Burning Bush BBQ

Burning Bush BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 9 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2019 and 2026. Their best overall finish is 8th of 35 at the Pitmasters in Paradise (2026). They are ranked #2954 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#2,954

of 6,476 rated · rankings

Rating

1507

peak 1509 · rated over 8 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Jan 25, 2019

latest Apr 25, 2026 · 7.2 years on the trail

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

1 podium

Overall top-10s

22% of 9 contests

Avg finish

top 53%

overall standings

Best overall

695.9544 / 720

Master · Pitmasters in Paradise

Perfect 180s

Current form

679.67 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 674.18 (+5.49)

Walk rate

33%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

178.8572

Chicken · Pitmasters in Paradise

Consistency

±14.49

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 170.97 · weakest Brisket (165.47)

Road miles

across 9 mapped stops

Schedule strength

40%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1553)

Purse competed for

$164K

listed at 7 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 8 state-championship entries

Master avg

674.18 / 720

8 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

695.9544 career-best overall

96.7% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 695.9544 at Pitmasters in Paradise — 96.7% of a perfect 720.

Master
Apr 25, 2026

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

GLAZED AND INFUSED NEW JERSEY BBQ has finished one call ahead of Burning Bush BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

A tough matchup

7–0 behind in the head-to-head

Barely Sober BBQ ahead in 100% of their meetings

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

The weak link

−5.5 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 5.51 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 13% of the time against 25%.

Brisket avg 165.47
Chicken avg 170.97
1 call in 8 entries

A strong matchup

7–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of SMOKIN ACES BBQ - FL in 7 of their 7 shared contests.

The comeback

2 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 2 years, then back at Lakeland Pig Festival (Jan 28, 2022).

last seen Jan 24, 2020
back Jan 28, 2022

Chicken nemesis

5 of 8 shared chicken entries lost

Accutech BBQ ahead 63% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, Accutech BBQ has out-cooked them in 5 of 8 shared chicken entries.

Show 2 more storylines

The metronome

±2.01% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±2.01% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 93.6% of a perfect score
9 contests

A standing appointment

5 years running at one contest

They've cooked Lakeland Pig Festival every year from 2022 to 2026 — the contest they never miss.

7 visits in all
best finish 9th

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to Burning Bush BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.

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

BBQ Aloha

#2,941 of the rated field

1507 power rating

Contests: 8
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 50%
Peak: 1507

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 8 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 8 contests
last seen Sep 25, 2026
on a 4-contest top-10 run

⚔ Compare careers

3 Idiots & A Smoker

#2,934 of the rated field

1507 power rating

Contests: 8
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 13%
Peak: 1507

Careers of much the same size, 8 contests to 9, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 8 contests
last seen Sep 11, 2026

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Bad company cookers

#2,948 of the rated field

1507 power rating

Contests: 15
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 27%
Peak: 1509

15 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 27% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 8 contests
last seen Jun 12, 2026

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RUBBED RITE BBQ

#2,951 of the rated field

1507 power rating

Contests: 8
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 25%
Peak: 1508

Their last contest in the data was back in 2018, 8 years before Burning Bush BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 8 contests

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BURNING COAL BBQ

#2,957 of the rated field

1507 power rating

Contests: 9
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 33%
Peak: 1508

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

rated over 9 contests
last seen Jun 17, 2023

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BIG DADDY DAN'S BBQ

#2,958 of the rated field

1507 power rating

Contests: 9
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1508

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 9 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 9 contests
last seen Jun 9, 2023

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
Accutech BBQ	8	3	5	38%	⚔ compare
Team Smoke Showin'	8	3	5	38%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN ACES BBQ - FL	7	7	0	100%	⚔ compare
Porkganic BBQ	7	5	2	71%	⚔ compare
Smokin' Ain't EZ	7	2	5	29%	⚔ compare
Double Barrel Smokers	7	2	5	29%	⚔ compare
Nuts & Butts	7	2	5	29%	⚔ compare
Sons of Hamarchy	7	2	5	29%	⚔ compare
92 BB Crew	7	2	5	29%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA	7	1	6	14%	⚔ compare
The Rusty Pig	7	1	6	14%	⚔ compare
Barely Sober BBQ	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
K & E's Little Smokers	6	4	2	67%	⚔ compare
Joe Bears BBQ	6	4	2	67%	⚔ compare
Belly Bustin Bistro	6	3	3	50%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	8	2	0	178.8572	163.9544	170.97	top 48%
Pork Ribs	8	1	0	177.7144	155.3716	167.34	top 57%
Pork	8	1	0	177.1544	159.9656	170.40	top 43%
Brisket	8	1	1	178.2972	149.6344	165.47	top 61%

