Fire BBQ

Fire BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 34 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2026. Their best overall finish is 4th of 13 at the Prairie Dog on the Bow (2019). They are ranked #5630 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#5,630

of 6,476 rated · rankings

Rating

1448

peak 1524 · rated over 34 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Sep 6, 2013

latest Sep 4, 2026 · 13 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#315

Master 2023 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

10 podiums

Overall top-10s

26% of 34 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 58%

overall standings

Best overall

677.7028 / 720

Master · Embers and Ice Pitmaster Championship (formerly Porkapalooza BBQ Festival)

Perfect 180s

Current form

645.35 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 649.96 (-4.61)

Walk rate

74%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

178.2972

Brisket · Embers and Ice Pitmaster Championship (formerly Porkapalooza BBQ Festival)

Consistency

±17.17

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 165.28 · weakest Brisket (159.98)

Road miles

5,058

across 34 mapped stops · furthest 1,642 mi

Schedule strength

24%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1533)

Purse competed for

$21K

listed at 3 contests — purses, not winnings

Master avg

649.96 / 720

34 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (13 found in their record)

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

They almost always walk

74% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 25 of 34 contests

A top-10 category call in 74% of their 34 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

677.7028 career-best overall

94.1% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 677.7028 at Embers and Ice Pitmaster Championship (formerly Porkapalooza BBQ Festival) — 94.1% of a perfect 720.

Master
Sep 16, 2023

The one to beat

4× one call ahead of them

Bad to the Brisket has finished one call ahead of Fire BBQ 4 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2022 their best year

2022 was the year it came together: 5 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 1 category win, at an average finish in the top 38%.

5 contests
3 overall top-10s
1 category win
average top 38%

A tough matchup

21–7 behind in the head-to-head

Kreiser Barbecue ahead in 75% of their meetings

Kreiser Barbecue has come out ahead in 21 of their 28 shared contests.

The weak link

−5.3 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 5.29 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 26% of the time against 41%.

Brisket avg 159.98
Chicken avg 165.28
9 calls in 34 entries

A strong matchup

15–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 94% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of Mark's Meats and Treats in 15 of their 16 shared contests.

Show 6 more storylines

The comeback

4.7 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 4.7 years, then back at Heritage Heat Western Smokin BBQ (May 25, 2019).

last seen Sep 12, 2014
back May 25, 2019

Going the wrong way

-26 rating points in a year

The rating has slipped 26 points across 4 contests since Sep 27, 2025 — from 1473 down to 1448.

4 contests since Sep 27, 2025
now 1448

Looking over their shoulder

3× one call behind them

Homestead Smoke Shack has landed one call behind them 3 times.

The long haul

5,058 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 5,058 miles across 34 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 1,642 miles to Bands & BBQ at the Point.

34 mapped stops
furthest 1,642 mi

The metronome

±2.33% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±2.33% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 90.2% of a perfect score
34 contests

A standing appointment

5 years running at one contest

They've cooked Didsbury Lions BBQ every year from 2021 to 2025 — the contest they never miss.

5 visits in all
best finish 6th

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
2025 ↗	Master	#683 (205 pts)	#642 (280 pts)	#662 (280 pts)	#742 (200 pts)	#765 (185 pts)
2024 ↗	Master	#456 (429 pts)	#366 (639 pts)	#522 (444 pts)	#532 (374 pts)	#340 (669 pts)
2023 ↗	Master	#315 (672 pts)	#266 (852 pts)	#422 (577 pts)	#324 (657 pts)	#275 (802 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#515 (640 pts)	#499 (685 pts)	#649 (525 pts)	#603 (565 pts)	#451 (750 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to Fire BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.

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

GRIZZLY PAW SMOKERS

#5,647 of the rated field

1447 power rating

Contests: 20
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 15%
Peak: 1447

14–3 in 17 shared contests (82% to Fire BBQ)

These two have cooked 17 of the same contests — Fire BBQ ahead 14–3 — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.

rated over 20 contests
last seen Jul 25, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

Bubba's Butts

#5,633 of the rated field

1448 power rating

Contests: 5
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1448

2–0 in 2 shared contests (100% to Fire BBQ)

Their last contest in the data was back in 2014, 12 years before Fire BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 5 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

SWINE AND CHEESE

#5,635 of the rated field

1448 power rating

Contests: 23
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1500

They've been 1500 at their best, 53 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 23 contests
last seen Jul 11, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

