Secondhand Smoke AL
Rating
1453
peak 1453 · rated over 39 contests
Contests
41
in the data
First seen
2019-05-24
latest 2025-10-03
Best ToY finish
#514
Master 2024
Grand champs
1
0 reserve
Category wins
3
7 podiums
Overall top-10s
6
of 41 contests
Avg finish
top 65%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
0
Current form
567.67 ▼
last 5 Master vs avg 624.41 (-56.75)
Walk rate
44%
contests with a top-10 call
Top-10 streak
2
best run (overall)
Consistency
±108.42
std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Chicken
avg 165.70 · weakest Brisket (157.52)
Road miles
14756
mi across 41 mapped stops · furthest 892 mi
Schedule strength
53%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1548)
Purse competed for
$279K
listed at 31 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0 🏅
GCs in 23 state-championship entries
Master avg
624.41 / 720
20 Master contests · 0 GCs
Backyard avg
380.42 / 360
18 Backyard contests · 1 GC
Master and Backyard overall scores sit on different scales (Master is out of 720, Backyard out of 360), so they're kept separate — averaging them together would be misleading.
Storylines
🎯 The one to beat
Shiggin aint easy has finished one call ahead of Secondhand Smoke 2 times — their closest competition in the data.
👀 Looking over their shoulder
Damn Fine Beef & Swine has landed one call behind them 2 times.
⚔️ A tough matchup
RIBLIFE has come out ahead in 10 of their 11 shared contests.
⚔️ A strong matchup
They've finished ahead of Outhouse smokers in 4 of their 5 shared contests.
😤 Chicken nemesis
Even in their strongest meat, LEE LA Q has out-cooked them in 9 of 10 shared chicken entries.
📅 A April team
Something about April: average finish in the top 53% across 5 contests, versus top 65% the rest of the year.
🃏 Against the odds
Their Grand Championship at Que' For a Cause (BACKYARD) (2021-10-01) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 28-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, Damn Fine Beef & Swine.
Teams like this (closest power rating, AL first)
Familiar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LEE LA Q | 11 | 2 | 9 | 18% | ⚔ compare |
| REDBONES BBQ | 11 | 2 | 9 | 18% | ⚔ compare |
| RIBLIFE | 11 | 1 | 10 | 9% | ⚔ compare |
| ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN | 9 | 1 | 8 | 11% | ⚔ compare |
| Hickory Hangover | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| SmokinGhost BBQ | 8 | 2 | 5 | 25% | ⚔ compare |
| Shmack Q | 8 | 2 | 6 | 25% | ⚔ compare |
| Shiggin aint easy | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| WeQ4U | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| HESSHOGS | 8 | 0 | 7 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| Sugar Shack | 7 | 3 | 4 | 43% | ⚔ compare |
| TEAM CRAWFORD | 7 | 3 | 4 | 43% | ⚔ compare |
| T-Rex BBQ | 7 | 2 | 5 | 29% | ⚔ compare |
| VETERAN PORK PULLERS | 7 | 2 | 5 | 29% | ⚔ compare |
| JANKY LEG BBQ | 7 | 1 | 6 | 14% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 39 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 177.7372 | 145.6688 | 165.70 | top 59% |
| Pork Ribs | 41 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 177.7144 | 147.4628 | 164.98 | top 55% |
