Smoke on the Water

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

Power ranking

#2065

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1536

peak 1539 · rated over 27 contests ⓘ

Contests

in the data

First seen

2013-07-26

latest 2025-09-12

Best ToY finish

#762

Master 2015

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

4 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 30 contests

Avg finish

top 51%

overall standings

Best overall

678.8688 / 720

Master · Blue Springs Barbeque Blaze-Off

Perfect 180s

Current form

663.22 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 655.04 (+8.18)

Walk rate

57%

contests with a top-10 call

Top-10 streak

best run (overall)

Best single call

178.8572

Chicken · Racing for the BBQ

Consistency

±26.71

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 164.12 · weakest Brisket (161.65)

Road miles

23,700

mi across 30 mapped stops · furthest 8552 mi

Schedule strength

46%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1560)

Purse competed for

$19K

listed at 3 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

GCs in 3 state-championship entries

Master avg

655.04 / 720

26 Master contests · 0 GCs

Backyard avg

305.65 / 360

1 Backyard contest · 0 GCs

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.

This team cooks the Backyard series — its own boards, records and Team of the Year are here.

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (9 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.

High-water mark

678.8688 career-best overall

94.3% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 678.8688 at Blue Springs Barbeque Blaze-Off — 94.3% of a perfect 720.

Master
2013-09-06

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

VALLEY OAKS STEAK COMPANY has finished one call ahead of Smoke on the Water 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2018 their best year

2018 was the year it came together: 4 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 38%.

4 contests
0 overall top-10s
0 category wins
average top 38%

A strong matchup

11–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of HANG 'EM' HIGH in 11 of their 11 shared contests.

The comeback

3.9 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 3.9 years, then back at Bands and BBQ at the Point (2025-09-12).

last seen 2021-10-15
back 2025-09-12

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

NICKLE BOYS BBQ has landed one call behind them 2 times.

A July team

Top 39% average finish in July

Something about July: average finish in the top 39% across 6 contests, versus top 51% the rest of the year.

6 July contests
top 51% the rest of the year

The long haul

23,700 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 23,700 miles across 30 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 8,552 miles to Burleigh BBQ Championships.

30 mapped stops
furthest 8,552 mi

A standing appointment

4 years running at one contest

They've cooked *Racing for the BBQ every year from 2015 to 2018 — the contest they never miss.

4 visits in all
best finish 19th

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.

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

Stew's Que

#2059 of the rated field

1536 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 11
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 9%
Peak: 1547

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to Smoke on the Water)

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

rated over 11 contests
last seen 2019-09-27

⚔ Head-to-head

e2BBQ

#2046 of the rated field

1536 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 27
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 11%
Peak: 1539

No shared contest yet.

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 26 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 26 contests
last seen 2021-03-26

⚔ Head-to-head

BOURBON & BONES

#2056 of the rated field

1536 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 20
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 25%
Peak: 1545

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 20 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

Pork Bombin BBQ

#2051 of the rated field

1536 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 19
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 16%
Peak: 1536

No shared contest yet.

Fewer contests behind them than Smoke on the Water has cooked, 19 to 30, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.

rated over 19 contests
last seen 2026-05-23

⚔ Head-to-head

Big Bobby's Q

#2057 of the rated field

1536 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 19
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 5%
Peak: 1536

No shared contest yet.

19 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 5% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 18 contests
last seen 2025-08-02

⚔ Head-to-head

ROCKWELL SMOKEHOUSE BBQ

#2070 of the rated field

1535 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 17
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 18%
Peak: 1535

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 17 contests
last seen 2019-10-11

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
VALLEY OAKS STEAK COMPANY	16	1	15	6%	⚔ compare
Sons of a Brisket	14	4	10	29%	⚔ compare
THUMP & STRUM BBQ	14	3	11	21%	⚔ compare
SLAPS BBQ	13	1	12	8%	⚔ compare
HANG 'EM' HIGH	11	11	0	100%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN IN THE BOARDROOM	10	9	1	90%	⚔ compare
DIRT ROAD BBQ	10	1	9	10%	⚔ compare
A SLEW OF SOWS AND A SMOKER	9	9	0	100%	⚔ compare
ALL FORKED UP FOR Q	9	2	7	22%	⚔ compare
HI-TECH SMOKERS	8	8	0	100%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN MAN GAME DAY BBQ	8	8	0	100%	⚔ compare
PORKY MCBEEF AND THE CLUCKERS	8	1	7	13%	⚔ compare
R BUTTS R SMOKIN	8	1	7	13%	⚔ compare
UNFAMOUS DAVE'S	8	1	7	13%	⚔ compare
James Brothers BBQ	7	7	0	100%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	29	5	0	2	178.8572	139.9540	164.12	top 51%
Pork Ribs	29	8	0	1	177.1544	143.4172	162.80	top 52%
Pork	28	7	1	1	175.4172	137.0972	162.52	top 55%
Brisket	28	5	0	0	174.8572	143.3600	161.65	top 52%

“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	Avg finish
MO	21	top 45%
NV	2	top 80%
KY	1	top 48%
MN	1	top 88%
IA	1	top 100%