Chillin & Grillin

#5,628 of the rated field

1448 power rating

Contests: 18
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1448

Fewer contests behind them than Fire BBQ has cooked, 18 to 34, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.

rated over 17 contests
last seen May 3, 2024

⚔ Compare careers

Porkosaurus

#5,645 of the rated field

1447 power rating

Contests: 16
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1504

16 contests and no Grand Championship yet.

rated over 16 contests
last seen Sep 21, 2023

⚔ Compare careers

BIG BULLS BBQ BUNCH

#5,624 of the rated field

1448 power rating

Contests: 16
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1501

Both teams' first contest in the data came in 2013.

rated over 16 contests
last seen Sep 16, 2021

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
Kreiser Barbecue	28	6	21	21%	⚔ compare
MOTLEY QUE	26	13	13	50%	⚔ compare
Hogparts School of Smokecraft and Brew'ery	25	7	18	28%	⚔ compare
Homestead Smoke Shack	21	6	15	29%	⚔ compare
SMELLAQUE	21	0	21	0%	⚔ compare
YOU NEED A BBQ	19	4	15	21%	⚔ compare
DIDY SMOKE IT	18	9	9	50%	⚔ compare
ROKER Q	18	9	9	50%	⚔ compare
ARROWHEAD NORTH BBQ	18	0	18	0%	⚔ compare
GRIZZLY PAW SMOKERS	17	14	3	82%	⚔ compare
Rack Addicts BBQ Team	17	13	4	76%	⚔ compare
Bad to the Brisket	17	7	10	41%	⚔ compare
HOME COOKIN' BBQ	17	3	14	18%	⚔ compare
Mark's Meats and Treats	16	15	1	94%	⚔ compare
Notorious P.I.G.	16	2	14	13%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	34	14	0	3	175.4516	146.2400	165.28	top 52%
Pork Ribs	34	10	1	3	175.4172	149.6796	163.34	top 54%
Pork	33	11	0	0	174.3200	142.7656	161.34	top 62%
Brisket	34	9	1	4	178.2972	145.1200	159.98	top 58%

“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	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	7	top 67%
Medium (20–39)	25	top 58%
Large (40+)	2	top 30%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
AB	26	top 60%
KY	2	top 67%
SK	1	top 81%
IN	1	top 76%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Didsbury Lions BBQ	5	6	top 50%	Jul 26, 2025
Barbeque on the Bow Festival	4	14	top 60%	Sep 4, 2026
The Didsbury Double (Didsbury Lions BBQ) (Day 2)	2	16	top 92%	Jul 25, 2026
Embers and Ice Pitmaster Championship	2	17	top 48%	May 24, 2025
Prairie Dog on the Bow	2	4	top 61%	Aug 31, 2024
Small Town Smoke Down	2	13	top 61%	Jun 8, 2024
Porkapalooza BBQ Festival	2	15	top 54%	May 28, 2022
Bands & BBQ at the Point	2	23	top 67%	Sep 5, 2014

More numbers

Busiest season 2023 6 contests

Contests a season 3.8 across 9 seasons in the data

Most contests held in AB 26 of 34 contests · 4 states and provinces in all

Contests visited 21 8 of them more than once

Opponents faced 284 finished ahead 401 times, behind 544

Longest layoff 4.7 yrs Sep 12, 2014 → May 25, 2019

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

20261 milestone

Sep 4 Most recent contest Barbeque on the Bow Festival

20241 milestone

Jul 27 25th tracked contest Didsbury Lions BBQ

20232 milestones

Sep 16 Career-best overall score677.7028 Embers and Ice Pitmaster Championship (formerly Porkapalooza BBQ Festival)
Sep 16 Career-best single call (Brisket)178.2972 Embers and Ice Pitmaster Championship (formerly Porkapalooza BBQ Festival)

20221 milestone

Sep 3 Peak power rating (1524) Barbeque on the Bow

20211 milestone

Sep 3 10th tracked contest Didsbury Lions BBQ

20192 milestones

Aug 10 First overall top-10 Battle River BBQ Showdown
Sep 1 First category win (Brisket) Prairie Dog on the Bow

20141 milestone

Sep 5 First overall past 90% of a perfect score649.0172 Bands & BBQ at the Point

20132 milestones

Sep 6 First tracked contest Bands & BBQ at the Point
Sep 6 First call Bands & BBQ at the Point

