Hickory Pit Stop

Hickory Pit Stop 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 20 at the Nebo Fall Festival and BBQ Competition (2016). They are ranked #1055 of 6,477 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#1,055

of 6,477 rated · rankings

Rating

1599

peak 1612 · rated over 34 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Apr 5, 2013

latest Sep 11, 2026 · 13.4 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#588

Master 2024 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

14 podiums

Overall top-10s

24% of 34 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 40%

overall standings

Best overall

689.6456 / 720

Master · Nebo Fall Festival and BBQ Competition

Perfect 180s

1 🔥

Current form

675.79 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 669.70 (+6.09)

Walk rate

74%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

180 🔥

Pork · The WhistleStop Festival & Rocket City BBQ (JUDGES SIGN UP STARTS DECEMBER 2, 2013)

Consistency

±15.10

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork

avg 168.34 · weakest Brisket (167.04)

Road miles

5,242

across 34 mapped stops · furthest 533 mi

Schedule strength

48%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1562)

Purse competed for

$69K

listed at 9 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 8 state-championship entries

Master avg

669.70 / 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.

Perfect scores on the board

1 perfect 180

1 perfect 180 in the data — every judge at the table handing back a nine, all in pork.

Pork ×1

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

689.6456 career-best overall

95.8% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 689.6456 at Nebo Fall Festival and BBQ Competition — 95.8% of a perfect 720.

Master
Sep 16, 2016

The one to beat

3× one call ahead of them

THUNDER HOG BBQ has finished one call ahead of Hickory Pit Stop 3 times — their closest competition in the data.

A tough matchup

15–3 behind in the head-to-head

SCUFFLETOWN SMOKERS ahead in 83% of their meetings

SCUFFLETOWN SMOKERS has come out ahead in 15 of their 18 shared contests.

A strong matchup

9–2 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 82% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of Kentucky Kookers in 9 of their 11 shared contests.

The comeback

4.1 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 4.1 years, then back at Smoke on the Ohio (Sep 8, 2023).

last seen Aug 16, 2019
back Sep 8, 2023

Show 6 more storylines

Pork nemesis

13 of 18 shared pork entries lost

SCUFFLETOWN SMOKERS ahead 72% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, SCUFFLETOWN SMOKERS has out-cooked them in 13 of 18 shared pork entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

BIG RACK SMOKERS has landed one call behind them 2 times.

A May team

Top 27% average finish in May

Something about May: average finish in the top 27% across 5 contests, versus top 40% the rest of the year.

5 May contests
top 40% the rest of the year

The long haul

5,242 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 5,242 miles across 34 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 533 miles to World Barbecue Championship.

34 mapped stops
furthest 533 mi

The metronome

±2.10% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±2.10% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 93.0% of a perfect score
34 contests

A standing appointment

4 years running at one contest

They've cooked Smoke on the Ohio every year from 2023 to 2026 — the contest they never miss.

5 visits in all
best finish 7th

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
2026 ↗	Master	#869 (116 pts)	#1050 (76 pts)	#901 (136 pts)	#732 (166 pts)	#980 (86 pts)
2025 ↗	Master	#997 (102 pts)	#1097 (92 pts)	#1158 (102 pts)	#1100 (87 pts)	#1021 (107 pts)
2024 ↗	Master	#588 (294 pts)	#398 (579 pts)	#643 (319 pts)	#607 (299 pts)	#708 (234 pts)
2023 ↗	Master	#632 (251 pts)	#938 (146 pts)	#622 (341 pts)	#536 (361 pts)	#743 (221 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#816 (440 pts)	#1183 (280 pts)	#685 (590 pts)	#1008 (365 pts)	#790 (480 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#1597 (140 pts)	#1475 (165 pts)	#1201 (245 pts)	#1200 (240 pts)	#1625 (140 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to Hickory Pit Stop, each with one reason worth a look.

