The heartbreaker
0.0344
points from the title
Came within 0.0344 points of the Grand Championship at Battle of the Blue Ridge (Aug 7, 2026).
Casual Smokers SC
Casual Smokers SC is a competition barbecue team with 38 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2021 and 2026. They have won 1 Grand Championship, at the Mission Farms King of the Farm (2024), and finished Reserve Grand Champion once. They are ranked #1010 of 6,477 teams in the KCBS power rankings.
At a glance (the record in numbers)
Rating
1605
peak 1605 · rated over 31 contests4 invitational or side-series contests not counted
Contests
38
in the data
First seen
Apr 16, 2021
latest Sep 11, 2026 · 5.4 years on the trail
Grand champs
1
1 reserve · wins it all 3% of the time
Category wins
3
11 podiums
Overall top-10s
8
21% of 38 contests
Best top-10 run
2
straight overall top-10s, still running
Avg finish
top 47%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
3 🔥
Current form
691.57 ▲
last 5 Master vs avg 682.19 (+9.38)
Walk rate
55%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±13.06
spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Pork Ribs
avg 171.19 · weakest Brisket (170.13)
Road miles
6,260
across 38 mapped stops · furthest 778 mi
Schedule strength
79%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1603)
Purse competed for
$460K
listed at 30 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
1 🏅
won from 31 state-championship entries
Master avg
682.19 / 720
35 Master contests · 1 GC
In the record book (on 1 all-time board)
Where this team sits in the all-time KCBS record book. A gold line is a record they hold outright; the rest are boards they are on.
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 | #99 (1,362 pts) | #172 (1,059 pts) | #118 (1,317 pts) | #92 (1,342 pts) | #90 (1,347 pts) |
| 2025 ↗ | Master | #192 (1,128 pts) | #169 (1,253 pts) | #240 (1,028 pts) | #127 (1,392 pts) | #163 (1,223 pts) |
| 2024 ↗ | Master | #220 (975 pts) | #226 (990 pts) | #257 (965 pts) | #224 (980 pts) | #330 (685 pts) |
Overall rank by season
Teams like this (closest power rating)
The teams rated closest to Casual Smokers SC, each with one reason worth a look.
26 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.
#1,005 of the rated field
- Contests
- 48
- GCs
- 3
- Top-10s
- 52%
- Peak
- 1635
2–0 in 2 shared contests (100% to Casual Smokers SC)
2 contests in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team Casual Smokers SC has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.
⚔ Head-to-head#1,006 of the rated field
- Contests
- 32
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 25%
- Peak
- 1605
This is the highest they've ever been rated, 32 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.
⚔ Compare careers#1,008 of the rated field
- Contests
- 30
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 40%
- Peak
- 1606
Careers of much the same size, 30 contests to 38, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.
⚔ Compare careers#1,011 of the rated field
- Contests
- 29
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 41%
- Peak
- 1612
29 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 41% top-10 finishes rather than wins.
⚔ Compare careers#1,007 of the rated field
- Contests
- 28
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 32%
- Peak
- 1626
Level with Casual Smokers SC on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.
⚔ Compare careers#1,004 of the rated field
- Contests
- 27
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 59%
- Peak
- 1620
Careers of much the same size, 27 contests to 38, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.
