First Class BBQ

First Class BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 39 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2016 and 2025. Their best overall finish is 2nd of 36 at the McLouth BBQ Blowout 32nd Annual (2023), and they have finished Reserve Grand Champion twice. They are ranked #1106 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#1,106

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1594

peak 1601 · rated over 30 contests7 invitational or side-series contests not counted

Contests

in the data

First seen

May 20, 2016

latest Nov 5, 2025 · 9.5 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#244

Master 2022 · every season

Grand champs

2 reserve

Category wins

11 podiums

Overall top-10s

23% of 39 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 50%

overall standings

Best overall

695.4284 / 720

Master · McLouth BBQ Blowout 32nd Annual

Perfect 180s

1 🔥

Current form

676.92 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 667.33 (+9.59)

Walk rate

51%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

180 🔥

Pork Ribs · EffingHAM-JAM

Consistency

±30.47

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork

avg 169.07 · weakest Brisket (167.43)

Road miles

15,514

across 39 mapped stops · furthest 1,126 mi

Schedule strength

75%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1597)

Purse competed for

$442K

listed at 21 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 22 state-championship entries

Master avg

667.33 / 720

35 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (9 found in their record)

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

The heartbreaker

2.8684 points from the title

Came within 2.8684 points of the Grand Championship at Q'ing to Cure Childhood Cancer BBQ Cookoff (Aug 11, 2017).

Perfect scores on the board

1 perfect 180

1 perfect 180 in the data — every judge at the table handing back a nine, all in pork ribs.

Pork Ribs ×1

High-water mark

695.4284 career-best overall

96.6% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 695.4284 at McLouth BBQ Blowout 32nd Annual — 96.6% of a perfect 720.

Master
Jun 2, 2023

Their season

2022 their best year

2022 was the year it came together: 9 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 2 category wins, at an average finish in the top 40%.

9 contests
4 overall top-10s
2 category wins
average top 40%

A tough matchup

15–1 behind in the head-to-head

GETTIN' BASTED ahead in 94% of their meetings

GETTIN' BASTED has come out ahead in 15 of their 16 shared contests.

A strong matchup

7–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 88% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of JCs GOOD OL BOYS in 7 of their 8 shared contests.

Pork nemesis

13 of 16 shared pork entries lost

GETTIN' BASTED ahead 81% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, GETTIN' BASTED has out-cooked them in 13 of 16 shared pork entries.

Show 2 more storylines

A June team

Top 40% average finish in June

Something about June: average finish in the top 40% across 6 contests, versus top 50% the rest of the year.

6 June contests
top 50% the rest of the year

The long haul

15,514 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 15,514 miles across 39 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 1,126 miles to 10th Annual Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge.

39 mapped stops
furthest 1,126 mi

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
2025 ↗	Master	#971 (110 pts)	#634 (285 pts)	#1293 (60 pts)	#1111 (85 pts)	#1190 (60 pts)
2024 ↗	Master	#878 (120 pts)	#977 (120 pts)	#1021 (120 pts)	#938 (120 pts)	#922 (120 pts)
2022 ↗	Master	#244 (921 pts)	#323 (746 pts)	#205 (1,100 pts)	#246 (946 pts)	#229 (991 pts)
2021 ↗	Master	#1152 (80 pts)	#1286 (60 pts)	#1218 (85 pts)	#1091 (105 pts)	#1245 (60 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#2078 (92 pts)	#1785 (137 pts)	#2342 (62 pts)	#1716 (157 pts)	#2189 (87 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to First Class BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.

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

SinBin BBQ

#1,107 of the rated field

1594 power rating

Contests: 32
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 31%
Peak: 1596

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to First Class BBQ)

One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team First Class BBQ has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 32 contests
last seen Sep 18, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

PB&J's BBQ

#1,109 of the rated field

1594 power rating

Contests: 32
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 22%
Peak: 1594

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 31 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 31 contests
last seen Aug 16, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

MAXIMUM LOIN

#1,108 of the rated field

1594 power rating

Contests: 24
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 13%
Peak: 1594

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

rated over 24 contests

⚔ Compare careers

Big Reds Backyard BBQ

#1,110 of the rated field

1594 power rating

Contests: 49
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 51%
Peak: 1610

Careers of much the same size, 49 contests to 39, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 45 contests
last seen Oct 10, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

Still Workin' On It

#1,104 of the rated field

1594 power rating

Contests: 66
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 38%
Peak: 1637

66 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 38% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 66 contests
last seen May 15, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

SMOKE HOUND BBQ

#1,105 of the rated field

1594 power rating

Contests: 73
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 19%
Peak: 1604