HALF BAKED HIPPIES BBQ

#1,060 of the rated field

1598 power rating

Contests: 34
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 38%
Peak: 1598

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 34 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 34 contests
last seen Sep 13, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

CRAZY COYOTE

#1,051 of the rated field

1599 power rating

Contests: 32
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 34%
Peak: 1618

Their last contest in the data was back in 2017, 9 years before Hickory Pit Stop's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 32 contests

⚔ Compare careers

JOHN'S TWISTED Q

#1,059 of the rated field

1599 power rating

Contests: 28
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 32%
Peak: 1599

Careers of much the same size, 28 contests to 34, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 28 contests
last seen Jun 1, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

BLUE COLLAR BBQ MS

#1,057 of the rated field

1599 power rating

Contests: 21
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 38%
Peak: 1609

21 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 38% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 21 contests
last seen Jun 19, 2020

⚔ Compare careers

Backwoods BBQ

#1,053 of the rated field

1599 power rating

Contests: 63
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 37%
Peak: 1654

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

rated over 62 contests
last seen Jul 9, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

CHICKEN BUTT BBQ UTAH

#1,054 of the rated field

1599 power rating

Contests: 19
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 32%
Peak: 1599

Level with Hickory Pit Stop on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 18 contests
last seen Oct 24, 2015

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
SCUFFLETOWN SMOKERS	18	3	15	17%	⚔ compare
HOBBIE BAR-B-Q	17	10	7	59%	⚔ compare
Z SMOKE	15	10	5	67%	⚔ compare
SON SEEKERS BBQ	13	5	8	38%	⚔ compare
One2BBQ	13	1	12	8%	⚔ compare
THUNDER HOG BBQ	12	1	11	8%	⚔ compare
WARREN COUNTY PORK CHOPPERS	12	1	11	8%	⚔ compare
Kentucky Kookers	11	9	2	82%	⚔ compare
ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN	11	2	9	18%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN T'S	10	4	6	40%	⚔ compare
LOCAL YOKELS BBQ	10	2	8	20%	⚔ compare
EAT MOR BUTT BBQ	10	2	8	20%	⚔ compare
RURAL ROUTE BBQ	10	1	9	10%	⚔ compare
BIG RACK SMOKERS	9	6	3	67%	⚔ compare
Pappy Q	9	4	5	44%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	34	11	2	4	177.7144	147.9772	167.05	top 47%
Pork Ribs	34	14	0	2	176.5600	151.4516	167.26	top 41%
Pork	34	14	2	5	180 🔥	158.2628	168.34	top 40%
Brisket	34	10	0	3	178.2972	138.8570	167.04	top 42%

“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)	1	top 37%
Medium (20–39)	16	top 41%
Large (40+)	17	top 40%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
IN	11	top 41%
IL	9	top 46%
KY	6	top 39%
TN	4	top 35%
AL	4	top 32%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Smoke on the Ohio	5	7	top 41%	Sep 11, 2026
The Whistlestop Festival & Rocket City BBQ	3	11	top 23%	May 6, 2016
Murphysboro Barbecue Cook-Off	3	8	top 26%	Sep 25, 2015
Smokin For Garrett	2	13	top 42%	Apr 26, 2019
Wabash Ribberfest BBQ Championship (TEAMS AND JUDGES FULL)	2	11	top 56%	Apr 28, 2017
Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cook-Off	2	11	top 47%	Oct 16, 2015

More numbers

Busiest season 2016 8 contests

Contests a season 3.1 across 11 seasons in the data

Most contests held in IN 11 of 34 contests · 5 states in all

Contests visited 23 6 of them more than once

Opponents faced 801 finished ahead 887 times, behind 629

Longest layoff 4.1 yrs Aug 16, 2019 → Sep 8, 2023

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

20261 milestone

Sep 11 Most recent contest Smoke on the Ohio

20181 milestone

Apr 27 25th tracked contest Smokin For Garrett

20162 milestones

Sep 16 Career-best overall score689.6456 Nebo Fall Festival and BBQ Competition
Sep 23 Peak power rating (1612) Grillin and Chillin

20144 milestones

May 2 First category win (Pork) The WhistleStop Festival & Rocket City BBQ (JUDGES SIGN UP STARTS DECEMBER 2, 2013)
May 2 First perfect 180 (Pork) The WhistleStop Festival & Rocket City BBQ (JUDGES SIGN UP STARTS DECEMBER 2, 2013)
Jul 25 First overall top-10 BBQ Fest Cooking Contest
Oct 17 10th tracked contest Casino Queen BBQ Competition

20133 milestones

Apr 5 First tracked contest 1st Annual Parkinson's Smoke Out
Apr 5 First call 1st Annual Parkinson's Smoke Out
Sep 19 First overall past 90% of a perfect score667.9656 Murphysboro Barbecue Cook-off