By contest size

Field	Contests	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	2	top 37%
Medium (20–39)	12	top 59%
Large (40+)	13	top 45%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
*Racing for the BBQ	4	19	top 43%	2018-07-27
*Independence Fire & Ice BBQ	3	21	top 43%	2018-10-05
Smoke Out in the Valley	2	11	top 52%	2017-06-17

The story so far (19 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 12.1 yrs 2013-07-26 → 2025-09-12

Busiest season 2015 7 contests

Contests a season 3.3 across 9 seasons in the data

Cooks most in MO 21 of 30 contests · 6 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 21 3 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 29 entries · 0 wins · 5 calls

Strongest meat Chicken averages 164.12 · weakest Brisket (161.65)

Walk rate 57% a top-10 call in 17 of 30 contests

Overall top-10 rate 10% 3 of 30 contests

Best top-10 run 2 straight contests

Master average 655.04 out of 720 · 26 contests · 0 GCs

Backyard average 305.65 out of 360 · 1 contest · 0 GCs

Opponents faced 688 615–560 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 23,700 30 mapped stops · furthest 8,552 mi

Schedule strength 1560 average field rating faced — tougher than 46% of rated contests

Purse competed for $18,570 listed at 3 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships 0 from 3 state-championship entries

Longest layoff 3.9 yrs 2021-10-15 → 2025-09-12

Power rating 1536 peak 1539 · #2065 of 6,413 rated

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

2013
Jul 26 First tracked contest Racing For The BBQ
Jul 26 First call Racing For The BBQ
Jul 26 First overall past 90% of a perfect score665.6572 Racing For The BBQ
Sep 6 Career-best overall score678.8688 Blue Springs Barbeque Blaze-Off
2015
Sep 11 10th tracked contest Independence Fire & Ice BBQ
Sep 25 First overall top-10 Oak Grove BBQ & Lemonade Festival
Oct 23 First category win (Pork) Fountains Blaze off & Senior Q
2016
Jul 29 Career-best single call (Chicken)178.8572 Racing for the BBQ
2018
Sep 14 25th tracked contest Jesse James Barbeque Cook Out
2019
Oct 18 Peak power rating (1539) Fountains at Greenbriar Blaze Off
2025
Sep 12 Most recent contest Bands and BBQ at the Point

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+12	Blue Springs Barbeque Blaze-Off	2013-09-06
+9.6	Independence Fire & Ice BBQ	2015-09-11
+9.2	Smoke out in the Valley	2016-06-18
+8.6	Fountains Blaze off & Senior Q	2015-10-23
+8	Racing for the BBQ	2014-07-25

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-14.2	*Smoking in the Golden Valley	2017-09-29
-13.6	State Center Rose Festival BBQ Championship	2015-06-19
-12.1	Fire on Ice Barbecue World Championship	2016-03-04
-11.7	Smokin In Mesquite BBQ Championship	2014-04-26
-4.7	10th Annual Best Dam Barbecue Challenge	2014-05-23

