SMOKING KEISTER'S BBQ

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

Power ranking

#2434

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1522

peak 1522 · rated over 13 contests ⓘ

Contests

in the data

First seen

2016-08-19

latest 2022-07-23

Best ToY finish

#610

Master 2019

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

1 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 13 contests

Avg finish

top 56%

overall standings

Best overall

680.5372 / 720

Master · Riverside Blues, Brews & BBQ Festival

Perfect 180s

Current form

654.87 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 637.97 (+16.91)

Walk rate

69%

contests with a top-10 call

Top-10 streak

and counting

Best single call

174.8572

Pork Ribs · New Jersey KnoQ-out CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES

Consistency

±45.23

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 166.18 · weakest Pork Ribs (151.50)

Road miles

1,635

mi across 13 mapped stops · furthest 224 mi

Schedule strength

67%

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

Purse competed for

$32K

listed at 6 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

GCs in 6 state-championship entries

Master avg

637.97 / 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.

They almost always walk

69% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 9 of 13 contests

A top-10 category call in 69% of their 13 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

680.5372 career-best overall

94.5% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 680.5372 at Riverside Blues, Brews & BBQ Festival — 94.5% of a perfect 720.

Master
2018-10-05

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

MILLER'S BACKYARD BBQ has finished one call ahead of SMOKING KEISTER'S BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

A tough matchup

11–1 behind in the head-to-head

PADDY MCQ'S ahead in 92% of their meetings

PADDY MCQ'S has come out ahead in 11 of their 12 shared contests.

The weak link

−14.7 points behind their best meat

Pork Ribs is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 14.68 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 38% of the time against 36%.

Pork Ribs avg 151.50
Chicken avg 166.18
5 calls in 13 entries

A strong matchup

3–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of SMOKIN GOOD TIMES ME. in 3 of their 3 shared contests.

The comeback

2.8 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 2.8 years, then back at The Harpoon Brewery BBQ Festival (2022-07-23).

last seen 2019-10-04
back 2022-07-23

Chicken nemesis

9 of 12 shared chicken entries lost

PADDY MCQ'S ahead 75% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, PADDY MCQ'S has out-cooked them in 9 of 12 shared chicken entries.

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.

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

BBQ TEAM WEST COAST

#2447 of the rated field

1522 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 14
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 36%
Peak: 1537

No shared contest yet.

Careers of much the same size, 14 contests to 13, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 14 contests
last seen 2022-05-14

⚔ Head-to-head

Kanned Heat

#2443 of the rated field

1522 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 16
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 13%
Peak: 1530

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 12 contests
last seen 2026-08-21

⚔ Head-to-head

Q-WE-DO BBQ

#2442 of the rated field

1522 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 12
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 25%
Peak: 1525

No shared contest yet.

Their last contest in the data was back in 2018, 4 years before SMOKING KEISTER'S BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 12 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

PEQUEA PULLERS

#2415 of the rated field

1522 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 15
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 7%
Peak: 1522

No shared contest yet.

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 15 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 15 contests
last seen 2018-08-24

⚔ Head-to-head

GUYS IN A TRUCK BBQ

#2418 of the rated field

1522 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 11
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 36%
Peak: 1526

No shared contest yet.

They turned up 5 years after SMOKING KEISTER'S BBQ did, first appearing in 2021.

rated over 11 contests
last seen 2025-06-13

⚔ Head-to-head

TEX'S SMOKE

#2441 of the rated field

1522 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 11
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1522

No shared contest yet.

Level with SMOKING KEISTER'S BBQ on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 11 contests
last seen 2021-06-04

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
INSANE SWINE BBQ	12	2	10	17%	⚔ compare
PADDY MCQ'S	12	1	11	8%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA	12	1	11	8%	⚔ compare
FIRE DOWN BELOW	9	1	8	11%	⚔ compare
CIDER BOYS BBQ	8	4	4	50%	⚔ compare
ELJEFE SMOKE	8	3	5	38%	⚔ compare
A MAZIE Q	8	2	6	25%	⚔ compare
FOUR SMOKING GUYS	8	1	7	13%	⚔ compare
Rogue Hog BBQ	8	1	7	13%	⚔ compare
MILLER'S BACKYARD BBQ	8	1	7	13%	⚔ compare
BIG RAZ BBQ	8	1	7	13%	⚔ compare
BACKDRAFT BAR-B-Q CT	7	3	4	43%	⚔ compare
BOO BOO QUED	7	3	4	43%	⚔ compare
FIRE AT THE END OF THE DAY	7	2	5	29%	⚔ compare
Chicken Chokers	7	2	5	29%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	14	5	0	0	174.2972	156.5028	166.18	top 44%
Pork Ribs	13	5	1	1	174.8572	20.0000	151.50	top 51%
Pork	13	3	0	0	174.2972	146.7884	160.72	top 59%
Brisket	13	4	0	0	168.5600	141.0512	159.44	top 57%

“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	Avg finish
VT	3	top 53%
MA	3	top 39%
NH	2	top 59%
ME	2	top 66%
CT	2	top 85%
NJ	1	top 28%

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	10	0	top 59%
Large (40+)	3	0	top 46%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
The Harpoon Brewery BBQ Festival	3	6	0	top 53%	2022-07-23
Granite State BBQ Championship	2	13	0	top 59%	2019-06-08

The story so far (18 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 5.9 yrs 2016-08-19 → 2022-07-23

Busiest season 2019 5 contests

Contests a season 2.6 across 5 seasons in the data

Cooks most in VT 3 of 13 contests · 6 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 10 2 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 14 entries · 0 wins · 5 calls

