High-water mark
692.5028
career-best overall
96.2% of a perfect 720
Their best day on record: 692.5028 at The Real Squeal BBQ & Music Festival — 96.2% of a perfect 720.
- Master
- 2025-10-03
Holy Smokes
At a glance (everything the results say about this team, in numbers)
Rating
1425
peak 1425 · rated over 26 contests ⓘ
Contests
30
in the data
First seen
2013-06-14
latest 2026-04-10
Best ToY finish
#1589
Master 2014
Grand champs
0
0 reserve
Category wins
0
1 podiums
Overall top-10s
2
of 30 contests
Avg finish
top 70%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
0
Current form
627.95 ▲
last 5 Master vs avg 624.20 (+3.75)
Walk rate
20%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±34.94
std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Pork
avg 158.51 · weakest Brisket (152.77)
Road miles
23,576
mi across 30 mapped stops · furthest 2131 mi
Schedule strength
43%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1556)
Purse competed for
$104K
listed at 12 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0 🏅
GCs in 12 state-championship entries
Master avg
624.20 / 720
23 Master contests · 0 GCs
Backyard avg
361.43 / 360
3 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.
This team cooks the Backyard series — its own boards, records and Team of the Year are here.
Storylines (10 found in this team's record)
Each card leads with the number that made it a story — read straight out of their results, no editorialising.
Their season
2025
their best year
2025 was the year it came together: 3 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 40%.
- 3 contests
- 0 overall top-10s
- 0 category wins
- average top 40%
A tough matchup
10–0
behind in the head-to-head
GOOD SMOKE BBQ ahead in 100% of their meetings
GOOD SMOKE BBQ has come out ahead in 10 of their 10 shared contests.
The weak link
−5.7
points behind their best meat
Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 5.74 points below their pork, and turns into a call 13% of the time against 12%.
- Brisket avg 152.77
- Pork avg 158.51
- 3 calls in 24 entries
A strong matchup
4–1
ahead in the head-to-head
Ahead in 80% of their meetings
They've finished ahead of Smoke & Beer BBQ in 4 of their 5 shared contests.
The comeback
1.6 yrs
off the trail, then back
Off the trail for 1.6 years, then back at BBQ Boogie & Blues (2021-09-24).
- last seen 2020-02-28
- back 2021-09-24
Pork nemesis
10 of 10
shared pork entries lost
GOOD SMOKE BBQ ahead 100% of the time
Even in their strongest meat, GOOD SMOKE BBQ has out-cooked them in 10 of 10 shared pork entries.
Boom or bust
±9.66%
swing around their own average
Their overall swings ±9.66% of a perfect score around its own average — when it lands they're dangerous, and when it doesn't the weekend is gone by lunch.
- averages 88.3% of a perfect score
- best 130.8%
An October team
Top 56%
average finish in October
Something about October: average finish in the top 56% across 6 contests, versus top 70% the rest of the year.
- 6 October contests
- top 70% the rest of the year
The long haul
23,576
road miles between contests
Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 23,576 miles across 30 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 2,131 miles to Silicon Valley BBQ Championships.
- 30 mapped stops
- furthest 2,131 mi
Teams like this (closest power rating)
The nearest teams in the power rankings, with a different reason on each card — six teams on one rating are rarely on it for the same reason. Rating decides who makes the list; where teams tie on it, the ones this team has actually cooked against come first, then teams at a similar point in their own career. KCBS doesn’t publish where a team is from, so nothing here is inferred from geography.
35 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.
#6105 of the rated field
- Contests
- 13
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 8%
- Peak
- 1425
1–1 in 2 shared contests (50% to Holy Smokes)
2 contests in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team Holy Smokes has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.
⚔ Head-to-head#6103 of the rated field
- Contests
- 19
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 5%
- Peak
- 1425
No shared contest yet.
This is the highest they've ever been rated, 18 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.
⚔ Head-to-head#6109 of the rated field
- Contests
- 16
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1425
No shared contest yet.
Their last contest in the data was back in 2022, 4 years before Holy Smokes's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.
⚔ Head-to-head#6110 of the rated field
- Contests
- 16
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1505
No shared contest yet.
Fewer contests behind them than Holy Smokes has cooked, 16 to 30, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.
⚔ Head-to-head#6100 of the rated field
- Contests
- 15
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1425
No shared contest yet.
15 contests and no Grand Championship yet.