| Pork | 27 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 177.7028 | 124.5028 | 162.97 | top 62% |
| Brisket | 19 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 172.5600 | 134.8228 | 157.52 | top 77% |
“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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| AL | 8 | 0 | top 68% |
| KY | 5 | 0 | top 78% |
| IA | 5 | 0 | top 52% |
| MO | 3 | 0 | top 46% |
| KS | 3 | 0 | top 89% |
| OK | 3 | 1 | top 39% |
| IN | 2 | 0 | top 75% |
| TN | 2 | 0 | top 64% |
| IL | 2 | 0 | top 78% |
| MS | 2 | 0 | top 48% |
| SD | 1 | 0 | top 91% |
| MI | 1 | 0 | top 95% |
| OH | 1 | 0 | top 44% |
| TX | 1 | 0 | top 63% |
By contest size
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (<20 teams) | 1 | 0 | top 71% |
| Medium (20–39) | 27 | 1 | top 63% |
| Large (40+) | 11 | 0 | top 69% |
Contest-by-contest record (recurring contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa State BBQ Championship | 4 | 9 | 0 | top 43% | 2025-04-04 |
| Foley BBQ & Blues Cook-Off (BACKYARD ONLY) | 2 | 11 | 0 | top 70% | 2023-03-10 |
| Smoke on the Falls | 2 | 12 | 0 | top 77% | 2022-04-08 |
The story so far
- Busiest season: 2023 (8 contests)
- Cooks mostly in AL (8 of 41 contests)
- Most-entered category: Pork Ribs (41 entries)
- First Grand Championship in the data: Que' For a Cause (BACKYARD) (2021-10-01)
- Wins it all in 2% of contests
- Average Master overall score: 624.41 / 720
- Average Backyard overall score: 380.42 / 360
Milestones
- 🚩 2019-05-24 — First tracked contest · Red, White, and BBQ Day 1
- 📣 2019-09-13 — First call · RiverFest
- 🏆 2021-10-01 — First Grand Championship · Que' For a Cause (BACKYARD)
- 🎖️ 2023-07-07 — 25th tracked contest · Cameron Elks BBQ Cook Off (ONE MEAT RIBS)
- 📈 2023-07-21 — Peak power rating (1500) · The Buckeye BBQ Classic
- ⭐ 2024-09-13 — Career-best overall score (691.4060) · Bands & BBQ at the Point
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +19 | Que' For a Cause (BACKYARD) | 2021-10-01 |
| +12.3 | Bands & BBQ at the Point | 2024-09-13 |
| +12.1 | Iowa State BBQ Championship | 2023-03-31 |
| +10.5 | Smoke on the Falls | 2022-04-08 |
| +9.2 | Iowa State BBQ Championship | 2025-04-04 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -14.2 | Smoke Out Hunger BBQ Challenge | 2019-06-07 |
| -13.2 | Foley BBQ & Blues Cook-Off (BACKYARD ONLY) | 2023-03-10 |
| -12.3 | Bands and BBQ at the Point | 2025-09-12 |
| -11.2 | Grillin & Chillin BBQ | 2019-09-20 |
| -11.2 | GLBBQA Spring Fling | 2024-04-19 |
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 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33% | top 71% | 94.4% | 78.8% |
| 2024 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 60% | top 71% | 96% | 91.2% |
| 2023 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 50% | top 63% | 94.4% | 92.3% |
| 2022 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 50% | top 49% | 140% | 112.6% |
| 2021 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 80% | top 46% | 147.8% | 112.9% |
| 2020 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 96% | 89.8% | 87.9% |
