High-water mark
685.6456
career-best overall
95.2% of a perfect 720
Their best day on record: 685.6456 at American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST — 95.2% of a perfect 720.
- Master
- Sep 16, 2021
ULTIMATE TAILGATE
ULTIMATE TAILGATE is a competition barbecue team with 11 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2021. Their best overall finish is 29th of 467 at the American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST (2021). They are ranked #3091 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.
At a glance (the record in numbers)
Rating
1503
peak 1509 · rated over 11 contests
Contests
11
in the data
First seen
Oct 3, 2013
latest Sep 16, 2021 · 8 years on the trail
Grand champs
0
0 reserve
Category wins
0
0 podiums
Overall top-10s
0
0% of 11 contests
Avg finish
top 56%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
0
Current form
645.84 ▼
last 5 Master vs avg 647.90 (-2.07)
Walk rate
0%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±18.55
spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Chicken
avg 164.92 · weakest Brisket (159.92)
Road miles
139
across 11 mapped stops · furthest 38 mi
Schedule strength
53%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1568)
Purse competed for
$129K
listed at 2 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0 🏅
won from 2 state-championship entries
Master avg
647.90 / 720
11 Master contests · 0 GCs
Teams like this (closest power rating)
The teams rated closest to ULTIMATE TAILGATE, each with one reason worth a look.
113 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.
#3,095 of the rated field
- Contests
- 8
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1505
3–1 in 4 shared contests (75% to ULTIMATE TAILGATE)
These two have cooked 4 of the same contests — ULTIMATE TAILGATE ahead 3–1 — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.
⚔ Head-to-head#3,108 of the rated field
- Contests
- 7
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 14%
- Peak
- 1503
1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to ULTIMATE TAILGATE)
Fewer contests behind them than ULTIMATE TAILGATE has cooked, 7 to 11, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.
⚔ Head-to-head#3,075 of the rated field
- Contests
- 11
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 18%
- Peak
- 1530
Their last contest in the data was back in 2017, 4 years before ULTIMATE TAILGATE's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.
⚔ Compare careers#3,101 of the rated field
- Contests
- 12
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 17%
- Peak
- 1503
This is the highest they've ever been rated, 12 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.
⚔ Compare careers#3,090 of the rated field
- Contests
- 10
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 20%
- Peak
- 1525
Level with ULTIMATE TAILGATE on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.
⚔ Compare careers#3,085 of the rated field
- Contests
- 13
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 8%
- Peak
- 1518
13 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 8% top-10 finishes rather than wins.
⚔ Compare careersFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Theslabs.com | 10 | 4 | 6 | 40% | ⚔ compare |
| B & C SMOKERS | 10 | 2 | 8 | 20% | ⚔ compare |
| THE SMOKING HILLS | 10 | 2 | 8 | 20% | ⚔ compare |
| BURNT FINGER BBQ | 10 | 1 | 9 | 10% | ⚔ compare |
| GETTIN' SAUCED | 10 | 1 | 9 | 10% | ⚔ compare |
| 50 SHADES OF QUE | 10 | 1 | 9 | 10% | ⚔ compare |
| DIRT ROAD BBQ | 10 | 0 | 10 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| HI-TECH SMOKERS | 9 | 6 | 3 | 67% | ⚔ compare |
| DIXIE MOON | 9 | 6 | 3 | 67% | ⚔ compare |
| Bare Bones BBQ Team | 9 | 5 | 4 | 56% | ⚔ compare |
| Three Brothers Different Mothers | 9 | 3 | 6 | 33% | ⚔ compare |
| Sons of a Brisket | 9 | 3 | 6 | 33% | ⚔ compare |
| PARK AVENUE PORK | 9 | 3 | 6 | 33% | ⚔ compare |
| CHOP QUEY | 9 | 3 | 6 | 33% | ⚔ compare |
| LOVE 2 Q | 9 | 2 | 7 | 22% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 173.1656 | 155.3828 | 164.92 | top 49% |
| Pork Ribs | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 174.8572 | 142.2520 | 160.24 | top 58% |
| Pork | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 177.7028 | 145.6684 | 162.83 | top 53% |
| Brisket | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 173.1428 | 147.9316 | 159.92 | top 57% |
“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
More numbers
Busiest season
2017
2 contests
Contests a season
1.4
