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Up In Smoke BBQ

Up In Smoke BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 50 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2025. Their best overall finish is 3rd of 26 at the Montana Pitmaster Classic (2018). They are ranked #3318 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings. Also listed in KCBS results as “UpinSmoke BBQ”.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#3,318
of 6,476 rated · rankings

Rating

1497
peak 1519 · rated over 40 contests

Contests

50
in the data

First seen

May 10, 2013
latest Aug 22, 2025 · 12.3 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#560
Master 2014 · every season

Grand champs

0
0 reserve

Category wins

2
11 podiums

Overall top-10s

10
20% of 50 contests

Best top-10 run

2
straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 58%
overall standings

Best overall

682.2400 / 720

Perfect 180s

0

Current form

644.93 ▲
last 5 Master vs avg 624.59 (+20.33)

Walk rate

56%
contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

178.2972

Consistency

±65.52
spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork Ribs
avg 161.78 · weakest Brisket (156.18)

Road miles

33,786
across 49 mapped stops · furthest 1,838 mi

Schedule strength

34%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1545)

Purse competed for

$115K
listed at 16 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅
won from 15 state-championship entries

Master avg

624.59 / 720
34 Master contests · 0 GCs

Backyard avg

312.53 / 360
5 Backyard contests · 0 GCs

Backyard (3-meat) avg

495.93 / 540
1 Backyard (3-meat) contest · 0 GCs

These overall scores sit on different scales (Master out of 720, Backyard out of 360, Backyard (3-meat) out of 540), 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.

Storylines (12 found in their record)

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

High-water mark

682.2400 career-best overall

94.8% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 682.2400 at Montana Pitmaster Classic — 94.8% of a perfect 720.

  • Master
  • Aug 27, 2021

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ has finished one call ahead of Up In Smoke BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2023 their best year

2023 was the year it came together: 3 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 28%.

  • 3 contests
  • 0 overall top-10s
  • 0 category wins
  • average top 28%

The weak link

−5.6 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 5.60 points below their pork ribs, and turns into a call 31% of the time against 32%.

  • Brisket avg 156.18
  • Pork Ribs avg 161.78
  • 10 calls in 32 entries

A strong matchup

13–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of SMOKIN JERKS in 13 of their 13 shared contests.

The comeback

1.7 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 1.7 years, then back at Minnesota in May (May 7, 2021).

  • last seen Aug 23, 2019
  • back May 7, 2021

Pork Ribs nemesis

13 of 18 shared pork ribs entries lost

MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ ahead 72% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ has out-cooked them in 13 of 18 shared pork ribs entries.

Show 5 more storylines

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

BLUE & GRAY BBQ has landed one call behind them 2 times.

Boom or bust

±8.72% swing around their own average

Their overall swings ±8.72% 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 87.0% of a perfect score
  • best 94.8%

A July team

Top 43% average finish in July

Something about July: average finish in the top 43% across 3 contests, versus top 58% the rest of the year.

  • 3 July contests
  • top 58% the rest of the year

The long haul

33,786 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 33,786 miles across 49 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 1,838 miles to Smoke on the Water Barbecue Championship.

  • 49 mapped stops
  • furthest 1,838 mi

A standing appointment

7 years running at one contest

They've cooked Montana BBQ Cook-Off every year from 2013 to 2019 — the contest they never miss.

  • 7 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)

YearSeriesOverallChickenRibsPorkBrisket
2025 ↗ Master #1042 (90 pts) #1221 (60 pts) #892 (165 pts) #935 (120 pts) #1147 (70 pts)
2021 ↗ Master #917 (120 pts) #978 (120 pts) #640 (270 pts) #960 (120 pts) #957 (120 pts)
2019 ↗ Master #927 (298 pts) #1053 (258 pts) #1092 (253 pts) #914 (328 pts) #928 (323 pts)
2018 ↗ Master #920 (322 pts) #1254 (207 pts) #1090 (272 pts) #963 (327 pts) #916 (352 pts)
2017 ↗ Master #2027 (90 pts) #1599 (165 pts) #2059 (100 pts) #1799 (120 pts) #2230 (65 pts)
2016 ↗ Master #1076 (295 pts) #844 (450 pts) #907 (420 pts) #835 (470 pts) #1298 (239 pts)
2015 ↗ Master #617 (590 pts) #637 (605 pts) #737 (515 pts) #748 (500 pts) #656 (570 pts)
2014 ↗ Master #560 (673 pts) #449 (843 pts) #572 (673 pts) #441 (863 pts) #565 (653 pts)
2013 ↗ Master #1444 (155 pts) #1885 (105 pts) #1221 (240 pts) #1848 (115 pts) #1586 (145 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to Up In Smoke BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.

