High-water mark
671.8624
career-best overall
93.3% of a perfect 720
Their best day on record: 671.8624 at Mountain High BBQ Festival & Car Show — 93.3% of a perfect 720.
- Master
- 2013-08-09
Bubba & Son BBQ
At a glance (everything the results say about this team, in numbers)
Rating
1484
peak 1526 · rated over 20 contests ⓘ
Contests
20
in the data
First seen
2013-04-19
latest 2016-11-04
Grand champs
0
0 reserve
Category wins
0
1 podiums
Overall top-10s
1
of 20 contests
Avg finish
top 57%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
0
Current form
641.00 ▼
last 5 Master vs avg 649.08 (-8.08)
Walk rate
40%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±9.96
std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Chicken
avg 164.26 · weakest Pork Ribs (159.95)
Road miles
1,275
mi across 20 mapped stops · furthest 117 mi
Schedule strength
25%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1534)
Master avg
649.08 / 720
20 Master contests · 0 GCs
Storylines (10 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 one to beat
2×
one call ahead of them
BIG ON THE PIG has finished one call ahead of Bubba & Son BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.
Their season
2013
their best year
2013 was the year it came together: 10 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 45%.
- 10 contests
- 1 overall top-10s
- 0 category wins
- average top 45%
A tough matchup
17–0
behind in the head-to-head
SMOKE THIS ahead in 100% of their meetings
SMOKE THIS has come out ahead in 17 of their 17 shared contests.
The weak link
−4.3
points behind their best meat
Pork Ribs is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 4.31 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 5% of the time against 25%.
- Pork Ribs avg 159.95
- Chicken avg 164.26
- 1 calls in 20 entries
A strong matchup
8–0
ahead in the head-to-head
Ahead in 100% of their meetings
They've finished ahead of King's Cooking in 8 of their 8 shared contests.
Chicken nemesis
14 of 17
shared chicken entries lost
SMOKE THIS ahead 82% of the time
Even in their strongest meat, SMOKE THIS has out-cooked them in 14 of 17 shared chicken entries.
An April team
Top 49%
average finish in April
Something about April: average finish in the top 49% across 3 contests, versus top 57% the rest of the year.
- 3 April contests
- top 57% the rest of the year
The metronome
±1.38%
swing around their own average
Their overall lands within ±1.38% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.
- averages 90.1% of a perfect score
- 20 contests
A standing appointment
4
years running at one contest
They've cooked Hog Happnin' every year from 2013 to 2016 — the contest they never miss.
- 4 visits in all
- best finish 37th
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.
141 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.
#3930 of the rated field
- Contests
- 20
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1503
No shared contest yet.
Careers of much the same size, 20 contests to 20, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.
⚔ Head-to-head#3928 of the rated field
- Contests
- 17
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 6%
- Peak
- 1484
No shared contest yet.
This is the highest they've ever been rated, 17 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.
⚔ Head-to-head#3963 of the rated field
- Contests
- 14
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 7%
- Peak
- 1505
No shared contest yet.
14 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 7% top-10 finishes rather than wins.
⚔ Head-to-head#3924 of the rated field
- Contests
- 13
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 46%
- Peak
- 1521
No shared contest yet.
They turned up 5 years after Bubba & Son BBQ did, first appearing in 2018.
⚔ Head-to-head#3957 of the rated field
- Contests
- 13
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1484
No shared contest yet.
Level with Bubba & Son BBQ on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.
⚔ Head-to-head#3922 of the rated field
- Contests
- 13
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 15%
- Peak
- 1512
No shared contest yet.
Fewer contests behind them than Bubba & Son BBQ has cooked, 13 to 20, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.
