Smoker Bandits

At a glance (everything the results say about this team, in numbers)

Power ranking

#783

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1629

peak 1632 · rated over 21 contests ⓘ

Contests

in the data

First seen

2013-04-19

latest 2025-09-26

Best ToY finish

#920

Master 2023

Grand champs

1 reserve

Category wins

10 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 24 contests

Avg finish

top 25%

overall standings

Best overall

691.9316 / 720

Master · Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship

Perfect 180s

2 🔥

Current form

675.20 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 666.93 (+8.27)

Walk rate

54%

contests with a top-10 call

Top-10 streak

best run (overall)

Best single call

180.0000 🔥

Pork · Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship Barbeque

Consistency

±14.84

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork Ribs

avg 167.26 · weakest Chicken (165.93)

Road miles

528

mi across 24 mapped stops · furthest 191 mi

Schedule strength

23%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1531)

Purse competed for

$37K

listed at 6 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

GCs in 13 state-championship entries

Master avg

666.93 / 720

24 Master contests · 1 GC

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (12 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.

Perfect scores on the board

2 perfect 180s

2 perfect 180s in the data — every judge at the table handing back a nine, across 2 different meats.

Pork Ribs ×1
Pork ×1

Happy hunting ground

1× Grand Championships here

UMB Smokin' Vault (Competitors Invitational Only Series) is their spot: 1 Grand Championship in 3 visits.

3 visits
best finish 1st
average top 17%

Multi-meat days

2 contests with 2+ category wins

They've won two or more meats on the same day 2 times — the best of them 2 category wins at UMB Smokin Vault BBQ Contest - Competitor's Series (2022-05-06).

Pork Ribs 1st
Brisket 1st

High-water mark

691.9316 career-best overall

96.1% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 691.9316 at Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship — 96.1% of a perfect 720.

Master
2022-09-23

A tough matchup

12–5 behind in the head-to-head

BREW 'N' BAR-B-QUE ahead in 71% of their meetings

BREW 'N' BAR-B-QUE has come out ahead in 12 of their 17 shared contests.

The drought

13 contests since the last title

Their last Grand Championship came at UMB Smokin' Vault (Competitors Invitational Series) on 2017-05-05 — 13 contests and 9.3 years ago.

last GC 2017-05-05
9.3 years ago

A strong matchup

12–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 92% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of KC Rib doctor in 12 of their 13 shared contests.

The comeback

2 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 2 years, then back at Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship (TEAM & JUDGES ARE FULL-WAITLIST ONLY) (2021-09-24).

last seen 2019-09-27
back 2021-09-24

Pork Ribs nemesis

9 of 13 shared pork ribs entries lost

913 BBQ ahead 69% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, 913 BBQ has out-cooked them in 9 of 13 shared pork ribs entries.

Looking over their shoulder

3× one call behind them

Big Fork BBQ has landed one call behind them 3 times.

A June team

Top 9% average finish in June

Something about June: average finish in the top 9% across 3 contests, versus top 25% the rest of the year.

3 June contests
top 25% the rest of the year

The metronome

±2.06% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±2.06% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 92.6% of a perfect score
24 contests

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.

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

Hoggy Style BBQ

#784 of the rated field

1629 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 29
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 17%
Peak: 1632

7–5 in 12 shared contests (58% to Smoker Bandits)

These two have cooked 12 of the same contests — Smoker Bandits ahead 7–5 — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.

rated over 29 contests
last seen 2026-06-26

⚔ Head-to-head

GOTHIC TOWN GRILLERS

#781 of the rated field

1629 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 113
GCs: 3
Top-10s: 28%
Peak: 1689

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to Smoker Bandits)

They've been 1689 at their best, 60 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 109 contests
last seen 2026-08-14

⚔ Head-to-head

HIGH ON THE HAWG

#778 of the rated field

1629 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 174
GCs: 7
Top-10s: 48%
Peak: 1822

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to Smoker Bandits)

174 contests to 24: their number has had years to settle where Smoker Bandits's is still finding its level.

rated over 164 contests
last seen 2026-06-13

⚔ Head-to-head

LONGNECK SIPPERS

#777 of the rated field

1629 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 25
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 40%
Peak: 1629

No shared contest yet.