⚔ Compare careersFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MUTTLEY CREW BBQ | 26 | 11 | 15 | 42% | ⚔ compare |
| ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN | 23 | 4 | 19 | 17% | ⚔ compare |
| BAD ROOSTER BBQ | 22 | 6 | 16 | 27% | ⚔ compare |
| ELITE BBQ SMOKERS | 21 | 4 | 17 | 19% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOKIN SKULLIES | 21 | 4 | 17 | 19% | ⚔ compare |
| SWIG-N-PIG | 20 | 7 | 13 | 35% | ⚔ compare |
| HOLD YOUR HORSES BBQ | 20 | 6 | 14 | 30% | ⚔ compare |
| MAYA JANE BBQ CO. | 19 | 7 | 12 | 37% | ⚔ compare |
| Smoke Central BBQ | 19 | 2 | 17 | 11% | ⚔ compare |
| PIG ON FIRE | 18 | 13 | 5 | 72% | ⚔ compare |
| ZIPS BBQ | 18 | 8 | 10 | 44% | ⚔ compare |
| COOL HAND QUE | 17 | 8 | 9 | 47% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS | 17 | 5 | 12 | 29% | ⚔ compare |
| FRED VEGAS SMOKERS | 16 | 5 | 11 | 31% | ⚔ compare |
| Glamping Grillers | 16 | 5 | 11 | 31% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 36 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 177.7028 | 156.5028 | 170.37 | top 51% |
| Pork Ribs | 37 | 11 | 2 | 4 | 180 🔥 | 159.3368 | 171.19 | top 44% |
| Pork | 35 | 10 | 1 | 4 | 180 🔥 | 157.0628 | 170.66 | top 46% |
| Brisket | 35 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 176.5600 | 160.5256 | 170.13 | top 45% |
“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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (<20 teams) | 1 | 0 | top 43% |
| Medium (20–39) | 15 | 1 | top 47% |
| Large (40+) | 19 | 0 | top 47% |
Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina Festival of Discovery | 5 | 18 | 0 | top 53% | Jul 9, 2026 |
| Mission Farms - King of the Farm | 3 | 1 | 1 | top 43% | Feb 27, 2026 |
| Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship | 2 | 68 | 0 | top 63% | Mar 20, 2026 |
| Sip & Swine BBQ Festival | 2 | 3 | 0 | top 29% | Mar 6, 2026 |
| Bloomin' BBQ Music & Food Festival | 2 | 13 | 0 | top 47% | May 16, 2025 |
| Atlanta BBQ Store Classic | 2 | 25 | 0 | top 64% | Nov 15, 2024 |
More numbers
Busiest season
2026
11 contests
Contests a season
6.3
across 6 seasons in the data
Most contests held in
SC
11 of 38 contests · 7 states in all
Contests visited
25
6 of them more than once
Most-entered meat
Pork Ribs
37 entries · 2 wins · 11 calls
First title
Feb 23, 2024
Mission Farms King of the Farm
Opponents faced
1,056
finished ahead 1,386 times, behind 1,213
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
20263 milestones
- First Reserve Championship Battle of the Blue Ridge
- Peak power rating (1605) Uniquely Union
- Most recent contest Uniquely Union
20251 milestone
- 25th tracked contest South Carolina Festival of Discovery
20248 milestones
- First category win (Pork Ribs) Mission Farms King of the Farm
- First overall top-10 Mission Farms King of the Farm
- First overall podium Mission Farms King of the Farm
- First Grand Championship Mission Farms King of the Farm
- First state championship Mission Farms King of the Farm
- First perfect 180 (Pork Ribs) Mission Farms King of the Farm
- Career-best overall score710.2628 Mission Farms King of the Farm
- 10th tracked contest 6th Annual KCBS World Invitational - MASTER SERIES INVITATIONAL
20213 milestones
- First tracked contest Rufus Teague BBQ Throwdown - Pine Ridge
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score656.9372 Rufus Teague BBQ Throwdown - Pine Ridge
- First call SC Festival of Discovery
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +22.5 | Mission Farms King of the Farm | Feb 23, 2024 |
| +16.9 | Pigmaster BBQ Challenge | Sep 20, 2024 |
| +16 | Sip & Swine BBQ Festival | Mar 7, 2025 |
