COOKSHACK

COOKSHACK is a competition barbecue team with 29 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2026. Their best overall finish is 9th of 40 at the Stillwater Elks Lodge Blazathon (2014). They are ranked #3670 of 6,477 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#3,670

of 6,477 rated · rankings

Rating

1490

peak 1531 · rated over 26 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Mar 15, 2013

latest Sep 18, 2026 · 13.5 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#634

Master 2013 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

2 podiums

Overall top-10s

7% of 29 contests

Avg finish

top 58%

overall standings

Best overall

674.7540 / 720

Master · Smokin' At The Run

Perfect 180s

Current form

643.63 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 649.37 (-5.75)

Walk rate

38%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

175.4286

Pork · 8th Annual Smokin' Red Dirt BBQ

Consistency

±15.39

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork

avg 164.45 · weakest Brisket (159.40)

Road miles

2,612

across 29 mapped stops · furthest 210 mi

Schedule strength

49%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1563)

Purse competed for

$85K

listed at 8 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 6 state-championship entries

Master avg

649.37 / 720

26 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (12 found in their record)

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

High-water mark

674.7540 career-best overall

93.7% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 674.7540 at Smokin' At The Run — 93.7% of a perfect 720.

Master
Mar 15, 2014

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

THE AMERICAN DREAM BBQ has finished one call ahead of COOKSHACK 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2013 their best year

2013 was the year it came together: 5 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 43%.

5 contests
1 overall top-10
0 category wins
average top 43%

A tough matchup

24–1 behind in the head-to-head

BUTCHER BBQ ahead in 96% of their meetings

BUTCHER BBQ has come out ahead in 24 of their 25 shared contests.

The weak link

−5.1 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 5.05 points below their pork, and turns into a call 8% of the time against 15%.

Brisket avg 159.40
Pork avg 164.45
2 calls in 26 entries

A strong matchup

8–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 89% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of TRIANGLE S BAR B Q in 8 of their 9 shared contests.

The comeback

3 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 3 years, then back at Cherokee Strip BBQ & Chili Cook-Off (Sep 16, 2022).

last seen Sep 20, 2019
back Sep 16, 2022

Show 5 more storylines

Pork nemesis

17 of 25 shared pork entries lost

BUTCHER BBQ ahead 68% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, BUTCHER BBQ has out-cooked them in 17 of 25 shared pork entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

BUFFALO'S BBQ has landed one call behind them 2 times.

An October team

Top 47% average finish in October

Something about October: average finish in the top 47% across 4 contests, versus top 58% the rest of the year.

4 October contests
top 58% the rest of the year

The metronome

±2.14% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±2.14% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 90.2% of a perfect score
29 contests

A standing appointment

4 years running at one contest

They've cooked Cherokee Strip BBQ & Chili Cook-Off every year from 2022 to 2025 — the contest they never miss.

4 visits in all
best finish 18th

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
2026 ↗	Master	#1020 (60 pts)	#1337 (55 pts)	#1011 (115 pts)	#994 (85 pts)	#1289 (55 pts)
2025 ↗	Master	#1108 (70 pts)	#1111 (90 pts)	#658 (282 pts)	#1111 (85 pts)	#1173 (65 pts)
2024 ↗	Master	#1073 (86 pts)	#1186 (76 pts)	#1588 (56 pts)	#1141 (81 pts)	#859 (146 pts)
2023 ↗	Master	#1582 (56 pts)	#1276 (71 pts)	#1710 (56 pts)	#1208 (81 pts)	#1589 (56 pts)
2022 ↗	Master	#1309 (60 pts)	#1341 (60 pts)	#1107 (120 pts)	#914 (165 pts)	#1333 (60 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#1772 (88 pts)	#1873 (88 pts)	#2565 (53 pts)	#1481 (138 pts)	#1737 (103 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#1954 (60 pts)	#2012 (60 pts)	#1996 (60 pts)	#2030 (60 pts)	#1990 (60 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#2212 (60 pts)	#2286 (60 pts)	#2304 (60 pts)	#2260 (60 pts)	#2266 (60 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#1585 (160 pts)	#1883 (120 pts)	#1593 (175 pts)	#1522 (190 pts)	#1839 (120 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#2158 (60 pts)	#2209 (60 pts)	#2209 (60 pts)	#2225 (60 pts)	#2214 (60 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#1527 (162 pts)	#1468 (197 pts)	#1471 (192 pts)	#1804 (137 pts)	#1647 (157 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#634 (493 pts)	#708 (463 pts)	#560 (593 pts)	#551 (598 pts)	#685 (473 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