⚔ Head-to-headFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PICKIN' PORKERS | 19 | 3 | 16 | 16% | ⚔ compare |
| THE SMOKEHOUSE MAFIA | 18 | 1 | 17 | 6% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOKE THIS | 17 | 0 | 17 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| BUBBAJACK'S | 16 | 3 | 13 | 19% | ⚔ compare |
| SAUCED! BBQ TEAM | 16 | 0 | 16 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| REDNECK SCIENTIFIC | 15 | 1 | 14 | 7% | ⚔ compare |
| Killer B's BBQ | 15 | 0 | 15 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| MIDNIGHT BURN | 14 | 2 | 12 | 14% | ⚔ compare |
| BAYOU POKER SMOKERS | 13 | 3 | 10 | 23% | ⚔ compare |
| TWO OLD MEN AND A GRILL | 13 | 0 | 13 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOKING BUTT HEADS | 12 | 4 | 8 | 33% | ⚔ compare |
| WHO CARES BBQ | 12 | 4 | 8 | 33% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOKIN SKULLIES | 12 | 2 | 10 | 17% | ⚔ compare |
| CHECKERED PIG | 12 | 0 | 12 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| BIG ON THE PIG | 11 | 3 | 8 | 27% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 20 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 177.7144 | 151.3944 | 164.26 | top 51% |
| Pork Ribs | 20 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 169.1200 | 150.2856 | 159.95 | top 61% |
| Pork | 20 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 172.5600 | 152.5600 | 162.72 | top 54% |
| Brisket | 20 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 169.1428 | 149.0856 | 162.15 | top 51% |
“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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| NC | 17 | 0 | top 59% |
| SC | 3 | 0 | top 42% |
By contest size
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medium (20–39) | 2 | 0 | top 46% |
| Large (40+) | 18 | 0 | top 58% |
Contest-by-contest record (recurring contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hog Happnin' | 4 | 37 | 0 | top 73% | 2016-11-04 |
| Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic | 2 | 37 | 0 | top 62% | 2016-09-16 |
| SC Festival of Discovery | 2 | 32 | 0 | top 46% | 2014-07-10 |
The story so far (15 numbers that describe this team)
On the trail
3.5 yrs
2013-04-19 → 2016-11-04
Busiest season
2013
10 contests
Contests a season
5
across 4 seasons in the data
Cooks most in
NC
17 of 20 contests · 2 states/provinces in all
Contests visited
15
3 of them cooked more than once
Most-entered meat
Chicken
20 entries · 0 wins · 5 calls
Strongest meat
Chicken
averages 164.26 · weakest Pork Ribs (159.95)
Walk rate
40%
a top-10 call in 8 of 20 contests
Overall top-10 rate
5%
1 of 20 contests
Master average
649.08
out of 720 · 20 contests · 0 GCs
Opponents faced
507
536–693 across every shared overall standing
Road miles
1,275
20 mapped stops · furthest 117 mi
Schedule strength
1534
average field rating faced — tougher than 25% of rated contests
Longest layoff
1 yrs
2014-10-31 → 2015-11-06
Power rating
1484
peak 1526 · #3941 of 6,413 rated
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
- 2013
- First tracked contest Kings Mountain Firehouse BBQ Cook-off
- First call Kings Mountain Firehouse BBQ Cook-off
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score654.8572 Kings Mountain Firehouse BBQ Cook-off
- Career-best single call (Chicken)177.7144 Kings Mountain Firehouse BBQ Cook-off
- Career-best overall score671.8624 Mountain High BBQ Festival & Car Show
- First overall top-10 Waxhaw Grill'n and Chill'n BBQ Cook-off
- Peak power rating (1526) Waxhaw Grill'n and Chill'n BBQ Cook-off
- 10th tracked contest Hog Happnin'
- 2016
- Most recent contest Hog Happnin'
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +6.9 | BBQ Capital Cook-Off | 2013-04-26 |
| +5.8 | Sooie't Relief BBQ Benefit | 2013-08-23 |
| +4.8 | Mountain High BBQ Festival & Car Show | 2013-08-09 |
