The heartbreaker
0.0344
points from the title
Came within 0.0344 points of the Grand Championship at East Central State BBQ Cook Off Paola Roots Festival (2015-08-28).
Smokin R's
At a glance (everything the results say about this team, in numbers)
Rating
1550
peak 1558 · rated over 14 contests ⓘ
Best runs
3
straight top-10s
Contests
14
in the data
First seen
2015-04-17
latest 2026-04-03
Best ToY finish
#450
Master 2015
Grand champs
0
2 reserve
Category wins
0
3 podiums
Overall top-10s
4
of 14 contests
Avg finish
top 44%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
0
Current form
658.54 ▼
last 5 Master vs avg 663.26 (-4.72)
Walk rate
57%
contests with a top-10 call
Top-10 streak
3
best run (overall)
Consistency
±17.18
std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Pork
avg 167.56 · weakest Chicken (162.71)
Road miles
660
mi across 14 mapped stops · furthest 75 mi
Schedule strength
46%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1560)
Purse competed for
$5K
listed at 1 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0 🏅
GCs in 1 state-championship entries
Master avg
663.26 / 720
14 Master contests · 0 GCs
Storylines (11 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.
Happy hunting ground
Top 3%
average finish here
East Central State BBQ Cook-Off, Paola Roots Festival is their spot: an average finish in the top 3% across 2 visits.
- 2 visits
- best finish 2nd
- average top 3%
High-water mark
685.6688
career-best overall
95.2% of a perfect 720
Their best day on record: 685.6688 at Leavenworth Hog Wild BBQ Contest — 95.2% of a perfect 720.
- Master
- 2015-09-11
The one to beat
2×
one call ahead of them
B & C SMOKERS has finished one call ahead of Smokin R's 2 times — their closest competition in the data.
Their season
2015
their best year
2015 was the year it came together: 6 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 34%.
- 6 contests
- 3 overall top-10s
- 0 category wins
- average top 34%
A tough matchup
7–1
behind in the head-to-head
BURNT AT BOTH ENDZ ahead in 88% of their meetings
BURNT AT BOTH ENDZ has come out ahead in 7 of their 8 shared contests.
The weak link
−4.8
points behind their best meat
Chicken is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 4.85 points below their pork, and turns into a call 7% of the time against 29%.
- Chicken avg 162.71
- Pork avg 167.56
- 1 calls in 14 entries
A strong matchup
5–0
ahead in the head-to-head
Ahead in 100% of their meetings
They've finished ahead of Griswold Grillers in 5 of their 5 shared contests.
The comeback
9.5 yrs
off the trail, then back
Off the trail for 9.5 years, then back at Smokin in the Valley (2026-04-03).
- last seen 2016-10-07
- back 2026-04-03
Pork nemesis
6 of 8
shared pork entries lost
BURNT AT BOTH ENDZ ahead 75% of the time
Even in their strongest meat, BURNT AT BOTH ENDZ has out-cooked them in 6 of 8 shared pork entries.
The metronome
±2.39%
swing around their own average
Their overall lands within ±2.39% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.
- averages 92.1% of a perfect score
- 14 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.
55 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.
#1736 of the rated field
- Contests
- 37
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 14%
- Peak
- 1555
1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to Smokin R's)
One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team Smokin R's has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.
⚔ Head-to-head#1725 of the rated field
- Contests
- 63
- GCs
- 2
- Top-10s
- 29%
- Peak
- 1599
1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to Smokin R's)
They've been 1599 at their best, 49 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.
⚔ Head-to-head#1728 of the rated field
- Contests
- 14
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 21%
- Peak
- 1552
No shared contest yet.
Their last contest in the data was back in 2018, 8 years before Smokin R's's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.
⚔ Head-to-head#1742 of the rated field
- Contests
- 15
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 27%
- Peak
- 1553
No shared contest yet.
Careers of much the same size, 15 contests to 14, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.
⚔ Head-to-head#1727 of the rated field
- Contests
- 15
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 40%
- Peak
- 1552
No shared contest yet.
Their rating is built on 1 Grand Championship in 15 contests, alongside a 40% overall top-10 rate.
⚔ Head-to-head#1724 of the rated field
- Contests
- 12
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 58%
- Peak
- 1551
No shared contest yet.
