Charcoal Loungers

Charcoal Loungers is a competition barbecue team with 37 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2025. They have won 1 Grand Championship, at the Smokefest (2014). They are ranked #1264 of 6,485 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#1,264

of 6,485 rated · rankings

Rating

1582

peak 1635 · rated over 37 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

May 10, 2013

latest Aug 29, 2025 · 12.3 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#183

Master 2013 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve · wins it all 3% of the time

Category wins

20 podiums

Overall top-10s

43% of 37 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 40%

overall standings

Best overall

686.9260 / 720

Master · Ribs, Rods & Rock 'n Roll

Perfect 180s

Current form

658.84 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 664.68 (-5.84)

Walk rate

73%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

179.4400

Pork · Ribs, Rod and Rock N Roll

Consistency

±13.43

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork Ribs

avg 167.51 · weakest Brisket (163.65)

Road miles

8,163

across 37 mapped stops · furthest 851 mi

Schedule strength

45%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1558)

Purse competed for

$39K

listed at 4 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 4 state-championship entries

Master avg

664.68 / 720

37 Master contests · 1 GC

Storylines (16 found in their record)

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

Against the odds

28-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings

The ratings favoured the top seed the other 72 times in 100

Their Grand Championship at Smokefest (Aug 15, 2014) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 28-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, SPITFIRE.

Giant slayer

32 teams beaten in one weekend

Took the Grand Championship over a 32-team field at Smokefest.

Aug 15, 2014

Happy hunting ground

1× Grand Championship here

Smokefest is their spot: 1 Grand Championship in 3 visits.

3 visits
best finish 1st
average top 13%

They almost always walk

73% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 27 of 37 contests

A top-10 category call in 73% of their 37 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

686.9260 career-best overall

95.4% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 686.9260 at Ribs, Rods & Rock 'n Roll — 95.4% of a perfect 720.

Master
Sep 6, 2013

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

ROLLIN' SMOKE BBQ SD has finished one call ahead of Charcoal Loungers 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2014 1 Grand Championship

2014 was the year it came together: 9 contests, 1 Grand Championship and 3 category wins, at an average finish in the top 27%.

9 contests
6 overall top-10s
3 category wins
average top 27%

Show 9 more storylines

A tough matchup

25–5 behind in the head-to-head

SPITFIRE ahead in 83% of their meetings

SPITFIRE has come out ahead in 25 of their 30 shared contests.

The drought

23 contests since the last title

Their last Grand Championship came at Smokefest on Aug 15, 2014 — 23 contests and 12.1 years ago.

last GC Aug 15, 2014
12.1 years ago

A strong matchup

13–2 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 87% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of SHORT CREW BBQ in 13 of their 15 shared contests.

The comeback

4 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 4 years, then back at SD BBQ Shootout @ Huset's Speedway (Aug 29, 2025).

last seen Sep 10, 2021
back Aug 29, 2025

Pork Ribs nemesis

20 of 30 shared pork ribs entries lost

SPITFIRE ahead 67% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, SPITFIRE has out-cooked them in 20 of 30 shared pork ribs entries.

Looking over their shoulder

3× one call behind them

SHIGGIN & GRINNIN has landed one call behind them 3 times.

A July team

Top 30% average finish in July

Something about July: average finish in the top 30% across 4 contests, versus top 40% the rest of the year.

4 July contests
top 40% the rest of the year

The long haul

8,163 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 8,163 miles across 37 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 851 miles to Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitation Barbecue (JUDGES BY INVITATION ONLY).

