CLOUD OF SMOKE BBQ

CLOUD OF SMOKE BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 30 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2014 and 2026. Their best overall finish is 6th of 29 at the Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (2015). They are ranked #3185 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#3,185

of 6,476 rated · rankings

Rating

1501

peak 1550 · rated over 29 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Mar 21, 2014

latest Jan 16, 2026 · 11.8 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#627

Master 2024 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

6 podiums

Overall top-10s

7% of 30 contests

Avg finish

top 57%

overall standings

Best overall

678.7312 / 720

Master · Golden State Battle of Indio

Perfect 180s

Current form

669.82 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 662.53 (+7.28)

Walk rate

57%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

177.7028

Chicken · 2022 Indio California State BBQ Championship & Festival

Consistency

±12.24

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 167.70 · weakest Brisket (161.87)

Road miles

8,853

across 30 mapped stops · furthest 1,378 mi

Schedule strength

62%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1578)

Purse competed for

$167K

listed at 12 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 13 state-championship entries

Master avg

662.53 / 720

29 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (13 found in their record)

Each card leads with the number behind the story, straight from their results.

High-water mark

678.7312 career-best overall

94.3% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 678.7312 at Golden State Battle of Indio — 94.3% of a perfect 720.

Master
Nov 17, 2023

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

HIGH DESERT HOLY SMOKE BBQ has finished one call ahead of CLOUD OF SMOKE BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2016 their best year

2016 was the year it came together: 3 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 37%.

3 contests
0 overall top-10s
0 category wins
average top 37%

A tough matchup

22–2 behind in the head-to-head

LOOT N' BOOTY BBQ ahead in 92% of their meetings

LOOT N' BOOTY BBQ has come out ahead in 22 of their 24 shared contests.

The weak link

−5.8 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 5.83 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 14% of the time against 21%.

Brisket avg 161.87
Chicken avg 167.70
4 calls in 29 entries

A strong matchup

13–2 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 87% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of DJS SMOKIN' BBQ in 13 of their 15 shared contests.

The comeback

2.4 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 2.4 years, then back at Best Dam Barbeque (May 27, 2022).

last seen Jan 17, 2020
back May 27, 2022

Show 6 more storylines

Chicken nemesis

19 of 24 shared chicken entries lost

LOOT N' BOOTY BBQ ahead 79% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, LOOT N' BOOTY BBQ has out-cooked them in 19 of 24 shared chicken entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

STEEL CITY BBQ has landed one call behind them 2 times.

A March team

Top 40% average finish in March

Something about March: average finish in the top 40% across 4 contests, versus top 57% the rest of the year.

4 March contests
top 57% the rest of the year

The long haul

8,853 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 8,853 miles across 30 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 1,378 miles to Rim County BBQ Classic and Testicle Festival.

30 mapped stops
furthest 1,378 mi

The metronome

±1.70% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.70% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 92.0% of a perfect score
30 contests

A standing appointment

4 years running at one contest

They've cooked Sam's Club National BBQ Tour every year from 2014 to 2017 — the contest they never miss.

4 visits in all
best finish 6th

Team of the Year (rank per category by season — the year links to the full board on kcbs.us)

Year	Series	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2024 ↗	Master	#627 (264 pts)	#634 (289 pts)	#542 (423 pts)	#580 (324 pts)	#614 (294 pts)
2023 ↗	Master	#1255 (60 pts)	#1282 (70 pts)	#960 (165 pts)	#1287 (60 pts)	#1296 (60 pts)
2020 ↗	Master	#856 (60 pts)	#601 (165 pts)	#913 (60 pts)	#899 (60 pts)	#883 (60 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#1955 (60 pts)	#1796 (100 pts)	#2026 (60 pts)	#2029 (60 pts)	#2010 (60 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#929 (316 pts)	#1053 (281 pts)	#666 (551 pts)	#894 (361 pts)	#830 (406 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#1296 (204 pts)	#1608 (164 pts)	#1007 (364 pts)	#1476 (184 pts)	#1337 (224 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#936 (355 pts)	#996 (355 pts)	#987 (370 pts)	#1288 (250 pts)	#1031 (335 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#711 (499 pts)	#633 (609 pts)	#695 (549 pts)	#589 (664 pts)	#971 (349 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#1114 (270 pts)	#1363 (220 pts)	#1462 (195 pts)	#842 (435 pts)	#1218 (250 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to CLOUD OF SMOKE BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.