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

rated over 73 contests
last seen Sep 18, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
LA PASADITA	18	8	10	44%	⚔ compare
GETTIN' BASTED	16	1	15	6%	⚔ compare
Rio Valley Meat BBQ	16	1	15	6%	⚔ compare
Heavy Smoke BBQ	14	6	8	43%	⚔ compare
MEAT ME IN ST. LOUIS	14	3	11	21%	⚔ compare
SMOKE THIS BBQ MO	14	2	12	14%	⚔ compare
RAZORRACKS	14	1	13	7%	⚔ compare
FIRE DANCER BBQ	13	3	10	23%	⚔ compare
MUTTLEY CREW BBQ	13	3	10	23%	⚔ compare
OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE	13	2	11	15%	⚔ compare
FAT BOYS BBQ - TEMPLE, TX	13	1	12	8%	⚔ compare
IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ	13	0	13	0%	⚔ compare
Rollin' Smoke BBQ Texas	12	4	8	33%	⚔ compare
Fergolicious BBQ	12	1	11	8%	⚔ compare
TINY E BBQ	12	1	11	8%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	36	10	1	2	178.8572	153.6916	168.07	top 52%
Pork Ribs	37	9	1	2	180 🔥	158.2516	168.34	top 47%
Pork	35	10	1	3	179.4400	160.5140	169.07	top 46%
Brisket	35	12	0	4	178.8572	157.0512	167.43	top 49%

“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	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	3	top 32%
Medium (20–39)	15	top 50%
Large (40+)	19	top 53%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
KS	11	top 53%
TX	8	top 40%
IL	3	top 45%
TN	2	top 49%
IN	2	top 56%
MO	2	top 42%
OK	2	top 66%
MS	2	top 44%
AL	2	top 73%
AZ	1	top 31%
IA	1	top 59%
NC	1	top 63%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest	2	169	top 49%	Nov 5, 2025
American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Invitational Contest	2	109	top 69%	Nov 5, 2025
Shotgun Fred BBQ Showdown	2	7	top 56%	Feb 14, 2020
Smokin on the Rez BBQ and Music Festival (DAY 2)	2	10	top 44%	Aug 24, 2019
39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN)	2	129	top 57%	Sep 15, 2018
World Barbecue Championship	2	52	top 73%	Nov 8, 2017

More numbers

Busiest season 2022 9 contests

Contests a season 3.9 across 10 seasons in the data

Most contests held in KS 12 of 39 contests · 12 states in all

Contests visited 31 6 of them more than once

Most-entered meat Pork Ribs 37 entries · 1 win · 9 calls

Opponents faced 1,755 finished ahead 2,059 times, behind 2,204

Longest layoff 1.4 yrs Jun 10, 2023 → Oct 30, 2024

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

20252 milestones

Jan 17 Peak power rating (1601) 10th Annual Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge
Nov 5 Most recent contest American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest

20231 milestone

Jun 2 Career-best overall score695.4284 McLouth BBQ Blowout 32nd Annual

20223 milestones

Jul 22 First category win (Pork Ribs) EffingHAM-JAM
Jul 22 First perfect 180 (Pork Ribs) EffingHAM-JAM
Sep 29 25th tracked contest American Royal World Series of Barbecue - INVITATIONAL CONTEST

20191 milestone

Aug 23 10th tracked contest Smokin on the Rez BBQ and Music Festival (DAY 1)

20173 milestones

Jun 16 First overall top-10 Rose Festival KCBS BBQ Competition
Aug 11 First overall podium Q'ing to Cure Childhood Cancer BBQ Cookoff
Aug 11 First Reserve Championship Q'ing to Cure Childhood Cancer BBQ Cookoff

20163 milestones

May 20 First tracked contest Kings of Q BBQ cook off and Festival
May 20 First call Kings of Q BBQ cook off and Festival
May 20 First overall past 90% of a perfect score649.0856 Kings of Q BBQ cook off and Festival

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+15	Q'ing to Cure Childhood Cancer BBQ Cookoff	Aug 11, 2017
+15	Shotgun Fred BBQ Showdown	Feb 14, 2020
+13.9	Lake Murvaul BBQ Cook-Off	Jun 24, 2022
+13.2	McLouth BBQ Blowout 32nd Annual	Jun 2, 2023
+11.4	EffingHAM-JAM	Jul 22, 2022

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-12	Shotgun Fred BBQ Showdown	Feb 16, 2018
-9.4	Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown	Jul 15, 2022
-7.3	World Barbecue Championship	Nov 8, 2017
-7.2	Hoosier BBQ Classic #2	Jun 10, 2023
-4.4	40th American Royal World Series of Barbecue- OPEN CONTEST	Sep 12, 2019