Their last contest in the data was back in 2018, 7 years before Smoker Bandits's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 25 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

Southern Life BBQ

#782 of the rated field

1629 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 14
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 71%
Peak: 1629

No shared contest yet.

14 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 71% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 14 contests
last seen 2025-11-14

⚔ Head-to-head

EPIC BBQ CRU

#780 of the rated field

1629 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 42
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 43%
Peak: 1631

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 42 contests
last seen 2018-10-26

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
BREW 'N' BAR-B-QUE	17	5	12	29%	⚔ compare
KC Rib doctor	13	12	1	92%	⚔ compare
SMOKING JOE'S BARBERQ	13	10	3	77%	⚔ compare
T'S SMOKIN PIT	13	9	4	69%	⚔ compare
913 BBQ	13	1	12	8%	⚔ compare
PASSIONS OF THE PIT	12	12	0	100%	⚔ compare
Smoke 'Em If You Got 'Em	12	11	1	92%	⚔ compare
Hoggy Style BBQ	12	7	5	58%	⚔ compare
Big Fork BBQ	11	10	1	91%	⚔ compare
This is Nice	11	10	1	91%	⚔ compare
F.O.M.S.B.	11	9	2	82%	⚔ compare
SMF	10	10	0	100%	⚔ compare
Overland Pig Committee	10	10	0	100%	⚔ compare
ALMOST FLAMOUS BARBEQUE	10	10	0	100%	⚔ compare
Why Not Smoke	10	10	0	100%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	24	7	1	1	177.7028	144.5028	165.93	top 38%
Pork Ribs	24	11	1	2	180.0000 🔥	149.1428	167.26	top 32%
Pork	24	6	1	3	180.0000 🔥	153.0856	166.79	top 38%
Brisket	24	7	3	4	177.7028	148.5372	166.96	top 28%

“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
KS	18	0	top 23%
MO	5	1	top 27%
AR	1	0	top 53%

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	3	1	top 22%
Medium (20–39)	3	0	top 34%
Large (40+)	18	0	top 24%

Contest-by-contest record (recurring contests they've cooked twice or more)

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship	5	5	0	top 20%	2022-09-23
UMB Smokin' Vault (Competitors Invitational Only Series)	3	1	1	top 17%	2018-05-04
Shawnee Great Grillers	3	12	0	top 34%	2025-09-26
Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship	3	6	0	top 9%	2015-06-26
Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship Barbeque	2	3	0	top 9%	2018-09-21
*Smokin on Oak	2	13	0	top 46%	2017-08-18

The story so far (21 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 12.4 yrs 2013-04-19 → 2025-09-26

Busiest season 2017 4 contests · 1 GC

Contests a season 2 across 12 seasons in the data

Cooks most in KS 18 of 24 contests · 3 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 12 6 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 24 entries · 1 win · 7 calls

Strongest meat Pork Ribs averages 167.26 · weakest Chicken (165.93)

Walk rate 54% a top-10 call in 13 of 24 contests

Overall top-10 rate 33% 8 of 24 contests

Wins it all 4% 1 Grand Championship · 1 reserve

First title 2017-05-05 UMB Smokin' Vault (Competitors Invitational Series)

Best top-10 run 2 straight contests

Master average 666.93 out of 720 · 24 contests · 1 GC

Perfect 180s 2 every judge at the table handing back a nine

Opponents faced 1,583 2,403–805 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 528 24 mapped stops · furthest 191 mi

Schedule strength 1531 average field rating faced — tougher than 23% of rated contests

Purse competed for $36,725 listed at 6 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships 0 from 13 state-championship entries