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

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

SMOKING JOE'S BARBERQ

#3,672 of the rated field

1490 power rating

Contests: 28
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1525

3–2 in 5 shared contests (60% to COOKSHACK)

These two have cooked 5 of the same contests — COOKSHACK ahead 3–2 — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.

rated over 28 contests
last seen Sep 25, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

STEELE FAMILY BBQ

#3,656 of the rated field

1490 power rating

Contests: 30
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 10%
Peak: 1522

9–8 in 17 shared contests (53% to COOKSHACK)

They've been 1522 at their best, 32 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 30 contests
last seen Sep 18, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

Old Man Joes

#3,667 of the rated field

1490 power rating

Contests: 12
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 17%
Peak: 1509

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to COOKSHACK)

Fewer contests behind them than COOKSHACK has cooked, 12 to 29, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.

rated over 12 contests
last seen Jun 7, 2024

⚔ Head-to-head

Slow & Easy

#3,661 of the rated field

1490 power rating

Contests: 11
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1516

3–2 in 5 shared contests (60% to COOKSHACK)

Both teams' first contest in the data came in 2013.

rated over 11 contests
last seen Nov 5, 2025

⚔ Head-to-head

JOHN'S UP IN SMOKE COOKER'S

#3,653 of the rated field

1490 power rating

Contests: 8
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1490

2–0 in 2 shared contests (100% to COOKSHACK)

Their last contest in the data was back in 2022, 4 years before COOKSHACK's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 6 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

Smokin Slow BBQ

#3,679 of the rated field

1490 power rating

Contests: 6
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1490

1–1 in 2 shared contests (50% to COOKSHACK)

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

rated over 6 contests
last seen Jul 6, 2018

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
BUTCHER BBQ	25	1	24	4%	⚔ compare
BUFFALO'S BBQ	21	2	19	10%	⚔ compare
STEELE FAMILY BBQ	17	9	8	53%	⚔ compare
DR. NORDY'S BBQ	16	0	16	0%	⚔ compare
4 LEGS UP BBQ	15	3	12	20%	⚔ compare
THE AMERICAN DREAM BBQ	13	1	12	8%	⚔ compare
Three Hog Night Smokers	12	1	11	8%	⚔ compare
LITTLE PIG TOWN BBQ	11	1	10	9%	⚔ compare
CLARK CREW BBQ	11	0	11	0%	⚔ compare
BIG BUTTS NEED RUBBIN TOO	10	4	6	40%	⚔ compare
RUBBING BUTTS BBQ KS	10	2	8	20%	⚔ compare
Rise N Swine	10	2	8	20%	⚔ compare
JP CUSTOM SMOKE	10	1	9	10%	⚔ compare
TRIANGLE S BAR B Q	9	8	1	89%	⚔ compare
SMOOTH SMOKE	9	4	5	44%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	26	3	0	0	174.8572	147.9200	164.07	top 54%
Pork Ribs	29	5	1	2	175.4056	139.8972	162.30	top 55%
Pork	26	4	0	0	175.4286	149.6912	164.45	top 52%
Brisket	26	2	0	0	173.1544	146.2284	159.40	top 59%

“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)	12	0	top 68%
Large (40+)	14	0	top 49%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
OK	19	top 60%
KS	4	top 51%
MO	3	top 54%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Cherokee Strip BBQ & Chili Cook-Off	4	18	top 81%	Sep 19, 2025
Cherokee Strip BBQ Cook-Off	4	17	top 56%	Sep 20, 2019
Stillwater Elks Lodge Blazathon	2	9	top 49%	Apr 1, 2016

More numbers

Busiest season 2014 6 contests

Contests a season 2.4 across 12 seasons in the data

Most contests held in OK 22 of 29 contests · 3 states in all

Contests visited 19 3 of them more than once

Most-entered meat Pork Ribs 29 entries · 1 win · 5 calls

Opponents faced 1,755 finished ahead 1,922 times, behind 1,950

Longest layoff 3 yrs Sep 20, 2019 → Sep 16, 2022

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

20261 milestone

Sep 18 Most recent contest Cherokee Strip BBQ & Chili Cookoff

20242 milestones

Sep 20 First category win (Pork Ribs) Cherokee Strip BBQ & Chili Cook-Off (ONE MEAT RIBS)
Sep 20 25th tracked contest Cherokee Strip BBQ & Chili Cook-Off (ONE MEAT RIBS)

