JOHN'S UP IN SMOKE COOKER'S

JOHN'S UP IN SMOKE COOKER'S is a competition barbecue team with 9 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2016 and 2022. Their best overall finish is 25th of 36 at the USA Barbecue Championship (2016). They are ranked #3653 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings. Also listed in KCBS results as “John's Up In Smoke Cookers”.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#3,653

of 6,476 rated · rankings

Rating

1490

peak 1490 · rated over 6 contests2 invitational or side-series contests not counted

Contests

in the data

First seen

Oct 27, 2016

latest Sep 29, 2022 · 5.9 years on the trail

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

0 podiums

Overall top-10s

0% of 9 contests

Avg finish

top 67%

overall standings

Best overall

668.4800 / 720

Master · 39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (INVITATIONAL)

Perfect 180s

Current form

653.97 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 651.48 (+2.49)

Walk rate

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

176

Chicken · 38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN)

Consistency

±10.67

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 167.34 · weakest Pork Ribs (161.04)

Road miles

1,130

across 9 mapped stops · furthest 1,119 mi

Schedule strength

67%

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

Purse competed for

$129K

listed at 2 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 3 state-championship entries

Master avg

651.48 / 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

668.4800 career-best overall

92.8% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 668.4800 at 39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (INVITATIONAL) — 92.8% of a perfect 720.

Master
Sep 14, 2018

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

BIG DOGG BBQ - CINCINNATI, OH has finished one call ahead of JOHN'S UP IN SMOKE COOKER'S 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

A tough matchup

7–0 behind in the head-to-head

913 BBQ ahead in 100% of their meetings

913 BBQ has come out ahead in 7 of their 7 shared contests.

The weak link

−6.3 points behind their best meat

Pork Ribs is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 6.30 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 0% of the time against 0%.

Pork Ribs avg 161.04
Chicken avg 167.34
0 calls in 8 entries

A strong matchup

5–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of ATTITUDES OF SMOKE in 5 of their 5 shared contests.

The comeback

2 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 2 years, then back at American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST (Sep 16, 2021).

last seen Sep 12, 2019
back Sep 16, 2021

Chicken nemesis

7 of 7 shared chicken entries lost

IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ ahead 100% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ has out-cooked them in 7 of 7 shared chicken entries.

Show 1 more storyline

Boom or bust

±18.68% swing around their own average

Their overall swings ±18.68% of a perfect score around its own average — when it lands they're dangerous, and when it doesn't the weekend is gone by lunch.

averages 83.9% of a perfect score
best 92.8%

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to JOHN'S UP IN SMOKE COOKER'S, each with one reason worth a look.

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

12TH ST PIT BOSSES

#3,654 of the rated field

1490 power rating

Contests: 5
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1490

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to JOHN'S UP IN SMOKE COOKER'S)

One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team JOHN'S UP IN SMOKE COOKER'S has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 5 contests
last seen Oct 5, 2018

⚔ Head-to-head

Slow & Easy

#3,661 of the rated field

1490 power rating

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

1–4 in 5 shared contests (20% to JOHN'S UP IN SMOKE COOKER'S)

Careers of much the same size, 11 contests to 9, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 11 contests
last seen Nov 5, 2025

⚔ Head-to-head

COOKSHACK

#3,670 of the rated field

1490 power rating

Contests: 26
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 8%
Peak: 1531

0–2 in 2 shared contests (0% to JOHN'S UP IN SMOKE COOKER'S)

They've been 1531 at their best, 41 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 26 contests
last seen Sep 18, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

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 JOHN'S UP IN SMOKE COOKER'S)

28 contests and no Grand Championship yet.

rated over 28 contests
last seen Sep 25, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

In Deep Sauce BBQ Team

#3,635 of the rated field

1490 power rating

Contests: 6
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 17%
Peak: 1517

They turned up 6 years after JOHN'S UP IN SMOKE COOKER'S did, first appearing in 2022.

rated over 6 contests
last seen Jul 10, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

DILLIGAF

#3,638 of the rated field

1490 power rating

Contests: 6
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1507

Level with JOHN'S UP IN SMOKE COOKER'S on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 6 contests
last seen Oct 27, 2023

