High-water mark
674.8688
career-best overall
93.7% of a perfect 720
Their best day on record: 674.8688 at 37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) — 93.7% of a perfect 720.
- Master
- Oct 29, 2016
Heat's Neat
Heat's Neat is a competition barbecue team with 19 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2026. Their best overall finish is 9th of 24 at the American Royal Backyard and Steak Contest (2021). They are ranked #5334 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings. Also listed in KCBS results as “HEAT�S NEAT”.
At a glance (the record in numbers)
Rating
1455
peak 1455 · rated over 16 contests
Contests
19
in the data
First seen
May 31, 2013
latest Sep 30, 2026 · 13.3 years on the trail
Grand champs
0
0 reserve
Category wins
0
0 podiums
Overall top-10s
1
5% of 19 contests
Avg finish
top 65%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
0
Current form
627.84 ▼
last 5 Master vs avg 629.73 (-1.89)
Walk rate
11%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±20.80
spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Chicken
avg 158.51 · weakest Brisket (156.47)
Road miles
447
across 19 mapped stops · furthest 354 mi
Schedule strength
50%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1564)
Purse competed for
$422K
listed at 9 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0 🏅
won from 7 state-championship entries
Master avg
629.73 / 720
15 Master contests · 0 GCs
Backyard avg
316.54 / 360
1 Backyard contest · 0 GCs
These overall scores sit on different scales (Master out of 720, Backyard out of 360), so they're kept separate — averaging them together would be misleading.
This team cooks the Backyard series — its own boards, records and Team of the Year are here.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 ↗ | Master | #1970 (75 pts) | #2073 (75 pts) | #2043 (75 pts) | #2080 (75 pts) | #2034 (75 pts) |
Teams like this (closest power rating)
The teams rated closest to Heat's Neat, each with one reason worth a look.
129 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.
#5,322 of the rated field
- Contests
- 17
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1520
2–1 in 3 shared contests (67% to Heat's Neat)
These two have cooked 3 of the same contests — Heat's Neat ahead 2–1 — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.
⚔ Head-to-head#5,350 of the rated field
- Contests
- 14
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1455
1–3 in 4 shared contests (25% to Heat's Neat)
This is the highest they've ever been rated, 14 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.
⚔ Head-to-head#5,347 of the rated field
- Contests
- 13
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1504
2–0 in 2 shared contests (100% to Heat's Neat)
Fewer contests behind them than Heat's Neat has cooked, 13 to 19, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.
⚔ Head-to-head#5,348 of the rated field
- Contests
- 10
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1455
1–2 in 3 shared contests (33% to Heat's Neat)
Their last contest in the data was back in 2015, 11 years before Heat's Neat's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.
⚔ Head-to-head#5,328 of the rated field
- Contests
- 9
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 11%
- Peak
- 1518
0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to Heat's Neat)
Both teams' first contest in the data came in 2013.
⚔ Head-to-head#5,319 of the rated field
- Contests
- 5
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1456
3–2 in 5 shared contests (60% to Heat's Neat)
Level with Heat's Neat on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.
⚔ Head-to-headFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawg Wild | 14 | 6 | 8 | 43% | ⚔ compare |
| OINK, MOO & COCK-A-DOODLE DOO | 14 | 4 | 10 | 29% | ⚔ compare |
| PARK AVENUE PORK | 14 | 3 | 11 | 21% | ⚔ compare |
| B & C SMOKERS | 14 | 1 | 13 | 7% | ⚔ compare |
| BREW 'N' BAR-B-QUE | 14 | 1 | 13 | 7% | ⚔ compare |
| SHIGGIN & GRINNIN | 14 | 0 | 14 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| Smoke & Beer BBQ | 13 | 12 | 1 | 92% | ⚔ compare |
| Brewski and Barbeque | 13 | 11 | 2 | 85% | ⚔ compare |
| HI-TECH SMOKERS | 13 | 8 | 5 | 62% | ⚔ compare |
| PORK RADIO 810 | 13 | 8 | 5 | 62% | ⚔ compare |
| Tractor Shed BBQ | 13 | 6 | 7 | 46% | ⚔ compare |
| Moolicious Intentions | 13 | 6 | 7 | 46% | ⚔ compare |
| DIXIE MOON | 13 | 6 | 7 | 46% | ⚔ compare |
| Outhouse BBQ | 13 | 5 | 8 | 38% | ⚔ compare |
| Burn Rate! | 13 | 5 | 8 | 38% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 175.4172 | 126.7772 | 158.51 | top 65% |
| Pork Ribs | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 174.2972 | 122.0688 | 156.79 | top 69% |
| Pork | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 170.8228 | 146.8456 | 158.04 | top 70% |
| Brisket | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 164 | 147.3256 | 156.47 | top 71% |
“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) | 1 | 0 | top 38% |
| Large (40+) | 15 | 0 | top 67% |
Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest | 4 | 139 | 0 | top 74% | Sep 30, 2026 |
| American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest | 2 | 368 | 0 | top 94% | Nov 5, 2025 |
More numbers
Busiest season
2024
2 contests
Contests a season
1.5
across 13 seasons in the data
Most contests held in
KS
14 of 19 contests · 3 states in all
Contests visited
12
2 of them more than once
Opponents faced
2,533
finished ahead 2,079 times, behind 4,417
Longest layoff
1.5 yrs
Sep 12, 2019 → Mar 12, 2021
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
20261 milestone
