LIFT, TILT, AND STAGGER BBQ

LIFT, TILT, AND STAGGER BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 31 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2025. Their best overall finish is 7th of 25 at the Knights of Columbus BBQ Smoke Off (2016). They are ranked #4111 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#4,111

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1481

peak 1535 · rated over 28 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Aug 23, 2013

latest Nov 5, 2025 · 12.2 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#785

Master 2021 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

2 podiums

Overall top-10s

6% of 31 contests

Avg finish

top 60%

overall standings

Best overall

677.1196 / 720

Master · 39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN)

Perfect 180s

Current form

654.51 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 651.65 (+2.85)

Walk rate

23%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

177.7600

Pork · Smokin' on Oak

Consistency

±16.61

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork Ribs

avg 164.88 · weakest Pork (160.69)

Road miles

869

across 31 mapped stops · furthest 120 mi

Schedule strength

59%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1575)

Purse competed for

$333K

listed at 12 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 14 state-championship entries

Master avg

651.65 / 720

28 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (9 found in their record)

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

High-water mark

677.1196 career-best overall

94.0% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 677.1196 at 39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) — 94.0% of a perfect 720.

Master
Sep 15, 2018

Their season

2016 their best year

2016 was the year it came together: 4 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 36%.

4 contests
1 overall top-10
0 category wins
average top 36%

A tough matchup

19–0 behind in the head-to-head

SLAPS BBQ ahead in 100% of their meetings

SLAPS BBQ has come out ahead in 19 of their 19 shared contests.

The weak link

−4.2 points behind their best meat

Pork is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 4.20 points below their pork ribs, and turns into a call 7% of the time against 7%.

Pork avg 160.69
Pork Ribs avg 164.88
2 calls in 28 entries

A strong matchup

11–2 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 85% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of DUSTY ROADS BBQ in 11 of their 13 shared contests.

Pork Ribs nemesis

16 of 19 shared pork ribs entries lost

SLAPS BBQ ahead 84% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, SLAPS BBQ has out-cooked them in 16 of 19 shared pork ribs entries.

Boom or bust

±11.24% swing around their own average

Their overall swings ±11.24% of a perfect score around its own average — when it lands they're dangerous, and when it doesn't the weekend is gone by lunch.

averages 88.4% of a perfect score
best 94.0%

Show 2 more storylines

A September team

Top 43% average finish in September

Something about September: average finish in the top 43% across 7 contests, versus top 60% the rest of the year.

7 September contests
top 60% the rest of the year

A standing appointment

4 years running at one contest

They've cooked Smokin' On Oak every year from 2013 to 2016 — the contest they never miss.

4 visits in all
best finish 19th

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
2026 ↗	Master	—	—	#757 (219 pts)	—	—
2025 ↗	Master	#1148 (60 pts)	#1221 (60 pts)	#1293 (60 pts)	#1190 (60 pts)	#1190 (60 pts)
2024 ↗	Master	#1182 (60 pts)	#1242 (60 pts)	#1317 (60 pts)	#1231 (60 pts)	#1204 (60 pts)
2023 ↗	Master	#938 (120 pts)	#1011 (120 pts)	#1118 (120 pts)	#989 (120 pts)	#989 (120 pts)
2022 ↗	Master	#807 (180 pts)	#868 (180 pts)	#779 (240 pts)	#854 (180 pts)	#837 (180 pts)
2021 ↗	Master	#785 (173 pts)	#798 (183 pts)	#731 (223 pts)	#791 (178 pts)	#822 (173 pts)
2020 ↗	Master	#856 (60 pts)	#896 (60 pts)	#551 (196 pts)	#899 (60 pts)	#883 (60 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#1139 (210 pts)	#916 (320 pts)	#1162 (225 pts)	#1301 (180 pts)	#1124 (235 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#1431 (142 pts)	#1728 (117 pts)	#1734 (117 pts)	#1443 (162 pts)	#1083 (267 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#1019 (324 pts)	#1024 (364 pts)	#890 (439 pts)	#1230 (259 pts)	#988 (359 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#829 (430 pts)	#909 (405 pts)	#1007 (355 pts)	#885 (440 pts)	#859 (430 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#1549 (145 pts)	#1567 (165 pts)	#1776 (120 pts)	#1048 (320 pts)	#1763 (120 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#2700 (60 pts)	#2167 (75 pts)	#1970 (110 pts)	#2715 (60 pts)	#2777 (55 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#2527 (63 pts)	#2568 (63 pts)	#1849 (113 pts)	#2562 (63 pts)	#2412 (73 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to LIFT, TILT, AND STAGGER BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.