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
Rollin' Smoke BBQ Texas	7	2	5	29%	⚔ compare
THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE SMOKE	7	1	6	14%	⚔ compare
913 BBQ	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
BURNT FINGER BBQ	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
GETTIN' BASTED	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
HUNKA HUNKA BURNIN' RUB	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
RUB MY RACK	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
SHIGGIN & GRINNIN	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
SLAPS BBQ	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
SMOKE THIS BBQ MO	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
THE SMOKING HILLS	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	8	176	159.4056	167.34	top 52%
Pork Ribs	8	167.4172	151.3484	161.04	top 71%
Pork	8	171.4056	145.1200	161.98	top 66%
Brisket	8	170.8456	145.6572	161.11	top 63%

“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)	1	0	top 69%
Large (40+)	7	0	top 66%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
KS	7	0	top 66%
NV	1	0	top 69%

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	157	top 58%	Sep 29, 2022
39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN)	2	129	top 64%	Sep 15, 2018
38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN)	2	126	top 84%	Sep 1, 2017

More numbers

Busiest season 2022 2 contests

Contests a season 1.5 across 6 seasons in the data

Most contests held in KS 8 of 9 contests · 2 states in all

Contests visited 5 3 of them more than once

Opponents faced 1,173 finished ahead 847 times, behind 1,787

Longest layoff 2 yrs Sep 12, 2019 → Sep 16, 2021

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

20221 milestone

Oct 1 Most recent contest American Royal World Series of Barbecue - SIDES

20182 milestones

Sep 14 Career-best overall score668.4800 39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (INVITATIONAL)
Sep 15 Peak power rating (1498) 39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN)

20171 milestone

Sep 1 Career-best single call (Chicken)176 38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN)

20162 milestones

Oct 27 First tracked contest USA Barbecue Championship
Oct 27 First overall past 90% of a perfect score657.0288 USA Barbecue Championship

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+3.6	39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN)	Sep 15, 2018
+1.4	American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST	Sep 16, 2021

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-6.9	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - OPEN CONTEST	Sep 29, 2022
-3	38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN)	Sep 1, 2017
-2.8	USA Barbecue Championship	Oct 27, 2016
-2.3	40th American Royal World Series of Barbecue- OPEN CONTEST	Sep 12, 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	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2022	2	0%	top 83%	88.6%	88.6%
2021	1	0%	top 34%	31.2%	31.2%
2019	1	0%	top 50%	91.7%	91.7%
2018	2	0%	top 64%	92.8%	92.3%
2017	2	0%	top 84%	89.3%	89.2%
2016	1	0%	top 69%	91.3%	91.3%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Oct 1, 2022	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - SIDES Kansas City, KS	—	—	—	—	—
Sep 29, 2022	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS	419 / 505 (638.1484)	197 (169.6800)	325 (164.5600)	417 (158.2512)	474 (145.6572)
Sep 16, 2021	American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS	157 / 467 (168.5600)	349 (159.4056)	218 (166.8456)	441 (145.1200)	97 (170.8456)
Sep 12, 2019	40th American Royal World Series of Barbecue- OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS	235 / 468 (660.0116)	116 (170.2972)	331 (160.5600)	155 (168.5828)	279 (160.5716)
Sep 15, 2018	39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	232 / 467 (661.0168)	275 (164)	343 (160.5028)	172 (167.9656)	138 (168.5484)
Sep 14, 2018	39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (INVITATIONAL) unrated Kansas City, KS	129 / 164 (668.4800)	75 (171.9772)	101 (167.4172)	79 (171.4056)	156 (157.6800)
Sep 1, 2017	38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	284 / 407 (643.2456)	33 (176)	366 (151.3484)	331 (157.6800)	293 (158.2172)
Aug 31, 2017	38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (INVITATIONAL) unrated Kansas City, KS	126 / 129 (641.6912)	123 (160.5600)	125 (158.8456)	120 (161.7256)	118 (160.5600)
Oct 27, 2016	USA Barbecue Championship Laughlin, NV	25 / 36 (657.0288)	24 (166.8228)	24 (158.2632)	22 (165.1200)	16 (166.8228)

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

JOHN'S UP IN SMOKE COOKER'S

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

The one to beat

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

The comeback

Chicken nemesis

Boom or bust

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)