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)
2025	5	0	1	60%	top 52%	95.9%	94.4%
2024	2	0	0	0%	top 54%	94.6%	94.4%
2023	4	1	0	75%	top 43%	96.6%	94.6%
2022	9	4	2	56%	top 40%	95.9%	94.5%
2021	1	0	0	0%	top 44%	91.7%	91.7%
2020	4	1	0	50%	top 46%	95.4%	93.2%
2019	5	1	0	20%	top 52%	94%	92.5%
2018	3	0	0	67%	top 70%	93.8%	85%
2017	3	2	0	67%	top 52%	94%	92%
2016	3	0	0	67%	top 62%	92.9%	91.5%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Nov 5, 2025	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS	243 / 401 (671.8860)	282 (166.2516)	254 (166.8344)	66 (175.4172)	285 (163.3828)
Nov 5, 2025	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Invitational Contest unrated Kansas City, KS	109 / 158 (678.7544)	29 (176.5600)	143 (164.5372)	130 (166.2400)	63 (171.4172)
Oct 10, 2025	Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue (Competitor's Series) (JUDGES BY INVITATION ONLY) unrated Lynchburg, TN	30 / 90 (690.8116)	66 (168.5600)	37 (173.1316)	41 (172.5600)	10 (176.5600)
Oct 3, 2025	Hub City BBQ Fest (formerly TN River BBQ Fest) 🏅 Jackson, TN	16 / 25 (676.4572)	12 (171.9656)	18 (168.5488)	21 (160.5372)	8 (175.4056)
Jan 17, 2025	10th Annual Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge 🏅 Bullhead City, AZ	15 / 48 (678.7544)	1 (178.8572)	33 (165.1088)	20 (169.6684)	29 (165.1200)
Oct 30, 2024	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS	169 / 444 (681.0512)	148 (172.5600)	98 (173.7144)	222 (168.5484)	257 (166.2284)
Oct 30, 2024	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Invitational Contest unrated Kansas City, KS	117 / 169 (678.7428)	65 (173.7028)	132 (167.9772)	113 (169.6800)	131 (167.3828)
Jun 10, 2023	Hoosier BBQ Classic #2 🏅 Franklin, IN	22 / 28 (673.0172)	15 (171.4172)	6 (172.5716)	21 (166.2400)	26 (162.7884)
Jun 9, 2023	Hoosier BBQ Classic #1 🏅 Franklin, IN	13 / 38 (680.5140)	14 (173.1428)	26 (165.7028)	13 (171.9772)	13 (169.6912)
Jun 2, 2023	McLouth BBQ Blowout 32nd Annual 🏅 McLouth, KS	2 / 36 (695.4284)	4 (173.7372)	9 (170.8456)	3 (177.7028)	2 (173.1428)
Apr 28, 2023	WashMo BBQ & Bluesfest (JUDGING FULL) 🏅 Washington, MO	20 / 37 (674.1140)	10 (173.1200)	31 (159.3600)	6 (175.4056)	22 (166.2284)
Oct 7, 2022	BooBQ BarBQ'N for Boobies Tomball, TX	3 / 17 (690.8000)	9 (165.0856)	3 (173.7144)	1 (179.4400)	3 (172.5600)
Oct 1, 2022	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - SIDES Kansas City, KS	—	—	—	—	—
Sep 29, 2022	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS	156 / 505 (678.8232)	320 (164.5716)	184 (169.7028)	112 (172.5716)	94 (171.9772)
Sep 29, 2022	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - INVITATIONAL CONTEST unrated Kansas City, KS	195 / 249 (670.1368)	224 (163.9196)	170 (167.9772)	156 (169.1200)	128 (169.1200)
Jul 22, 2022	EffingHAM-JAM 🏅 Effingham, IL	7 / 25 (679.3144)	19 (165.0856)	1 (180)	7 (170.2744)	18 (163.9544)
Jul 15, 2022	Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown 🏅 Eureka, IL	18 / 25 (663.3256)	23 (157.1084)	23 (158.8116)	4 (173.1428)	4 (174.2628)
Jul 15, 2022	Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown (One Meat Ribs) Eureka, IL	—	—	11 (170.2628)	—	—
Jul 8, 2022	Harvest on Fire at the Winery 🏅 Marshall, IL	10 / 28 (687.3484)	4 (176.5600)	5 (173.7028)	24 (163.9656)	10 (173.1200)
Jun 24, 2022	Lake Murvaul BBQ Cook-Off 🏅 Carthage, TX	3 / 16 (690.8344)	6 (173.1428)	8 (169.1200)	7 (169.7144)	2 (178.8572)
