CANNONBALL EXPRESS BBQ

CANNONBALL EXPRESS BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 9 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2017 and 2022. Their best overall finish is 9th of 28 at the Smokin on the Rez BBQ and Music Festival (DAY 1) (2018). They are ranked #3252 of 6,477 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#3,252

of 6,477 rated · rankings

Rating

1499

peak 1504 · rated over 5 contests4 invitational or side-series contests not counted

Contests

in the data

First seen

Nov 8, 2017

latest Oct 21, 2022 · 5 years on the trail

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

2 podiums

Overall top-10s

11% of 9 contests

Avg finish

top 62%

overall standings

Best overall

694.7772 / 720

Master · Royal Oak Invitational Only (COMPETITOR SERIES)

Perfect 180s

Current form

666.53 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 665.89 (+0.64)

Walk rate

22%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

177.1544

Pork Ribs · American Royal World Series of Barbecue-INVITATIONAL CONTEST

Consistency

±14.48

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork Ribs

avg 168.98 · weakest Chicken (164.25)

Road miles

1,527

across 9 mapped stops · furthest 735 mi

Schedule strength

73%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1593)

Purse competed for

$137K

listed at 3 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 3 state-championship entries

Master avg

665.89 / 720

8 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (8 found in their record)

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

High-water mark

694.7772 career-best overall

96.5% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 694.7772 at Royal Oak Invitational Only (COMPETITOR SERIES) — 96.5% of a perfect 720.

Master
Oct 21, 2022

A tough matchup

6–0 behind in the head-to-head

ELITE BBQ SMOKERS ahead in 100% of their meetings

ELITE BBQ SMOKERS has come out ahead in 6 of their 6 shared contests.

The weak link

−4.7 points behind their best meat

Chicken is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 4.73 points below their pork ribs, and turns into a call 0% of the time against 25%.

Chicken avg 164.25
Pork Ribs avg 168.98
0 calls in 8 entries

A strong matchup

3–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 75% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of MISSISSIPPI MEAT MAFIA in 3 of their 4 shared contests.

The comeback

1.6 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 1.6 years, then back at Socially Distanced Smoking - Brisket presented by The BBQ League (Apr 6, 2020).

last seen Aug 25, 2018
back Apr 6, 2020

Pork Ribs nemesis

5 of 5 shared pork ribs entries lost

ELITE BBQ SMOKERS ahead 100% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, ELITE BBQ SMOKERS has out-cooked them in 5 of 5 shared pork ribs entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

Sweet Swine O'Mine has landed one call behind them 2 times.

Show 1 more storyline

The metronome

±1.95% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.95% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 92.3% of a perfect score
9 contests

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to CANNONBALL EXPRESS BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.

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

IT'S GOOD ENOUGH

#3,240 of the rated field

1499 power rating

Contests: 10
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 10%
Peak: 1499

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to CANNONBALL EXPRESS BBQ)

One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team CANNONBALL EXPRESS BBQ has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 9 contests
last seen Aug 7, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

SHAAZAAM-A-QUE

#3,268 of the rated field

1499 power rating

Contests: 15
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 20%
Peak: 1499

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to CANNONBALL EXPRESS BBQ)

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 May 20, 2022

⚔ Head-to-head

WILD HOGS BBQ

#3,261 of the rated field

1499 power rating

Contests: 110
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 21%
Peak: 1620

1–1 in 2 shared contests (50% to CANNONBALL EXPRESS BBQ)

110 contests to 9: their number has had years to settle where CANNONBALL EXPRESS BBQ's is still finding its level.

rated over 109 contests
last seen Sep 29, 2022

⚔ Head-to-head

Iron Brothers BBQ

#3,251 of the rated field

1499 power rating

Contests: 5
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1504

They turned up 8 years after CANNONBALL EXPRESS BBQ did, first appearing in 2025.

rated over 5 contests
last seen Sep 4, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

FLASH'S BBQ

#3,260 of the rated field

1499 power rating

Contests: 5
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 60%
Peak: 1508

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

rated over 5 contests
last seen Jun 14, 2024

⚔ Compare careers

BEAR NAKED BBQ

#3,264 of the rated field

1499 power rating

Contests: 6
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 17%
Peak: 1499

Their rating is built on 1 Grand Championship in 6 contests, alongside a 17% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 5 contests
last seen Jul 22, 2022

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
Sweet Swine O'Mine	6	4	2	67%	⚔ compare
RAZORRACKS	6	2	4	33%	⚔ compare
WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ	6	1	5	17%	⚔ compare
FIRE DANCER BBQ	6	1	5	17%	⚔ compare
ELITE BBQ SMOKERS	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare
SMOKE THIS BBQ MO	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare
WHO CARES BBQ	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare
913 BBQ	5	1	4	20%	⚔ compare
OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE	5	1	4	20%	⚔ compare
THE SMOKING HILLS	5	1	4	20%	⚔ compare
TEXAS WARPIG BBQ	5	1	4	20%	⚔ compare
Team Chupacabra	5	1	4	20%	⚔ compare
CHUNKY BBQ	5	1	4	20%	⚔ compare
LOVE 2 Q	5	1	4	20%	⚔ compare
Sons of a Brisket	5	1	4	20%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	8	0	0	171.9656	150.2632	164.25	top 76%
Pork Ribs	8	2	2	177.1544	159.9428	168.98	top 42%
Pork	8	1	0	170.8344	162.7884	165.82	top 61%
Brisket	8	2	0	176.5600	158.2284	166.83	top 51%