Longest layoff 2 yrs 2019-09-27 → 2021-09-24

Power rating 1629 peak 1632 · #783 of 6,413 rated

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

2013
Apr 19 First tracked contest 5th Annual VFW Post 846 BBQ Challenge (FULL)
Jun 21 First overall past 90% of a perfect score653.7140 Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship
2014
Jun 27 First overall top-10 Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship
2015
Jun 26 First call Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship
2016
May 6 First overall podium UMB Smokin' Vault (Competitors Invitational Series)
May 6 First Reserve Championship UMB Smokin' Vault (Competitors Invitational Series)
Sep 23 First category win (Brisket) Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship
Oct 29 10th tracked contest 37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue(OPEN)
2017
May 5 First Grand Championship UMB Smokin' Vault (Competitors Invitational Series)
May 5 First multi-meat day UMB Smokin' Vault (Competitors Invitational Series)
Sep 22 First perfect 180 (Pork Ribs) Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship Barbeque
2022
Sep 23 Career-best overall score691.9316 Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship
2023
Sep 22 Peak power rating (1632) Shawnee Great Grillers
2025
Sep 26 Most recent contest Shawnee Great Grillers

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+14.7	Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship	2014-06-27
+13.4	37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue(OPEN)	2016-10-29
+12.3	Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship Barbeque	2017-09-22
+11.8	Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship	2015-06-26
+11.5	Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship	2013-06-21

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-2.6	34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open	2013-10-03
-2.1	Shawnee Great Grillers	2025-09-26
-0.7	*Bikes, Blues and BBQ	2018-09-28
-0.5	Shawnee Great Grillers	2024-09-27
-0.4	Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship	2015-09-25

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)