37 mapped stops
furthest 851 mi

The metronome

±1.87% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.87% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 92.3% of a perfect score
37 contests

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
2019 ↗	Master	#2454 (59 pts)	#2552 (54 pts)	#1473 (139 pts)	#2014 (64 pts)	#2466 (59 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#1701 (115 pts)	#1065 (275 pts)	#1800 (105 pts)	#1569 (125 pts)	#1776 (105 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#1558 (157 pts)	#1591 (167 pts)	#1600 (167 pts)	#1527 (177 pts)	#1454 (187 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#900 (380 pts)	#1153 (290 pts)	#778 (510 pts)	#814 (480 pts)	#744 (520 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#444 (863 pts)	#392 (963 pts)	#495 (788 pts)	#487 (803 pts)	#506 (743 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#227 (1,423 pts)	#313 (1,108 pts)	#153 (1,618 pts)	#266 (1,238 pts)	#355 (1,043 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#183 (1,473 pts)	#158 (1,428 pts)	#150 (1,493 pts)	#236 (1,168 pts)	#200 (1,328 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to Charcoal Loungers, each with one reason worth a look.

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

QUE-N-BREW

#1,271 of the rated field

1581 power rating

Contests: 38
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 34%
Peak: 1612

They've been 1612 at their best, 30 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 38 contests
last seen May 10, 2024

⚔ Compare careers

Homestead Smoke Shack

#1,265 of the rated field

1581 power rating

Contests: 31
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 61%
Peak: 1598

Careers of much the same size, 31 contests to 37, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 31 contests
last seen Jun 19, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

BALONEY JOE'S BBQ

#1,259 of the rated field

1582 power rating

Contests: 29
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 14%
Peak: 1586

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

rated over 29 contests

⚔ Compare careers

SWEET DIXIE BBQ

#1,260 of the rated field

1582 power rating

Contests: 26
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 42%
Peak: 1585

Their rating is built on 1 Grand Championship in 26 contests, alongside a 42% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 26 contests
last seen Oct 6, 2023

⚔ Compare careers

BUSH LEAGUE BBQ

#1,269 of the rated field

1581 power rating

Contests: 53
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 30%
Peak: 1659

Level with Charcoal Loungers on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 53 contests
last seen Feb 21, 2020

⚔ Compare careers

What’cha Got BBQ

#1,267 of the rated field

1581 power rating

Contests: 25
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 36%
Peak: 1596

They turned up 7 years after Charcoal Loungers did, first appearing in 2020.

rated over 25 contests
last seen Jun 14, 2025

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
SPITFIRE	30	5	25	17%	⚔ compare
PARROTHEAD SMOKERS	29	5	24	17%	⚔ compare
ROLLIN' SMOKE BBQ SD	23	14	9	61%	⚔ compare
Eggspert BBQ	23	7	16	30%	⚔ compare
SMOKEY AND HIS BANDITS	19	11	8	58%	⚔ compare
SIN CIRCLE BBQ	19	7	12	37%	⚔ compare
SHIGGIN & GRINNIN	17	6	11	35%	⚔ compare
LAST CALL HEROES BBQ	16	3	13	19%	⚔ compare
SHORT CREW BBQ	15	13	2	87%	⚔ compare
MUSTANG SALLY BBQ	13	5	8	38%	⚔ compare
RICHIE Z's	12	8	4	67%	⚔ compare
LONESTAR SMOKE RANGERS	12	4	8	33%	⚔ compare
Subtle Smoke	11	8	3	73%	⚔ compare
Pigtamer BBQ	11	6	5	55%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN DINGER - THE PROFESSOR OF HOGOLOGY	10	5	5	50%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	37	13	2	5	179.4400	151.3828	167.41	top 43%
Pork Ribs	37	17	3	7	179.4400	153.1428	167.51	top 37%
Pork	37	14	2	4	179.4400	147.3828	166.10	top 43%
Brisket	37	8	0	4	175.4286	149.7142	163.65	top 47%