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

Q SMOKE
#3,303 of the rated field
1498 power rating
Contests
51
GCs
0
Top-10s
16%
Peak
1570
1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to Up In Smoke BBQ)

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

  • rated over 51 contests
  • last seen Mar 20, 2026
⚔ Head-to-head
TROPICAL HEAT BBQ
#3,316 of the rated field
1497 power rating
Contests
29
GCs
0
Top-10s
7%
Peak
1543
0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to Up In Smoke BBQ)

They've been 1543 at their best, 46 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

  • rated over 29 contests
  • last seen Mar 30, 2019
⚔ Head-to-head
Evening Wood
#3,309 of the rated field
1498 power rating
Contests
26
GCs
0
Top-10s
4%
Peak
1553

Fewer contests behind them than Up In Smoke BBQ has cooked, 26 to 50, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.

  • rated over 26 contests
  • last seen Sep 25, 2026
⚔ Compare careers
Click & Q
#3,312 of the rated field
1498 power rating
Contests
21
GCs
1
Top-10s
57%
Peak
1512

Their rating is built on 1 Grand Championship in 21 contests, alongside a 57% overall top-10 rate.

  • rated over 21 contests
  • last seen Sep 12, 2026
⚔ Compare careers
RJ'S BACKYARD COOKERS
#3,323 of the rated field
1497 power rating
Contests
18
GCs
0
Top-10s
6%
Peak
1497

Their last contest in the data was back in 2022, 3 years before Up In Smoke BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

  • rated over 18 contests
⚔ Compare careers
82'S BBQ CREW
#3,322 of the rated field
1497 power rating
Contests
16
GCs
0
Top-10s
13%
Peak
1507

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

  • rated over 16 contests
  • last seen Jul 21, 2017
⚔ Compare careers

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

OpponentMeetingsAheadBehindWin rate
MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ 18 2 16 11% ⚔ compare
LONESTAR SMOKE RANGERS 15 0 15 0% ⚔ compare
SMOKIN JERKS 13 13 0 100% ⚔ compare
12 BAR BLUES CUE 13 12 1 92% ⚔ compare
Grate Expectations 13 5 8 38% ⚔ compare
JO-BAWB'S BBQ 13 0 13 0% ⚔ compare
Camp House BBQ 11 6 5 55% ⚔ compare
PARROTHEAD SMOKERS 11 0 11 0% ⚔ compare
Beer Belly BBQ 10 4 6 40% ⚔ compare
SMOKIN HOT BUTTS BBQ 9 1 8 11% ⚔ compare
BIG BONE BBQ-MT 8 6 2 75% ⚔ compare
BIG PIG BBQ 8 5 3 63% ⚔ compare
REDNECK SCIENTIFIC 7 2 4 29% ⚔ compare
BIG DADDY QUE 7 2 5 29% ⚔ compare
G AND L BBQ 7 1 6 14% ⚔ compare

By meat

CategoryEntriesCallsWinsPodiumsBestWorstAverageAvg finish
Chicken 40 12 1 2 178.2972 124.5372 160.06 top 56%
Pork Ribs 44 14 0 4 176.5600 133.6916 161.78 top 50%
Pork 36 12 1 3 177.7144 133.1426 159.88 top 55%
Brisket 32 10 0 2 174.8572 133.0516 156.18 top 57%

“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

FieldContestsGCsAvg finish
Small (<20 teams)20top 64%
Medium (20–39)250top 51%
Large (40+)140top 68%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

WhereContestsGCsAvg finish
MT170top 42%
VA50top 44%
WY50top 64%
CA30top 75%
KS20top 91%
MI20top 78%
NC20top 67%
SD10top 88%
MN10top 100%
IL10top 72%
NJ10top 98%
MD10top 48%