Jun 4, 2021	Cedar Fest BBQ Cook-off 🏅 Cedar Park, TX	21 / 48 (660.4228)	25 (164.5372)	20 (166.8344)	16 (169.7028)	25 (159.3484)
Nov 21, 2020	McGregor Lions Club Barrels & BBQ (Day 2) 🏅 Waco, TX	17 / 25 (677.6344)	2 (177.1428)	9 (172.5600)	24 (162.2516)	18 (165.6800)
Aug 7, 2020	15th Annual HANOR Smokin' Red Dirt BBQ 🏅 Enid, OK	37 / 54 (652.4572)	34 (165.7028)	19 (168.5600)	—	43 (157.0744)
Apr 6, 2020	Socially Distanced Smoking - Brisket presented by The BBQ League unrated washington, MO	33 / 109 (166.8572)	—	—	—	—
Feb 14, 2020	Shotgun Fred BBQ Showdown 🏅 Huntsville, TX	7 / 42 (686.8340)	8 (173.1428)	16 (168.5712)	11 (170.8572)	7 (174.2628)
Sep 12, 2019	40th American Royal World Series of Barbecue- OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS	264 / 468 (654.7200)	323 (161.0972)	253 (165.1200)	302 (162.2628)	197 (166.2400)
Sep 12, 2019	40th American Royal World Series of Barbecue- INVITATIONAL CONTEST 🏅 unrated Kansas City, KS	88 / 135 (676.4456)	119 (164.5256)	32 (173.1316)	42 (173.1200)	117 (165.6684)
Aug 30, 2019	Bedford Blues & BBQ Festival 🏅 Bedford, TX	30 / 58 (670.7544)	12 (174.2972)	19 (169.7028)	36 (165.0972)	39 (161.6572)
Aug 24, 2019	Smokin on the Rez BBQ and Music Festival (DAY 2) 🏅 Brandon, MS	10 / 28 (669.0172)	11 (169.1200)	20 (161.6800)	13 (166.2400)	7 (171.9772)
Aug 23, 2019	Smokin on the Rez BBQ and Music Festival (DAY 1) 🏅 Brandon, MS	15 / 29 (660.4344)	14 (168.5600)	15 (163.9772)	12 (165.0972)	18 (162.8000)
Sep 15, 2018	39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	129 / 467 (675.3832)	402 (155.9888)	25 (176)	7 (178.8572)	217 (164.5372)
Sep 14, 2018	39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (INVITATIONAL) unrated Kansas City, KS	142 / 164 (657.6000)	136 (164.5600)	102 (167.4172)	107 (168.5716)	159 (157.0512)
Feb 16, 2018	Shotgun Fred BBQ Showdown Huntsville, TX	36 / 38 (503.3940)	32 (155.3940)	12 (170.2972)	2 (177.7028)	—
Nov 8, 2017	World Barbecue Championship Orange Beach, AL	82 / 93 (650.6852)	84 (161.6340)	72 (162.8572)	41 (168.5256)	79 (157.6684)
Aug 11, 2017	Q'ing to Cure Childhood Cancer BBQ Cookoff Conroe, TX	2 / 26 (677.0628)	5 (170.2628)	7 (167.9888)	9 (163.9656)	2 (174.8456)
Jun 16, 2017	Rose Festival KCBS BBQ Competition State Center, IA	10 / 17 (658.7200)	13 (163.9656)	4 (169.1200)	13 (161.0972)	9 (164.5372)
Nov 11, 2016	World Barbecue Championship Orange Beach, AL	52 / 89 (668.9828)	43 (170.2628)	30 (169.6800)	71 (161.6572)	48 (167.3828)
Jul 2, 2016	Hot Pursuit BBQ Shawnee, OK	17 / 27 (657.6000)	9 (171.4056)	23 (158.2516)	7 (169.6800)	18 (158.2628)
May 20, 2016	Kings of Q BBQ cook off and Festival Ayden, NC	19 / 30 (649.0856)	27 (153.6916)	13 (165.1772)	24 (160.5140)	6 (169.7028)

An unrated contest — an invitational, or a Competitor or Kosher Series board — is in the record but doesn’t move the power rating.

First Class BBQ

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

Rating

Contests

First seen

Best ToY finish

Grand champs

Category wins

Overall top-10s

Best top-10 run

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 (9 found in their record)

The heartbreaker

Perfect scores on the board

High-water mark

Their season

A tough matchup

A strong matchup

Pork nemesis

A June team

The long haul

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)