“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	GCs	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	2	0	top 51%
Medium (20–39)	22	1	top 39%
Large (40+)	13	0	top 40%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
SD	22	0	top 44%
MN	7	1	top 24%
NE	4	0	top 18%
TN	2	0	top 79%
IA	2	0	top 52%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Ribs, Rods & Rock N Roll	4	3	0	top 41%	Sep 10, 2021
Smokefest	3	1	1	top 13%	Aug 21, 2015
Ribs, Rod & Rock'n Roll	3	12	0	top 64%	Sep 6, 2019
Cookin' on Kampeska	3	6	0	top 34%	Jul 15, 2016
Original SD BBQ Championships	3	6	0	top 34%	Jun 3, 2016
Hill City Wine Brew & BBQ	2	7	0	top 30%	Aug 26, 2016
BBQ in the Bluffs	2	14	0	top 52%	May 8, 2015
Ak-Sar-Ben's River City Rodeo & Stock Show	2	4	0	top 9%	Sep 26, 2014

More numbers

Busiest season 2014 9 contests · 1 GC

Contests a season 3.7 across 10 seasons in the data

Most contests held in SD 22 of 37 contests · 5 states in all

Contests visited 23 8 of them more than once

First title Aug 15, 2014 Smokefest

Opponents faced 613 finished ahead 797 times, behind 509

Longest layoff 4 yrs Sep 10, 2021 → Aug 29, 2025

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

20251 milestone

Aug 29 Most recent contest SD BBQ Shootout @ Huset's Speedway

20201 milestone

Sep 11 Career-best single call (Pork)179.4400 Ribs, Rod and Rock N Roll

20152 milestones

Aug 21 Peak power rating (1635) Smokefest
Sep 11 25th tracked contest Ribs, Rods & Rock 'n Roll

20143 milestones

May 16 10th tracked contest Minnesota in May
Aug 15 First Grand Championship Smokefest
Aug 15 Biggest field won (32 teams) Smokefest

20137 milestones

May 10 First tracked contest BBQ in the Bluffs
May 10 First call BBQ in the Bluffs
Jun 15 First overall past 90% of a perfect score671.9998 Treasure Island International BBQ Championship
Jun 28 First overall top-10 Bend of the River BBQ Smoke Off
Aug 16 First overall podium Smokefest
Sep 6 Career-best overall score686.9260 Ribs, Rods & Rock 'n Roll
Sep 27 First category win (Pork Ribs) Ak-Sar-Ben's River City Rodeo & Stock Show

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+13.3	Smokefest	Aug 16, 2013
+13.2	Smokefest	Aug 15, 2014
+13	Ribs, Rods & Rock 'n Roll	Sep 6, 2013
+12.9	Bend of the River BBQ Smoke Off	Jun 28, 2013
+12.1	Ak-Sar-Ben's River City Rodeo & Stock Show	Sep 27, 2013

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-12.5	Ribs, Rods & Rock N Roll	Sep 10, 2021
-9.6	Ribs, Rod & Rock'n Roll	Sep 6, 2019
-9.3	Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitation Barbecue (JUDGES BY INVITATION ONLY)	Oct 24, 2014
-8.8	Brew B Q	Nov 10, 2017
-8.5	SD BBQ Shootout @ Huset's Speedway	Aug 29, 2025