| 2019 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17% | top 77% | 92.5% | 87.3% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-10-03 | La Belle MO Show Me BBQ Showdown 🏅 La Belle, MO | 31 / 39 (668.9940) | 33 (167.3828) | 36 (162.8000) | 28 (169.1312) | 21 (169.6800) |
| 2025-09-12 | Bands and BBQ at the Point 🏅 Carrollton, KY | 30 / 29 (167.3828) | 23 (167.3828) | — | — | — |
| 2025-08-29 | SD BBQ Shootout @ Huset's Speedway 🏅 Brandon, SD | 40 / 44 (650.1260) | 16 (173.1084) | 41 (161.1088) | 35 (164.5372) | 44 (151.3716) |
| 2025-08-15 | Madison Ribberfest 🏅 Madison, IN | 28 / 45 (672.5140) | 15 (174.2628) | 37 (160.5372) | 17 (173.7028) | 32 (164.0112) |
| 2025-06-13 | Robertson County Fair Assoc. Barbeque Throwdown (COMPETITOR SERIES) Springfield, TN | 21 / 36 (497.5772) | 6 (175.4056) | 20 (166.2516) | 35 (155.9200) | — |
| 2025-04-04 | Iowa State BBQ Championship 🏅 Altoona, IA | 16 / 49 (679.3260) | 36 (164.5372) | 5 (174.2744) | 2 (177.7028) | 36 (162.8116) |
| 2024-09-27 | TN River BBQ Fest 🏅 Saltillo, TN | 12 / 17 (671.8168) | 9 (170.8228) | 13 (167.3828) | 10 (169.6684) | 12 (163.9428) |
| 2024-09-13 | Bands & BBQ at the Point 🏅 Carrollton, KY | 6 / 31 (691.4060) | 15 (171.4400) | 1 (177.7144) | 8 (174.8572) | 17 (167.3944) |
| 2024-05-10 | Derby Park Que Off Louisville, KY | 17 / 21 (666.1488) | 19 (163.3944) | 6 (170.8344) | 17 (164.5372) | 13 (167.3828) |
| 2024-04-19 | GLBBQA Spring Fling 🏅 Charlotte, MI | 59 / 62 (593.5888) | 55 (157.6916) | 54 (158.8344) | 62 (142.2400) | 61 (134.8228) |
| 2024-03-29 | Iowa State BBQ Championship 🏅 Altoona, IA | 37 / 42 (661.6004) | 34 (166.2284) | 21 (166.2860) | 16 (171.9772) | 39 (157.1088) |
| 2023-10-06 | Smokin' for Garrett 🏅 Mt. Carmel, IL | 21 / 26 (635.7484) | 23 (158.2172) | 17 (165.0856) | 19 (163.9428) | 24 (148.5028) |
| 2023-08-12 | 5th Annual KCBS World Invitational - BACKYARD SERIES INVITATIONAL Mayetta, KS | 24 / 29 (337.0860) | 25 (165.0972) | 14 (171.9888) | — | — |
| 2023-08-11 | 5th Annual KCBS World Invitational - OPEN Mayetta, KS | 77 / 90 (667.3144) | 55 (170.8228) | 84 (159.9772) | 66 (167.3944) | 50 (169.1200) |
| 2023-07-21 | The Buckeye BBQ Classic 🏅 Hillsboro, OH | 14 / 32 (675.3256) | 26 (161.6456) | 5 (173.1428) | 16 (167.9772) | 8 (172.5600) |
| 2023-07-07 | Cameron Elks BBQ Cook Off 🏅 Cameron, MO | 9 / 30 (339.9312) | 5 (174.2628) | 14 (165.6684) | — | — |
| 2023-07-07 | Cameron Elks BBQ Cook Off (ONE MEAT RIBS) Cameron, MO | — | — | 20 (166.8228) | — | — |
| 2023-03-31 | Iowa State BBQ Championship 🏅 Altoona, IA | 9 / 47 (337.6688) | 11 (166.8344) | 6 (170.8344) | — | — |
| 2023-03-10 | Foley BBQ & Blues Cook-Off (BACKYARD ONLY) Foley, AL | 30 / 31 (321.1656) | — | 25 (149.1428) | 2 (172.0228) | — |
| 2022-10-28 | Boo-B-Que BBQ Championship 🏅 Oak Grove, MO | 12 / 40 (330.2400) | 12 (165.6800) | 13 (164.5600) | — | — |
| 2022-10-28 | Boo-B-Que BBQ Championship (One Meat Ribs) Oak Grove, MO | — | — | 34 (158.8572) | — | — |
| 2022-10-14 | King of the Corn 🏅 Ottumwa, IA | 32 / 36 (655.3720) | 16 (171.9772) | 13 (168.6172) | 34 (158.8116) | 32 (155.9660) |
| 2022-10-08 | Que' For a Cause (BACKYARD) Day 2 Tahlequah, OK | 21 / 32 (499.2912) | 7 (173.1200) | 26 (162.8000) | 22 (163.3712) | — |