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

SMOKIN GNOME BBQ

#3,179 of the rated field

1501 power rating

Contests: 34
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 18%
Peak: 1576

They've been 1576 at their best, 75 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 34 contests
last seen Sep 24, 2021

⚔ Compare careers

SMOKE'M IF U GOT'M

#3,191 of the rated field

1501 power rating

Contests: 44
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 18%
Peak: 1538

Their last contest in the data was back in 2021, 5 years before CLOUD OF SMOKE BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 42 contests

⚔ Compare careers

BAR-BEAM-QUE

#3,180 of the rated field

1501 power rating

Contests: 20
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 10%
Peak: 1501

Fewer contests behind them than CLOUD OF SMOKE BBQ has cooked, 20 to 30, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.

rated over 20 contests
last seen Aug 19, 2022

⚔ Compare careers

All Four Aces BBQ

#3,201 of the rated field

1500 power rating

Contests: 19
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 5%
Peak: 1523

19 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 5% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 19 contests
last seen Jun 21, 2024

⚔ Compare careers

Belly Up BBQ

#3,174 of the rated field

1501 power rating

Contests: 17
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1511

Level with CLOUD OF SMOKE BBQ on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 17 contests
last seen Sep 8, 2023

⚔ Compare careers

HEAVY D BBQ

#3,171 of the rated field

1501 power rating

Contests: 15
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 33%
Peak: 1542

They've been 1542 at their best, 41 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 15 contests
last seen Jun 15, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
LOOT N' BOOTY BBQ	24	2	22	8%	⚔ compare
Bad Boyz BBQ	21	1	20	5%	⚔ compare
Your Behind BBQ	18	8	10	44%	⚔ compare
SMOKERS PURGATORY	18	4	14	22%	⚔ compare
DJS SMOKIN' BBQ	15	13	2	87%	⚔ compare
COW TIPPIN BBQ	15	6	9	40%	⚔ compare
All About Smokin Q	15	2	13	13%	⚔ compare
Rhythm n QUE	15	1	14	7%	⚔ compare
KNIFE PORK AND SPOON	14	3	11	21%	⚔ compare
SHIG NINJA BBQ	14	0	14	0%	⚔ compare
BIG POPPA SMOKERS	14	0	14	0%	⚔ compare
Phil the Grill	12	6	6	50%	⚔ compare
MONSOON BBQ	12	5	7	42%	⚔ compare
STEEL CITY BBQ	12	3	9	25%	⚔ compare
IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ	12	0	12	0%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	29	6	0	3	177.7028	151.3600	167.70	top 50%
Pork Ribs	30	7	0	1	176.5944	158.2400	166.91	top 49%
Pork	27	7	2	2	177.7028	149.6228	165.96	top 53%
Brisket	29	4	0	0	174.2628	150.8000	161.87	top 62%

“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

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	17	0	top 49%
Large (40+)	12	0	top 69%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
AZ	21	top 56%
NV	4	top 63%
CA	2	top 73%
CO	2	top 44%

Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	4	6	top 40%	Mar 17, 2017
Best Dam Barbeque	2	16	top 66%	May 24, 2024
2022 Mazatzal Grill Masters BBQ Competition & Testicle Festival	2	13	top 67%	Sep 30, 2022
Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge	2	44	top 84%	Jan 17, 2020

More numbers

Busiest season 2015 5 contests

Contests a season 2.5 across 12 seasons in the data

Most contests held in AZ 22 of 30 contests · 4 states in all

Contests visited 23 4 of them more than once

Most-entered meat Pork Ribs 30 entries · 0 wins · 7 calls

Opponents faced 485 finished ahead 495 times, behind 694

Longest layoff 2.4 yrs Jan 17, 2020 → May 27, 2022

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

20261 milestone

Jan 16 Most recent contest 11th Annual Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge

20232 milestones

Nov 3 25th tracked contest Downtown Mesa BBQ Classic
Nov 17 Career-best overall score678.7312 Golden State Battle of Indio

20221 milestone

Nov 4 Career-best single call (Chicken)177.7028 2022 Indio California State BBQ Championship & Festival