⚔ Head-to-head#6108 of the rated field
- Contests
- 15
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 7%
- Peak
- 1425
No shared contest yet.
Both teams' first contest in the data came in 2013.
⚔ Head-to-headFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GOOD SMOKE BBQ | 10 | 0 | 10 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| BIG POPPA SMOKERS | 8 | 1 | 7 | 13% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| PIG NEWTON | 7 | 1 | 6 | 14% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOKERS PURGATORY | 7 | 1 | 6 | 14% | ⚔ compare |
| Theslabs.com | 7 | 1 | 6 | 14% | ⚔ compare |
| CHOP QUEY | 7 | 1 | 6 | 14% | ⚔ compare |
| LA PASADITA | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| GETTIN' BASTED | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| HI-TECH SMOKERS | 6 | 2 | 4 | 33% | ⚔ compare |
| JACK'S OLD SOUTH | 6 | 2 | 4 | 33% | ⚔ compare |
| Bare Bones BBQ Team | 6 | 2 | 4 | 33% | ⚔ compare |
| LOVE 2 Q | 6 | 1 | 5 | 17% | ⚔ compare |
| THE REAL SMOKIN ACES | 6 | 1 | 5 | 17% | ⚔ compare |
| S&S BBQ | 6 | 1 | 5 | 17% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 27 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 175.4172 | 131.4284 | 157.03 | top 68% |
| Pork Ribs | 27 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 175.4172 | 121.6228 | 155.89 | top 65% |
| Pork | 25 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 174.8800 | 114.7884 | 158.51 | top 65% |
| Brisket | 24 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 176.5600 | 136.5140 | 152.77 | top 71% |
“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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| GA | 6 | 0 | top 43% |
| MO | 5 | 0 | top 70% |
| NY | 5 | 0 | top 75% |
| AZ | 3 | 0 | top 89% |
| KS | 3 | 0 | top 94% |
| TX | 1 | 0 | top 93% |
| IN | 1 | 0 | top 61% |
| OH | 1 | 0 | top 64% |
| OK | 1 | 0 | top 34% |
| CA | 1 | 0 | top 92% |
By contest size
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (<20 teams) | 1 | 0 | top 64% |
| Medium (20–39) | 12 | 0 | top 71% |
| Large (40+) | 14 | 0 | top 69% |
Contest-by-contest record (recurring contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honeybee BBQ Competition | 2 | 11 | 0 | top 71% | 2025-05-30 |
| Oinktoberfest | 2 | 41 | 0 | top 66% | 2014-09-20 |
The story so far (18 numbers that describe this team)
On the trail
12.8 yrs
2013-06-14 → 2026-04-10
Busiest season
2014
6 contests
Contests a season
2.3
across 13 seasons in the data
Cooks most in
GA
6 of 30 contests · 11 states/provinces in all
Contests visited
25
2 of them cooked more than once
Most-entered meat
Chicken
27 entries · 0 wins · 2 calls
Strongest meat
Pork
averages 158.51 · weakest Brisket (152.77)
Walk rate
20%
a top-10 call in 6 of 30 contests
Overall top-10 rate
7%
2 of 30 contests
Master average
624.20
out of 720 · 23 contests · 0 GCs
Backyard average
361.43
out of 360 · 3 contests · 0 GCs
Opponents faced
2,024
919–2,709 across every shared overall standing
Road miles
23,576
30 mapped stops · furthest 2,131 mi
Schedule strength
1556
average field rating faced — tougher than 43% of rated contests
Purse competed for
$104,340
listed at 12 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0
from 12 state-championship entries
Longest layoff
1.6 yrs
2020-02-28 → 2021-09-24
Power rating
1425
peak 1425 · #6104 of 6,413 rated
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
- 2013
- First tracked contest Sunflower Barbecue
- 2014
- First call Oinktoberfest
- First overall top-10 The Real Squeal: Lyons Barbeque & Music Festival (GBC & SBBQA Qualifier)
- First overall podium The Real Squeal: Lyons Barbeque & Music Festival (GBC & SBBQA Qualifier)