Strongest meat Chicken averages 166.18 · weakest Pork Ribs (151.50)

Walk rate 69% a top-10 call in 9 of 13 contests

Overall top-10 rate 23% 3 of 13 contests

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

Master average 637.97 out of 720 · 13 contests · 0 GCs

Opponents faced 192 182–236 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 1,635 13 mapped stops · furthest 224 mi

Schedule strength 1584 average field rating faced — tougher than 67% of rated contests

Purse competed for $32,375 listed at 6 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships 0 from 6 state-championship entries

Longest layoff 2.8 yrs 2019-10-04 → 2022-07-23

Power rating 1522 peak 1522 · #2434 of 6,413 rated

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

2016
Aug 19 First tracked contest Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
2018
Jun 9 First call Granite State BBQ Championship
Jun 9 First overall past 90% of a perfect score668.4800 Granite State BBQ Championship
Oct 5 First overall top-10 Riverside Blues, Brews & BBQ Festival
Oct 5 Career-best overall score680.5372 Riverside Blues, Brews & BBQ Festival
2019
Apr 27 First category win (Pork Ribs) New Jersey KnoQ-out CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES
Apr 27 Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)174.8572 New Jersey KnoQ-out CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES
Jun 8 10th tracked contest Granite State BBQ Championship
2022
Jul 23 Peak power rating (1522) The Harpoon Brewery BBQ Festival
Jul 23 Most recent contest The Harpoon Brewery BBQ Festival

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+14.8	Riverside Blues, Brews & BBQ Festival	2018-10-05
+12.3	Riverside Blues, Brews & BBQ	2019-10-04
+11	The Harpoon Brewery BBQ Festival	2022-07-23
+10.7	Granite State BBQ Championship	2018-06-09
+10.5	New Jersey KnoQ-out CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES	2019-04-27

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-11.8	The Harpoon Brewery BBQ Festival	2018-07-28
-10.5	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	2016-08-19
-6.8	Granite State BBQ Championship	2019-06-08
-5.4	Sun BBQ Fest	2018-06-02
-3	Nor'Easter BBQ Showdown (DAY 2) CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES	2019-05-18

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)
2022	1	1	0	100%	top 24%	92.9%	92.9%
2019	5	1	1	80%	top 50%	93.2%	91%
2018	5	1	0	80%	top 58%	94.5%	86.5%
2017	1	0	0	0%	top 69%	89%	89%
2016	1	0	0	0%	top 92%	82.8%	82.8%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2022-07-23	The Harpoon Brewery BBQ Festival 🏅 Windsor, VT	6 / 25 (669.0404)	4 (174.2972)	13 (163.9660)	9 (166.8228)	9 (163.9544)
2019-10-04	Riverside Blues, Brews & BBQ 🏅 Greenfield, MA	7 / 26 (671.3832)	11 (165.7260)	4 (171.4172)	11 (165.6800)	9 (168.5600)
2019-07-27	The Harpoon Brewery BBQ Festival 🏅 Windsor, VT	12 / 33 (663.9312)	13 (164.5256)	9 (168.5828)	10 (169.1200)	22 (160.5256)
2019-06-08	Granite State BBQ Championship 🏅 Hancock, NH	25 / 29 (630.1488)	24 (156.5028)	27 (154.2516)	23 (159.9772)	22 (159.4172)
2019-05-18	Nor'Easter BBQ Showdown (DAY 2) CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES 🏅 Plymouth, MA	20 / 28 (639.8516)	10 (170.2628)	15 (165.7028)	19 (158.2400)	23 (145.6460)
2019-04-27	New Jersey KnoQ-out CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES 🏅 Blairstown, NJ	12 / 43 (669.0628)	8 (171.4056)	1 (174.8572)	19 (163.3828)	30 (159.4172)
2018-10-05	Riverside Blues, Brews & BBQ Festival Greenfield, MA	6 / 31 (680.5372)	12 (167.9772)	6 (170.8456)	4 (174.2972)	8 (167.4172)
2018-09-22	*Great Maine BBQ Challenge Bangor, ME	17 / 27 (640.4228)	7 (169.6800)	16 (158.8344)	20 (152.5028)	17 (159.4056)
2018-07-28	The Harpoon Brewery BBQ Festival WINDSOR, VT	34 / 34 (504.0000)	10 (167.4172)	34 (20.0000)	30 (151.4400)	6 (165.1428)
2018-06-09	Granite State BBQ Championship Hancock, NH	13 / 41 (668.4800)	18 (166.8228)	4 (171.4172)	21 (163.9772)	19 (166.2628)
2018-06-02	Sun BBQ Fest Uncasville, CT	46 / 59 (619.8396)	39 (159.4400)	37 (156.5600)	47 (155.3484)	49 (148.4912)
2017-07-15	*Smokin at the Ballpark BBQ Fest Old Orchard Beach, ME	20 / 29 (641.0400)	11 (167.9772)	20 (158.8572)	28 (146.7884)	12 (167.4172)
2016-08-19	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour South Windsor, CT	24 / 26 (595.8168)	21 (158.8112)	26 (134.1944)	17 (161.7600)	24 (141.0512)

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
2022 ↗	Master	#862 (165 pts)	#827 (200 pts)	#1207 (110 pts)	#996 (135 pts)	#969 (135 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#610 (536 pts)	#621 (546 pts)	#438 (786 pts)	#683 (491 pts)	#798 (401 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#676 (502 pts)	#651 (567 pts)	#612 (597 pts)	#740 (482 pts)	#651 (567 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#2099 (79 pts)	#1791 (124 pts)	#2205 (79 pts)	#2883 (54 pts)	#1923 (119 pts)