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+13.4	BBQ Fest Cooking Contest	Jul 25, 2014
+13.2	Murphysboro Barbecue Cook-Off	Sep 18, 2014
+12.6	Smokin' for Garrett	May 20, 2016
+9.9	Nebo Fall Festival and BBQ Competition	Sep 16, 2016
+9.5	The Whistlestop Festival & Rocket City BBQ	May 1, 2015

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-9.8	Wabash Ribberfest BBQ Championship (TEAMS AND JUDGES FULL)	Apr 28, 2017
-8.2	Smokin' for Garrett	Oct 6, 2023
-6.5	Smokin For Garrett	Apr 26, 2019
-5.1	Wabash Ribberfest Barbecue Championship	Apr 25, 2014
-4.6	Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship	Mar 15, 2024

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	1	0	0	100%	top 46%	94.6%	94.6%
2025	1	0	0	0%	top 56%	91.8%	91.8%
2024	3	0	0	67%	top 49%	94.6%	94.3%
2023	2	1	0	100%	top 45%	95.2%	94.2%
2019	2	1	0	100%	top 43%	94%	93.7%
2018	1	0	0	100%	top 34%	92.7%	92.7%
2017	2	1	0	50%	top 55%	93.2%	91.6%
2016	8	3	1	63%	top 33%	95.8%	93.8%
2015	4	0	0	100%	top 36%	95.1%	92.9%
2014	7	2	3	71%	top 35%	95.3%	92.8%
2013	3	0	0	67%	top 52%	92.8%	90.2%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Sep 11, 2026	Smoke on the Ohio 🏅 Mt. Vernon, IN	12 / 26 (681.0744)	20 (167.3828)	9 (171.9772)	6 (173.1200)	18 (168.5944)
Sep 12, 2025	Smoke on the Ohio 🏅 Mt. Vernon, IN	15 / 27 (660.9940)	17 (164.5256)	15 (165.6800)	18 (166.8228)	14 (163.9656)
Sep 13, 2024	Smoke on the Ohio 🏅 Mt. Vernon, IN	12 / 28 (678.7428)	3 (176.5600)	10 (171.9772)	9 (170.8228)	21 (159.3828)
May 10, 2024	Derby Park Que Off Louisville, KY	11 / 21 (677.0744)	2 (176.0116)	14 (166.8228)	14 (167.3944)	14 (166.8456)
Mar 15, 2024	Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship 🏅 Lebanon, TN	47 / 93 (681.0744)	16 (175.4172)	19 (173.1544)	77 (162.8228)	43 (169.6800)
Oct 6, 2023	Smokin' for Garrett 🏅 Mt. Carmel, IL	16 / 26 (671.3028)	21 (160.5372)	6 (174.2628)	13 (170.8228)	15 (165.6800)
Sep 8, 2023	Smoke on the Ohio 🏅 Mt. Vernon, IN	7 / 25 (685.6340)	20 (164.5368)	5 (172.5716)	2 (175.4056)	11 (173.1200)
Aug 16, 2019	Evansville BBQ 🏅 Evansville, IN	7 / 19 (671.9316)	6 (166.2972)	7 (167.9888)	13 (161.0856)	3 (176.5600)
Apr 26, 2019	Smokin For Garrett 🏅 Boonville, IN	13 / 26 (677.0744)	20 (162.8344)	20 (162.2744)	2 (176.5600)	5 (175.4056)
Apr 27, 2018	Smokin For Garrett Boonville, IN	13 / 38 (667.3720)	9 (170.2744)	22 (162.8460)	15 (165.0972)	11 (169.1544)
Sep 8, 2017	Smoke On The Ohio (JUDGES FULL) Mt.Vernon, IN	10 / 29 (670.7544)	7 (171.4172)	24 (157.6916)	7 (171.9656)	9 (169.6800)
Apr 28, 2017	Wabash Ribberfest BBQ Championship (TEAMS AND JUDGES FULL) Mt.Carmel, IL	22 / 29 (647.8400)	16 (164.5600)	14 (163.9772)	24 (158.7884)	22 (160.5144)
Nov 11, 2016	World Barbecue Championship Orange Beach, AL	51 / 89 (670.7544)	53 (168.5372)	56 (165.0972)	56 (165.1200)	28 (172)
Sep 23, 2016	Grillin and Chillin Owensboro, KY	17 / 39 (670.1712)	24 (167.3828)	20 (166.2628)	21 (167.3828)	11 (169.1428)
Sep 16, 2016	Nebo Fall Festival and BBQ Competition Nebo, KY	4 / 20 (689.6456)	7 (170.2628)	7 (171.9772)	6 (174.2628)	7 (173.1428)
