TNT Explosive BBQ VA
Rating
1524
peak 1553 · rated over 21 contests
Best runs
4
straight top-10s
Contests
23
in the data
First seen
2019-04-26
latest 2026-05-01
Best ToY finish
#358
Master 2023
Grand champs
1
1 reserve
Category wins
2
9 podiums
Overall top-10s
7
of 23 contests
Avg finish
top 48%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
0
Current form
669.16 ▼
last 5 Master vs avg 674.76 (-5.60)
Walk rate
65%
contests with a top-10 call
Top-10 streak
4
best run (overall)
Consistency
±11.44
std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Chicken
avg 170.40 · weakest Pork (165.85)
Road miles
4720
mi across 23 mapped stops · furthest 949 mi
Schedule strength
70%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1566)
Purse competed for
$291K
listed at 18 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
1 🏅
GCs in 19 state-championship entries
Master avg
674.76 / 720
17 Master contests · 1 GC
Backyard avg
322.77 / 360
4 Backyard contests · 0 GCs
Master and Backyard overall scores sit on different scales (Master is out of 720, Backyard out of 360), so they're kept separate — averaging them together would be misleading.
Storylines
🎯 The one to beat
ROCKY TOP BARBEQUE has finished one call ahead of TNT Explosive BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.
👀 Looking over their shoulder
OUR BARK IS BETTER THAN YOUR BITE has landed one call behind them 2 times.
⚔️ A tough matchup
MUTTLEY CREW BBQ has come out ahead in 12 of their 14 shared contests.
⚔️ A strong matchup
They've finished ahead of BIG DOG BBQ VA in 8 of their 10 shared contests.
💔 The heartbreaker
Came within 2.8344 points of the Grand Championship at Almost Heaven BBQ Bash (2019-06-07).
🗡️ Giant slayer
Took the Grand Championship over a 30-team field at Maryland State BBQ Bash.
😤 Chicken nemesis
Even in their strongest meat, REDNECK SCIENTIFIC has out-cooked them in 10 of 11 shared chicken entries.
📅 A October team
Something about October: average finish in the top 39% across 3 contests, versus top 48% the rest of the year.
🃏 Against the odds
Their Grand Championship at Maryland State BBQ Bash (2022-10-14) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 23-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE.
🔁 The comeback
Off the trail for 1.9 years, then back at Bear-B-Q (2026-05-01).
Teams like this (closest power rating, VA first)
Familiar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ | 16 | 4 | 12 | 25% | ⚔ compare |
| MUTTLEY CREW BBQ | 14 | 2 | 12 | 14% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOKECRAFT - MD | 13 | 5 | 8 | 38% | ⚔ compare |
| CHUNKY BBQ | 12 | 3 | 9 | 25% | ⚔ compare |
| OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE | 12 | 2 | 10 | 17% | ⚔ compare |
| GOOD GOOGLY GOO BBQ | 11 | 3 | 8 | 27% | ⚔ compare |
| Uncle Pig's Barbeque Pit | 11 | 3 | 8 | 27% | ⚔ compare |
| Optimus Swine | 11 | 2 | 9 | 18% | ⚔ compare |
| BIG DOG BBQ VA | 10 | 8 | 2 | 80% | ⚔ compare |
| REDNECK SCIENTIFIC | 10 | 2 | 8 | 20% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOKIN SKULLIES | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| BLUE & GRAY BBQ | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| Uncle Dubby's Backyard BBQ | 8 | 5 | 3 | 63% | ⚔ compare |
| 3 EYZ BBQ | 8 | 3 | 5 | 38% | ⚔ compare |
| FRED VEGAS SMOKERS | 8 | 2 | 6 | 25% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 21 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 178.2972 | 163.3944 | 170.40 | top 40% |
| Pork Ribs | 22 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 178.3200 | 155.3716 | 167.85 | top 43% |
| Pork | 18 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 174.2972 | 152.4800 | 165.85 | top 62% |