20143 milestones

Mar 15 Career-best overall score674.7540 Smokin' At The Run
Sep 19 10th tracked contest 28th Annual Cherokee Strip Cookoff
Sep 19 Peak power rating (1531) 28th Annual Cherokee Strip Cookoff

20135 milestones

Mar 15 First tracked contest Smokin' At The Run Miami, OK
Apr 19 First call 8th Annual Smokin' Red Dirt BBQ
Apr 19 First overall past 90% of a perfect score664 8th Annual Smokin' Red Dirt BBQ
Apr 19 Career-best single call (Pork)175.4286 8th Annual Smokin' Red Dirt BBQ
Sep 13 First overall top-10 Cherokee Strip Cook-Off

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+10.8	37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN)	Oct 29, 2016
+10.4	34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open	Oct 3, 2013
+10.2	Stillwater Elks Lodge Blazathon	Apr 4, 2014
+10.1	Cherokee Strip Cook-Off	Sep 13, 2013
+8.2	8th Annual Smokin' Red Dirt BBQ	Apr 19, 2013

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-9.8	Cherokee Strip BBQ & Chili Cook-Off	Sep 15, 2023
-7.8	Cherokee Strip BBQ & Chili Cook-Off	Sep 20, 2024
-7.5	35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open	Oct 2, 2014
-7.4	Cherokee Strip BBQ & Chili Cook-Off	Sep 19, 2025
-6.8	Stillwater Elks Lodge Blazathon	Apr 1, 2016