| +14.5 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest | Oct 30, 2024 |
| +14.5 | Battle of the Blue Ridge | Aug 7, 2026 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -11.8 | Rufus Teague BBQ Throwdown - Roebuck | Jun 11, 2021 |
| -9.3 | Rufus Teague BBQ Throwdown - Pine Ridge | Apr 16, 2021 |
| -8.2 | Atlanta BBQ Store Classic | Nov 17, 2023 |
| -7.5 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship | Mar 14, 2025 |
| -6.7 | Poosa Q | Jun 20, 2025 |
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 | GCs | Top-10s | Category wins | Walk rate | Avg finish | Best overall (% of perfect) | Avg overall (% of perfect) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 11 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 64% | top 39% | 97.5% | 95.5% |
| 2025 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 73% | top 47% | 97.4% | 94.8% |
| 2024 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 50% | top 37% | 98.6% | 95.7% |
| 2023 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 78% | 92% | 91.6% |
| 2022 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 62% | 91.7% | 91.7% |
| 2021 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33% | top 77% | 94.5% | 92.1% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 11, 2026 | Uniquely Union 🏅 Union, SC | 6 / 14 (691.9084) | 4 (176.5600) | 7 (170.8228) | 2 (176.5600) | 9 (167.9656) |
| Aug 7, 2026 | Battle of the Blue Ridge 🏅 Swannanoa, NC | 2 / 41 (701.6456) | 4 (176.5600) | 3 (178.8572) | 19 (171.9656) | 8 (174.2628) |
| Jul 17, 2026 | Chillin & Grillin in the Glades 🏅 Wise, VA | 15 / 35 (683.8856) | 26 (166.2400) | 18 (169.6800) | 11 (172.5600) | 5 (175.4056) |
| Jul 9, 2026 | South Carolina Festival of Discovery 🏅 Greenwood, SC | 34 / 75 (683.3260) | 30 (173.1200) | 32 (170.8344) | 60 (165.0972) | 18 (174.2744) |
| May 15, 2026 | Speed & Feed BBQ Festival at Darlington Raceway 🏅 Darlington, SC | 6 / 26 (697.0856) | 11 (171.9656) | 5 (178.2972) | 6 (174.2628) | 9 (172.5600) |
| Apr 24, 2026 | Revolutionary BBQ Brawl 🏅 Williamsburg, VA | 5 / 20 (683.9088) | 18 (167.3828) | 3 (177.1544) | 8 (169.6800) | 5 (169.6916) |
| Mar 20, 2026 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship 🏅 Lebanon, TN | 68 / 125 (683.3028) | 39 (174.2744) | 76 (168.5256) | 72 (170.8228) | 68 (169.6800) |
| Mar 20, 2026 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship (ONE MEAT CHICKEN) Lebanon, TN | — | 31 (173.1200) | — | — | — |
| Mar 20, 2026 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship (ONE MEAT RIBS) Lebanon, TN | — | — | 29 (171.9772) | — | — |
| Mar 6, 2026 | Sip & Swine BBQ Festival 🏅 Lawrenceville, GA | 23 / 44 (683.9316) | 21 (171.4056) | 6 (177.1544) | 30 (166.8344) | 27 (168.5372) |
| Feb 27, 2026 | Mission Farms - King of the Farm 🏅 Iron Station, NC | 20 / 33 (677.6232) | 32 (165.0972) | 24 (166.2400) | 13 (170.8688) | 5 (175.4172) |
| Sep 19, 2025 | Pigmaster's BBQ Challenge 🏅 Rutherford College, NC | 11 / 36 (684.4224) | 4 (175.4056) | 23 (167.3828) | 11 (173.1084) | 20 (168.5256) |
| Sep 5, 2025 | Uniquely Union Festival 🏅 Union, SC | 17 / 25 (674.7084) | 9 (173.1200) | 17 (166.2400) | 7 (171.4056) | 19 (163.9428) |
| Jul 10, 2025 | South Carolina Festival of Discovery 🏅 Greenwood, SC | 18 / 66 (689.5996) | 22 (173.1084) | 26 (171.9772) | 24 (171.9656) | 22 (172.5484) |
| Jun 20, 2025 | Poosa Q 🏅 Montgomery, AL | 31 / 42 (678.7084) | 14 (174.2628) | 33 (166.2400) | 25 (171.9656) | 34 (166.2400) |
| May 16, 2025 | Bloomin' BBQ Music & Food Festival 🏅 Sevierville, TN | 13 / 33 (683.3372) | 24 (166.8344) | 22 (166.8228) | 6 (174.2628) | 3 (175.4172) |