20171 milestone

Sep 29 Peak power rating (1550) Rim County BBQ Classic and Testicle Festival

20161 milestone

May 6 10th tracked contest 4th Annual BBQ Throwdown

20145 milestones

Mar 21 First tracked contest Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Mar 21 First call Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Mar 21 First overall top-10 Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Mar 21 First overall past 90% of a perfect score666.8344 Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
May 2 First category win (Pork) 2nd Annual Show Low BBQ Throwdown

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+11.1	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	Mar 20, 2015
+10.2	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	Mar 21, 2014
+8.4	Rim County BBQ Classic and Testicle Festival	Sep 29, 2017
+6.5	4th Annual BBQ Throwdown	May 6, 2016
+6	Buskers, Brews & BBQ	Jun 8, 2018

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-11.8	Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge	Jan 19, 2018
-6.6	9th Annual Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge	Jan 12, 2024
-6.3	Arizona National BBQ Stampede	Dec 27, 2019
-5.9	Golden State Battle of Indio	Nov 17, 2023
-5.3	Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge	Jan 17, 2020

Scores over time (% of a perfect score, averaged over 5 contests — 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	Top-10s	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2026	1	0	0	0%	top 64%	93.6%	93.6%
2025	1	0	0	0%	top 67%	93.7%	93.7%
2024	2	0	0	50%	top 75%	92.3%	91.8%
2023	4	0	0	25%	top 75%	94.3%	92.2%
2022	3	0	0	67%	top 62%	93.9%	92.7%
2020	1	0	0	0%	top 75%	89.8%	89.8%
2019	2	0	0	50%	top 71%	91.2%	91%
2018	4	0	0	50%	top 61%	93.3%	90.4%
2017	2	0	0	100%	top 51%	94%	92.8%
2016	3	0	0	100%	top 37%	93.6%	92.8%
2015	5	1	1	60%	top 46%	94.2%	92.1%
2014	2	1	1	100%	top 33%	92.6%	92.5%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Jan 16, 2026	11th Annual Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge 🏅 Bullhead City, AZ	34 / 53 (673.6228)	15 (173.7028)	44 (160.5372)	21 (170.8228)	25 (168.5600)
Nov 21, 2025	BBQ Jackpot 🏅 Las Vegas, NV	60 / 90 (674.7664)	24 (174.2628)	61 (167.9772)	59 (168.5488)	74 (163.9776)
May 24, 2024	Best Dam Barbeque 🏅 Boulder City, NV	23 / 33 (664.4000)	23 (166.2400)	29 (158.8000)	10 (174.2628)	20 (165.0972)
Jan 12, 2024	9th Annual Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge 🏅 Bullhead City, AZ	47 / 58 (657.5660)	56 (162.8000)	20 (171.4172)	39 (164.5372)	43 (158.8116)
Nov 17, 2023	Golden State Battle of Indio 🏅 Indio, CA	33 / 40 (678.7312)	29 (170.2512)	16 (173.1200)	—	31 (166.2516)
Nov 3, 2023	Downtown Mesa BBQ Classic 🏅 Mesa, AZ	20 / 26 (656.4116)	15 (166.8228)	20 (162.8116)	21 (162.8000)	17 (163.9772)
Nov 3, 2023	Downtown Mesa BBQ Classic (One Meat Ribs) Mesa, AZ	—	—	14 (158.8116)	—	—
Jan 13, 2023	Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge 🏅 Bullhead City, AZ	29 / 45 (655.8516)	23 (167.3828)	7 (170.2744)	31 (165.1200)	38 (153.0744)
Nov 4, 2022	2022 Indio California State BBQ Championship & Festival 🏅 Indio, CA	22 / 35 (671.8860)	2 (177.7028)	31 (163.3944)	21 (169.1316)	28 (161.6572)
Sep 30, 2022	2022 Mazatzal Grill Masters BBQ Competition & Testicle Festival 🏅 Payson, AZ	13 / 21 (676.4224)	3 (174.2628)	11 (169.6800)	7 (173.1428)	17 (159.3368)
May 27, 2022	Best Dam Barbeque 🏅 Boulder City, NV	16 / 26 (653.5080)	11 (170.2512)	11 (167.3712)	19 (157.6572)	15 (158.2284)
Jan 17, 2020	Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge 🏅 Bullhead City, AZ	44 / 59 (646.6740)	42 (161.6456)	32 (165.0972)	49 (155.9884)	23 (163.9428)
Dec 27, 2019	Arizona National BBQ Stampede 🏅 Phoenix, AZ	35 / 44 (656.4460)	7 (173.7144)	29 (166.8228)	—	39 (158.2516)
