Rub Runners

Rub Runners is a competition barbecue team with 13 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2016 and 2022. Their best overall finish is 11th of 38 at the Route 66 Smoke Out (2018). They are ranked #3481 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#3,481

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1494

peak 1507 · rated over 13 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Jul 22, 2016

latest May 6, 2022 · 5.8 years on the trail

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

2 podiums

Overall top-10s

0% of 13 contests

Avg finish

top 62%

overall standings

Best overall

673.1200 / 720

Master · CIBR-BBQ Central Illinois Bragging Right BBQ

Perfect 180s

Current form

651.51 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 648.62 (+2.89)

Walk rate

46%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

177.1428

Chicken · CIBR-BBQ Central Illinois Bragging Right BBQ

Consistency

±17.01

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork

avg 165.16 · weakest Brisket (158.56)

Road miles

1,310

across 13 mapped stops · furthest 157 mi

Schedule strength

56%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1571)

Purse competed for

$6,000

listed at 1 contest — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 1 state-championship entry

Master avg

648.62 / 720

13 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (9 found in their record)

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

High-water mark

673.1200 career-best overall

93.5% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 673.1200 at CIBR-BBQ Central Illinois Bragging Right BBQ — 93.5% of a perfect 720.

Master
Oct 14, 2016

A tough matchup

9–0 behind in the head-to-head

One2BBQ ahead in 100% of their meetings

One2BBQ has come out ahead in 9 of their 9 shared contests.

The weak link

−6.6 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 6.60 points below their pork, and turns into a call 0% of the time against 23%.

Brisket avg 158.56
Pork avg 165.16
0 calls in 13 entries

A strong matchup

6–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 86% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of LOADED-N-ROLLIN BBQ in 6 of their 7 shared contests.

The comeback

3.6 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 3.6 years, then back at Route 66 Smoke Out (May 6, 2022).

last seen Oct 12, 2018
back May 6, 2022

Pork nemesis

8 of 10 shared pork entries lost

Its 5 Oclock Somewhere ahead 80% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, Its 5 Oclock Somewhere has out-cooked them in 8 of 10 shared pork entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

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

Show 2 more storylines

An October team

Top 52% average finish in October

Something about October: average finish in the top 52% across 3 contests, versus top 62% the rest of the year.

3 October contests
top 62% the rest of the year

The metronome

±2.36% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±2.36% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 90.1% of a perfect score
13 contests

Teams like this (closest power rating)

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

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

ZIP'S Q

#3,469 of the rated field

1494 power rating

Contests: 8
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 13%
Peak: 1494

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to Rub Runners)

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

rated over 8 contests
last seen Oct 5, 2018

⚔ Head-to-head

CHOCOLATE CITY BBQ

#3,492 of the rated field

1493 power rating

Contests: 28
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 11%
Peak: 1526

1–1 in 2 shared contests (50% to Rub Runners)

They've been 1526 at their best, 33 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 28 contests
last seen Oct 18, 2019

⚔ Head-to-head

Tuff Smoke

#3,482 of the rated field

1494 power rating

Contests: 13
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1510

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

rated over 13 contests
last seen Oct 13, 2023

⚔ Compare careers

OLD SMOKE WAGON

#3,501 of the rated field

1493 power rating

Contests: 13
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1508

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

rated over 13 contests

⚔ Compare careers

PE LITTLE THRIGS

#3,471 of the rated field

1494 power rating

Contests: 15
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1501

15 contests and no Grand Championship yet.

rated over 15 contests
last seen Nov 30, 2018

⚔ Compare careers

McLay Brothers BBQ

#3,483 of the rated field

1494 power rating

Contests: 11
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 27%
Peak: 1518

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

rated over 11 contests
last seen Sep 11, 2021

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
QUAU	11	4	7	36%	⚔ compare
Its 5 Oclock Somewhere	10	2	8	20%	⚔ compare
CHANNABILLY BBQ	9	3	6	33%	⚔ compare
Outsiders BBQ	9	1	8	11%	⚔ compare
Carrol Lou's Smokehouse	9	1	8	11%	⚔ compare
PORK PARADISE	9	1	8	11%	⚔ compare
One2BBQ	9	0	9	0%	⚔ compare
FIDDLIN' FATBACK	8	5	3	63%	⚔ compare
SMOKY LINCS	8	4	4	50%	⚔ compare
LOADED-N-ROLLIN BBQ	7	6	1	86%	⚔ compare
PLOWBOYZ BBQ	7	5	2	71%	⚔ compare
CLUCK , OINK & MOO BARBECUE	7	4	3	57%	⚔ compare
Oui Oui Oui BBQ	7	2	5	29%	⚔ compare
NUTTHIN BUT PORK	7	2	5	29%	⚔ compare
Rusty Pig BBQ	7	2	5	29%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	13	1	1	1	177.1428	150.2172	161.85	top 68%
Pork Ribs	13	3	0	0	175.4400	150.7884	163.05	top 48%
Pork	13	3	0	1	175.4172	149.6800	165.16	top 45%
Brisket	13	0	0	0	167.4628	148.4684	158.56	top 68%

“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)	5	0	top 61%
Large (40+)	8	0	top 62%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Route 66 Smoke Out	3	11	top 52%	May 6, 2022
CIBR-BBQ Central Illinois Bragging Right BBQ	3	12	top 52%	Oct 12, 2018
Murphysboro BBQ Cookoff	2	32	top 68%	Sep 21, 2018
Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown (JUDGES FULL)	2	32	top 74%	Jul 20, 2018
Up In smoke on the Square ( WAIT LIST ONLY FOR JUDGES)	2	21	top 62%	Jun 1, 2018