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score687.3372 The Real Squeal: Lyons Barbeque & Music Festival (GBC & SBBQA Qualifier)
- 10th tracked contest The National BBQ Cup (SBBQA)
- Peak power rating (1488) The National BBQ Cup (SBBQA)
- 2024
- 25th tracked contest Squeal on the Eel Festival (BACKYARD ONLY)
- 2025
- Career-best overall score692.5028 The Real Squeal BBQ & Music Festival
- Career-best single call (Brisket)176.5600 The Real Squeal BBQ & Music Festival
- 2026
- Most recent contest Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 1)
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +17.5 | The Real Squeal: Lyons Barbeque & Music Festival (GBC & SBBQA Qualifier) | 2014-10-10 |
| +17 | The National BBQ Cup (SBBQA) | 2014-11-21 |
| +8 | *Bixby BBQ'n Blues Festival | 2018-05-04 |
| +6.1 | The Real Squeal BBQ & Music Festival | 2025-10-03 |
| +4.4 | 34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open | 2013-10-03 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -15.6 | Sunflower Barbecue | 2013-06-14 |
| -11.6 | 35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open | 2014-10-02 |
| -11 | Silicon Valley BBQ Championships | 2014-06-27 |
| -10.6 | Honeybee BBQ Competition | 2023-06-02 |
| -9.5 | 39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) | 2018-09-15 |
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 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 93% | 82.8% | 82.8% |
| 2025 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 67% | top 40% | 96.2% | 90% |
| 2024 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 61% | 86.6% | 86.6% |
| 2023 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 95% | 87.3% | 85.7% |
| 2022 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 88% | 85.8% | 85.8% |
| 2021 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 56% | 130.8% | 130.8% |
| 2020 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 86% | 86.6% | 86.6% |
| 2019 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 50% | top 78% | 83.5% | 83.5% |
| 2018 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25% | top 69% | 92.8% | 87.1% |
| 2016 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 89% | 85.1% | 85.1% |
| 2015 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 57% | 90% | 90% |
| 2014 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 33% | top 56% | 95.8% | 87.2% |
| 2013 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 71% | 89.3% | 85.6% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-24 | Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 1) 🏅 New Freedom, PA | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2026-04-10 | Cedar Fest BBQ Cook Off 🏅 Cedar Park, TX | 38 / 41 (595.9084) | 41 (131.4284) | 34 (156.0344) | 30 (158.7884) | 35 (149.6572) |
| 2025-10-03 | The Real Squeal BBQ & Music Festival 🏅 Lyons, GA | 12 / 32 (692.5028) | 28 (166.8228) | 8 (174.2628) | 9 (174.8572) | 4 (176.5600) |
| 2025-07-25 | Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 1) 🏅 New Freedom, PA | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2025-05-30 | Honeybee BBQ Competition 🏅 Lafayette, GA | 11 / 26 (301.6340) | 11 (153.1084) | 11 (148.5256) | 10 (159.9428) | — |
| 2024-06-14 | Squeal on the Eel Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Logansport, IN | 17 / 28 (311.8628) | 21 (151.9200) | 14 (159.9428) | — | — |
| 2023-06-02 | Honeybee BBQ Competition 🏅 Lafayette, GA | 27 / 27 (604.9260) | 27 (153.6572) | 27 (150.2172) | 26 (158.2400) | 27 (142.8116) |
| 2023-04-21 | Smokin in the Creek BBQ 🏅 Sugar Creek, MO | 46 / 51 (618.0228) | 39 (157.0628) | 50 (149.0628) | 45 (158.8116) | 46 (153.0856) |
| 2023-03-10 | BBQ & Brew Fest - Best in the Southwest 🏅 Yuma, AZ | 30 / 32 (628.3892) | 30 (162.2744) | 25 (162.8460) | 29 (159.3600) | 30 (143.9088) |