“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 23%
Large (40+)	7	0	top 58%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Lakeland Pig Festival	7	9	0	top 58%	Jan 22, 2026

More numbers

Busiest season 2026 2 contests

Contests a season 1.1 across 8 seasons in the data

Most contests held in FL 9 of 9 contests

Contests visited 2 1 of them more than once

Opponents faced 391 finished ahead 328 times, behind 437

Longest layoff 2 yrs Jan 24, 2020 → Jan 28, 2022

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

20263 milestones

Apr 25 Career-best overall score695.9544 Pitmasters in Paradise
Apr 25 Career-best single call (Chicken)178.8572 Pitmasters in Paradise
Apr 25 Most recent contest Pitmasters in Paradise

20203 milestones

Jan 24 First call Lakeland Pig Festival
Jan 24 First overall top-10 Lakeland Pig Festival
Jan 24 Peak power rating (1509) Lakeland Pig Festival

20191 milestone

Jan 25 First overall past 90% of a perfect score651.8512 Lakeland Pig Festival

20181 milestone

Jan 26 First tracked contest Lakeland Pig Festival

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+12.4	Pitmasters in Paradise	Apr 25, 2026
+12.1	Lakeland Pig Festival	Jan 24, 2020
+8.2	Lakeland Pig Festival	Jan 26, 2024

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-8.7	Lakeland Pig Festival	Jan 28, 2022
-6.5	Lakeland Pig Festival	Jan 22, 2026
-5.2	Lakeland Pig Festival	Jan 27, 2023
-3.7	Lakeland Pig Festival	Jan 25, 2019
-1.7	Lakeland Pig Festival	Jan 24, 2025

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)
2026	2	1	50%	top 46%	96.7%	95.1%
2025	1	0	0%	top 70%	93.9%	93.9%
2024	1	0	100%	top 33%	96.1%	96.1%
2023	1	0	0%	top 76%	91.8%	91.8%
2022	1	0	0%	top 73%	91.9%	91.9%
2020	1	1	100%	top 17%	94.7%	94.7%
2019	1	0	0%	top 66%	90.5%	90.5%
2018	1	0	0%	—	—	—

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Apr 25, 2026	Pitmasters in Paradise 🏅 Auburndale, FL	8 / 35 (695.9544)	5 (178.8572)	22 (171.4172)	5 (177.1544)	24 (168.5256)
Jan 22, 2026	Lakeland Pig Festival 🏅 Lakeland, FL	44 / 63 (673.5768)	39 (170.2512)	56 (161.6572)	23 (172.5600)	33 (169.1084)
Jan 24, 2025	Lakeland Pig Festival 🏅 Lakeland, FL	28 / 40 (675.9088)	29 (168.5372)	25 (168.5716)	23 (171.4056)	27 (167.3944)
Jan 26, 2024	Lakeland Pig Festival 🏅 Lakeland, FL	20 / 61 (691.9316)	5 (177.7144)	5 (177.7144)	30 (170.8228)	43 (165.6800)
Jan 27, 2023	Lakeland Pig Festival 🏅 Lakeland, FL	39 / 51 (660.9828)	39 (166.8228)	50 (155.3716)	16 (173.1084)	30 (165.6800)
Jan 28, 2022	Lakeland Pig Festival 🏅 Lakeland, FL	44 / 60 (661.5884)	32 (169.6684)	36 (166.2744)	36 (166.2400)	47 (159.4056)
Jan 24, 2020	Lakeland Pig Festival 🏅 Lakeland, FL	9 / 53 (681.6576)	40 (163.9544)	23 (167.4288)	11 (171.9772)	2 (178.2972)
Jan 25, 2019	Lakeland Pig Festival 🏅 Lakeland, FL	38 / 58 (651.8512)	12 (171.9884)	18 (170.2628)	43 (159.9656)	52 (149.6344)
Jan 26, 2018	Lakeland Pig Festival Lakeland, FL	—	—	—	—	—

Burning Bush 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 (9 found in their record)

High-water mark

The one to beat

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

The comeback

Chicken nemesis

The metronome

A standing appointment

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)