017-09-16

The story so far (17 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 4.1 yrs 2015-06-26 → 2019-08-09

Busiest season 2017 5 contests

Contests a season 2.6 across 5 seasons in the data

Cooks most in MO 12 of 13 contests · 2 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 11 2 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 13 entries · 1 win · 5 calls

Strongest meat Chicken averages 171.32 · weakest Pork Ribs (164.89)

Walk rate 77% a top-10 call in 10 of 13 contests

Overall top-10 rate 31% 4 of 13 contests

Best top-10 run 2 straight contests — and still running

Master average 671.15 out of 720 · 13 contests · 0 GCs

Opponents faced 256 289–202 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 427 13 mapped stops · furthest 78 mi

Schedule strength 1599 average field rating faced — tougher than 77% of rated contests

Purse competed for $5,000 listed at 1 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships 0 from 1 state-championship entries

Power rating 1576 peak 1576 · #1327 of 6,413 rated

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

2015
Jun 26 First tracked contest 3rd Annual Willard Freedom Feast BBQ Cook-Off
Jun 26 First call 3rd Annual Willard Freedom Feast BBQ Cook-Off
Jun 26 First category win (Chicken) 3rd Annual Willard Freedom Feast BBQ Cook-Off
Jun 26 First overall top-10 3rd Annual Willard Freedom Feast BBQ Cook-Off
Jun 26 First overall past 90% of a perfect score678.7316 3rd Annual Willard Freedom Feast BBQ Cook-Off
2017
Jun 23 Career-best overall score686.7884 Freedom Fest BBQ Cook-Off
Jun 23 Career-best single call (Pork)177.7144 Freedom Fest BBQ Cook-Off
2018
Jun 29 10th tracked contest Freedom Fest BBQ Cook-Off
2019
Aug 9 Peak power rating (1576) Route 66 BBQ & Steak Showdown
Aug 9 Most recent contest Route 66 BBQ & Steak Showdown

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+13.7	Smoke EM IF You Got EM	2018-11-09
+12.3	Freedom Fest BBQ Cook-Off	2017-06-23
+10.8	Route 66 BBQ & Steak Showdown	2019-08-09
+9.3	3rd Annual Willard Freedom Feast BBQ Cook-Off	2015-06-26
+8	Freedom Fest BBQ Cook-Off	2018-06-29

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-1	Freedom Feast BBQ Cook-Off	2016-06-24
-0.7	Route 66 Barbeque Throwdown (JUDGES FULL)	2018-08-10

Category scores over time

Overall finish over time (top-% of field, lower is better)

Where they finish (overall)

Best vs average (by meat)

How entries end (by meat)

Team of the Year rank by season

Season by season

Season	Contests	Top-10s	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2019	1	1	0	100%	top 20%	94.6%	94.6%
2018	4	1	0	75%	top 42%	94.1%	93.1%
2017	5	1	0	60%	top 40%	95.4%	93.6%
2016	2	0	0	100%	top 61%	92.6%	91.3%
2015	1	1	1	100%	top 32%	94.3%	94.3%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2019-08-09	Route 66 BBQ & Steak Showdown 🏅 Springfiled, MO	5 / 25 (681.0516)	4 (173.7028)	6 (171.4288)	18 (161.6456)	3 (174.2744)
2018-11-09	Smoke EM IF You Got EM Springfield, MO	6 / 30 (677.7144)	3 (174.2972)	15 (165.1660)	9 (170.8684)	14 (167.3828)
2018-08-10	Route 66 Barbeque Throwdown (JUDGES FULL) Springfield, MO	12 / 19 (656.9600)	8 (171.9656)	17 (157.6688)	12 (167.3828)	14 (159.9428)
2018-06-29	Freedom Fest BBQ Cook-Off Willard, MO	19 / 52 (675.9316)	17 (172.5600)	40 (161.0972)	2 (177.7028)	26 (164.5716)
2018-05-25	*Shepherd's Smokin Summer Kick Off Branson, MO	25 / 50 (670.7656)	30 (167.9772)	21 (169.1084)	32 (163.9772)	18 (169.7028)
2017-09-16	Table Rock Boats and Bones Kimberling, MO	26 / 47 (669.5884)	27 (169.1200)	14 (171.4172)	28 (167.4056)	34 (161.6456)
2017-07-08	Red White Blue and Que Presented by Lucas Oil Speedway Wheatland, MO	14 / 31 (681.0632)	22 (166.8228)	5 (175.4172)	8 (172.5716)	21 (166.2516)
2017-06-23	Freedom Fest BBQ Cook-Off Willard, MO	8 / 35 (686.7884)	18 (169.1428)	8 (170.2628)	3 (177.7144)	10 (169.6684)
2017-04-21	Rock'n N Ribs BBQ Festival Springfield, MO	20 / 55 (658.1372)	12 (173.1428)	43 (150.7772)	19 (166.2516)	13 (167.9656)
2017-04-01	*Smoke on the Border Gravette Chambers of Commerce Gravette, AR	14 / 37 (673.0056)	17 (169.6800)	9 (170.2628)	29 (161.6572)	8 (171.4056)
2016-09-17	Table Rock Boats and Bones Kimberling City, MO	25 / 43 (666.7776)	6 (176.0000)	12 (171.4172)	23 (167.4060)	38 (151.9544)
2016-06-24	Freedom Feast BBQ Cook-Off Willard, MO	31 / 49 (648.4116)	29 (167.3944)	48 (146.7772)	29 (159.3600)	3 (174.8800)
2015-06-26	3rd Annual Willard Freedom Feast BBQ Cook-Off Willard, MO	10 / 31 (678.7316)	1 (175.4172)	19 (162.8000)	8 (170.8344)	11 (169.6800)

Career map (orange GC · green top-10 · grey the rest — tap a pin)

Team of the Year standings (rank per category by season — year links to the full board on kcbs.us)

Year	Series	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2019 ↗	Master	#1279 (175 pts)	#1234 (200 pts)	#1369 (165 pts)	#1876 (85 pts)	#1155 (225 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#765 (429 pts)	#683 (529 pts)	#981 (329 pts)	#653 (569 pts)	#887 (364 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#717 (526 pts)	#868 (451 pts)	#620 (656 pts)	#697 (596 pts)	#723 (546 pts)