May 20, 2016	Smokin' for Garrett Boonville, IN	5 / 35 (687.3256)	7 (174.2628)	5 (171.9656)	21 (165.6800)	5 (175.4172)
May 6, 2016	The Whistlestop Festival & Rocket City BBQ Huntsville, AL	11 / 67 (682.2060)	43 (162.2632)	3 (176.5600)	6 (174.2628)	19 (169.1200)
Apr 22, 2016	Wabash Ribberfest BBQ Championship Mt. Carmel, IL	11 / 30 (641.0512)	25 (148.5256)	6 (166.2628)	14 (158.2628)	4 (168)
Apr 15, 2016	High on the Hog Festival Winchester, TN	27 / 56 (673.5540)	19 (171.9772)	28 (167.9656)	46 (161.6456)	20 (171.9656)
Apr 8, 2016	Sixth Annual Bull Moose Somerville, TN	7 / 27 (685.6228)	1 (176.5716)	3 (173.1428)	6 (171.9656)	17 (163.9428)
Oct 16, 2015	Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cook-Off Munfordville, KY	11 / 34 (674.7428)	21 (167.3828)	18 (165.6800)	7 (171.9772)	10 (169.7028)
Sep 25, 2015	Murphysboro Barbecue Cook-Off Murphysboro, IL	19 / 55 (672.5028)	25 (168.5372)	16 (169.1428)	6 (173.1200)	33 (161.7028)
May 1, 2015	The Whistlestop Festival & Rocket City BBQ Huntsville, AL	12 / 63 (684.5372)	30 (166.8228)	37 (163.4172)	3 (176)	2 (178.2972)
Apr 24, 2015	Wabash Ribber Fest Mt. Carmel, IL	26 / 46 (644.5484)	45 (147.9772)	20 (166.8456)	34 (158.2628)	7 (171.4628)
Oct 17, 2014	Casino Queen BBQ Competition Greater St. Louis, IL	17 / 44 (666.8344)	1 (177.7144)	36 (151.4516)	9 (171.4056)	19 (166.2628)
Sep 26, 2014	Grillin N Chillin BBQ Owensboro, KY	11 / 43 (675.3828)	10 (172.5828)	31 (160.5256)	26 (166.2400)	3 (176.0344)
Sep 18, 2014	Murphysboro Barbecue Cook-Off Murphysboro, IL	8 / 57 (683.4172)	6 (173.1544)	16 (169.1544)	15 (170.2512)	14 (170.8572)
Jul 25, 2014	BBQ Fest Cooking Contest Dyersburg, TN	6 / 44 (686.1824)	33 (163.3712)	4 (176)	1 (177.7028)	17 (169.1084)
May 2, 2014	The WhistleStop Festival & Rocket City BBQ (JUDGES SIGN UP STARTS DECEMBER 2, 2013) Huntsville, AL	21 / 62 (671.2568)	46 (161.6456)	10 (173.1084)	1 (180)	46 (156.5028)
Apr 25, 2014	Wabash Ribberfest Barbecue Championship Mt. Carmel, IL	35 / 50 (639.3712)	11 (168.5712)	26 (161.7028)	27 (162.2744)	43 (146.8228)
Apr 3, 2014	2nd Annual Parkinson's Smoke Out Evansville, IN	31 / 64 (652.4916)	34 (163.3828)	37 (160.5716)	38 (162.2400)	18 (166.2972)
Oct 18, 2013	Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cook-Off Munfordville, KY	25 / 40 (647.3260)	20 (164.5372)	30 (158.8344)	11 (167.9772)	27 (155.9772)
Sep 19, 2013	Murphysboro Barbecue Cook-off Murphysboro, IL	22 / 76 (667.9656)	42 (164)	9 (171.4400)	42 (162.2628)	17 (170.2628)
Apr 5, 2013	1st Annual Parkinson's Smoke Out Evansville, IN	32 / 50 (631.9994)	27 (159.9998)	7 (168.5714)	19 (164.5712)	48 (138.8570)

Hickory Pit Stop

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

State championships

Master avg

Storylines (13 found in their record)

Perfect scores on the board

They almost always walk

High-water mark

The one to beat

A tough matchup

A strong matchup

The comeback

Pork nemesis

Looking over their shoulder

A May team

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)