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	GCs	Top-10s	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2025	1	0	0	0	0%	top 80%	91.7%	91.7%
2021	1	0	0	0	0%	top 96%	89.4%	89.4%
2020	1	0	0	1	100%	top 52%	93.6%	93.6%
2019	1	0	0	0	100%	top 83%	89.3%	89.3%
2018	1	0	0	1	100%	top 48%	93.5%	93.5%
2017	3	0	0	0	33%	top 69%	91.4%	91.2%
2016	4	0	1	0	100%	top 47%	94.3%	92.1%
2015	7	0	3	1	57%	top 36%	94.3%	92%
2014	9	1	6	3	67%	top 27%	95.2%	92.9%
2013	9	0	6	1	100%	top 26%	95.4%	92.9%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Aug 29, 2025	SD BBQ Shootout @ Huset's Speedway 🏅 Brandon, SD	35 / 44 (660.4692)	29 (167.9772)	16 (170.2860)	25 (169.6800)	43 (152.5260)
Sep 10, 2021	Ribs, Rods & Rock N Roll 🏅 Vermillion, SD	25 / 26 (643.8172)	17 (167.3944)	23 (160.5716)	26 (160.5028)	24 (155.3484)
Sep 11, 2020	Ribs, Rod and Rock N Roll 🏅 Vermillion, SD	15 / 29 (673.6228)	16 (167.9772)	26 (161.0856)	1 (179.4400)	14 (165.1200)
Sep 6, 2019	Ribs, Rod & Rock'n Roll 🏅 Vermillion, SD	24 / 29 (643.2572)	27 (154.2288)	9 (171.4288)	23 (158.2628)	24 (159.3368)
Sep 7, 2018	Ribs, Rod & Rock'n Roll Vermillion, SD	12 / 25 (673.0400)	1 (175.4516)	14 (166.2400)	10 (167.9772)	14 (163.3712)
Nov 10, 2017	Brew B Q Nashville, TN	21 / 26 (658.1488)	14 (173.1200)	23 (154.2400)	17 (166.2284)	18 (164.5604)
Sep 8, 2017	Ribs, Rod & Rock'n Roll Vermillion, SD	19 / 31 (655.3604)	24 (160.5944)	15 (166.2744)	19 (165.0972)	16 (163.3944)
Jun 16, 2017	Beresford Wheels 'n Squeals (RUSHMORE CUP QUALIFIER) Beresford, SD	11 / 17 (657.1092)	14 (163.9888)	10 (165.1316)	6 (172.0116)	11 (155.9772)
Sep 9, 2016	Ribs, Rods and Rock'n Roll Vermillion, SD	21 / 34 (645.0284)	31 (151.3828)	20 (160.5600)	9 (168.5600)	15 (164.5256)
Aug 26, 2016	Hill City Wine Brew & BBQ Hill City, SD	10 / 31 (678.8112)	21 (165.7028)	11 (168.5828)	5 (171.4172)	9 (173.1084)
Jul 15, 2016	Cookin' on Kampeska Watertown, SD	23 / 41 (664.4684)	18 (169.1316)	7 (173.1428)	18 (167.9772)	37 (154.2168)
Jun 3, 2016	Original SD BBQ Championships Huron, SD	17 / 44 (665.0168)	33 (161.0856)	10 (171.4056)	30 (158.2628)	4 (174.2628)
Sep 11, 2015	Ribs, Rods & Rock 'n Roll Vermillion, SD	14 / 32 (663.9772)	11 (169.7028)	16 (165.1316)	4 (171.4400)	20 (157.7028)
Aug 21, 2015	Smokefest Marshall, MN	11 / 42 (671.3484)	17 (168.5600)	11 (168)	17 (166.8228)	14 (167.9656)
Jul 17, 2015	Cookin' on Kampeska Watertown, SD	10 / 38 (666.7884)	1 (179.4400)	26 (158.8228)	17 (165.6800)	17 (162.8456)
Jun 12, 2015	Bend of the River CookOut Mankato, MN	19 / 42 (663.4056)	17 (168.5600)	15 (167.4400)	17 (165.7028)	30 (161.7028)
Jun 5, 2015	Original SD BBQ Championships Huron, SD	6 / 41 (678.9256)	8 (170.2744)	5 (170.9028)	20 (163.4284)	5 (174.3200)
May 29, 2015	4th Annual Valley Veterans BBQ Competition Valley, NE	9 / 28 (650.2056)	9 (165.1084)	13 (161.7028)	15 (164)	12 (159.3944)