May 3, 2019	7th Annual Show Low BBQ Throw down 🏅 Show Low, AZ	28 / 45 (654.1144)	17 (171.4172)	25 (163.3944)	34 (161.6456)	29 (157.6572)
Sep 28, 2018	Mazatzal Grill Masters BBQ competition & Testicle Festival Payson, AZ	29 / 40 (637.6228)	35 (151.3600)	17 (165.1428)	24 (163.4400)	30 (157.6800)
Jun 8, 2018	Buskers, Brews & BBQ Aurora, CO	11 / 31 (666.7200)	16 (166.2628)	4 (174.2744)	9 (169.6800)	21 (156.5028)
May 4, 2018	City of Show Low's 6th Annual BBQ Throwdown Show Low, AZ	23 / 52 (671.9428)	49 (151.3828)	5 (176.5944)	18 (169.7028)	4 (174.2628)
Jan 19, 2018	Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge Bullhead City, AZ	65 / 70 (627.1768)	61 (159.9656)	53 (162.8228)	69 (149.6228)	59 (154.7656)
Sep 29, 2017	Rim County BBQ Classic and Testicle Festival Payson, AZ	11 / 36 (676.5024)	15 (165.6684)	5 (172.5828)	11 (171.4056)	18 (166.8456)
Mar 17, 2017	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Tucson, AZ	21 / 29 (660.4460)	25 (160.5488)	5 (173.1316)	25 (158.2400)	10 (168.5256)
May 6, 2016	4th Annual BBQ Throwdown Show Low, AZ	12 / 39 (671.8972)	7 (174.8572)	21 (166.2400)	17 (167.3944)	20 (163.4056)
Mar 18, 2016	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Tucson, AZ	13 / 30 (674.2056)	24 (165.6800)	3 (173.7144)	18 (168.5484)	15 (166.2628)
Feb 19, 2016	The Queen Creek BBQ Battle Queen Creek, AZ	14 / 37 (658.1600)	11 (169.1200)	26 (158.2400)	25 (161.1200)	9 (169.6800)
May 30, 2015	Rock'N Western Rendezvous Loveland, CO	20 / 38 (653.6228)	11 (171.4056)	13 (166.2972)	20 (165.1200)	36 (150.8000)
May 1, 2015	Show Low BBQ Throwdown Show Low, AZ	20 / 35 (656.3768)	19 (167.3828)	11 (168.5256)	27 (158.7884)	19 (161.6800)
Apr 24, 2015	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) Las Vegas, NV	16 / 30 (673.6000)	16 (170.8228)	24 (164.5600)	5 (177.7028)	27 (160.5144)
Mar 20, 2015	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Tucson, AZ	6 / 29 (678.1368)	3 (175.4056)	15 (167.3712)	1 (173.7028)	19 (161.6572)
Feb 27, 2015	6th Annual Lake Havasu Music Brews & BBQ Championship Lake Havasu City, AZ	36 / 82 (655.2800)	29 (167.4172)	10 (171.4172)	53 (161.6572)	62 (154.7884)
May 2, 2014	2nd Annual Show Low BBQ Throwdown Show Low, AZ	15 / 35 (664.5144)	23 (165.1544)	22 (162.2516)	1 (174.8800)	19 (162.2284)
Mar 21, 2014	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Tucson, AZ	7 / 30 (666.8344)	8 (170.2744)	12 (164.5600)	8 (166.2972)	7 (165.7028)

CLOUD OF SMOKE BBQ

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

Rating

Contests

First seen

Best ToY finish

Grand champs

Category wins

Overall top-10s

Avg finish

Best overall

Perfect 180s

Current form

Walk rate

Best single call

Consistency

Strongest meat

Road miles

Schedule strength

Purse competed for

State championships

Master avg

Storylines (13 found in their record)

High-water mark

The one to beat

Their season

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

The comeback

Chicken nemesis

Looking over their shoulder

A March team

The long haul

The metronome

A standing appointment

Team of the Year (rank per category by season — the year links to the full board on kcbs.us)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

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

By meat

By field size and state

By contest size

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)

More numbers

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

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

📉 Toughest weekends

Scores over time (% of a perfect score, averaged over 5 contests — 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

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

Career map (orange GC · green top-10 · grey the rest — tap a pin)