Both teams' first contest in the data came in 2015.
⚔ Head-to-headFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BURNT AT BOTH ENDZ | 8 | 1 | 7 | 13% | ⚔ compare |
| BULL CREEK BBQ | 7 | 2 | 5 | 29% | ⚔ compare |
| 913 BBQ | 7 | 1 | 6 | 14% | ⚔ compare |
| Griswold Grillers | 5 | 5 | 0 | 100% | ⚔ compare |
| SOCIAL SMOKERS BBQ SQUAD | 5 | 2 | 3 | 40% | ⚔ compare |
| PORKERSTARS | 5 | 2 | 3 | 40% | ⚔ compare |
| GRINDERS BBQ KANSAS CITY | 5 | 1 | 4 | 20% | ⚔ compare |
| KC SMOKE DAWGS | 5 | 1 | 4 | 20% | ⚔ compare |
| DIRT ROAD BBQ | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| HIGH i QUE | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 174.2972 | 154.8228 | 162.71 | top 62% |
| Pork Ribs | 14 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 176.0000 | 155.9660 | 166.77 | top 43% |
| Pork | 14 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 177.1428 | 158.2056 | 167.56 | top 43% |
| Brisket | 14 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 178.8572 | 149.0744 | 166.22 | top 38% |
“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 | 11 | 0 | top 42% |
| MO | 3 | 0 | top 51% |
By contest size
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medium (20–39) | 8 | 0 | top 48% |
| Large (40+) | 6 | 0 | top 38% |
Contest-by-contest record (recurring contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cookin on the Kaw | 2 | 10 | 0 | top 38% | 2016-10-07 |
| East Central State BBQ Cook-Off, Paola Roots Festival | 2 | 2 | 0 | top 3% | 2016-08-26 |
The story so far (18 numbers that describe this team)
On the trail
11 yrs
2015-04-17 → 2026-04-03
Busiest season
2016
7 contests
Contests a season
4.7
across 3 seasons in the data
Cooks most in
KS
11 of 14 contests · 2 states/provinces in all
Contests visited
12
2 of them cooked more than once
Most-entered meat
Chicken
14 entries · 0 wins · 1 calls
Strongest meat
Pork
averages 167.56 · weakest Chicken (162.71)
Walk rate
57%
a top-10 call in 8 of 14 contests
Overall top-10 rate
29%
4 of 14 contests
Best top-10 run
3
straight contests
Master average
663.26
out of 720 · 14 contests · 0 GCs
Opponents faced
362
353–226 across every shared overall standing
Road miles
660
14 mapped stops · furthest 75 mi
Schedule strength
1560
average field rating faced — tougher than 46% of rated contests
Purse competed for
$5,000
listed at 1 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0
from 1 state-championship entries
Longest layoff
9.5 yrs
2016-10-07 → 2026-04-03
Power rating
1550
peak 1558 · #1735 of 6,413 rated
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
- 2015
- First tracked contest VFW Post 846 7th Annual BBQ Challenge
- First call McLouth BBQ Blowout 24th Annual (JUDGES FULL)
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score675.9200 McLouth BBQ Blowout 24th Annual (JUDGES FULL)
- First overall top-10 East Central State BBQ Cook Off Paola Roots Festival
- First overall podium East Central State BBQ Cook Off Paola Roots Festival
- First Reserve Championship East Central State BBQ Cook Off Paola Roots Festival
- Career-best overall score685.6688 Leavenworth Hog Wild BBQ Contest
- Career-best single call (Brisket)178.8572 Cookin on the Kaw
- 2016
- 10th tracked contest Wolf Creek Wildblue BBQ
- Peak power rating (1558) Cookin on the Kaw
- 2026
- Most recent contest Smokin in the Valley