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

CRAZY BONES BBQ

#4,128 of the rated field

1480 power rating

Contests: 17
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 6%
Peak: 1523

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to LIFT, TILT, AND STAGGER BBQ)

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

rated over 17 contests
last seen Jul 13, 2018

⚔ Head-to-head

Quad Hogs BBQ

#4,119 of the rated field

1481 power rating

Contests: 9
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 11%
Peak: 1481

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to LIFT, TILT, AND STAGGER BBQ)

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 9 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 9 contests
last seen Jun 19, 2020

⚔ Head-to-head

DOUBLE DOWN BBQ

#4,101 of the rated field

1481 power rating

Contests: 8
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 38%
Peak: 1500

2–0 in 2 shared contests (100% to LIFT, TILT, AND STAGGER BBQ)

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

rated over 8 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

Get In My Belly BBQ

#4,124 of the rated field

1480 power rating

Contests: 8
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1480

2–2 in 4 shared contests (50% to LIFT, TILT, AND STAGGER BBQ)

Fewer contests behind them than LIFT, TILT, AND STAGGER BBQ has cooked, 8 to 31, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.

rated over 8 contests
last seen Sep 23, 2016

⚔ Head-to-head

We Like Big Butts BBQ

#4,097 of the rated field

1481 power rating

Contests: 5
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1502

3–0 in 3 shared contests (100% to LIFT, TILT, AND STAGGER BBQ)

Level with LIFT, TILT, AND STAGGER BBQ on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 5 contests
last seen Sep 1, 2017

⚔ Head-to-head

Babylon Grillbillies

#4,116 of the rated field

1481 power rating

Contests: 22
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 23%
Peak: 1543

22 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 23% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 22 contests
last seen May 2, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
SLAPS BBQ	19	0	19	0%	⚔ compare
913 BBQ	18	0	18	0%	⚔ compare
2 DRUNK 2 QUE	17	6	11	35%	⚔ compare
ALL FORKED UP FOR Q	17	4	13	24%	⚔ compare
AMERICAN FIRE BBQ	17	2	15	12%	⚔ compare
GETTIN' SAUCED	17	0	17	0%	⚔ compare
Sons of a Brisket	15	1	14	7%	⚔ compare
HIGH i QUE	15	0	15	0%	⚔ compare
WEEKEND BUM BBQ	14	3	11	21%	⚔ compare
SMOKE THIS BBQ MO	14	1	13	7%	⚔ compare
Fergolicious BBQ	14	1	13	7%	⚔ compare
MAN MEAT BBQ	14	0	14	0%	⚔ compare
DUSTY ROADS BBQ	13	11	2	85%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN ELVISES	13	7	6	54%	⚔ compare
S&S BBQ	13	4	9	31%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	28	3	0	176.5600	146.8456	164.57	top 56%
Pork Ribs	29	2	1	176.5600	153.6688	164.88	top 53%
Pork	28	2	1	177.7600	144.0228	160.69	top 70%
Brisket	28	2	0	174.2856	145.1316	161.56	top 59%

“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)	10	0	top 56%
Large (40+)	18	0	top 62%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
KS	22	0	top 61%
MO	6	0	top 58%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Smokin' On Oak	4	19	top 63%	Aug 26, 2016
American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest	3	169	top 56%	Sep 27, 2023
Knights Of Columbus BBQ Smoke Off 4 Life	3	19	top 60%	Jun 14, 2019
American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest	2	315	top 77%	Nov 5, 2025
Jesse James Barbeque Cook Out	2	10	top 31%	Sep 15, 2017