| Brisket | 17 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 177.1428 | 156.5484 | 167.37 | top 53% |
“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 state / province
| Where | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| VA | 6 | 0 | top 53% |
| NC | 4 | 0 | top 69% |
| DC | 3 | 0 | top 62% |
| KS | 2 | 0 | top 38% |
| WV | 2 | 0 | top 23% |
| PA | 2 | 0 | top 13% |
| TN | 1 | 0 | top 89% |
| MD | 1 | 1 | top 3% |
By contest size
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (<20 teams) | 1 | 0 | top 50% |
| Medium (20–39) | 11 | 1 | top 48% |
| Large (40+) | 9 | 0 | top 49% |
Contest-by-contest record (recurring contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giant National Capital Barbecue Battle | 3 | 10 | 0 | top 62% | 2024-06-22 |
| Kings of Q BBQ Cook-Off and Festival | 2 | 9 | 0 | top 55% | 2024-05-17 |
| BBQ Gives Back (Day 2) (Masters and Backyard) | 2 | 14 | 0 | top 58% | 2023-03-25 |
| BBQ Gives Back (Day 2) (Masters and Backyard) | 2 | 24 | 0 | top 66% | 2022-03-26 |
The story so far
- Busiest season: 2023 (9 contests)
- Cooks mostly in VA (6 of 23 contests)
- Most-entered category: Pork Ribs (22 entries)
- First Grand Championship in the data: Maryland State BBQ Bash (2022-10-14)
- Wins it all in 4% of contests
- Average Master overall score: 674.76 / 720
- Average Backyard overall score: 322.77 / 360
Milestones
- 🚩 2019-04-26 — First tracked contest · Pickin N Pullin BBQ competition
- 📣 2019-05-17 — First call · Twin Valley Fire and Smoke
- 🏆 2022-10-14 — First Grand Championship · Maryland State BBQ Bash
- ⭐ 2022-10-14 — Career-best overall score (693.6684) · Maryland State BBQ Bash
- 📈 2022-10-14 — Peak power rating (1553) · Maryland State BBQ Bash
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +15.3 | Maryland State BBQ Bash | 2022-10-14 |
| +13.4 | Almost Heaven BBQ Bash | 2019-06-07 |
| +11.3 | Smoke in the Grove | 2019-07-26 |
| +9 | Giant National Capital Barbecue Battle | 2022-06-25 |
| +7.3 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest | 2023-09-27 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -12.6 | BBQ Gives Back (Day 2) (Masters and Backyard) | 2023-03-25 |
| -11.2 | BBQ Gives Back (Day 1) (Masters and Backyard) | 2022-03-25 |
| -10.6 | Bear-B-Q | 2026-05-01 |
| -10.2 | Giant National Capital Barbecue Battle | 2024-06-22 |
| -8.3 | Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue (Competitor's Series)(JUDGES BY INVITATION ONLY) | 2023-10-13 |
Category scores over time
Overall finish over time (top-% of field, lower is better)
Where they finish (overall)
Best vs average (by meat)
How entries end (by meat)
Team of the Year rank by season
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 | 100% | top 88% | 91.6% | 91.6% |
| 2024 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 50% | top 71% | 94.4% | 93% |
| 2023 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 56% | top 57% | 95.6% | 93.5% |
| 2022 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 60% | top 49% | 96.3% | 94.5% |
| 2021 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 100% | top 39% | 94.2% | 94.2% |
| 2019 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 80% | top 20% | 94.2% | 90.6% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-01 | Bear-B-Q 🏅 New Bern, NC | 23 / 26 (659.8400) | 17 (167.3944) | 25 (158.2056) | 22 (162.8228) | 10 (171.4172) |
| 2024-06-22 | Giant National Capital Barbecue Battle 🏅 Washington, DC | 33 / 36 (660.4344) | 28 (169.7028) | 35 (155.3716) | 25 (169.6800) | 26 (165.6800) |
| 2024-05-17 | Kings of Q BBQ Cook-Off and Festival 🏅 Ayden, NC | 9 / 18 (679.3260) | 2 (175.4172) | 13 (164.5488) | 3 (174.2744) | 11 (165.0856) |
