High-water mark
663.8740
career-best overall
92.2% of a perfect 720
Their best day on record: 663.8740 at Bands & BBQ at the Point — 92.2% of a perfect 720.
- Master
- Sep 11, 2026
Smoke Wagon
Smoke Wagon is a competition barbecue team with 16 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2014 and 2026. Their best overall finish is 11th of 44 at the Twin Valley Fire and Smoke (2019). They are ranked #6333 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.
At a glance (the record in numbers)
Rating
1405
peak 1405 · rated over 16 contests
Contests
16
in the data
First seen
Apr 11, 2014
latest Sep 11, 2026 · 12.4 years on the trail
Grand champs
0
0 reserve
Category wins
0
1 podium
Overall top-10s
0
0% of 16 contests
Avg finish
top 84%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
0
Current form
627.80 ▲
last 5 Master vs avg 537.68 (+90.12)
Walk rate
13%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±158.41
spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Pork
avg 155.21 · weakest Brisket (148.95)
Road miles
6,744
across 16 mapped stops · furthest 1,217 mi
Schedule strength
65%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1582)
Purse competed for
$88K
listed at 9 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0 🏅
won from 9 state-championship entries
Master avg
537.68 / 720
15 Master contests · 0 GCs
Backyard avg
310.27 / 360
1 Backyard contest · 0 GCs
These overall scores sit on different scales (Master out of 720, Backyard out of 360), so they're kept separate — averaging them together would be misleading.
This team cooks the Backyard series — its own boards, records and Team of the Year are here.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 ↗ | Master | #1309 (60 pts) | #1341 (60 pts) | #1404 (60 pts) | #1348 (60 pts) | #1333 (60 pts) |
Teams like this (closest power rating)
The teams rated closest to Smoke Wagon, each with one reason worth a look.
#6,330 of the rated field
- Contests
- 15
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1405
This is the highest they've ever been rated, 15 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.
⚔ Compare careers#6,332 of the rated field
- Contests
- 14
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1405
Their last contest in the data was back in 2018, 8 years before Smoke Wagon's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.
⚔ Compare careers#6,331 of the rated field
- Contests
- 21
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1405
Careers of much the same size, 21 contests to 16, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.
⚔ Compare careers#6,334 of the rated field
- Contests
- 11
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1405
Level with Smoke Wagon on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.
⚔ Compare careers#6,340 of the rated field
- Contests
- 18
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1404
0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to Smoke Wagon)
One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team Smoke Wagon has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.
⚔ Head-to-head#6,327 of the rated field
- Contests
- 15
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1406
15 contests and no Grand Championship yet.
⚔ Compare careersFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Three Hog Night Smokers | 6 | 1 | 5 | 17% | ⚔ compare |
| BUTCHER BBQ | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| THE AMERICAN DREAM BBQ | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| 4 LEGS UP BBQ | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| BIG BUTTS NEED RUBBIN TOO | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| IRON WHEEL COOKERS | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| SPICY SPITFIRE | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| BARRY & ERICA | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| BUFFALO'S BBQ | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| Bacon Bash Texas | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| Tool Time | 5 | 3 | 2 | 60% | ⚔ compare |
| 56 SMOKEHOUSE | 5 | 2 | 3 | 40% | ⚔ compare |
| Swadley's Bar-B-Q | 5 | 2 | 3 | 40% | ⚔ compare |
| J&J SWINE & BOVINE | 5 | 1 | 4 | 20% | ⚔ compare |
| The Po Po Piggy | 5 | 1 | 4 | 20% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 15 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 174.3544 | 132.5484 | 153.74 | top 76% |
| Pork Ribs | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 169.1428 | 113.7372 | 151.36 | top 76% |
| Pork | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 173.1200 | 137.6684 | 155.21 | top 81% |
| Brisket | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 170.2512 | 109.5660 | 148.95 | top 81% |