“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)	3	0	top 43%
Large (40+)	6	0	top 72%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
KS	4	top 73%
MS	2	top 48%
GA	1	top 31%
MO	1	top 58%
AL	1	top 84%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
American Royal World Series of Barbecue - OPEN CONTEST	2	274	top 59%	Sep 29, 2022
American Royal World Series of Barbecue - INVITATIONAL CONTEST	2	136	top 86%	Sep 29, 2022
Smokin on the Rez BBQ and Music Festival (DAY 2)	2	9	top 48%	Aug 25, 2018

More numbers

Busiest season 2022 3 contests

Contests a season 1.8 across 5 seasons in the data

Most contests held in KS 4 of 9 contests · 5 states in all

Contests visited 6 3 of them more than once

Opponents faced 850 finished ahead 496 times, behind 1,194

Longest layoff 1.6 yrs Aug 25, 2018 → Apr 6, 2020

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

20222 milestones

Oct 21 Career-best overall score694.7772 Royal Oak Invitational Only (COMPETITOR SERIES)
Oct 21 Most recent contest Royal Oak Invitational Only (COMPETITOR SERIES)

20211 milestone

Sep 16 Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)177.1544 American Royal World Series of Barbecue-INVITATIONAL CONTEST

20183 milestones

Aug 24 First call Smokin on the Rez BBQ and Music Festival (DAY 1)
Aug 24 First overall top-10 Smokin on the Rez BBQ and Music Festival (DAY 1)
Aug 24 Peak power rating (1504) Smokin on the Rez BBQ and Music Festival (DAY 1)

20172 milestones

Nov 8 First tracked contest World Barbecue Championship
Nov 8 First overall past 90% of a perfect score653.5428 World Barbecue Championship

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+9.4	Smokin on the Rez BBQ and Music Festival (DAY 1)	Aug 24, 2018
+2.3	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - OPEN CONTEST	Sep 29, 2022

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-6	American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST	Sep 16, 2021
-5.2	World Barbecue Championship	Nov 8, 2017
-1.5	Smokin on the Rez BBQ and Music Festival (DAY 2)	Aug 25, 2018

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	Top-10s	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2022	3	0	33%	top 61%	96.5%	92.9%
2021	2	0	0%	top 69%	93.5%	92.1%
2020	1	0	0%	top 58%	91.1%	91.1%
2018	2	1	50%	top 48%	94%	93.1%
2017	1	0	0%	top 84%	90.8%	90.8%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Oct 21, 2022	Royal Oak Invitational Only (COMPETITOR SERIES) unrated Roswell, GA	11 / 35 (694.7772)	23 (171.9656)	3 (176.5716)	20 (169.6800)	8 (176.5600)
Sep 29, 2022	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS	274 / 505 (664.4796)	346 (163.9312)	109 (172.5828)	320 (163.9884)	272 (163.9772)
Sep 29, 2022	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - INVITATIONAL CONTEST unrated Kansas City, KS	244 / 249 (647.8280)	232 (163.3828)	220 (163.4056)	228 (162.8112)	234 (158.2284)
Sep 16, 2021	American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS	301 / 467 (652.4572)	429 (150.2632)	293 (163.4172)	236 (165.0740)	47 (173.7028)
Sep 16, 2021	American Royal World Series of Barbecue-INVITATIONAL CONTEST 🏅 unrated Kansas City, KS	136 / 185 (673.1316)	123 (168.5600)	17 (177.1544)	156 (164.5600)	152 (162.8572)
Apr 6, 2020	Socially Distanced Smoking - Brisket presented by The BBQ League unrated washington, MO	63 / 109 (163.9656)	—	—	—	—
Aug 25, 2018	Smokin on the Rez BBQ and Music Festival (DAY 2) Brandon, MS	18 / 28 (663.8512)	19 (167.9656)	14 (166.8228)	20 (162.7884)	13 (166.2744)
Aug 24, 2018	Smokin on the Rez BBQ and Music Festival (DAY 1) Brandon, MS	9 / 28 (677.0632)	20 (165.7144)	3 (171.9772)	4 (170.8344)	8 (168.5372)
Nov 8, 2017	World Barbecue Championship Orange Beach, AL	78 / 93 (653.5428)	80 (162.2400)	80 (159.9428)	50 (166.8344)	63 (164.5256)

An unrated contest — an invitational, or a Competitor or Kosher Series board — is in the record but doesn’t move the power rating.

CANNONBALL EXPRESS BBQ

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

Rating

Contests

First seen

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 (8 found in their record)

High-water mark

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

The comeback

Pork Ribs nemesis

Looking over their shoulder

The metronome

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 — 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)