BRACKEN RACKS BBQ CO
Rating
1480
peak 1480 · rated over 44 contests
Contests
44
in the data
First seen
2019-01-11
latest 2026-04-24
Best ToY finish
#233
Master 2021
Grand champs
0
0 reserve
Category wins
0
12 podiums
Overall top-10s
8
of 44 contests
Avg finish
top 64%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
0
Current form
670.16 ▲
last 5 Master vs avg 654.82 (+15.34)
Walk rate
59%
contests with a top-10 call
Top-10 streak
2
best run (overall)
Consistency
±27.87
std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Pork
avg 167.55 · weakest Brisket (156.87)
Road miles
10792
mi across 44 mapped stops · furthest 506 mi
Schedule strength
43%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1537)
Purse competed for
$396K
listed at 38 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0 🏅
GCs in 43 state-championship entries
Master avg
654.82 / 720
44 Master contests · 0 GCs
Storylines
🎯 The one to beat
Brinkerhoff BBQ has finished one call ahead of BRACKEN RACKS BBQ 4 times — their closest competition in the data.
👀 Looking over their shoulder
At Ease has landed one call behind them 3 times.
⚔️ A tough matchup
Colorado Bulldawg BBQ has come out ahead in 25 of their 25 shared contests.
😤 Pork nemesis
Even in their strongest meat, Bushmaster BBQ has out-cooked them in 18 of 22 shared pork entries.
📅 A August team
Something about August: average finish in the top 53% across 10 contests, versus top 64% the rest of the year.
🔁 The comeback
Off the trail for 1.6 years, then back at Wild West BBQ Cook-Off (2021-05-07).
Teams like this (closest power rating, CO first)
Familiar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROCKET BOYS PYRO BBQ | 32 | 10 | 22 | 31% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOKIN HOT BUTTS BBQ | 28 | 5 | 23 | 18% | ⚔ compare |
| Colorado Bulldawg BBQ | 25 | 0 | 25 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| AMERICAN HEROES BBQ | 23 | 4 | 19 | 17% | ⚔ compare |
| Bushmaster BBQ | 22 | 1 | 21 | 5% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOKIN' BOXERS BBQ | 21 | 7 | 14 | 33% | ⚔ compare |
| GRILLIN' BEAVERS | 21 | 3 | 18 | 14% | ⚔ compare |
| Hooligans Barbecue | 20 | 13 | 7 | 65% | ⚔ compare |
| Monarchbbq | 20 | 12 | 8 | 60% | ⚔ compare |
| Brinkerhoff BBQ | 20 | 4 | 16 | 20% | ⚔ compare |
| M-Dubs BBQ | 20 | 2 | 18 | 10% | ⚔ compare |
| Heifers, Butts, & Clucks BBQ | 20 | 1 | 19 | 5% | ⚔ compare |
| Frank's BBQ Trading Post | 19 | 6 | 13 | 32% | ⚔ compare |
| POPPA PIG AND PORKCHOP | 19 | 3 | 16 | 16% | ⚔ compare |
| Backdraft BBQ | 19 | 3 | 16 | 16% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 44 | 11 | 0 | 6 | 178.8572 | 153.0628 | 167.55 | top 53% |
| Pork Ribs | 44 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 175.4400 | 143.3716 | 162.86 | top 62% |
| Pork | 44 | 16 | 0 | 2 | 176.5600 | 153.6228 | 167.55 | top 49% |
| Brisket | 44 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 174.3428 | 20.0000 | 156.87 | 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 state / province
| Where | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| CO | 25 | 0 | top 64% |
| WY | 11 | 0 | top 52% |
| NE | 3 | 0 | top 84% |
| MT | 2 | 0 | top 64% |
| OK | 2 | 0 | top 88% |
| KS | 1 | 0 | top 74% |
By contest size
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (<20 teams) | 3 | 0 | top 59% |
| Medium (20–39) | 33 | 0 | top 62% |
| Large (40+) | 8 | 0 | top 71% |
