Smokin' Bunz BBQ

At a glance (everything the results say about this team, in numbers)

Power ranking

#3524

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1492

peak 1502 · rated over 13 contests ⓘ

Contests

in the data

First seen

2016-06-24

latest 2025-11-05

Best ToY finish

#2852

Master 2017

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

0 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 13 contests

Avg finish

top 58%

overall standings

Best overall

665.0168 / 720

Master · 40th American Royal World Series of Barbecue- OPEN CONTEST

Perfect 180s

Current form

653.37 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 645.42 (+7.94)

Walk rate

15%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

176.0000

Pork · Great Lenexa BBQ Battle-Kansas State Championship

Consistency

±13.26

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 165.38 · weakest Pork Ribs (157.72)

Road miles

103

mi across 13 mapped stops

Schedule strength

43%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1556)

Purse competed for

$172K

listed at 6 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

GCs in 9 state-championship entries

Master avg

645.42 / 720

13 Master contests · 0 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (8 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.

High-water mark

665.0168 career-best overall

92.4% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 665.0168 at 40th American Royal World Series of Barbecue- OPEN CONTEST — 92.4% of a perfect 720.

Master
2019-09-12

A tough matchup

11–0 behind in the head-to-head

913 BBQ ahead in 100% of their meetings

913 BBQ has come out ahead in 11 of their 11 shared contests.

The weak link

−7.7 points behind their best meat

Pork Ribs is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 7.66 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 0% of the time against 8%.

Pork Ribs avg 157.72
Chicken avg 165.38
0 calls in 13 entries

A strong matchup

7–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 88% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of Brewski and Barbeque in 7 of their 8 shared contests.

The comeback

3.4 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 3.4 years, then back at American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest (2025-11-05).

last seen 2022-06-03
back 2025-11-05

Chicken nemesis

9 of 11 shared chicken entries lost

913 BBQ ahead 82% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, 913 BBQ has out-cooked them in 9 of 11 shared chicken entries.

A June team

Top 49% average finish in June

Something about June: average finish in the top 49% across 6 contests, versus top 58% the rest of the year.

6 June contests
top 58% the rest of the year

The metronome

±1.84% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.84% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 89.6% of a perfect score
13 contests

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.

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

THIS BUTTS FOR YOU

#3521 of the rated field

1492 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 16
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 6%
Peak: 1517

2–2 in 4 shared contests (50% to Smokin' Bunz BBQ)

These two have cooked 4 of the same contests — honours even — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.

rated over 16 contests
last seen 2022-06-03

⚔ Head-to-head

Lucky Pig Barbecue

#3545 of the rated field

1492 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 17
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 6%
Peak: 1525

2–2 in 4 shared contests (50% to Smokin' Bunz BBQ)

They've been 1525 at their best, 33 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 17 contests
last seen 2025-09-26

⚔ Head-to-head

BARBECUTIONERS

#3513 of the rated field

1493 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 9
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 11%
Peak: 1493

2–2 in 4 shared contests (50% to Smokin' Bunz BBQ)

Their last contest in the data was back in 2019, 6 years before Smokin' Bunz BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 9 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

TEN-32 BBQ

#3534 of the rated field

1492 ▼ 0 power rating

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

2–0 in 2 shared contests (100% to Smokin' Bunz BBQ)

Careers of much the same size, 10 contests to 13, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 7 contests
last seen 2021-09-16

⚔ Head-to-head

THE FABULOUS FAULTLINERS

#3526 of the rated field

1492 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 14
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1501

No shared contest yet.

14 contests and no Grand Championship yet.

rated over 14 contests
last seen 2019-08-16

⚔ Head-to-head

McLay Brothers BBQ

#3505 of the rated field

1493 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 11
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 36%
Peak: 1517

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 11 contests
last seen 2021-09-11

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
913 BBQ	11	0	11	0%	⚔ compare
HUNKA HUNKA BURNIN' RUB	11	0	11	0%	⚔ compare
B & C SMOKERS	9	2	7	22%	⚔ compare
BREW 'N' BAR-B-QUE	9	0	9	0%	⚔ compare
SLAPS BBQ	9	0	9	0%	⚔ compare
Brewski and Barbeque	8	7	1	88%	⚔ compare
B&D BBQ	8	5	3	63%	⚔ compare
BROWNIES BBQ	8	5	3	63%	⚔ compare
Smoke Me Tender BBQ	8	4	4	50%	⚔ compare
Hawg Wild	8	3	5	38%	⚔ compare
PARK AVENUE PORK	8	2	6	25%	⚔ compare
Sons of a Brisket	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
Sublime BBQ	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
HIGH i QUE	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
PB&J SMOKIN OLD MEN	7	6	1	86%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	13	1	174.8456	157.6800	165.38	top 46%
Pork Ribs	13	0	167.9656	146.8116	157.72	top 70%
Pork	13	1	176.0000	152.5600	163.24	top 54%
Brisket	13	0	175.4056	137.0628	159.09	top 55%

“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
KS	10	0	top 58%
MO	3	0	top 59%

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	1	0	top 100%
Large (40+)	12	0	top 54%

The story so far (17 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 9.4 yrs 2016-06-24 → 2025-11-05