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

ContestVisitsBestGCsAvg finishLast visit
Montana BBQ Cook-Off 7 6 0 top 44% Jun 22, 2019
BBQ Gives Back (Day 2) (Masters and Backyard) 5 13 0 top 44% Mar 22, 2025
Montana Pitmaster Classic 3 3 0 top 30% Aug 22, 2025
Montana State BBQ Championship at Montana Fair 2 7 0 top 41% Aug 11, 2015

More numbers

Busiest season 2014 8 contests
Contests a season 4.2 across 12 seasons in the data
Most contests held in MT 17 of 50 contests · 13 states in all
Contests visited 28 4 of them more than once
Most-entered meat Pork Ribs 44 entries · 0 wins · 14 calls
Opponents faced 997 finished ahead 599 times, behind 976
Longest layoff 1.7 yrs Aug 23, 2019 → May 7, 2021

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

20252 milestones
  1. 50th tracked contest 12 Bridge Rib Cook-Off (ONE MEAT RIBS)
  2. Most recent contest 12 Bridge Rib Cook-Off (ONE MEAT RIBS)
20211 milestone
  1. Career-best overall score682.2400 Montana Pitmaster Classic
20171 milestone
  1. 25th tracked contest Smoke & Ale Fall Festival
20162 milestones
  1. Career-best single call (Chicken)178.2972 Montana BBQ cook-off
  2. Peak power rating (1519) Montana BBQ cook-off
20151 milestone
  1. First overall podium Carnivores Classic
20142 milestones
  1. 10th tracked contest Montana BBQ Cook-Off
  2. First category win (Pork) Wyoming State BBQ Championship & Bluegrass Festival
20133 milestones
  1. First call Montana BBQ Cook-Off
  2. First overall top-10 Best of the West BBQ Fest
  3. First overall past 90% of a perfect score653.0628 Best of the West BBQ Fest
—1 milestone
  1. First tracked contest Spring Valley Tailgate & BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY)

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

SwingContestDate
+14.7Montana Pitmaster ClassicAug 24, 2018
+13.7Carnivores ClassicMay 29, 2015
+11.3Montana BBQ Cook-OffJul 5, 2014
+10.5Best of the West BBQ FestSep 5, 2014
+10Montana Pitmaster ClassicAug 27, 2021

📉 Toughest weekends

SwingContestDate
-14Minnesota in MayMay 7, 2021
-12.7Best of the WestAug 12, 2016
-12.7Smoke on the Water Barbecue ChampionshipOct 8, 2016
-11.9McLouth BBQ Blowout 28th AnnualMay 31, 2019
-10.5Silver Lake Apple BBQ FestivalSep 14, 2018

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

SeasonContestsGCsTop-10sCategory winsWalk rateAvg finishBest overall (% of perfect)Avg overall (% of perfect)
—1000 0% top 95% 72.2% 72.2%
20256000 50% top 47% 94.8% 92.3%
20244010 25% top 48% 90.6% 90.1%
20233000 33% top 28% 91.8% 91.8%
20215010 20% top 77% 94.8% 88.3%
20193020 67% top 49% 94% 91.6%
20184010 75% top 58% 94.5% 79%
20173000 33% top 62% 91.9% 87.1%
20164001 75% top 69% 93.6% 83.7%
20154020 100% top 36% 93.6% 90.8%
20148021 75% top 63% 91.1% 86.5%
20135010 60% top 57% 90.7% 86.6%