| 2023-10-13 | Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue (Competitor's Series)(JUDGES BY INVITATION ONLY) Lynchburg, TN | 72 / 81 (661.6680) | 19 (172.5600) | 75 (164.5484) | 51 (168.0112) | 77 (156.5484) |
| 2023-09-27 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS | 142 / 487 (682.2972) | 210 (169.7028) | 132 (172.5600) | 72 (174.2972) | 266 (165.7372) |
| 2023-09-27 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Invitational Contest Kansas City, KS | 98 / 211 (684.5256) | 10 (178.2972) | 85 (172.0000) | 181 (164.5256) | 112 (169.7028) |
| 2023-06-24 | Giant National Capital Barbecue Battle 🏅 Washington, DC | 18 / 29 (675.3260) | 17 (171.9656) | 3 (176.5716) | 27 (159.9544) | 18 (166.8344) |
| 2023-06-24 | Giant National Capital Barbecue Battle (ONE MEAT CHICKEN) Washington, DC | — | 9 (172.5600) | — | — | — |
| 2023-06-24 | Giant National Capital Barbecue Battle (ONE MEAT RIBS) Washington, DC | — | — | 16 (167.4056) | — | — |
| 2023-05-19 | Kings of Q BBQ Cook-Off and Festival 🏅 Ayden, NC | 15 / 25 (661.5656) | 9 (172.0000) | 21 (158.8000) | 17 (163.9428) | 11 (166.8228) |
| 2023-03-25 | BBQ Gives Back (Day 2) (Masters and Backyard) 🏅 Urbanna, VA | 41 / 46 (659.8856) | 30 (170.8228) | 30 (167.4172) | 37 (164.5256) | 45 (157.1200) |
| 2023-03-24 | BBQ Gives Back (Day 1) (Masters and Backyard) 🏅 Urbanna, VA | 14 / 53 (688.5716) | 29 (168.5828) | 13 (174.8916) | 25 (169.6800) | 6 (175.4172) |
| 2022-11-04 | Currituck Bulls & BBQ 🏅 Powells Point, NC | 17 / 22 (670.1716) | 10 (171.9772) | 19 (166.2744) | 8 (171.9772) | 18 (159.9428) |
| 2022-10-14 | Maryland State BBQ Bash 🏅 Belair, MD | 1 / 30 (693.6684) | 13 (171.4056) | 2 (177.7144) | 13 (167.4056) | 1 (177.1428) |
| 2022-06-25 | Giant National Capital Barbecue Battle 🏅 Washington, DC | 10 / 32 (689.6916) | 12 (173.7256) | 3 (176.0116) | 23 (165.6800) | 5 (174.2744) |
| 2022-03-26 | BBQ Gives Back (Day 2) (Masters and Backyard) 🏅 Urbanna, VA | 24 / 50 (684.5372) | 18 (174.2628) | 14 (174.8800) | 34 (167.9888) | 32 (167.4056) |
| 2022-03-25 | BBQ Gives Back (Day 1) (Masters and Backyard) 🏅 Urbanna, VA | 44 / 53 (662.8004) | 46 (163.3944) | 19 (171.9888) | 46 (160.5600) | 33 (166.8572) |
| 2021-06-18 | Almost Heaven BBQ Bash 🏅 Roanoke, WV | 11 / 28 (678.3200) | 12 (168.5828) | 1 (178.3200) | 20 (162.8572) | 10 (168.5600) |
| 2019-10-25 | Zom-B-Q(BBQ Wythe US) 🏅 Wytheville, VA | 5 / 20 (678.2400) | 7 (170.8228) | 4 (172.0116) | 13 (164.5828) | 9 (170.8228) |
| 2019-07-26 | Smoke in the Grove 🏅 Spring Grove, PA | 4 / 53 (322.1828) | 5 (165.0856) | 9 (157.0972) | — | — |
| 2019-06-07 | Almost Heaven BBQ Bash 🏅 Roanoke, WV | 2 / 31 (334.2400) | 3 (166.2628) | 3 (167.9772) | — | — |
| 2019-05-17 | Twin Valley Fire and Smoke 🏅 Morgantown, PA | 8 / 44 (321.0288) | 6 (163.9544) | 8 (157.0744) | — | — |
| 2019-04-26 | Pickin N Pullin BBQ competition 🏅 Lanexa, VA | 14 / 32 (313.6116) | — | 14 (161.1316) | 18 (152.4800) | — |
Career map (orange GC · green top-10 · grey the rest — tap a pin)
Team of the Year standings (rank per category by season — year links to the full board on kcbs.us)
| Year | Series | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 ↗ | Master | #358 (571 pts) | #283 (802 pts) | #335 (773 pts) | #410 (526 pts) | #336 (646 pts) |
| 2022 ↗ | Master | #506 (405 pts) | #688 (270 pts) | #529 (460 pts) | #748 (235 pts) | #533 (400 pts) |
| 2021 ↗ | Master | #910 (123 pts) | #1040 (118 pts) | #627 (278 pts) | #1204 (78 pts) | #924 (128 pts) |
| 2019 ↗ | Master | #1304 (170 pts) | #1447 (150 pts) | #1243 (195 pts) | #1766 (105 pts) | #1488 (130 pts) |