Busiest season 2019 4 contests

Contests a season 1.9 across 7 seasons in the data

Cooks most in KS 10 of 13 contests · 2 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 13 0 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 13 entries · 0 wins · 1 calls

Strongest meat Chicken averages 165.38 · weakest Pork Ribs (157.72)

Walk rate 15% a top-10 call in 2 of 13 contests

Overall top-10 rate 0% 0 of 13 contests

Master average 645.42 out of 720 · 13 contests · 0 GCs

Opponents faced 1,360 1,169–1,531 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 103 13 mapped stops

Schedule strength 1556 average field rating faced — tougher than 43% of rated contests

Purse competed for $171,761 listed at 6 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships 0 from 9 state-championship entries

Longest layoff 3.4 yrs 2022-06-03 → 2025-11-05

Power rating 1492 peak 1502 · #3524 of 6,413 rated

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

2016
Jun 24 First tracked contest Great Lenexa BBQ Battle-Kansas State Championship
2017
Apr 28 First call Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Jun 23 Career-best single call (Pork)176.0000 Great Lenexa BBQ Battle-Kansas State Championship
Sep 1 First overall past 90% of a perfect score652.4684 38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN)
2019
Sep 12 10th tracked contest 40th American Royal World Series of Barbecue- OPEN CONTEST
Sep 12 Career-best overall score665.0168 40th American Royal World Series of Barbecue- OPEN CONTEST
2021
Jun 4 Peak power rating (1502) Kelley Wilson BBQ (KWBBQ)
2025
Nov 5 Most recent contest American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+6.1	Kelley Wilson BBQ (KWBBQ)	2021-06-04
+5.7	Great Lenexa BBQ Battle-Kansas State Championship	2017-06-23
+3.4	The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle	2018-06-22
+2.6	39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN)	2018-09-15
+1.9	The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle-Kansas State Championship	2019-06-21

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-11.8	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	2017-04-28
-6	Kelley Wilson Memorial BBQ Competition	2022-06-03
-4.3	VFW Post 846 Battle of the Pits	2019-04-05
-3.1	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest	2025-11-05
-1.5	Kelly Wilson BBQ (KWBBQ)	2019-05-31

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)

Season by season

Season	Contests	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2025	1	0%	top 71%	92%	92%
2022	1	0%	top 78%	87.9%	87.9%
2021	1	0%	top 38%	92.1%	92.1%
2019	4	0%	top 56%	92.4%	89.7%
2018	2	0%	top 47%	91.4%	90.3%
2017	3	67%	top 65%	90.6%	88.8%
2016	1	0%	top 52%	87.6%	87.6%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2025-11-05	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS	284 / 401 (662.6740)	221 (169.6800)	247 (167.3828)	284 (165.6684)	329 (159.9428)
2022-06-03	Kelley Wilson Memorial BBQ Competition 🏅 Kansas City, MO	32 / 41 (633.0748)	33 (157.6916)	37 (150.8116)	12 (171.4516)	31 (153.1200)
2021-06-04	Kelley Wilson BBQ (KWBBQ) 🏅 Kansas City, MO	21 / 55 (662.7884)	40 (157.6800)	20 (167.9656)	22 (167.4172)	12 (169.7256)
2019-09-12	40th American Royal World Series of Barbecue- OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS	196 / 468 (665.0168)	272 (163.9312)	291 (162.8228)	279 (162.8572)	35 (175.4056)
2019-06-21	The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle-Kansas State Championship 🏅 Lenexa, KS	86 / 183 (643.2800)	120 (157.6800)	161 (146.8116)	24 (170.8228)	40 (167.9656)
2019-05-31	Kelly Wilson BBQ (KWBBQ) 🏅 Kansas City, MO	34 / 56 (642.0912)	25 (166.8456)	43 (153.6456)	31 (161.0856)	28 (160.5144)
2019-04-05	VFW Post 846 Battle of the Pits 🏅 Overland Park, KS	39 / 53 (633.5772)	31 (165.6800)	47 (151.9888)	44 (157.0856)	38 (158.8228)
2018-09-15	39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	245 / 467 (658.2056)	215 (167.3944)	221 (166.8228)	382 (155.4284)	136 (168.5600)
2018-06-22	The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle Lenexa, KS	77 / 185 (641.6688)	12 (170.8572)	111 (157.1316)	65 (164.0344)	139 (149.6456)
2017-09-01	38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	247 / 407 (652.4684)	53 (174.8456)	250 (162.8344)	249 (163.3828)	341 (151.4056)
2017-06-23	Great Lenexa BBQ Battle-Kansas State Championship 🏅 Lenexa, KS	65 / 184 (642.7888)	93 (158.2400)	150 (148.5372)	5 (176.0000)	74 (160.0116)
2017-04-28	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Overland Park, KS	30 / 30 (622.1028)	9 (171.9772)	24 (160.5028)	29 (152.5600)	30 (137.0628)
2016-06-24	Great Lenexa BBQ Battle-Kansas State Championship 🏅 Lenexa, KS	96 / 183 (630.7656)	35 (167.4172)	137 (153.1316)	132 (154.2740)	104 (155.9428)

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
2017 ↗	Master	#2852 (55 pts)	#1697 (140 pts)	#2304 (60 pts)	#2851 (55 pts)	#2840 (55 pts)