- Most recent contest American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest
20212 milestones
- First overall top-10 American Royal Backyard and Steak Contest
- 10th tracked contest American Royal Backyard and Steak Contest
20163 milestones
- First call Great Lenexa BBQ Battle-Kansas State Championship
- Career-best overall score674.8688 37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN)
- Peak power rating (1500) 37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN)
20141 milestone
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score662.7428 35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open
20132 milestones
- First tracked contest Smokin' in Steele
- Career-best single call (Chicken)175.4172 34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +13.7 | 37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) | Oct 29, 2016 |
| +10.9 | 40th American Royal World Series of Barbecue- OPEN CONTEST | Sep 12, 2019 |
| +7.5 | Great Lenexa BBQ Battle-Kansas State Championship | Jun 24, 2016 |
| +7 | 35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open | Oct 2, 2014 |
| +3.1 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST | Sep 16, 2021 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -11.5 | Smokin' in Steele | May 31, 2013 |
| -10.4 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest | Oct 30, 2024 |
| -9.3 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest | Sep 30, 2026 |
| -9.1 | 38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) | Sep 1, 2017 |
| -9 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest | Nov 5, 2025 |
Scores over time (% of a perfect score — 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 | GCs | Top-10s | Category wins | Walk rate | Avg finish | Best overall (% of perfect) | Avg overall (% of perfect) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 95% | 87.6% | 87.6% |
| 2025 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 92% | 87.9% | 87.9% |
| 2024 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 95% | 84.3% | 84.3% |
| 2023 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 85% | 88.5% | 88.5% |
| 2022 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 87% | 87.7% | 87.7% |
| 2021 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 50% | top 34% | 91.7% | 76% |
| 2019 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 15% | 91.3% | 91.3% |
| 2018 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 75% | 88.8% | 88.8% |
| 2017 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 88% | 85.9% | 85.9% |
| 2016 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50% | top 25% | 93.7% | 91.7% |
| 2015 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 83% | 85.7% | 85.7% |
| 2014 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 37% | 92% | 92% |
| 2013 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 84% | 85.6% | 84.8% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 30, 2026 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest Kansas City, KS | 342 / 360 (630.7544) | 356 (148.5256) | 215 (168.5716) | 337 (154.2516) | 301 (159.4056) |
| Nov 5, 2025 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS | 368 / 401 (632.9144) | 372 (157.0628) | 385 (151.3716) | 318 (163.3828) | 312 (161.0972) |
| 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 | 424 / 444 (607.1996) | 387 (158.2168) | 421 (150.2628) | 423 (150.7656) | 411 (147.9544) |
| Sep 27, 2023 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Sides Kansas City, KS | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sep 27, 2023 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS | 415 / 487 (636.9712) | 372 (162.7884) | 414 (158.2512) | 392 (159.3944) | 410 (156.5372) |
| 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 | 437 / 505 (631.3488) | 310 (165.1200) | 476 (151.3944) | 467 (152.5372) | 310 (162.2972) |
| Sep 16, 2021 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS | 139 / 467 (325.6228) | 457 (126.7772) | 436 (150.2400) | 336 (159.3828) | 344 (156.5712) |
| Mar 12, 2021 | American Royal Backyard and Steak Contest Kansas City, MO | 9 / 24 (165.1200) | 21 (144.5372) | 4 (172) | — | — |
| Sep 12, 2019 | 40th American Royal World Series of Barbecue- OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS | 69 / 468 (493.1200) | 99 (171.4172) | 266 (164.0232) | 433 (148) | 400 (150.8344) |
| Sep 15, 2018 | 39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS | 349 / 467 (639.3368) | 312 (162.8112) | 358 (158.8344) | 279 (162.2628) | 357 (155.4284) |
| Sep 1, 2017 | 38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS | 359 / 407 (618.1600) | 315 (158.8344) | 364 (151.3944) | 390 (146.8456) | 254 (161.0856) |
| Oct 29, 2016 | 37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS | 102 / 557 (674.8688) | 48 (173.7716) | 176 (168.0344) | 108 (170.8228) | 291 (162.2400) |
| Jun 24, 2016 | Great Lenexa BBQ Battle-Kansas State Championship 🏅 Lenexa, KS | 57 / 183 (645.7256) | 176 (142.8684) | 8 (174.2972) | 58 (164.5600) | 53 (164) |
| Oct 3, 2015 | 36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Open Kansas City, MO | 506 / 606 (617.0400) | 483 (156.0228) | 532 (150.2516) | 320 (163.4400) | 526 (147.3256) |
| Oct 2, 2014 | 35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO | 204 / 552 (662.7428) | 85 (172.5828) | 159 (168.5716) | 193 (167.3712) | 409 (154.2172) |
| Oct 3, 2013 | 34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO | 441 / 535 (605.5776) | 15 (175.4172) | 530 (122.0688) | 421 (152.0800) | 299 (156.0116) |
| May 31, 2013 | Smokin' in Steele Owatonna, MN | 44 / 51 (615.9992) | 38 (159.4286) | 44 (149.1426) | 40 (155.4284) | 37 (151.9996) |