across 8 seasons in the data
Most contests held in
KS
6 of 11 contests · 2 states in all
Contests visited
11
a different one every time
Opponents faced
1,868
finished ahead 2,024 times, behind 2,208
Longest layoff
2 yrs
Sep 12, 2019 → Sep 16, 2021
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
20213 milestones
- Career-best overall score685.6456 American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST
- Career-best single call (Pork)177.7028 American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST
- Most recent contest American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST
20191 milestone
- 10th tracked contest 40th American Royal World Series of Barbecue- OPEN CONTEST
20152 milestones
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score674.7888 36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Open
- Peak power rating (1509) 36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Open
20131 milestone
- First tracked contest 34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +16.2 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST | Sep 16, 2021 |
| +13.1 | 36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Open | Oct 3, 2015 |
| +5.4 | 34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open | Oct 3, 2013 |
| +4.2 | 37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) | Oct 29, 2016 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -8 | 39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) | Sep 15, 2018 |
| -8 | 38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) | Sep 1, 2017 |
| -5.8 | 35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open | Oct 2, 2014 |
| -5.3 | Independence Fire & Ice BBQ | Sep 9, 2016 |
| -3.5 | Balloons & BBQ Festival at Kansas Speedway | Aug 8, 2014 |
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 | GCs | Top-10s | Category wins | Walk rate | Avg finish | Best overall (% of perfect) | Avg overall (% of perfect) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 6% | 93.5% | 93.5% |
| 2019 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 57% | 90.9% | 90.9% |
| 2018 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 85% | 86.5% | 86.5% |
| 2017 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 74% | 89.2% | 88% |
| 2016 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 60% | 91.3% | 90% |
| 2015 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 17% | 93.7% | 93.7% |
| 2014 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 71% | 89.7% | 88.8% |
| 2013 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 36% | 90% | 90% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 16, 2021 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS | 29 / 467 (505.0740) | 196 (167.9656) | 222 (166.8344) | 12 (177.7028) | 48 (173.1428) |
| Sep 12, 2019 | 40th American Royal World Series of Barbecue- OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS | 269 / 468 (654.1596) | 169 (168.5256) | 141 (168.5600) | 352 (158.2628) | 324 (158.8112) |
| Sep 15, 2018 | 39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS | 398 / 467 (622.8228) | 77 (173.1656) | 429 (149.6688) | 446 (145.6684) | 374 (154.3200) |
| Sep 1, 2017 | 38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS | 342 / 407 (624.4120) | 320 (158.2284) | 397 (142.2520) | 111 (170.2744) | 325 (153.6572) |
| Mar 31, 2017 | Smokin On Big Creek BBQ Contest Benefiting Operation BBQ Relief (TEAMS AND JUDGES FULL) Pleasant Hill, MO | 38 / 59 (642.1368) | 33 (164.5600) | 51 (156.5256) | 42 (158.8228) | 29 (162.2284) |
| Oct 29, 2016 | 37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS | 254 / 557 (657.0860) | 400 (158.8000) | 217 (166.8688) | 359 (161.6800) | 114 (169.7372) |
| Sep 9, 2016 | Independence Fire & Ice BBQ Independence, MO | 57 / 76 (639.2452) | 38 (165.1428) | 68 (150.2168) | 22 (171.4056) | 68 (152.4800) |
| Oct 3, 2015 | 36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Open Kansas City, MO | 103 / 606 (674.7888) | 136 (169.7144) | 34 (174.8572) | 187 (167.9656) | 299 (162.2516) |
| Oct 2, 2014 | 35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO | 407 / 552 (633.0400) | 452 (155.3828) | 354 (159.9772) | 457 (154.2400) | 240 (163.4400) |
| Aug 8, 2014 | Balloons & BBQ Festival at Kansas Speedway Kansas City, KS | 36 / 53 (645.6572) | 18 (170.9372) | 16 (168.5600) | 43 (158.2284) | 51 (147.9316) |
| Oct 3, 2013 | 34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO | 195 / 535 (647.9540) | 249 (161.7256) | 291 (158.2972) | 134 (166.8340) | 220 (161.0972) |