First Class BBQ

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

Power ranking

#1104

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1594

peak 1601 · rated over 30 contests ⓘ

Contests

in the data

First seen

2016-05-20

latest 2025-11-05

Best ToY finish

#244

Master 2022

Grand champs

2 reserve

Category wins

11 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 39 contests

Avg finish

top 50%

overall standings

Best overall

695.4284 / 720

Master · McLouth BBQ Blowout 32nd Annual

Perfect 180s

1 🔥

Current form

677.38 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 667.33 (+10.05)

Walk rate

51%

contests with a top-10 call

Top-10 streak

best run (overall)

Best single call

180.0000 🔥

Pork Ribs · EffingHAM-JAM

Consistency

±30.47

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork

avg 168.85 · weakest Brisket (167.41)

Road miles

15,514

mi across 39 mapped stops · furthest 1126 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 🏅

GCs in 22 state-championship entries

Master avg

667.33 / 720

35 Master contests · 0 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (9 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.

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 (2017-08-11).

Perfect scores on the board

1 perfect 180s

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
2023-06-02

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.

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

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.

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

BONES BRIGADE KC

#1109 of the rated field

1594 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 27
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 11%
Peak: 1597

1–1 in 2 shared contests (50% to First Class BBQ)

2 contests 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 27 contests
last seen 2022-04-08

⚔ Head-to-head

B 3 BBQ

#1105 of the rated field

1594 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 40
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 18%
Peak: 1623

2–1 in 3 shared contests (67% to First Class BBQ)

Careers of much the same size, 40 contests to 39, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 39 contests
last seen 2026-08-14

⚔ Head-to-head

Sheats Smoked Meats

#1099 of the rated field

1595 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 41
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 27%
Peak: 1612

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

41 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 27% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 40 contests
last seen 2024-03-15

⚔ Head-to-head

MOOCHEWSOOEY

#1100 of the rated field

1594 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 54
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 17%
Peak: 1594

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

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 54 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 54 contests
last seen 2018-10-26

⚔ Head-to-head

Kreiser Barbecue

#1110 of the rated field

1594 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 59
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 46%
Peak: 1622

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

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

rated over 59 contests
last seen 2026-08-28

⚔ Head-to-head

SEA SIDE SMOKERS

#1106 of the rated field

1594 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 31
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 39%
Peak: 1612

No shared contest yet.

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 29 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

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	180.0000 🔥	158.2516	168.34	top 47%
Pork	36	10	1	3	179.4400	160.5140	168.85	top 46%
Brisket	36	12	0	4	178.8572	157.0512	167.41	top 48%

“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	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%

By contest size

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

Contest-by-contest record (recurring contests they've cooked twice or more)

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Invitational Contest	2	109	top 69%	2025-11-05
American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest	2	169	top 49%	2025-11-05
Shotgun Fred BBQ Showdown	2	7	top 56%	2020-02-14
Smokin on the Rez BBQ and Music Festival (DAY 2)	2	10	top 44%	2019-08-24
39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN)	2	129	top 57%	2018-09-15
World Barbecue Championship	2	52	top 73%	2017-11-08

The story so far (19 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 9.5 yrs 2016-05-20 → 2025-11-05

Busiest season 2022 9 contests

Contests a season 3.9 across 10 seasons in the data

Cooks most in KS 12 of 39 contests · 12 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 31 6 of them cooked more than once

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

Strongest meat Pork averages 168.85 · weakest Brisket (167.41)

Walk rate 51% a top-10 call in 20 of 39 contests

Overall top-10 rate 23% 9 of 39 contests

Best top-10 run 2 straight contests

Master average 667.33 out of 720 · 35 contests · 0 GCs

Perfect 180s 1 every judge at the table handing back a nine

Opponents faced 1,762 2,059–2,204 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 15,514 39 mapped stops · furthest 1,126 mi

Schedule strength 1597 average field rating faced — tougher than 75% of rated contests

Purse competed for $442,175 listed at 21 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships 0 from 22 state-championship entries

Longest layoff 1.4 yrs 2023-06-10 → 2024-10-30

Power rating 1594 peak 1601 · #1104 of 6,413 rated

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

2016
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
2017
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
2019
Aug 23 10th tracked contest Smokin on the Rez BBQ and Music Festival (DAY 1)
2022
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 - OPEN CONTEST
2023
Jun 2 Career-best overall score695.4284 McLouth BBQ Blowout 32nd Annual
2025
Jan 17 Peak power rating (1601) 10th Annual Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge
Nov 5 Most recent contest American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Invitational Contest

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+15	*Q'ing to Cure Childhood Cancer BBQ Cookoff	2017-08-11
+15	Shotgun Fred BBQ Showdown	2020-02-14
+13.9	Lake Murvaul BBQ Cook-Off	2022-06-24
+13.3	McLouth BBQ Blowout 32nd Annual	2023-06-02
+11.4	EffingHAM-JAM	2022-07-22