| 2022-02-18 | BBQ & Brew 'Best in the Southwest' Festival 🏅 Yuma, AZ | 30 / 34 (618.1144) | 33 (150.2744) | 22 (165.1200) | 28 (159.9656) | 31 (142.7544) |
| 2021-09-24 | BBQ Boogie & Blues 🏅 Calhoun, GA | 15 / 27 (470.7884) | 14 (159.9656) | 13 (158.2628) | 19 (152.5600) | — |
| 2020-02-28 | Best in the Desert Southwest KCBS BBQ Competition 🏅 Yuma, AZ | 25 / 29 (623.8172) | 15 (166.2628) | 25 (155.3600) | 24 (156.5144) | 26 (145.6800) |
| 2019-07-20 | Ribs and Rhythm & Blues 🏅 Auburn, NY | 31 / 34 (600.9600) | 32 (141.1084) | 19 (165.7144) | 27 (152.5028) | 33 (141.6344) |
| 2019-07-12 | Adath Israel Kosher BBQ Cook-off (KOSHER SERIES) unrated Cincinnati, OH | 9 / 14 (652.4572) | 12 (151.9656) | 8 (158.8344) | — | 8 (166.2400) |
| 2018-09-15 | 39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS | 433 / 467 (604.4684) | 443 (150.2856) | 460 (133.6572) | 43 (174.3200) | 426 (146.2056) |
| 2018-08-25 | *HAVA Nagrilla 2018 (KOSHER SERIES)(JUDGES FULL) Wynnewood, PA | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2018-07-21 | Rotary Ribs and Rhythm & Blues Auburn, NY | 25 / 31 (609.0176) | 30 (141.6572) | 25 (151.9544) | 22 (155.4172) | 14 (159.9888) |
| 2018-05-04 | *Bixby BBQ'n Blues Festival Bixby, OK | 23 / 68 (667.9088) | 40 (162.2516) | 38 (162.2516) | 10 (174.8800) | 18 (168.5256) |
| 2016-10-29 | 37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue(OPEN) Kansas City, KS | 495 / 557 (613.0400) | 398 (158.8228) | 505 (147.9772) | 404 (159.4284) | 508 (146.8116) |
| 2015-10-03 | 36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Open Kansas City, MO | 343 / 606 (647.9544) | 341 (162.8344) | 262 (165.1544) | 395 (160.5484) | 350 (159.4172) |
| 2014-11-21 | The National BBQ Cup (SBBQA) Cumming, GA | 11 / 86 (689.6112) | 16 (174.2628) | 14 (171.9772) | 28 (170.2628) | 21 (173.1084) |
| 2014-10-10 | The Real Squeal: Lyons Barbeque & Music Festival (GBC & SBBQA Qualifier) Lyons, GA | 3 / 25 (687.3372) | 4 (175.4172) | 3 (175.4172) | 12 (165.0972) | 6 (171.4056) |
| 2014-10-02 | 35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO | 535 / 552 (578.6052) | 455 (155.3712) | 548 (121.6228) | 458 (154.2168) | 496 (147.3944) |
| 2014-09-20 | Oinktoberfest Clarence, NY | 41 / 66 (617.5656) | 6 (170.2628) | 40 (153.0744) | 59 (147.3828) | 52 (146.8456) |
| 2014-08-15 | BBQ and Fly In on the River Excelsior Springs, MO | 31 / 51 (647.9084) | 25 (167.4172) | 33 (159.9772) | 42 (159.3940) | 25 (161.1200) |
| 2014-06-27 | Silicon Valley BBQ Championships Santa Clara, CA | 44 / 48 (545.0852) | 44 (141.1428) | 31 (152.6400) | 48 (114.7884) | 39 (136.5140) |
| 2013-10-03 | 34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO | 231 / 535 (642.7428) | 322 (158.8228) | 125 (166.2628) | 157 (165.7028) | 374 (151.9544) |
| 2013-09-20 | Oinktoberfest Clarence, NY | 49 / 71 (607.3716) | 32 (158.8684) | 54 (144.4916) | 44 (156.0344) | 53 (147.9772) |
| 2013-06-28 | Boston Hill BBQ Fest Hamburg, NY | 36 / 49 (610.2856) | 40 (153.1426) | 37 (152.0002) | 25 (159.4286) | 41 (145.7142) |
| 2013-06-14 | Sunflower Barbecue Topeka, KS | 34 / 34 (605.1418) | 19 (163.4284) | 33 (146.2852) | 32 (154.2854) | 31 (141.1428) |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 ↗ | Master | #1954 (60 pts) | #2012 (60 pts) | #1996 (60 pts) | #1965 (71 pts) | #1751 (111 pts) |
| 2016 ↗ | Master | #2274 (60 pts) | #2353 (60 pts) | #2349 (60 pts) | #2326 (60 pts) | #2345 (60 pts) |
| 2015 ↗ | Master | #2158 (60 pts) | #2209 (60 pts) | #2209 (60 pts) | #2225 (60 pts) | #2214 (60 pts) |
| 2014 ↗ | Master | #1589 (150 pts) | #1666 (150 pts) | #1653 (150 pts) | #1668 (150 pts) | #1664 (150 pts) |
| 2013 ↗ | Master | #1647 (133 pts) | #1485 (163 pts) | #1727 (133 pts) | #1748 (133 pts) | #1680 (133 pts) |