May 8, 2015	BBQ in the Bluffs Council Bluffs, IA	20 / 33 (640.5028)	25 (154.2628)	19 (159.9772)	15 (167.4400)	20 (158.8228)
Oct 24, 2014	Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitation Barbecue (JUDGES BY INVITATION ONLY) Lynchburg, TN	71 / 92 (653.6572)	20 (172.0116)	29 (170.8572)	88 (147.3828)	56 (163.4056)
Sep 26, 2014	Ak-Sar-Ben's River City Rodeo & Stock Show Omaha, NE	4 / 47 (677.0740)	12 (167.9884)	1 (179.4400)	23 (163.4172)	11 (166.2284)
Sep 5, 2014	Ribs, Rods & Rock 'n Roll Vermillion, SD	3 / 26 (684.0112)	3 (173.1428)	1 (177.7372)	6 (166.8800)	11 (166.2512)
Aug 22, 2014	Hill City Wine, Brew & BBQ Hill City, SD	7 / 25 (673.6112)	4 (172.5600)	2 (174.2972)	10 (167.3828)	17 (159.3712)
Aug 15, 2014	Smokefest Marshall, MN	1 / 32 (685.6800)	12 (169.1428)	6 (170.2744)	1 (172.5600)	3 (173.7028)
Jul 18, 2014	Cookin' on Kampeska Watertown, SD	6 / 31 (675.9084)	16 (165.1200)	7 (170.8228)	2 (174.2972)	11 (165.6684)
Jun 27, 2014	2nd Annual Ribstock MBA BBQ Festival Omaha, NE	7 / 30 (663.9540)	5 (173.1656)	3 (172)	17 (162.8000)	21 (155.9884)
Jun 6, 2014	SD BBQ Championships Huron, SD	19 / 42 (647.9316)	31 (158.2744)	12 (165.1200)	19 (162.2744)	16 (162.2628)
May 16, 2014	Minnesota in May Falcon Heights, MN	18 / 58 (659.9544)	33 (161.0972)	20 (161.1544)	13 (168.5256)	11 (169.1772)
Sep 27, 2013	Ak-Sar-Ben's River City Rodeo & Stock Show Omaha, NE	5 / 56 (679.3024)	34 (163.9312)	1 (179.4400)	13 (168.5600)	15 (167.3712)
Sep 6, 2013	Ribs, Rods & Rock 'n Roll Vermillion, SD	3 / 27 (686.9260)	6 (170.8572)	7 (169.1200)	3 (172.0344)	2 (174.9144)
Aug 23, 2013	1st Annual Hill City Wine, Brew & BBQ Hill City, SD	6 / 16 (657.6796)	7 (164.5256)	2 (174.8456)	9 (161.7256)	11 (156.5828)
Aug 16, 2013	Smokefest Marshall, MN	3 / 31 (675.9312)	2 (176.5600)	16 (162.2628)	9 (165.0856)	3 (172.0228)
Jul 19, 2013	Cookin' on Kampeska: Wing Fling & BBQ Thing Watertown, SD	5 / 26 (673.0628)	14 (167.4056)	2 (170.2744)	4 (175.4172)	8 (159.9656)
Jun 28, 2013	Bend of the River BBQ Smoke Off Mankato, MN	4 / 30 (684)	3 (174.2858)	6 (172)	20 (162.2856)	3 (175.4286)
Jun 15, 2013	Treasure Island International BBQ Championship Welch, MN	28 / 68 (671.9998)	9 (173.7144)	36 (166.2858)	45 (163.4284)	27 (168.5712)
May 31, 2013	Original SD BBQ Championships Huron, SD	20 / 41 (643.4284)	8 (169.7144)	26 (153.1428)	25 (160.5714)	19 (159.9998)
May 10, 2013	BBQ in the Bluffs Council Bluffs, IA	14 / 32 (645.7140)	11 (166.8570)	10 (168)	13 (161.1428)	24 (149.7142)

Charcoal Loungers

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 (16 found in their record)

Against the odds

Giant slayer

Happy hunting ground

They almost always walk

High-water mark

The one to beat

Their season

A tough matchup

The drought

A strong matchup

The comeback

Pork Ribs nemesis

Looking over their shoulder

A July team

The long haul

The metronome

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)