More numbers

Busiest season 2022 4 contests

Contests a season 2.4 across 13 seasons in the data

Most contests held in KS 24 of 31 contests · 2 states in all

Contests visited 19 5 of them more than once

Most-entered meat Pork Ribs 29 entries · 0 wins · 2 calls

Opponents faced 2,074 finished ahead 2,342 times, behind 2,828

Longest layoff 1.1 yrs Sep 27, 2023 → Oct 30, 2024

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

20251 milestone

Nov 5 Most recent contest American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest

20221 milestone

Sep 29 25th tracked contest American Royal World Series of Barbecue - OPEN CONTEST

20191 milestone

Jun 14 Peak power rating (1535) Knights Of Columbus BBQ Smoke Off 4 Life

20181 milestone

Sep 15 Career-best overall score677.1196 39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN)

20171 milestone

Aug 4 10th tracked contest Laurie Hillbilly BBQ

20161 milestone

Jun 17 First overall top-10 Knights of Columbus BBQ Smoke Off

20153 milestones

Aug 28 First call Smokin' on Oak
Aug 28 First overall past 90% of a perfect score665.0860 Smokin' on Oak
Aug 28 Career-best single call (Pork)177.7600 Smokin' on Oak

20131 milestone

Aug 23 First tracked contest Smokin' on Oak

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+11.1	39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN)	Sep 15, 2018
+9.6	Jesse James Barbeque Cook Out	Sep 15, 2017
+9.1	Knights of Columbus BBQ Smoke Off	Jun 17, 2016
+8.9	37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN)	Oct 29, 2016
+7.2	Jesse James Barbeque Cook Out	Sep 16, 2016

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-10.6	Qlathe BBQ Championship	Mar 18, 2022
-9.8	Laurie Hillbilly BBQ	Aug 4, 2017
-8.6	Smokin' on Oak	Aug 22, 2014
-8.4	BBQ & Fly in on the River	Aug 14, 2020
-8.2	Smokin' Hot Cars & BBQ	Jul 23, 2021

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	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2025	1	0	0%	top 79%	91%	91%
2024	2	0	0%	top 76%	90.6%	90.6%
2023	2	0	0%	top 74%	92.1%	91%
2022	4	0	0%	top 75%	90.9%	88.9%
2021	3	0	0%	top 66%	90.2%	69.7%
2020	2	0	50%	top 89%	87.9%	87.9%
2019	3	0	33%	top 56%	92.3%	91.6%
2018	2	0	50%	top 43%	94%	92.4%
2017	4	1	25%	top 58%	94%	90.7%
2016	4	1	50%	top 36%	93.2%	92.2%
2015	2	0	50%	top 42%	92.4%	92.1%
2014	1	0	0%	top 80%	87.1%	87.1%
2013	1	0	0%	top 74%	84.4%	84.4%