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +16.3 | East Central State BBQ Cook Off Paola Roots Festival | 2015-08-28 |
| +14.7 | East Central State BBQ Cook-Off, Paola Roots Festival | 2016-08-26 |
| +10.8 | Leavenworth Hog Wild BBQ Contest | 2015-09-11 |
| +8.2 | Cookin on the Kaw | 2015-10-09 |
| +7.5 | McLouth BBQ Blowout 24th Annual (JUDGES FULL) | 2015-06-05 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -7.4 | Smokin in the Valley | 2026-04-03 |
| -4.3 | VFW Post 846 7th Annual BBQ Challenge | 2015-04-17 |
| -2.9 | Brews, Blues & Bar-B-Q | 2016-05-06 |
| -1.4 | McLouth BBQ Blowout 25th Anniversary (Judges full) | 2016-06-03 |
| -1.3 | Smoking in the Golden Valley | 2016-09-23 |
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 | 0% | top 81% | 87.1% | 87.1% |
| 2016 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 43% | top 46% | 94.8% | 91.8% |
| 2015 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 83% | top 34% | 95.2% | 93.3% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-03 | Smokin in the Valley 🏅 Linn Valley, KS | 25 / 31 (627.2348) | 26 (158.2516) | 23 (155.9660) | 22 (163.9428) | 25 (149.0744) |
| 2016-10-07 | Cookin on the Kaw DeSoto, KS | 27 / 56 (666.8000) | 41 (163.3828) | 15 (170.2856) | 28 (167.4172) | 29 (165.7144) |
| 2016-09-23 | Smoking in the Golden Valley Clinton, MO | 12 / 22 (657.0400) | 18 (157.0856) | 12 (165.7144) | 14 (165.1200) | 6 (169.1200) |
| 2016-08-26 | East Central State BBQ Cook-Off, Paola Roots Festival Paola, KS | 2 / 61 (682.8688) | 13 (169.1316) | 24 (165.7372) | 2 (177.1428) | 9 (170.8572) |
| 2016-07-15 | Wolf Creek Wildblue BBQ Burlington, KS | 26 / 46 (658.7428) | 32 (163.4172) | 40 (159.9772) | 8 (174.2628) | 29 (161.0856) |
| 2016-06-03 | McLouth BBQ Blowout 25th Anniversary (Judges full) McLouth, KS | 19 / 33 (657.6456) | 31 (154.8228) | 13 (170.2972) | 17 (163.9428) | 15 (168.5828) |
| 2016-05-06 | Brews, Blues & Bar-B-Q Lansing, KS | 18 / 30 (644.9484) | 17 (161.6684) | 11 (167.3944) | 20 (158.2056) | 17 (157.6800) |
| 2016-04-01 | Smokin On Big Creek BBQ Contest Benefiting Operation BBQ Relief Pleasant Hill, MO | 32 / 72 (659.3372) | 40 (164.5600) | 55 (155.9772) | 22 (169.6800) | 13 (169.1200) |
| 2015-10-09 | Cookin on the Kaw DeSoto, KS | 10 / 36 (684.5256) | 33 (157.0856) | 7 (176.0000) | 10 (172.5828) | 3 (178.8572) |
| 2015-09-11 | Leavenworth Hog Wild BBQ Contest Leavenworth, KS | 5 / 28 (685.6688) | 13 (171.4400) | 14 (170.8460) | 7 (173.1084) | 7 (170.2744) |
| 2015-08-28 | East Central State BBQ Cook Off Paola Roots Festival Paola, KS | 2 / 65 (682.2516) | 13 (169.1200) | 6 (172.0116) | 20 (166.8228) | 2 (174.2972) |
| 2015-07-10 | Johnson County Fair BBQ Warrensburg, MO | 18 / 33 (662.1712) | 26 (158.8456) | 13 (164.5488) | 19 (165.6684) | 5 (173.1084) |
| 2015-06-05 | McLouth BBQ Blowout 24th Annual (JUDGES FULL) McLouth, KS | 11 / 33 (675.9200) | 4 (174.2972) | 5 (174.2628) | 14 (168.5484) | 21 (158.8116) |
| 2015-04-17 | VFW Post 846 7th Annual BBQ Challenge Overland Park, KS | 33 / 47 (640.5144) | 38 (154.8572) | 19 (165.7488) | 29 (159.3712) | 30 (160.5372) |
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 | #1173 (56 pts) | #1223 (56 pts) | #1032 (66 pts) | #937 (71 pts) | #1175 (56 pts) |
| 2016 ↗ | Master | #546 (730 pts) | #748 (535 pts) | #628 (650 pts) | #489 (830 pts) | #540 (750 pts) |
| 2015 ↗ | Master | #450 (854 pts) | #621 (619 pts) | #454 (839 pts) | #605 (639 pts) | #384 (974 pts) |