| Apr 25, 2025 | BBQ & Boogie 🏅 Calhoun, GA | 9 / 32 (691.9084) | 11 (175.4056) | 1 (177.7144) | 6 (174.2628) | 23 (164.5256) |
| Mar 28, 2025 | Smokin' in the Pines 🏅 Carthage, NC | 13 / 22 (675.8396) | 22 (160.5028) | 17 (167.3712) | 2 (174.8456) | 4 (173.1200) |
| Mar 14, 2025 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship 🏅 Lebanon, TN | 72 / 100 (671.8516) | 89 (163.9544) | 92 (159.3600) | 4 (178.8572) | 47 (169.6800) |
| Mar 14, 2025 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship (ONE MEAT RIBS) Lebanon, TN | — | — | 20 (173.1200) | — | — |
| Mar 7, 2025 | Sip & Swine BBQ Festival 🏅 Lawrenceville, GA | 3 / 45 (701.0740) | 3 (177.7028) | 8 (176.5600) | 13 (174.2628) | 14 (172.5484) |
| Feb 28, 2025 | Mission Farms - King of the Farm 🏅 Iron Station, NC | 17 / 26 (675.8396) | 12 (171.9656) | 22 (164.5256) | 24 (163.9312) | 4 (175.4172) |
| Nov 15, 2024 | Atlanta BBQ Store Classic 🏅 Cuming, GA | 25 / 58 (685.6456) | 14 (175.4172) | 36 (169.1428) | 38 (166.8228) | 15 (174.2628) |
| Oct 30, 2024 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS | 60 / 444 (692.5140) | 221 (169.6684) | 55 (175.4172) | 64 (175.4056) | 86 (172.0228) |
| Oct 30, 2024 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Invitational Contest unrated Kansas City, KS | 118 / 169 (678.7196) | 18 (177.7028) | 109 (169.6800) | 103 (170.2512) | 160 (161.0856) |
| Oct 11, 2024 | Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue (Competitor's Series) (JUDGES BY INVITATION ONLY) unrated Lynchburg, TN | 20 / 87 (687.3368) | 48 (169.1428) | 5 (177.7028) | 51 (168.5256) | 29 (171.9656) |
| Sep 20, 2024 | Pigmaster BBQ Challenge 🏅 Rutherford College, NC | 5 / 33 (691.3488) | 5 (176.5600) | 20 (167.3944) | 1 (180) | 28 (167.3944) |
| Jul 11, 2024 | South Carolina Festival of Discovery 🏅 Greenwood, SC | 47 / 76 (679.8972) | 46 (170.8228) | 27 (172.5600) | 48 (169.1200) | 50 (167.3944) |
| May 25, 2024 | 6th Annual KCBS World Invitational - MASTER SERIES INVITATIONAL unrated Lebanon, TN | 13 / 81 (702.8000) | 37 (174.2744) | 5 (178.8572) | 43 (173.1084) | 21 (176.5600) |
| May 24, 2024 | 6th Annual KCBS World Invitational - OPEN unrated Lebanon, TN | 82 / 118 (678.7312) | 111 (165.6684) | 82 (167.3944) | 64 (170.8228) | 26 (174.8456) |
| May 17, 2024 | Bloomin' BBQ Music & Food Festival 🏅 Sevierville, TN | 17 / 31 (685.0284) | 7 (174.8572) | 21 (168.5256) | 19 (169.6800) | 16 (171.9656) |
| Feb 23, 2024 | Mission Farms King of the Farm 🏅 Iron Station, NC | 1 / 26 (710.2628) | 2 (177.7028) | 1 (180) | 2 (180) | 8 (172.5600) |
| Nov 17, 2023 | Atlanta BBQ Store Classic 🏅 Cumming, GA | 51 / 60 (662.6740) | 60 (156.5028) | 16 (175.4172) | 33 (168.5256) | 51 (162.2284) |
| Jul 6, 2023 | South Carolina Festival of Discovery 🏅 Greenwood, SC | 54 / 76 (656.9600) | 68 (158.2172) | 35 (169.6800) | 34 (168.5372) | 57 (160.5256) |
| Jul 7, 2022 | South Carolina Festival of Discovery 🏅 Greenwood, SC | 57 / 92 (660.3772) | 38 (169.6800) | 50 (167.3944) | 79 (157.0628) | 47 (166.2400) |
| Jul 9, 2021 | SC Festival of Discovery 🏅 Greenwood, SC | 31 / 81 (680.4456) | 49 (166.2400) | 5 (176.5600) | 55 (162.2400) | 9 (175.4056) |
| Jun 11, 2021 | Rufus Teague BBQ Throwdown - Roebuck 🏅 Roebuck, SC | 27 / 28 (652.9024) | 24 (164.5372) | 26 (159.3368) | 27 (161.6572) | 21 (167.3712) |
| Apr 16, 2021 | Rufus Teague BBQ Throwdown - Pine Ridge 🏅 Roebuck, SC | 26 / 27 (656.9372) | 27 (158.2056) | 12 (171.9772) | 26 (163.9544) | 24 (162.8000) |
An unrated contest — an invitational, or a Competitor or Kosher Series board — is in the record but doesn’t move the power rating.