Contest-by-contest record (recurring contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wild West BBQ Cook-Off | 6 | 10 | 0 | top 70% | 2026-04-24 |
| Greeley Blues Jam (Day 2) | 3 | 24 | 0 | top 86% | 2022-06-04 |
| Veterans of Foreign Wars Colorado KCBS Pitmaster BBQ Contest | 2 | 16 | 0 | top 51% | 2024-09-06 |
| Beat the Heat BBQ & Brews | 2 | 5 | 0 | top 33% | 2024-08-09 |
| Miles City Cowtown Cookoff | 2 | 9 | 0 | top 64% | 2024-06-14 |
| Smoke & Soul Fest | 2 | 10 | 0 | top 63% | 2023-10-06 |
| Pepsi Wyoming State BBQ Championships & Bluegrass Festival | 2 | 12 | 0 | top 49% | 2022-08-19 |
The story so far
- Busiest season: 2022 (9 contests)
- Cooks mostly in CO (25 of 44 contests)
- Most-entered category: Chicken (44 entries)
- Average Master overall score: 654.82 / 720
Milestones
- 🚩 2019-01-11 — First tracked contest · National Western BBQ Throwdown
- 📈 2019-01-11 — Peak power rating (1485) · National Western BBQ Throwdown
- 📣 2019-06-21 — First call · Leadville BBQ and Brew Fest
- 🎖️ 2022-10-07 — 25th tracked contest · Smoke & Soul Fest
- ⭐ 2024-06-14 — Career-best overall score (688.5376) · Miles City Cowtown Cookoff
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +18.2 | Smoke & Soul Fest - Day 2 | 2021-10-02 |
| +13.8 | Beat the Heat BBQ & Brews | 2023-08-11 |
| +11.7 | Smoke & Soul Fest | 2019-09-13 |
| +11 | Wild West BBQ Cook-Off | 2023-05-12 |
| +9.7 | SLV Beat the Heat BBQ | 2021-08-06 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -15.1 | National Western BBQ Throwdown | 2019-01-11 |
| -12 | Wild West BBQ Cook-Off | 2024-05-10 |
| -12 | Firelake BBQ Cook Off Day 1 | 2019-03-22 |
| -10.8 | Greeley Blues Jam (Day 1) | 2022-06-03 |
| -10.8 | Wild West BBQ Cook-Off | 2021-05-07 |
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 56% | 91.2% | 91.2% |
| 2025 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 73% | 92.4% | 92.4% |
| 2024 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 88% | top 57% | 95.6% | 91.6% |
| 2023 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 86% | top 52% | 94.5% | 93.7% |
| 2022 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 44% | top 74% | 93.9% | 90.4% |
| 2021 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 56% | top 63% | 95.2% | 90.6% |
| 2019 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 33% | top 70% | 92.6% | 88.9% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-24 | Wild West BBQ Cook-Off 🏅 Lamar, CO | 15 / 27 (656.4000) | 21 (156.5028) | 16 (162.8000) | 14 (166.2400) | 4 (170.8572) |
| 2025-04-25 | Wild West BBQ Cook-Off 🏅 Lamar, CO | 22 / 30 (665.6232) | 16 (169.7028) | 28 (159.9660) | 15 (168.5372) | 14 (167.4172) |
| 2024-09-06 | Veterans of Foreign Wars Colorado KCBS Pitmaster BBQ Contest 🏅 Castle Rock, CO | 16 / 36 (677.6000) | 12 (173.1200) | 21 (166.8344) | 8 (175.4056) | 28 (162.2400) |
| 2024-08-16 | Pepsi Wyoming State BBQ Championships and Bluegrass Festival 🏅 Worland, WY | 17 / 29 (679.8860) | 19 (166.2400) | 12 (171.9888) | 3 (176.5600) | 19 (165.0972) |
| 2024-08-09 | Beat the Heat BBQ & Brews 🏅 Alamosa, CO | 14 / 29 (671.3032) | 13 (169.6800) | 14 (166.2632) | 4 (173.7028) | 22 (161.6572) |
| 2024-07-26 | Albany County Fair Smokin' BBQ Cookoff 🏅 Laramie, WY | 8 / 17 (674.1600) | 11 (168.5484) | 13 (165.0972) | 5 (175.4172) | 13 (165.0972) |
| 2024-07-12 | Smoke & Soul Fest 🏅 Casper, WY | 15 / 26 (677.0628) | 11 (171.9656) | 20 (166.2860) | 12 (171.4056) | 14 (167.4056) |