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	Top-10s	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2025	1	0	0	100%	top 48%	84.9%	84.9%
2021	1	0	0	0%	top 70%	89.5%	89.5%
2019	2	1	0	100%	top 34%	93.9%	93.3%
2018	4	0	0	50%	top 38%	92.5%	92.3%
2017	5	0	0	20%	top 65%	94.1%	90.4%
2016	4	0	0	50%	top 56%	93.4%	90.6%
2015	7	2	1	71%	top 48%	93.9%	90.7%
2014	4	0	0	50%	top 59%	92.1%	89.5%
2013	2	0	0	100%	top 24%	94.3%	93.4%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2025-09-12	Bands and BBQ at the Point 🏅 Carrollton, KY	14 / 29 (305.6460)	11 (159.9660)	18 (145.6800)	8 (166.8228)	13 (150.8000)
2021-10-15	Smokin In the Creek BBQ Contest 🏅 Sugar Creek, MO	19 / 27 (644.3540)	24 (150.7772)	14 (165.6800)	21 (161.0740)	14 (166.8228)
2019-10-18	Fountains at Greenbriar Blaze Off 🏅 Independence, MO	4 / 13 (675.9428)	2 (174.8572)	3 (177.1544)	4 (168.5372)	10 (155.3940)
2019-08-03	Burleigh BBQ Championships Queensland, 4220	12 / 32 (668.0116)	14 (167.3828)	22 (164.0116)	4 (172.5828)	14 (164.0344)
2018-10-05	*Independence Fire & Ice BBQ Independence, MO	21 / 56 (662.1484)	35 (161.1428)	11 (171.9656)	27 (167.3828)	28 (161.6572)
2018-09-14	Jesse James Barbeque Cook Out Kearney, MO	17 / 35 (665.6460)	21 (165.7028)	15 (169.1544)	21 (163.3944)	15 (167.3944)
2018-07-27	*Racing for the BBQ Lee's Summit, MO	19 / 66 (665.0056)	18 (167.3828)	10 (169.6800)	15 (169.1084)	31 (158.8344)
2018-06-22	*Camp High Hopes Rib Fest (BACKYARD ONLY) Sioux City, IA	—	19 (139.9540)	8 (157.0972)	—	—
2017-10-20	2017 Greenbriar Blaze Off and Senior Q Independence, MO	15 / 25 (677.6572)	17 (170.2744)	18 (166.2628)	16 (169.7028)	12 (171.4172)
2017-10-06	*Independence Fire & Ice BBQ Independence, MO	35 / 76 (658.1712)	37 (164.5256)	38 (162.2628)	36 (165.1200)	24 (166.2628)
2017-09-29	*Smoking in the Golden Valley Clinton, MO	29 / 29 (583.2684)	26 (155.9656)	29 (143.4172)	29 (137.0972)	28 (146.7884)
2017-07-28	*Racing for the BBQ Lee's Summit, MO	29 / 54 (669.0284)	22 (169.1200)	35 (164.5372)	26 (168.5256)	27 (166.8456)
2017-06-17	Smoke Out in the Valley Buckner, MO	14 / 21 (665.0056)	5 (174.8572)	16 (160.5256)	19 (154.7656)	4 (174.8572)
2016-09-09	*Independence Fire & Ice BBQ Independence, MO	35 / 76 (664.4344)	28 (167.9888)	33 (166.8228)	44 (166.2400)	40 (163.3828)
2016-07-29	Racing for the BBQ Lee's Summit, MO	29 / 54 (666.6972)	3 (178.8572)	39 (161.6572)	32 (166.2400)	42 (159.9428)
2016-06-18	Smoke out in the Valley Buckner, MO	11 / 30 (672.5372)	4 (175.4172)	17 (165.7144)	12 (167.4056)	16 (164.0000)
2016-03-04	Fire on Ice Barbecue World Championship Isle, MN	52 / 59 (605.1200)	58 (144.5828)	51 (148.5260)	46 (155.9884)	39 (156.0228)
2015-10-23	Fountains Blaze off & Senior Q Independence, MO	7 / 22 (675.9544)	13 (165.7144)	9 (168.5484)	1 (175.4172)	7 (166.2744)
2015-10-09	The River Grill before the Big Chill Cincinnati, OH	—	—	—	—	—
2015-09-25	Oak Grove BBQ & Lemonade Festival Oak Grove, MO	7 / 16 (667.9200)	4 (171.4400)	11 (158.2400)	8 (166.2628)	4 (171.9772)
2015-09-11	Independence Fire & Ice BBQ Independence, MO	20 / 76 (666.1828)	18 (169.7028)	9 (173.1428)	25 (166.2400)	44 (157.0972)
2015-07-24	Racing for the BBQ Lees Summit, MO	23 / 63 (669.0400)	36 (163.3828)	5 (176.5600)	44 (163.9772)	29 (165.1200)
2015-06-19	State Center Rose Festival BBQ Championship State Center, IA	27 / 27 (585.5772)	25 (151.9772)	26 (149.7144)	27 (140.5256)	27 (143.3600)
2015-02-27	Fire on Ice Barbecue World Championship (Competitor's Series) Isle, MN	—	40 (149.1084)	10 (164.6056)	45 (140.5712)	—
2014-10-17	The Fountain's Blaze Off & Senior Q Independence, MO	11 / 25 (658.2628)	15 (166.2972)	17 (159.9656)	12 (166.8228)	9 (165.1772)
2014-07-25	Racing for the BBQ Lee's Summit, MO	16 / 54 (663.3712)	35 (163.4172)	7 (171.4056)	35 (161.6684)	17 (166.8800)
2014-05-23	10th Annual Best Dam Barbecue Challenge Boulder City, NV	24 / 35 (646.8456)	12 (166.8572)	25 (153.7256)	28 (158.2628)	11 (168.0000)
2014-04-26	Smokin In Mesquite BBQ Championship Mesquite, NV	47 / 51 (610.2628)	33 (161.7028)	42 (155.4172)	50 (145.1656)	46 (147.9772)
2013-09-06	Blue Springs Barbeque Blaze-Off Blue Springs, MO	11 / 72 (678.8688)	11 (172.6288)	15 (170.2628)	10 (174.2628)	28 (161.7144)
2013-07-26	Racing For The BBQ Lee's Summit, MO	19 / 58 (665.6572)	17 (168.5372)	42 (159.4288)	8 (171.4284)	21 (166.2628)

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
2021 ↗	Master	#1144 (82 pts)	#1518 (57 pts)	#1133 (107 pts)	#1223 (72 pts)	#1070 (107 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#1205 (188 pts)	#1106 (238 pts)	#1193 (213 pts)	#1275 (188 pts)	#1684 (113 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#1021 (270 pts)	#1174 (235 pts)	#898 (375 pts)	#1126 (250 pts)	#1195 (230 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#1024 (321 pts)	#967 (396 pts)	#1140 (296 pts)	#1158 (291 pts)	#882 (436 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#1195 (245 pts)	#785 (500 pts)	#1399 (215 pts)	#1322 (240 pts)	#1374 (220 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#762 (453 pts)	#806 (453 pts)	#668 (573 pts)	#715 (528 pts)	#789 (463 pts)