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)
2026	1	0	0	0%	top 80%	90.5%	90.5%
2025	2	0	0	50%	top 84%	90.7%	90.7%
2024	2	0	1	100%	top 69%	88.8%	88.8%
2023	2	0	0	50%	top 92%	85.4%	85.4%
2022	1	0	0	100%	top 77%	91.6%	91.6%
2019	1	0	0	100%	top 64%	89.4%	89.4%
2018	2	0	0	0%	top 53%	92.6%	90.5%
2017	2	0	0	0%	top 61%	91.1%	90.4%
2016	3	0	0	0%	top 46%	93.3%	90.6%
2015	2	0	0	0%	top 70%	88.6%	88.3%
2014	6	1	0	33%	top 52%	93.7%	90.1%
2013	5	1	0	60%	top 43%	93.2%	91.5%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Sep 18, 2026	Cherokee Strip BBQ & Chili Cookoff 🏅 Ponca City, OK	24 / 30 (651.9088)	28 (157.7028)	13 (169.1316)	19 (168.5372)	28 (156.5372)
Sep 19, 2025	Cherokee Strip BBQ & Chili Cook-Off 🏅 Ponca City, OK	21 / 25 (652.9488)	17 (166.2400)	20 (163.9428)	18 (169.6800)	22 (153.0860)
Sep 19, 2025	Cherokee Strip BBQ & Chili Cook-Off (ONE MEAT RIBS) Ponca City, OK	—	—	3 (173.1084)	—	—
Sep 20, 2024	Cherokee Strip BBQ & Chili Cook-Off 🏅 Ponca City, OK	18 / 26 (639.2912)	20 (159.9428)	24 (147.9200)	19 (161.1428)	8 (170.2856)
Sep 20, 2024	Cherokee Strip BBQ & Chili Cook-Off (ONE MEAT RIBS) Ponca City, OK	—	—	1 (175.4056)	—	—
Sep 15, 2023	Cherokee Strip BBQ & Chili Cook-Off 🏅 Ponca City, OK	24 / 26 (614.6060)	21 (163.9544)	24 (139.8972)	19 (163.9544)	24 (146.8000)
Sep 15, 2023	Cherokee Strip BBQ & Chili Cook-Off (ONE MEAT RIBS) Ponca City, OK	—	—	9 (160.5716)	—	—
Sep 16, 2022	Cherokee Strip BBQ & Chili Cook-Off 🏅 Ponca City, OK	30 / 39 (659.3716)	27 (165.7144)	13 (169.1200)	7 (173.1544)	33 (151.3828)
Sep 20, 2019	Cherokee Strip BBQ Cook-Off 🏅 Ponca City, OK	18 / 28 (643.9540)	18 (159.4284)	26 (153.0972)	9 (168.5828)	15 (162.8456)
Sep 21, 2018	Cherokee Strip BBQ Cook-Off Ponca City, OK	19 / 29 (636.4800)	19 (159.9544)	18 (158.8572)	18 (161.7028)	20 (155.9656)
Sep 15, 2018	39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	193 / 467 (666.8456)	73 (173.7028)	401 (154.8456)	219 (165.1428)	60 (173.1544)
Sep 15, 2017	Cherokee Strip BBQ Cook-Off Ponca City, OK	21 / 38 (655.8744)	18 (165.1200)	16 (167.3944)	23 (161.7028)	23 (161.6572)
Sep 1, 2017	38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	270 / 407 (645.5884)	81 (173.1428)	283 (160.5256)	303 (160)	340 (151.9200)
Oct 29, 2016	37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	132 / 557 (671.4172)	159 (169.1200)	269 (165.1428)	36 (174.2972)	265 (162.8572)
Sep 16, 2016	Cherokee Strip BBQ Cook-Off Ponca City, OK	17 / 43 (664.5028)	29 (163.4516)	14 (167.9772)	11 (170.8456)	25 (162.2284)
Apr 1, 2016	Stillwater Elks Lodge Blazathon Stillwater, OK	33 / 44 (621.0168)	41 (147.9200)	33 (152.5484)	34 (157.1312)	20 (163.4172)
Oct 3, 2015	36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Open Kansas City, MO	408 / 606 (638.1596)	339 (162.8456)	310 (163.3944)	372 (161.7028)	492 (150.2168)
Sep 18, 2015	Cherokee Strip BBQ Cookoff Ponca City, OK	23 / 32 (633.5884)	27 (153.1084)	26 (154.8000)	15 (165.1428)	19 (160.5372)
Oct 2, 2014	35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO	415 / 552 (630.7084)	377 (160.5256)	346 (160.5372)	283 (163.4172)	502 (146.2284)
Sep 19, 2014	28th Annual Cherokee Strip Cookoff Ponca City, OK	17 / 41 (655.3484)	6 (174.8572)	12 (166.8228)	27 (157.1084)	24 (156.5600)
Jun 27, 2014	Hog Wild BBQ & Chrome Fest Chandler, OK	20 / 37 (651.9656)	13 (170.2972)	14 (169.1200)	28 (154.8456)	21 (157.7028)
Apr 4, 2014	Stillwater Elks Lodge Blazathon Stillwater, OK	9 / 40 (628.5824)	8 (162.2972)	11 (160.5712)	22 (149.6912)	13 (156.0228)
Mar 15, 2014	Smokin' At The Run Miami, OK	38 / 72 (674.7540)	49 (168.5256)	28 (169.6800)	27 (171.4400)	43 (165.1084)
Mar 14, 2014	Smokin' At The Run Shootout Miami, OK	28 / 43 (653.0628)	13 (169.1428)	21 (163.9656)	37 (157.1200)	28 (162.8344)
Oct 3, 2013	34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO	107 / 535 (658.8800)	191 (164.5828)	322 (157.1544)	60 (170.2856)	100 (166.8572)
Sep 13, 2013	Cherokee Strip Cook-Off Ponca City, OK	9 / 33 (671.3712)	18 (162.7884)	6 (166.8572)	7 (172.0228)	7 (169.7028)
Apr 26, 2013	R'Kansas City State BBQ Championship Arkansas City, KS	18 / 25 (651.4284)	8 (170.8572)	8 (168)	18 (161.1428)	23 (151.4284)
Apr 19, 2013	8th Annual Smokin' Red Dirt BBQ Enid, OK	17 / 63 (664)	29 (160.5714)	15 (166.8572)	5 (175.4286)	30 (161.1428)
Mar 15, 2013	Smokin' At The Run Miami, OK Miami, OK	38 / 55 (647.9994)	44 (159.9998)	44 (159.4286)	42 (160.5712)	20 (167.9998)

COOKSHACK

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 (12 found in their record)

High-water mark

The one to beat

Their season

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

The comeback

Pork nemesis

Looking over their shoulder

An October team

The metronome

A standing appointment

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)