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

DateEventOverallChickenRibsPorkBrisket
Sep 20, 2025 12 Bridge Rib Cook-Off (ONE MEAT RIBS) Lincoln, CA — — 9 (166.8800) — —
Aug 22, 2025 Montana Pitmaster Classic 🏅 Bozeman, MT 19 / 38 (682.2172) 28 (166.2400) 7 (176.5600) 13 (173.1200) 23 (166.2972)
Jun 5, 2025 Original SD BBQ Championships (One Meat Ribs) Huron, SD — — 15 (166.8228) — —
Mar 22, 2025 BBQ Gives Back (Day 2) (Masters and Backyard) 🏅 Urbanna, VA 22 / 43 (326.2404) 23 (159.9888) 19 (166.2516) — —
Mar 21, 2025 BBQ Gives Back (Day 1) (Masters and Backyard) 🏅 Urbanna, VA 18 / 45 (329.0748) 24 (160.5260) 10 (168.5488) — —
Mar 21, 2025 BBQ Gives Back (ONE MEAT CHICKEN) Urbanna, VA — — — — —
May 24, 2024 Roaring Camp BBQ Cook Off 🏅 Felton, CA 9 / 21 (325.6800) — 3 (174.8456) — —
Mar 23, 2024 BBQ Gives Back (Day 2) (Masters and Backyard) 🏅 Urbanna, VA 19 / 42 (326.2288) 20 (159.9544) 16 (166.2744) 26 (144.5028) —
Mar 22, 2024 BBQ Gives Back (Day 1) (Masters and Backyard) 🏅 Urbanna, VA 25 / 45 (321.0400) 24 (158.2400) 18 (162.8000) 18 (164.5372) —
Mar 22, 2024 BBQ Gives Back (One Meat Chicken) 🏅 Urbanna, VA — — — — —
Mar 25, 2023 BBQ Gives Back (Day 2) (Masters and Backyard) 🏅 Urbanna, VA 13 / 46 (495.9316) 13 (166.8344) 8 (169.1200) 17 (159.9772) —
Mar 24, 2023 BBQ Gives Back (One Meat Chicken) Urbanna, VA — 31 (156.5600) — — —
Mar 24, 2023 BBQ Gives Back (One Meat Ribs) Urbanna, VA — — 30 (157.6572) — —
Aug 27, 2021 Montana Pitmaster Classic 🏅 Bozeman, MT 9 / 31 (682.2400) 24 (160.5256) 4 (176.0116) 7 (171.4400) 6 (174.2628)
Jun 4, 2021 Original SD BBQ Championship 🏅 Huron, SD 43 / 49 (623.2912) 37 (157.6800) 14 (170.8456) 46 (153.6800) 47 (141.0856)
Jun 4, 2021 Mclouth BBQ Blowout 29th Annual 🏅 Mclouth, KS 38 / 42 (639.8400) 34 (162.2744) 28 (165.6684) 32 (162.8228) 41 (149.0744)
Jun 4, 2021 The Original SD BBQ Championships - One Meat Standalone Ribs Contest Huron, SD — — 17 (161.6456) — —
May 7, 2021 Minnesota in May 🏅 Cambridge, MN 60 / 60 (597.0400) 56 (154.2512) 54 (153.6916) 60 (144.5600) 60 (144.5372)
Aug 23, 2019 Montana Pitmaster Classic 🏅 Bozeman, MT 8 / 29 (665.6116) 9 (168.5372) 15 (161.1084) 3 (172.5716) 12 (163.3944)
Jun 22, 2019 Montana BBQ Cook-Off 🏅 Absarokee, MT 8 / 29 (677.0400) 12 (169.6684) 8 (170.8344) 16 (161.6916) 4 (174.8456)
May 31, 2019 McLouth BBQ Blowout 28th Annual 🏅 McLouth, KS 23 / 25 (636.4912) 20 (159.4172) 11 (166.2628) 25 (152.5256) 20 (158.2856)
Sep 14, 2018 Silver Lake Apple BBQ Festival Mears, MI 42 / 48 (313.7032) — — — —
Aug 24, 2018 Montana Pitmaster Classic Bozeman, MT 3 / 26 (680.4800) 10 (162.8000) 7 (170.8572) 4 (171.9656) 2 (174.8572)
Jun 30, 2018 I-39 Smokin Car Show Minonk, IL 21 / 29 (624.3428) 28 (152.5028) 22 (154.2172) 25 (151.9200) 5 (165.7028)
Jun 23, 2018 Montana BBQ Cook-Off Absarokee, MT 16 / 26 (657.0056) 19 (159.9656) 12 (167.3944) 10 (168.5600) 15 (161.0856)
Oct 13, 2017 Smoke & Ale Fall Festival Chelsea, MI 22 / 32 (592.5600) 23 (150.8684) 22 (153.7488) 23 (141.1084) 23 (146.8344)