| +3.4 | Waxhaw Grill'n and Chill'n BBQ Cook-off | 2013-10-11 |
| +3.3 | SC Festival of Discovery | 2013-07-11 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -8.2 | * Hog Happnin' | 2015-11-06 |
| -5.6 | Hog Happnin' | 2014-10-31 |
| -4.9 | 17th Annual Firehouse BBQ Cook-off | 2014-04-18 |
| -4.9 | Hog Happnin' | 2013-11-01 |
| -4.7 | Jiggy With the Piggy | 2016-05-06 |
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 | GCs | Top-10s | Category wins | Walk rate | Avg finish | Best overall (% of perfect) | Avg overall (% of perfect) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 71% | 91.5% | 89.5% |
| 2015 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 85% | 87.4% | 87.4% |
| 2014 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17% | top 64% | 91% | 89.9% |
| 2013 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 70% | top 45% | 93.3% | 90.8% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-11-04 | Hog Happnin' Shelby, NC | 37 / 56 (658.7660) | 17 (170.2744) | 49 (151.3716) | 15 (171.4400) | 33 (165.6800) |
| 2016-09-16 | Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic Salisbury, NC | 50 / 68 (636.3656) | 58 (157.0628) | 42 (160.5028) | 36 (161.1200) | 43 (157.6800) |
| 2016-05-06 | Jiggy With the Piggy Kannapolis, NC | 55 / 76 (638.7088) | 68 (151.3944) | 60 (158.2288) | 48 (161.1200) | 23 (167.9656) |
| 2015-11-06 | * Hog Happnin' Shelby, NC | 51 / 60 (629.0516) | 44 (161.1316) | 54 (151.9772) | 57 (156.5484) | 45 (159.3944) |
| 2014-10-31 | Hog Happnin' Shelby, NC | 46 / 61 (642.1028) | 30 (167.3828) | 46 (159.3600) | 59 (152.5600) | 39 (162.8000) |
| 2014-09-19 | Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally Salisbury, NC | 42 / 64 (653.6344) | 47 (162.8228) | 34 (164.5488) | 39 (162.2628) | 33 (164.0000) |
| 2014-07-25 | WNC BBQ Festival Maggie Valley, NC | 29 / 46 (655.2684) | 38 (158.7884) | 17 (167.4516) | 28 (163.9312) | 25 (165.0972) |
| 2014-07-10 | SC Festival of Discovery Greenwood, SC | 44 / 86 (652.4228) | 26 (168.5600) | 59 (158.2628) | 21 (167.3828) | 50 (158.2172) |
| 2014-05-09 | Jiggy with the Piggy BBQ Challenge Kannapolis, NC | 49 / 80 (635.3944) | 50 (158.8228) | 46 (160.0116) | 44 (159.9772) | 55 (156.5828) |
| 2014-04-18 | 17th Annual Firehouse BBQ Cook-off Kings Mountain, NC | 37 / 55 (644.9940) | 8 (173.1200) | 26 (163.9656) | 41 (158.8228) | 49 (149.0856) |
| 2013-11-01 | Hog Happnin' Shelby, NC | 50 / 75 (653.5316) | 58 (160.5028) | 41 (163.9544) | 16 (170.2628) | 53 (158.8116) |
| 2013-10-11 | Waxhaw Grill'n and Chill'n BBQ Cook-off Waxhaw, NC | 10 / 25 (649.6340) | 21 (155.9656) | 10 (164.6056) | 11 (163.9656) | 7 (165.0972) |
| 2013-09-20 | Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic Salisbury, NC | 37 / 72 (658.2288) | 49 (162.2972) | 22 (169.1200) | 63 (157.6688) | 16 (169.1428) |
| 2013-08-23 | Sooie't Relief BBQ Benefit Greer, SC | 14 / 41 (659.3944) | 5 (172.0000) | 17 (163.9888) | 32 (157.6684) | 14 (165.7372) |
| 2013-08-09 | Mountain High BBQ Festival & Car Show Franklin, NC | 19 / 49 (671.8624) | 12 (172.5484) | 43 (157.6456) | 5 (172.5600) | 17 (169.1084) |
| 2013-07-11 | SC Festival of Discovery Greenwood, SC | 32 / 78 (651.8632) | 10 (170.2628) | 45 (158.2516) | 54 (155.9544) | 17 (167.3944) |
| 2013-06-14 | Blue Ridge BBQ & Music Festival Tryon, NC | 45 / 97 (646.2852) | 77 (152.5712) | 36 (163.4284) | 14 (169.7142) | 47 (160.5714) |
| 2013-06-07 | Lincolnton Hog Happenin' Lincolnton, NC | 18 / 34 (638.2856) | 9 (169.7142) | 25 (150.2856) | 25 (156.5714) | 17 (161.7144) |
| 2013-04-26 | BBQ Capital Cook-Off Lexington, NC | 21 / 71 (650.8572) | 35 (162.2854) | 51 (153.7146) | 9 (172.0000) | 19 (162.8572) |
| 2013-04-19 | Kings Mountain Firehouse BBQ Cook-off Kings Mountain, NC | 27 / 55 (654.8572) | 2 (177.7144) | 39 (158.2858) | 30 (162.8570) | 40 (156.0000) |