“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) | 8 | 0 | top 92% |
| Large (40+) | 8 | 0 | top 75% |
Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roberts Ranch Smokin Red Dirt BBQ | 2 | 46 | 0 | top 91% | Apr 21, 2017 |
More numbers
Busiest season
2019
7 contests
Contests a season
2
across 8 seasons in the data
Most contests held in
OK
6 of 16 contests · 9 states in all
Contests visited
15
1 of them more than once
Opponents faced
486
finished ahead 129 times, behind 603
Longest layoff
3.9 yrs
Oct 14, 2022 → Sep 11, 2026
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
20262 milestones
- Career-best overall score663.8740 Bands & BBQ at the Point
- Most recent contest Bands & BBQ at the Point
20192 milestones
- 10th tracked contest Mark Marley's Go Big or Go Home BBQ Bash (DAY 1)
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score650.2056 Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest
20144 milestones
- First tracked contest 9th Annual Smokin' Red Dirt BBQ
- First call 9th Annual Smokin' Red Dirt BBQ
- Career-best single call (Chicken)174.3544 9th Annual Smokin' Red Dirt BBQ
- Peak power rating (1498) 9th Annual Smokin' Red Dirt BBQ
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +9.2 | Twin Valley Fire and Smoke | May 17, 2019 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -10.7 | Smokin on the Water | Apr 29, 2016 |
| -10.6 | Smokin on the Water 2 | Apr 30, 2016 |
| -10.5 | Roberts Ranch Smokin Red Dirt BBQ | Apr 21, 2017 |
| -8.2 | Mark Marley's Go Big or Go Home BBQ Bash (DAY 1) | May 10, 2019 |
| -8.1 | Smokin Trackside BBQ Bash | Aug 9, 2019 |
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 | GCs | Top-10s | Category wins | Walk rate | Avg finish | Best overall (% of perfect) | Avg overall (% of perfect) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 82% | 92.2% | 92.2% |
| 2022 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 94% | 89.4% | 89.4% |
| 2019 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14% | top 79% | 90.3% | 83.6% |
| 2018 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 94% | 83.3% | 83.3% |
| 2017 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 98% | 41.1% | 41.1% |
| 2016 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 93% | 83.1% | 47% |
| 2015 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 83% | 86.6% | 86.6% |
| 2014 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% | top 61% | 87.6% | 87.6% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 11, 2026 | Bands & BBQ at the Point 🏅 Carrollton, KY | 31 / 38 (663.8740) | 37 (154.8228) | 29 (165.6800) | 18 (173.1200) | 14 (170.2512) |
| Oct 14, 2022 | King of the Corn 🏅 Ottumwa, IA | 34 / 36 (643.8972) | 26 (168.5828) | 33 (158.8344) | 33 (161.1084) | 34 (155.3716) |
| Oct 18, 2019 | Smoking in the Foothills Barbecue Competition and Festival B 🏅 Lenoir, NC | 19 / 22 (631.8628) | 19 (158.8344) | 19 (158.8228) | 21 (157.0972) | 17 (157.1084) |
| Aug 9, 2019 | Smokin Trackside BBQ Bash 🏅 Winston, MO | 29 / 30 (549.1656) | 29 (143.9772) | 29 (113.7372) | 28 (145.7372) | 28 (145.7140) |
| Jul 12, 2019 | Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest 🏅 Mayetta, KS | 44 / 59 (650.2056) | 33 (167.4172) | 27 (169.1428) | 49 (160) | 53 (153.6456) |
| May 17, 2019 | Twin Valley Fire and Smoke 🏅 Morgantown, PA | 11 / 44 (310.2744) | 11 (152.5828) | 7 (157.6916) | — | — |
| May 10, 2019 | Mark Marley's Go Big or Go Home BBQ Bash (DAY 1) 🏅 Plainview, TX | 34 / 38 (578.7428) | 36 (141.0856) | 36 (143.9544) | 22 (160.0228) | 36 (133.6800) |
| Apr 26, 2019 | 14th Annual HANOR Smokin' Red Dirt BBQ 🏅 Enid, OK | 37 / 39 (567.2684) | 37 (143.3828) | 39 (122.2172) | 32 (156.5712) | 35 (145.0972) |
| Apr 26, 2019 | Smokin In The Creek BBQ Contest 🏅 Sugar Creek, MO | 35 / 42 (615.2456) | 32 (155.9656) | 24 (163.9772) | 41 (141.0628) | 35 (154.2400) |
| Apr 20, 2018 | 13th Annual Hanor Smokin' Red Dirt BBQ Enid, OK | 46 / 49 (599.8396) | 49 (132.5484) | 26 (167.4056) | 47 (147.9656) | 39 (151.9200) |
| Apr 21, 2017 | Roberts Ranch Smokin Red Dirt BBQ Enid, OK | 46 / 47 (295.9312) | 33 (159.4284) | 45 (136.5028) | — | — |
| Apr 30, 2016 | Smokin on the Water 2 Liberty, IN | 34 / 35 (109.5660) | — | — | — | 34 (109.5660) |
| Apr 29, 2016 | Smokin on the Water Liberty, IN | 32 / 33 (306.2744) | 30 (154.2972) | 31 (151.9772) | — | — |
| Apr 15, 2016 | Roberts Ranch Smokin Red Dirt BBQ Enid, OK | 53 / 63 (598.6400) | 59 (142.8344) | 50 (153.6572) | 54 (154.2284) | 54 (147.9200) |
| Apr 17, 2015 | 10th Annual Roberts Ranch Smokin' Red Dirt BBQ Enid, OK | 62 / 75 (623.8056) | 61 (155.9888) | 67 (151.3484) | 35 (167.9656) | 66 (148.5028) |
| Apr 11, 2014 | 9th Annual Smokin' Red Dirt BBQ Enid, OK | 39 / 64 (630.8916) | 3 (174.3544) | 43 (155.4860) | 63 (137.6684) | 28 (163.3828) |