Sep 8, 2017 Silver Lake Apple BBQ Festival Silver Lake, MI — — — — —
Jun 24, 2017 Montana BBQ Cook-Off Absarokee, MT 19 / 35 (661.6340) 7 (172.5600) 17 (166.2628) 13 (169.6912) 24 (153.1200)
Oct 8, 2016 Smoke on the Water Barbecue Championship Atlantic City, NJ 47 / 48 (579.9544) 46 (147.4400) 48 (133.6916) 40 (154.2512) 43 (144.5716)
Sep 23, 2016 Carnivores Classic Missoula, MT 11 / 25 (649.5656) 23 (150.2400) 5 (172.0116) 17 (158.1940) 6 (169.1200)
Aug 12, 2016 Best of the West Sheridan, WY 25 / 26 (507.3484) 13 (166.2400) 18 (165.7028) 2 (175.4056) —
Jun 25, 2016 Montana BBQ cook-off Absarokee, MT 11 / 29 (674.2060) 1 (178.2972) 7 (173.1200) 10 (169.1200) 21 (153.6688)
Aug 11, 2015 Montana State BBQ Championship at Montana Fair Billings, MT 7 / 25 (674.2400) 5 (172.5600) 7 (169.7028) 11 (168.0344) 11 (163.9428)
Jul 3, 2015 Montana BBQ Cook-Off Absarokee, MT 12 / 29 (643.2912) 7 (169.6800) 24 (148.5256) 10 (164.5600) 10 (160.5256)
Jun 19, 2015 Miles City Cowtown Cook-Off Miles City, MT 16 / 26 (633.6684) 6 (166.2400) 19 (156.5484) 19 (156.0344) 15 (154.8456)
May 29, 2015 Carnivores Classic Missoula, MT 3 / 20 (665.0400) 13 (161.6456) 3 (170.2628) 5 (167.4172) 3 (165.7144)
Sep 5, 2014 Best of the West BBQ Fest Sheridan, WY 7 / 25 (636.5024) 8 (160) 3 (165.1312) 14 (150.2284) 4 (161.1428)
Aug 15, 2014 Wyoming State BBQ Championship & Bluegrass Festival Worland, WY 20 / 25 (617.5544) 22 (153.1200) 19 (153.6684) 1 (177.7144) 24 (133.0516)
Aug 12, 2014 Montana State BBQ Championship at Montana Fair Billings, MT 14 / 26 (634.8000) 13 (158.8800) 18 (151.4056) 8 (167.9772) 14 (156.5372)
Aug 8, 2014 Smokin' on the Prairie Gillette, WY 19 / 25 (629.5204) 4 (171.4288) 19 (158.8000) 22 (150.8116) 20 (148.4800)
Jul 5, 2014 Montana BBQ Cook-Off Absarokee, MT 6 / 25 (655.9772) 5 (166.3200) 12 (161.1316) 5 (170.8800) 11 (157.6456)
Jul 4, 2014 Sauce and Cycles Falls City, NE — — — — —
Jun 13, 2014 Cowtown Cook-off Miles City, MT 15 / 17 (611.7948) 7 (161.1088) 16 (147.9544) 14 (154.2288) 14 (148.5028)
May 16, 2014 Bakersfield's Biggest, Baddest BBQ Championship Bakersfield, CA 49 / 56 (572.9028) 55 (136.9600) 49 (145.0972) 41 (154.3084) 49 (136.5372)
Sep 6, 2013 Best of the West BBQ Fest Sheridan, WY 6 / 15 (653.0628) 12 (160.0116) 2 (173.1200) 10 (157.6912) 7 (162.2400)
Aug 9, 2013 12th Annual Maryland State BBQ Bash Bel Air, MD 29 / 60 (621.4512) 35 (154.2056) 46 (150.2172) 44 (148.4912) 7 (168.5372)
Jul 6, 2013 Montana BBQ Cook-Off Absarokee, MT 14 / 22 (582.2852) 3 (160) 16 (142.2858) 16 (133.1426) 12 (146.8568)
Jun 14, 2013 Blue Ridge BBQ & Music Festival Tryon, NC 79 / 97 (616.5710) 64 (157.1426) 32 (164) 86 (151.4284) 90 (144)
May 10, 2013 Jiggy with the Piggy BBQ Challenge Kannapolis, NC 31 / 58 (642.8572) 13 (166.8570) 16 (166.2856) 35 (161.1430) 50 (148.5716)
— Spring Valley Tailgate & BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Spring Valley, CA 19 / 20 (260.0684) 19 (124.5372) 18 (135.5312) — —

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

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