More numbers

Busiest season 2018 5 contests

Contests a season 3.3 across 4 seasons in the data

Most contests held in IL 13 of 13 contests

Contests visited 6 5 of them more than once

Opponents faced 242 finished ahead 217 times, behind 325

Longest layoff 3.6 yrs Oct 12, 2018 → May 6, 2022

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

20221 milestone

May 6 Most recent contest Route 66 Smoke Out

20181 milestone

Jul 20 10th tracked contest Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown (JUDGES FULL)

20171 milestone

May 5 Peak power rating (1507) Route 66 Smoke Out

20166 milestones

Jul 22 First tracked contest Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown (Formerly Morton BBQ Throwdown)
Oct 14 First call CIBR-BBQ Central Illinois Bragging Right BBQ
Oct 14 First category win (Chicken) CIBR-BBQ Central Illinois Bragging Right BBQ
Oct 14 First overall past 90% of a perfect score673.1200 CIBR-BBQ Central Illinois Bragging Right BBQ
Oct 14 Career-best overall score673.1200 CIBR-BBQ Central Illinois Bragging Right BBQ
Oct 14 Career-best single call (Chicken)177.1428 CIBR-BBQ Central Illinois Bragging Right BBQ

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+12.8	CIBR-BBQ Central Illinois Bragging Right BBQ	Oct 14, 2016
+9.4	Route 66 Smoke Out	May 4, 2018
+3.4	Murphysboro BBQ Cookoff	Sep 21, 2018
+2	Route 66 Smoke Out	May 5, 2017
+1.7	Up In smoke on the Square ( WAIT LIST ONLY FOR JUDGES)	Jun 1, 2018

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-8.3	Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown (Formerly Morton BBQ Throwdown)	Jul 22, 2016
-7.4	Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown (JUDGES FULL)	Jul 20, 2018
-7.1	Murphysboro BBQ Cookoff	Sep 22, 2017
-5.2	CIBR-BBQ Central Illinois Bragging Right BBQ	Oct 13, 2017
-4	Route 66 Smoke Out	May 6, 2022

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	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2022	1	0	0%	top 76%	90%	90%
2018	5	0	60%	top 56%	93.5%	91.2%
2017	5	0	40%	top 68%	91.1%	89.1%
2016	2	1	50%	top 51%	93.5%	89.8%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
May 6, 2022	Route 66 Smoke Out 🏅 Dwight, IL	25 / 33 (647.8400)	25 (166.2400)	23 (161.7028)	23 (161.6572)	27 (158.2400)
Oct 12, 2018	CIBR-BBQ Central Illinois Bragging Right BBQ Arthur, IL	26 / 45 (649.5656)	35 (157.0972)	15 (165.1200)	27 (161.6340)	20 (165.7144)
Sep 21, 2018	Murphysboro BBQ Cookoff Murphysboro, IL	32 / 59 (672.4800)	31 (168.5372)	8 (175.4400)	25 (169.1200)	46 (159.3828)
Jul 20, 2018	Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown (JUDGES FULL) Peoria, IL	35 / 43 (647.7828)	40 (155.3600)	19 (166.2400)	26 (163.9428)	31 (162.2400)
Jun 1, 2018	Up In smoke on the Square ( WAIT LIST ONLY FOR JUDGES) Lincoln, IL	23 / 40 (639.8744)	29 (158.2172)	32 (153.6800)	5 (168)	18 (159.9772)
May 4, 2018	Route 66 Smoke Out Dwight, IL	11 / 38 (673.0976)	16 (167.3944)	22 (162.8232)	3 (175.4172)	13 (167.4628)
Oct 13, 2017	CIBR-BBQ Central Illinois Bragging Right BBQ Arthur, IL	31 / 41 (640.9372)	27 (162.2516)	13 (165.1200)	26 (160.5028)	33 (153.0628)
Sep 22, 2017	Murphysboro BBQ Cookoff Murphysboro, IL	45 / 55 (634.7084)	45 (162.2628)	49 (153.6800)	16 (170.2972)	53 (148.4684)
Jul 21, 2017	Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown (JUDGES FULL) Peoria, IL	32 / 48 (620.9712)	40 (153.0512)	28 (154.8000)	22 (161.1428)	33 (151.9772)
Jun 2, 2017	Up In smoke on the Square Lincoln, IL	21 / 32 (655.9772)	22 (164)	4 (173.1544)	16 (165.7028)	28 (153.1200)
May 5, 2017	Route 66 Smoke Out Dwight, IL	15 / 29 (655.3600)	28 (150.2172)	8 (167.4400)	7 (173.1084)	12 (164.5944)
Oct 14, 2016	CIBR-BBQ Central Illinois Bragging Right BBQ Authur, IL	12 / 55 (673.1200)	1 (177.1428)	17 (169.7028)	18 (166.8572)	44 (159.4172)
Jul 22, 2016	Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown (Formerly Morton BBQ Throwdown) Peoria, IL	30 / 37 (620.3768)	25 (162.2400)	30 (150.7884)	34 (149.6800)	25 (157.6684)

Rub Runners

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 (9 found in their record)

High-water mark

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

The comeback

Pork nemesis

Looking over their shoulder

An October team

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

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)