| 2024-06-28 | The Art of Barbeque 🏅 Sterling, CO | 10 / 25 (674.8120) | 2 (176.0116) | 8 (170.3204) | 20 (163.3944) | 17 (165.0856) |
| 2024-06-14 | Miles City Cowtown Cookoff 🏅 Miles City, MT | 9 / 16 (688.5376) | 3 (176.0000) | 11 (166.8460) | 9 (172.5600) | 3 (173.1316) |
| 2024-05-10 | Wild West BBQ Cook-Off 🏅 Lamar, CO | 29 / 29 (533.6228) | 12 (170.8112) | 12 (168.5488) | 4 (174.2628) | 29 (20.0000) |
| 2023-10-06 | Smoke & Soul Fest 🏅 Casper, WY | 10 / 28 (677.6116) | 2 (174.8572) | 4 (174.2744) | 19 (165.6800) | 19 (162.8000) |
| 2023-08-25 | Keating Tractor Antique Tractor Show 🏅 Liberal, KS | 14 / 19 (673.6108) | 12 (168.5484) | 2 (175.4400) | 13 (170.2512) | 18 (159.3712) |
| 2023-08-11 | Beat the Heat BBQ & Brews 🏅 Alamosa, CO | 5 / 27 (680.4804) | 11 (169.6800) | 9 (169.7032) | 4 (173.7028) | 14 (167.3944) |
| 2023-06-30 | Art of Barbeque 🏅 Sterling, CO | 25 / 35 (666.1372) | 10 (171.9772) | 24 (165.1316) | 25 (166.2284) | 29 (162.8000) |
| 2023-06-16 | Miles City Cowtown Cookoff 🏅 Miles City, MT | 16 / 22 (676.4688) | 3 (178.8572) | 21 (161.6688) | 19 (166.8344) | 13 (169.1084) |
| 2023-05-27 | Veterans of Foreign Wars Colorado KCBS Pitmaster BBQ Contest 🏅 Castle Rock, CO | 21 / 37 (672.9940) | 14 (171.9656) | 14 (172.5600) | 32 (163.3828) | 30 (165.0856) |
| 2023-05-12 | Wild West BBQ Cook-Off 🏅 Lamar, CO | 10 / 30 (676.4344) | 6 (173.1200) | 5 (171.9772) | 4 (175.4172) | 26 (155.9200) |
| 2022-10-22 | Meat Scream BBQ Competition-Day 2 🏅 Westminster, CO | 18 / 31 (668.4112) | 22 (163.9544) | 17 (168.5256) | 4 (174.2628) | 24 (161.6684) |
| 2022-10-21 | Meat Scream BBQ Competition-Day 1 🏅 Westminster, CO | 18 / 32 (663.9084) | 13 (170.2628) | 28 (159.9544) | 25 (165.1428) | 12 (168.5484) |
| 2022-10-07 | Smoke & Soul Fest 🏅 Casper, WY | 26 / 29 (633.4856) | 24 (161.1200) | 22 (161.6916) | 27 (157.0628) | 23 (153.6112) |
| 2022-08-19 | Pepsi Wyoming State BBQ Championships & Bluegrass Festival 🏅 Worland, WY | 12 / 29 (675.8972) | 10 (173.7144) | 18 (164.5372) | 5 (174.2628) | 15 (163.3828) |
| 2022-07-01 | The Art of BBQ 🏅 Sterling, CO | 23 / 28 (638.6856) | 18 (163.4056) | 28 (143.3716) | 14 (168.5372) | 19 (163.3712) |
| 2022-06-17 | Central Plains Ribfest 🏅 Holdrege, NE | 25 / 29 (655.2804) | 21 (167.3944) | 26 (153.0860) | 23 (163.9428) | 8 (170.8572) |
| 2022-06-04 | Greeley Blues Jam (Day 2) 🏅 Greeley, CO | 31 / 34 (637.5660) | 29 (161.0972) | 33 (147.3604) | 12 (168.5828) | 27 (160.5256) |
| 2022-06-03 | Greeley Blues Jam (Day 1) 🏅 Greeley, CO | 31 / 33 (626.0228) | 32 (153.0744) | 33 (149.6344) | 21 (161.6340) | 23 (161.6800) |
| 2022-05-06 | Wild West BBQ Cook-Off 🏅 Lamar, CO | 21 / 33 (660.9940) | 17 (168.5600) | 27 (157.6456) | 16 (165.6684) | 10 (169.1200) |
| 2021-10-02 | Smoke & Soul Fest - Day 2 Casper, WY | 3 / 26 (685.7028) | 20 (165.6800) | 4 (175.4172) | 9 (170.2628) | 3 (174.3428) |
| 2021-10-01 | Smoke & Soul Fest - Day 1 🏅 Casper, WY | 22 / 27 (658.1940) | 24 (161.6684) | 9 (169.7256) | 15 (166.2516) | 22 (160.5484) |
| 2021-08-20 | Pepsi Wyoming State BBQ Championships & Bluegrass Festival 🏅 Worland, WY | 17 / 30 (660.9944) | 8 (173.1316) | 24 (154.2172) | 9 (169.6800) | 17 (163.9656) |
| 2021-08-13 | Milliken BBQ Beef N Bean Day 🏅 Milliken, CO | 22 / 42 (654.1604) | 3 (176.5600) | 36 (155.3716) | 5 (172.5600) | 33 (149.6688) |