Team of the Year rank by season

Season by season

Season	Contests	GCs	Top-10s	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2025	1	0	0	0	100%	top 45%	92.4%	92.4%
2024	1	0	0	0	0%	top 40%	92.4%	92.4%
2023	1	0	0	0	100%	top 16%	95.9%	95.9%
2022	2	0	2	2	100%	top 18%	96.1%	94.1%
2021	1	0	0	0	100%	top 27%	93.5%	93.5%
2019	1	0	1	0	0%	top 5%	95.2%	95.2%
2018	3	0	1	0	67%	top 35%	93.6%	92.2%
2017	4	1	2	3	75%	top 21%	95.8%	93.7%
2016	4	0	1	1	50%	top 19%	94.6%	92.7%
2015	2	0	0	0	50%	top 29%	92.5%	91.4%
2014	1	0	1	0	0%	top 3%	93.2%	93.2%
2013	3	0	0	0	0%	top 38%	90.8%	89.1%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2025-09-26	Shawnee Great Grillers 🏅 Shawnee, KS	30 / 67 (665.5884)	9 (177.7028)	45 (161.6800)	58 (158.2056)	27 (168.0000)
2024-09-27	Shawnee Great Grillers 🏅 Shawnee, KS	29 / 73 (665.0056)	53 (161.6684)	26 (168.5372)	30 (169.1200)	27 (165.6800)
2023-09-22	Shawnee Great Grillers 🏅 Shawnee, KS	12 / 73 (690.7656)	38 (165.6800)	4 (176.5600)	11 (176.5600)	15 (171.9656)
2022-09-23	Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship 🏅 Shawnee, KS	10 / 87 (691.9316)	14 (173.1200)	9 (175.4172)	9 (176.5716)	26 (166.8228)
2022-05-06	UMB Smokin Vault BBQ Contest - Competitor's Series Kansas City, MO	3 / 12 (662.7088)	8 (156.5144)	1 (177.7144)	8 (161.0972)	1 (167.3828)
2021-09-24	Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship (TEAM & JUDGES ARE FULL-WAITLIST ONLY) 🏅 Shawnee, KS	23 / 86 (673.0972)	80 (153.1544)	10 (174.8456)	34 (167.3944)	5 (177.7028)
2019-09-27	Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship 🏅 Shawnee, KS	5 / 102 (685.6456)	11 (174.2628)	31 (167.4400)	17 (171.9772)	14 (171.9656)
2018-09-28	*Bikes, Blues and BBQ Fayetteville, AR	26 / 49 (661.0400)	20 (168.5256)	25 (163.4172)	26 (165.7028)	26 (163.3944)
2018-09-21	Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship Barbeque 🏅 Shawnee, KS	17 / 107 (674.1712)	6 (175.4056)	68 (161.6800)	33 (167.9656)	25 (169.1200)
2018-05-04	UMB Smokin' Vault (Competitors Invitational Only Series) unrated Kansas City, MO	5 / 14 (655.9772)	7 (162.8228)	5 (164.0116)	3 (169.1200)	7 (160.0228)
2017-09-22	Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship Barbeque 🏅 Shawnee, KS	3 / 112 (689.7028)	37 (165.1428)	2 (180.0000)	1 (180.0000)	34 (164.5600)
2017-09-01	38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	110 / 407 (676.0116)	281 (161.6456)	143 (168.0344)	29 (176.0000)	90 (170.3316)
2017-08-18	*Smokin on Oak Bonner Springs, KS	13 / 28 (665.6456)	7 (170.8228)	10 (167.9772)	19 (163.4400)	17 (163.4056)
2017-05-05	UMB Smokin' Vault (Competitors Invitational Series) unrated Kansas City, MO	1 / 17 (666.8116)	1 (174.2744)	5 (160.5600)	8 (159.4172)	1 (172.5600)
2016-10-29	37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue(OPEN) Kansas City, KS	60 / 557 (681.1200)	103 (170.8572)	29 (174.8800)	171 (168.5600)	181 (166.8228)
2016-09-23	Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship 🏅 Shawnee, KS	12 / 111 (673.6344)	60 (161.6800)	6 (173.7028)	77 (161.0972)	1 (177.1544)
2016-08-26	Smokin' On Oak Bonner Springs, KS	17 / 37 (658.7428)	13 (169.6800)	17 (166.2628)	24 (162.2628)	19 (160.5372)
2016-05-06	UMB Smokin' Vault (Competitors Invitational Series) unrated Kansas City, MO	2 / 24 (655.9768)	6 (163.9656)	8 (158.8456)	2 (170.8456)	5 (162.3200)
2015-09-25	Shawnee Great Grillers State Championship 🏅 Shawnee, KS	53 / 112 (649.6456)	16 (170.8112)	64 (161.7144)	27 (168.5828)	94 (148.5372)
2015-06-26	Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship 🏅 Lenexa, KS	20 / 183 (666.2284)	71 (162.8112)	7 (173.1772)	149 (153.0856)	2 (177.1544)
2014-06-27	Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship 🏅 Lenexa, KS	6 / 184 (671.3712)	11 (170.8800)	23 (169.1428)	42 (165.1084)	29 (166.2400)
2013-10-03	34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO	317 / 535 (632.4572)	499 (144.5028)	345 (155.9544)	108 (167.4400)	137 (164.5600)
2013-06-21	Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship 🏅 Lenexa, KS	26 / 183 (653.7140)	68 (161.7142)	52 (163.4286)	58 (163.9998)	40 (164.5714)
2013-04-19	5th Annual VFW Post 846 BBQ Challenge (FULL) Overland Park, KS	29 / 73 (639.4282)	25 (164.5714)	58 (149.1428)	33 (159.4284)	20 (166.2856)

Career map (orange GC · green top-10 · grey the rest — tap a pin)

Team of the Year standings (rank per category by season — year links to the full board on kcbs.us)

Year	Series	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2023 ↗	Master	#920 (125 pts)	#1319 (60 pts)	#843 (210 pts)	#950 (130 pts)	#1109 (110 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#1211 (185 pts)	#1523 (130 pts)	#2026 (60 pts)	#1786 (100 pts)	#1664 (115 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#1471 (150 pts)	#1551 (150 pts)	#1571 (150 pts)	#1560 (150 pts)	#1413 (175 pts)