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-12	*Shotgun Fred BBQ Showdown	2018-02-16
-9.4	Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown	2022-07-15
-7.3	World Barbecue Championship	2017-11-08
-7.2	Hoosier BBQ Classic #2	2023-06-10
-4.4	40th American Royal World Series of Barbecue- OPEN CONTEST	2019-09-12

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	Top-10s	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2025	5	0	1	60%	top 52%	94.3%	94%
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%	93.4%
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
2025-11-05	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)
2025-11-05	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)
2025-10-10	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)
2025-10-03	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)
2025-01-17	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)
2024-10-30	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)
2024-10-30	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)
2023-06-10	Hoosier BBQ Classic #2 🏅 Franklin, IN	22 / 28 (673.0172)	15 (171.4172)	6 (172.5716)	21 (166.2400)	26 (162.7884)
2023-06-09	Hoosier BBQ Classic #1 🏅 Franklin, IN	13 / 38 (680.5140)	14 (173.1428)	26 (165.7028)	13 (171.9772)	13 (169.6912)
2023-06-02	McLouth BBQ Blowout 32nd Annual 🏅 McLouth, KS	2 / 36 (695.4284)	4 (173.7372)	9 (170.8456)	3 (177.7028)	2 (173.1428)
2023-04-28	WashMo BBQ & Bluesfest (JUDGING FULL) 🏅 Washington, MO	20 / 37 (674.1140)	10 (173.1200)	31 (159.3600)	6 (175.4056)	22 (166.2284)
2022-10-07	BooBQ BarBQ'N for Boobies Tomball, TX	3 / 17 (690.8000)	9 (165.0856)	3 (173.7144)	1 (179.4400)	3 (172.5600)
2022-10-01	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - SIDES Kansas City, KS	—	—	—	—	—
2022-09-29	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)
2022-09-29	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)
2022-07-22	EffingHAM-JAM 🏅 Effingham, IL	7 / 25 (679.3144)	19 (165.0856)	1 (180.0000)	7 (170.2744)	18 (163.9544)
2022-07-15	Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown 🏅 Eureka, IL	18 / 25 (663.3256)	23 (157.1084)	23 (158.8116)	4 (173.1428)	4 (174.2628)
2022-07-15	Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown (One Meat Ribs) Eureka, IL	—	—	11 (170.2628)	—	—
2022-07-08	Harvest on Fire at the Winery 🏅 Marshall, IL	10 / 28 (687.3484)	4 (176.5600)	5 (173.7028)	24 (163.9656)	10 (173.1200)
2022-06-24	Lake Murvaul BBQ Cook-Off 🏅 Carthage, TX	3 / 16 (690.8344)	6 (173.1428)	8 (169.1200)	7 (169.7144)	2 (178.8572)
2021-06-04	Cedar Fest BBQ Cook-off 🏅 Cedar Park, TX	21 / 48 (660.4228)	25 (164.5372)	20 (166.8344)	16 (169.7028)	25 (159.3484)
2020-11-21	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)
2020-08-07	15th Annual HANOR Smokin' Red Dirt BBQ 🏅 Enid, OK	37 / 54 (652.4572)	34 (165.7028)	19 (168.5600)	39 (161.1200)	43 (157.0744)
2020-04-06	Socially Distanced Smoking - Brisket presented by The BBQ League unrated washington, MO	33 / 109 (166.8572)	—	—	—	33 (166.8572)
2020-02-14	Shotgun Fred BBQ Showdown 🏅 Huntsville, TX	7 / 42 (686.8340)	8 (173.1428)	16 (168.5712)	11 (170.8572)	7 (174.2628)
2019-09-12	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)
2019-09-12	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)
2019-08-30	Bedford Blues & BBQ Festival 🏅 Bedford, TX	30 / 58 (670.7544)	12 (174.2972)	19 (169.7028)	36 (165.0972)	39 (161.6572)
2019-08-24	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)
2019-08-23	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)
2018-09-15	39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	129 / 467 (675.3832)	402 (155.9888)	25 (176.0000)	7 (178.8572)	217 (164.5372)
2018-09-14	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)
2018-02-16	*Shotgun Fred BBQ Showdown Huntsville, TX	36 / 38 (503.3940)	32 (155.3940)	12 (170.2972)	2 (177.7028)	—
2017-11-08	World Barbecue Championship Orange Beach, AL	82 / 93 (650.6852)	84 (161.6340)	72 (162.8572)	41 (168.5256)	79 (157.6684)
2017-08-11	*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)
2017-06-16	Rose Festival KCBS BBQ Competition State Center, IA	10 / 17 (658.7200)	13 (163.9656)	4 (169.1200)	13 (161.0972)	9 (164.5372)
2016-11-11	World Barbecue Championship Orange Beach, AL	52 / 89 (668.9828)	43 (170.2628)	30 (169.6800)	71 (161.6572)	48 (167.3828)
2016-07-02	*Hot Pursuit BBQ Shawnee, OK	17 / 27 (657.6000)	9 (171.4056)	23 (158.2516)	7 (169.6800)	18 (158.2628)
2016-05-20	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)

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
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 (1100 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)