| 2022-10-07 | Que' For a Cause (BACKYARD) Day 1 Tahlequah, OK | 15 / 32 (503.8972) | 11 (169.6684) | 15 (166.8344) | 23 (167.3944) | — |
| 2022-04-08 | Smoke on the Falls 🏅 Gadsden, AL | 12 / 34 (340.5372) | 17 (167.9772) | 6 (172.5600) | — | — |
| 2022-04-01 | Iowa State BBQ Championship (Backyard) Altoona, IA | 9 / 27 (339.4060) | 3 (174.8572) | 15 (164.5488) | — | — |
| 2022-03-12 | Foley BBQ & Blues Cook Off (BACKYARD ONLY) Foley, AL | 11 / 26 (496.5144) | 5 (175.4172) | 12 (164.0228) | 19 (157.0744) | — |
| 2021-11-12 | Barbecue With A View (BACKYARD ONLY) Vicksburg, MS | 10 / 30 (343.4172) | 7 (173.1428) | 12 (170.2744) | — | — |
| 2021-10-01 | Que' For a Cause (BACKYARD) Tahlequah, OK | 1 / 20 (532.0000) | 1 (177.7372) | 4 (176.5600) | 1 (177.7028) | — |
| 2021-08-06 | Smoke in the Park (BACKYARD & KIDS QUE) Glencoe, AL | 18 / 31 (497.6228) | 13 (165.1200) | 3 (173.1200) | 18 (124.5028) | — |
| 2021-05-21 | Twin States Barbecue Showdown (BACKYARD ONLY) Meridian, MS | 14 / 22 (329.6572) | 17 (161.1200) | 9 (168.5372) | — | — |
| 2021-04-09 | Smoke on the Falls 🏅 Gadsden, AL | 26 / 38 (330.1944) | 20 (168.5372) | 30 (161.6572) | — | — |
| 2020-10-23 | Smokin For Garrett Boonville, IN | 36 / 41 (626.0800) | 39 (152.5028) | 36 (154.8000) | 25 (164.5600) | 37 (154.2172) |
| 2020-09-18 | Smoke on the Falls 🏅 Gadsden, AL | 33 / 28 (323.3488) | 34 (161.0972) | 28 (162.2516) | — | — |
| 2020-03-06 | Corums Building Center BBQ(BACKYARD ONLY) Hartselle, AL | 26 / 32 (312.4344) | 29 (151.3488) | 19 (161.0856) | — | — |
| 2019-10-18 | Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cook-Off 🏅 Munfordville, KY | 29 / 31 (635.2232) | 28 (155.9428) | 25 (161.6688) | 19 (168.5372) | 30 (149.0744) |
| 2019-09-20 | Grillin & Chillin BBQ 🏅 Owensboro, KY | 31 / 34 (623.2460) | 21 (167.3828) | 29 (151.9544) | 27 (155.9428) | 31 (147.9660) |
| 2019-09-13 | RiverFest 🏅 Decatur, AL | 16 / 37 (333.0856) | 16 (163.4172) | 8 (169.6684) | — | — |
| 2019-06-07 | Smoke Out Hunger BBQ Challenge 🏅 Kansas City, KS | 45 / 46 (583.3712) | 46 (145.6688) | 44 (147.4628) | 45 (143.4168) | 42 (146.8228) |
| 2019-05-24 | 4th Annual Southern Sate BBQ Cook-off Conroe, TX | 15 / 24 (633.0284) | 20 (153.1200) | 15 (161.0856) | 11 (163.9884) | 19 (154.8344) |
| 2019-05-24 | Red, White, and BBQ Day 1 🏅 Westmont, IL | 30 / 40 (630.6856) | 33 (157.6912) | 18 (161.6800) | 34 (155.9544) | 30 (155.3600) |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 ↗ | Master | #664 (225 pts) | #729 (225 pts) | #629 (305 pts) | #506 (380 pts) | #731 (200 pts) |
| 2024 ↗ | Master | #514 (364 pts) | #608 (309 pts) | #441 (544 pts) | #550 (354 pts) | #598 (309 pts) |
| 2023 ↗ | Backyard | — | #165 (291 pts) | #176 (266 pts) | — | — |
| 2023 ↗ | Master | #642 (243 pts) | #849 (178 pts) | #634 (333 pts) | #681 (243 pts) | #645 (268 pts) |
| 2022 ↗ | Backyard | — | #127 (334 pts) | #91 (542 pts) | — | — |
| 2022 ↗ | Master | #1309 (60 pts) | #1174 (105 pts) | #912 (180 pts) | #1348 (60 pts) | #1103 (115 pts) |
| 2021 ↗ | Backyard | — | #112 (270 pts) | #72 (459 pts) | — | — |
| 2021 ↗ | Master | #1236 (60 pts) | #1286 (60 pts) | #1232 (80 pts) | #1200 (80 pts) | #1245 (60 pts) |