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	315 / 401 (655.2344)	374 (155.9200)	177 (170.2628)	291 (165.0972)	277 (163.9544)
Oct 30, 2024	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Sides Kansas City, KS	—	—	—	—	—
Oct 30, 2024	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS	338 / 444 (652.4684)	274 (166.8456)	156 (171.4400)	382 (158.2172)	370 (155.9656)
Sep 27, 2023	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS	309 / 487 (662.7884)	290 (166.2972)	330 (164.5484)	300 (165.6800)	254 (166.2628)
Mar 17, 2023	5th Annual Qlathe BBQ Championship 🏅 Olathe, KS	57 / 68 (647.8744)	56 (161.0856)	56 (161.7032)	57 (162.2628)	52 (162.8228)
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	344 / 505 (654.1600)	56 (175.4400)	251 (167.3828)	431 (157.0972)	428 (154.2400)
Aug 26, 2022	Smoke on the Bricks 🏅 Baldwin City, KS	30 / 48 (650.1140)	40 (158.2400)	13 (169.6800)	37 (158.7884)	33 (163.4056)
Mar 18, 2022	Qlathe BBQ Championship 🏅 Olathe, KS	66 / 71 (615.2228)	66 (153.6684)	61 (156.5144)	69 (150.2284)	57 (154.8116)
Sep 16, 2021	American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS	169 / 467 (162.8800)	327 (161.1084)	344 (160.5600)	307 (161.7028)	242 (163.4172)
Jul 23, 2021	Smokin' Hot Cars & BBQ 🏅 Iola, KS	25 / 28 (639.3484)	23 (160.5256)	15 (165.7028)	24 (162.2972)	26 (150.8228)
Mar 19, 2021	3rd Annual Qlathe BBQ Championship 🏅 Olathe, KS	51 / 70 (649.6800)	65 (154.2516)	38 (167.4284)	46 (166.2628)	52 (161.7372)
Aug 14, 2020	BBQ & Fly in on the River 🏅 Excelsior Springs, MO	49 / 55 (633.0060)	35 (169.1316)	49 (159.3944)	54 (145.6572)	44 (158.8228)
Jul 5, 2020	Front Porch Rib Fest Kansas City, MO	—	—	8 (166.2628)	—	—
Aug 16, 2019	BBQ and Fly In on the River 🏅 Excelsior Springs, MO	49 / 68 (654.1944)	41 (166.8344)	32 (169.1200)	49 (162.2400)	54 (156)
Jun 14, 2019	Knights Of Columbus BBQ Smoke Off 4 Life 🏅 Kansas City, KS	19 / 38 (664.4684)	22 (165.7028)	16 (167.9772)	27 (162.8000)	14 (167.9884)
Mar 15, 2019	Qlathe BBQ Championship 🏅 Olathe, KS	29 / 64 (659.9084)	5 (176.5600)	27 (165.1200)	55 (154.8112)	33 (163.4172)
Sep 15, 2018	39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	107 / 467 (677.1196)	209 (167.4056)	250 (165.1428)	104 (170.2856)	41 (174.2856)
Jun 15, 2018	Knights Of Columbus BBQ Smoke Off 4 Life Kansas City, KS	20 / 32 (652.9712)	25 (158.2284)	27 (158.2400)	16 (163.9428)	4 (172.5600)
Sep 15, 2017	Jesse James Barbeque Cook Out Kearney, MO	10 / 37 (677.0284)	6 (174.2856)	2 (176.5600)	28 (161.6572)	14 (164.5256)
Sep 1, 2017	38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	203 / 407 (661.6456)	147 (169.7028)	76 (172)	328 (157.7144)	241 (162.2284)
Aug 4, 2017	Laurie Hillbilly BBQ Laurie, MO	35 / 40 (638.1600)	27 (166.2400)	28 (160.5372)	39 (152)	33 (159.3828)
Jun 16, 2017	Knights Of Columbus BBQ Smoke Off 4 Life (JUDGES FULL) Kansas City, KS	23 / 34 (635.8288)	23 (158.2400)	28 (153.6688)	21 (160.5256)	12 (163.3944)
Oct 29, 2016	37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	165 / 557 (667.8740)	45 (174.2628)	169 (168.5600)	431 (158.2284)	184 (166.8228)
Sep 16, 2016	Jesse James Barbeque Cook Out Kearney, MO	12 / 35 (670.7084)	12 (166.2400)	14 (168.5256)	20 (165.1200)	9 (170.8228)
Aug 26, 2016	Smokin' On Oak Bonner Springs, KS	19 / 37 (651.9312)	20 (166.8572)	32 (155.9428)	18 (165.1656)	16 (163.9656)
Jun 17, 2016	Knights of Columbus BBQ Smoke Off Kansas City, KS	7 / 25 (666.2172)	9 (165.1200)	11 (163.3944)	4 (174.2972)	11 (163.4056)
Oct 3, 2015	36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Open Kansas City, MO	220 / 606 (661.6684)	102 (171.4400)	203 (167.4172)	443 (158.2512)	248 (164.5600)
Aug 28, 2015	Smokin' on Oak Bonner Springs, KS	20 / 42 (665.0860)	16 (171.4172)	28 (162.2516)	2 (177.7600)	35 (153.6572)
Aug 22, 2014	Smokin' on Oak Bonner Springs, KS	24 / 30 (626.8116)	21 (159.9656)	14 (164.5944)	24 (157.1200)	28 (145.1316)
Aug 23, 2013	Smokin' on Oak Bonner Springs, KS	28 / 38 (607.9544)	35 (146.8456)	15 (161.6916)	36 (144.0228)	23 (155.3944)

LIFT, TILT, AND STAGGER 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 (9 found in their record)

High-water mark

Their season

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

Pork Ribs nemesis

Boom or bust

A September team

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)