| 2021-08-06 | SLV Beat the Heat BBQ 🏅 Alamosa, CO | 15 / 42 (675.9544) | 31 (164.5716) | 24 (166.8228) | 9 (173.1200) | 9 (171.4400) |
| 2021-06-19 | Central Plains Ribfest Day 2 🏅 Holdrege, NE | 28 / 36 (661.0400) | 31 (162.8228) | 24 (166.2400) | 18 (169.1428) | 26 (162.8344) |
| 2021-06-18 | Central Plains Ribfest Day 1 🏅 Holdrege, NE | 35 / 40 (634.7428) | 19 (172.0000) | 36 (152.5028) | 34 (156.5144) | 36 (153.7256) |
| 2021-06-04 | Greeley Blues Jam 🏅 Greeley, CO | 24 / 33 (639.8400) | 23 (162.8344) | 29 (154.2400) | 22 (161.0856) | 18 (161.6800) |
| 2021-05-07 | Wild West BBQ Cook-Off 🏅 Lamar, CO | 32 / 35 (598.0572) | 26 (158.2400) | 26 (154.2516) | 28 (153.6228) | 32 (131.9428) |
| 2019-10-18 | Meat Scream BBQ Competition 🏅 Westminster, CO | 26 / 46 (652.4340) | 21 (167.4056) | 9 (170.2972) | 23 (165.6684) | 40 (149.0628) |
| 2019-09-13 | Smoke & Soul Fest 🏅 Casper, WY | 7 / 28 (666.8120) | 2 (174.8572) | 5 (168.0116) | 6 (169.6800) | 19 (154.2632) |
| 2019-08-16 | Pepsi WY State Championship BBQ & Bluegrass Festival 🏅 Worland, WY | 19 / 30 (641.6000) | 14 (164.5372) | 16 (163.4172) | 15 (162.8456) | 22 (150.8000) |
| 2019-08-02 | San Luis Valley Beat the Heat BBQ 🏅 Alamosa, CO | 42 / 54 (635.8860) | 40 (162.2516) | 28 (166.3316) | 28 (166.2400) | 50 (141.0628) |
| 2019-06-21 | Leadville BBQ and Brew Fest 🏅 Leadville, CO | 13 / 26 (653.5312) | 10 (166.2400) | 3 (169.1200) | 3 (171.9656) | 21 (146.2056) |
| 2019-04-26 | LuLu's Brew & Que 🏅 Brighton, CO | 34 / 40 (627.8404) | 38 (153.0628) | 33 (155.4060) | 19 (166.8800) | 33 (152.4916) |
| 2019-03-23 | Firelake BBQ Cook Off Day 2 🏅 Shawnee, OK | 53 / 62 (651.8516) | 38 (167.9888) | 43 (165.6684) | 47 (165.0972) | 62 (153.0972) |
| 2019-03-22 | Firelake BBQ Cook Off Day 1 🏅 Shawnee, OK | 67 / 74 (623.2804) | 45 (167.4172) | 67 (153.7032) | 69 (154.2056) | 69 (147.9544) |
| 2019-01-11 | National Western BBQ Throwdown 🏅 Denver, CO | 37 / 38 (607.2460) | 32 (160.5716) | 38 (143.3716) | 30 (159.3600) | 36 (143.9428) |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 ↗ | Master | #801 (102 pts) | #946 (72 pts) | #931 (97 pts) | #819 (107 pts) | #596 (202 pts) |
| 2025 ↗ | Master | #1108 (70 pts) | #1070 (100 pts) | #1535 (55 pts) | #1037 (105 pts) | #1015 (110 pts) |
| 2024 ↗ | Master | #255 (851 pts) | #174 (1141 pts) | #284 (861 pts) | #132 (1276 pts) | #293 (781 pts) |
| 2023 ↗ | Master | #287 (766 pts) | #165 (1126 pts) | #233 (1011 pts) | #276 (791 pts) | #378 (551 pts) |
| 2022 ↗ | Master | #345 (668 pts) | #321 (753 pts) | #427 (593 pts) | #231 (973 pts) | #273 (843 pts) |
| 2021 ↗ | Master | #233 (816 pts) | #228 (856 pts) | #276 (766 pts) | #190 (996 pts) | #231 (866 pts) |
| 2019 ↗ | Master | #463 (714 pts) | #370 (869 pts) | #336 (949 pts) | #375 (899 pts) | #583 (584 pts) |
| 2018 ↗ | Master | #414 (841 pts) | #396 (900 pts) | #278 (1114 pts) | #393 (905 pts) | #359 (953 pts) |
| 2017 ↗ | Master | #521 (736 pts) | #454 (856 pts) | #571 (701 pts) | #497 (796 pts) | #487 (831 pts) |
| 2016 ↗ | Master | #491 (826 pts) | #281 (1201 pts) | #509 (807 pts) | #283 (1216 pts) | #471 (873 pts) |
| 2015 ↗ | Master | #330 (1119 pts) | #255 (1263 pts) | #246 (1279 pts) | #291 (1135 pts) | #329 (1070 pts) |
| 2014 ↗ | Master | #696 (514 pts) | #635 (599 pts) | #906 (404 pts) | #597 (654 pts) | #477 (784 pts) |
| 2013 ↗ | Master | #1444 (155 pts) | #1412 (180 pts) | #1437 (180 pts) | #1486 (165 pts) | #1586 (145 pts) |