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+11.3	Prairie Dog on the Bow	Sep 1, 2019
+10.5	Porkapalooza BBQ Festival	Jun 15, 2019
+9.7	Didsbury Lions BBQ	Sep 3, 2021
+8.3	Battle River BBQ Showdown	Aug 10, 2019
+7.5	Barbeque on the Bow	Sep 3, 2022

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-13	BBQ on the Bow	Sep 4, 2021
-11.5	The Didsbury Double (Didsbury Lions BBQ) (Day 2)	Jul 25, 2026
-10.8	Prairie Dog on the Bow	Aug 31, 2024
-10	The Didsbury Double (Didsbury Lions BBQ) (Day 1)	Jul 24, 2026
-9.8	Heritage Heat Western Smokin BBQ	May 25, 2019

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	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2026	3	0	0	67%	top 86%	91.6%	89.3%
2025	4	0	0	50%	top 71%	90.9%	90.5%
2024	5	0	0	80%	top 58%	93.1%	91.5%
2023	6	2	0	67%	top 60%	94.1%	91.6%
2022	5	3	1	100%	top 38%	93.8%	92%
2021	3	1	0	67%	top 58%	89.1%	86.7%
2019	5	3	1	80%	top 41%	92.1%	88.8%
2014	2	0	0	50%	top 71%	90.1%	89.7%
2013	1	0	0	100%	top 68%	90%	90%

Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Sep 4, 2026	Barbeque on the Bow Festival Calgary, AB	25 / 33 (659.4400)	27 (162.2856)	27 (161.6800)	5 (174.3200)	23 (161.1544)
Jul 25, 2026	The Didsbury Double (Didsbury Lions BBQ) (Day 2) Didsbury, AB	17 / 18 (637.6804)	18 (158.2400)	6 (168.0460)	14 (160)	18 (151.3944)
Jul 24, 2026	The Didsbury Double (Didsbury Lions BBQ) (Day 1) Didsbury, AB	16 / 18 (631.4292)	16 (165.1888)	12 (159.4288)	17 (151.9888)	16 (154.8228)
Sep 27, 2025	Smoke in the Valley Edmonton, AB	19 / 23 (647.3948)	17 (163.4516)	9 (167.9888)	18 (162.8572)	21 (153.0972)
Aug 30, 2025	Barbeque on the Bow Festival Calgary, AB	29 / 38 (650.8112)	32 (162.8572)	19 (167.3828)	26 (165.6912)	33 (154.8800)
Jul 26, 2025	Didsbury Lions BBQ Didsbury, AB	23 / 32 (654.2288)	10 (170.8572)	25 (163.4056)	27 (160.5600)	25 (159.4060)
May 24, 2025	Embers and Ice Pitmaster Championship Calmar, AB	18 / 34 (653.0744)	12 (167.9772)	16 (161.6800)	28 (155.9428)	13 (167.4744)
Aug 31, 2024	Barbeque on the Bow Festival Calgary, AB	19 / 35 (670.2400)	24 (167.9772)	12 (171.4172)	22 (165.1312)	20 (165.7144)
Aug 31, 2024	Prairie Dog on the Bow Calgary, AB	22 / 24 (646.2972)	4 (174.3200)	24 (154.2744)	19 (165.1200)	22 (152.5828)
Jul 27, 2024	Didsbury Lions BBQ Didsbury, AB	14 / 28 (668.5600)	12 (168.5944)	17 (164.5716)	17 (166.8112)	10 (168.5828)
Jun 8, 2024	Small Town Smoke Down Bassano, AB	13 / 27 (160.5484)	21 (159.9888)	24 (158.8456)	22 (158.8228)	3 (173.1656)
May 25, 2024	Embers and Ice Pitmaster Championship Calmar, AB	17 / 39 (666.3432)	5 (174.2972)	14 (166.8572)	37 (150.8800)	7 (174.3088)
Sep 16, 2023	Embers and Ice Pitmaster Championship (formerly Porkapalooza BBQ Festival) Sherwood Park, Edmonton, AB	10 / 29 (677.7028)	3 (175.4400)	22 (161.7028)	18 (162.2628)	2 (178.2972)
Sep 2, 2023	Barbeque on the Bow Festival Calgary, AB	14 / 40 (668.5944)	16 (168.5828)	21 (168.0116)	15 (168.5600)	16 (163.4400)
Aug 5, 2023	Didsbury Lions BBQ Didsbury, AB	12 / 17 (653.6456)	8 (169.7372)	15 (158.8000)	7 (166.2972)	12 (158.8112)
Jul 20, 2023	Smoke, Wind & Fire Raymond, AB	8 / 12 (659.3824)	10 (162.2628)	8 (166.2512)	9 (163.9884)	6 (166.8800)
Jun 16, 2023	Father's Day Smoke n' Bones BBQ Regina, SK	13 / 16 (646.2516)	6 (170.8572)	11 (162.8572)	10 (165.7028)	16 (146.8344)
Jun 3, 2023	Small Town Smoke Down Bassano, AB	17 / 23 (651.8852)	12 (169.6800)	16 (163.4056)	20 (155.9884)	15 (162.8112)
Sep 3, 2022	Barbeque on the Bow Calgary, AB	7 / 36 (675.4972)	25 (164.0572)	2 (174.8572)	9 (170.8800)	15 (165.7028)
Aug 27, 2022	Didsbury Lions BBQ Didsbury, AB	7 / 19 (663.4172)	11 (161.6800)	1 (175.4172)	10 (164.0344)	11 (162.2856)
Jul 23, 2022	Smoke, Wind & Fire Lethbridge	7 / 20 (667.3828)	2 (175.4516)	12 (163.3944)	5 (168.5828)	13 (159.9540)
Jun 3, 2022	Small Town Smoke Down Bassano Alberta Bassano, AB	15 / 31 (661.8172)	4 (173.1772)	9 (171.4628)	18 (165.1544)	26 (152.0228)
May 28, 2022	Porkapalooza BBQ Festival Sherwood Park, AB	19 / 39 (644.0340)	9 (167.4400)	23 (158.9028)	15 (164.5484)	27 (153.1428)
Sep 4, 2021	BBQ on the Bow Didsbury, AB	26 / 29 (610.7656)	17 (160.5944)	15 (161.1544)	28 (142.7656)	26 (146.2512)
Sep 3, 2021	Didsbury Lions BBQ Didsbury, AB	6 / 26 (641.1772)	10 (158.2972)	6 (163.4172)	10 (156.5256)	2 (162.9372)
Aug 14, 2021	Porkapalooza BBQ Festival Sherwood Park, AB	15 / 25 (621.7144)	14 (157.1544)	8 (161.7028)	13 (157.7372)	21 (145.1200)
Sep 1, 2019	Prairie Dog on the Bow Alberta	4 / 13 (662.9144)	6 (169.7028)	5 (165.1544)	10 (152.5828)	1 (175.4744)
Aug 31, 2019	BBQ on the Bow Calgary	10 / 37 (161.6800)	19 (157.1200)	15 (161.7372)	16 (161.1200)	23 (150.8916)
Aug 10, 2019	Battle River BBQ Showdown Camrose, AB	7 / 20 (631.5316)	2 (166.8916)	14 (153.1656)	11 (153.1200)	5 (158.3544)
Jun 15, 2019	Porkapalooza BBQ Festival Edmonton	11 / 44 (654.3660)	10 (166.2972)	27 (156.6060)	—	7 (169.1428)
May 25, 2019	Heritage Heat Western Smokin BBQ Mountain View, AB	19 / 22 (600.5024)	22 (146.2400)	16 (149.6796)	9 (159.4628)	18 (145.1200)
Sep 12, 2014	St. Leon BBQ Smoke Fest and Chili Cook Off St. Leon, IN	22 / 29 (642.1256)	20 (163.9428)	20 (161.1316)	29 (155.4056)	19 (161.6456)
Sep 5, 2014	Bands & BBQ at the Point Carrollton, KY	24 / 36 (649.0172)	20 (167.9656)	3 (172.0116)	30 (157.6572)	31 (151.3828)
Sep 6, 2013	Bands & BBQ at the Point Carrollton, KY	23 / 34 (647.8404)	32 (150.7656)	27 (157.0860)	4 (173.7144)	11 (166.2744)

Fire BBQ

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

Rating

Contests

First seen

Best ToY finish

Grand champs

Category wins

Overall top-10s

Best top-10 run

Avg finish

Best overall

Perfect 180s

Current form

Walk rate

Best single call

Consistency

Strongest meat

Road miles

Schedule strength

Purse competed for

Master avg

Storylines (13 found in their record)

They almost always walk

High-water mark

The one to beat

Their season

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

The comeback

Going the wrong way

Looking over their shoulder

The long haul

The metronome

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)