The one to beat
2×
one call ahead of them
Taste of Mitch has finished one call ahead of Kick Back BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.
Kick Back BBQ
Kick Back BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 13 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2026. Their best overall finish is 15th of 18 at the East Helena Smoke Show (2024). They are ranked #6297 of 6,477 teams in the KCBS power rankings.
At a glance (the record in numbers)
Rating
1409
peak 1409 · rated over 13 contests
Contests
13
in the data
First seen
Oct 3, 2013
latest Jul 3, 2026 · 12.7 years on the trail
Grand champs
0
0 reserve
Category wins
0
0 podiums
Overall top-10s
0
0% of 13 contests
Avg finish
top 84%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
0
Current form
548.84 ▼
last 5 Master vs avg 570.35 (-21.51)
Walk rate
15%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±129.78
spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Chicken
avg 159.20 · weakest Pork Ribs (149.92)
Road miles
1,340
across 13 mapped stops · furthest 962 mi
Schedule strength
29%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1539)
Purse competed for
$101K
listed at 9 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0 🏅
won from 9 state-championship entries
Master avg
570.35 / 720
13 Master contests · 0 GCs
Teams like this (closest power rating)
The teams rated closest to Kick Back BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.
#6,299 of the rated field
- Contests
- 9
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1409
0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to Kick Back BBQ)
One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team Kick Back BBQ has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.
⚔ Head-to-head#6,295 of the rated field
- Contests
- 15
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1504
They've been 1504 at their best, 95 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.
⚔ Compare careers#6,301 of the rated field
- Contests
- 11
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1409
Their last contest in the data was back in 2022, 4 years before Kick Back BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.
⚔ Compare careers#6,300 of the rated field
- Contests
- 16
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1409
Careers of much the same size, 16 contests to 13, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.
⚔ Compare careers#6,296 of the rated field
- Contests
- 18
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1409
18 contests and no Grand Championship yet.
⚔ Compare careers#6,298 of the rated field
- Contests
- 19
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1409
Level with Kick Back BBQ on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.
⚔ Compare careersFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ | 11 | 0 | 11 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| SMELLAQUE | 10 | 0 | 10 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| BIG BOYZ BBQ | 9 | 1 | 8 | 11% | ⚔ compare |
| Random Guys Smoking | 8 | 3 | 5 | 38% | ⚔ compare |
| Shane Edd's BBQ | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| Poor Richard's BBQ | 6 | 2 | 4 | 33% | ⚔ compare |
| Popping Smoke Barbecue | 6 | 1 | 5 | 17% | ⚔ compare |
| YOU NEED A BBQ | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| Outta Left Field BBQ | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| Taste of Mitch | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| 1 Bite BBQ | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| Bearded Boar BBQ | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| Rhythm n QUE | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| Beer Belly BBQ | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| Broken Barrel BBQ and Kitchen | 5 | 4 | 1 | 80% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 172.5716 | 146.2972 | 159.20 | top 71% |
| Pork Ribs | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 164.5372 | 118.7772 | 149.92 | top 85% |
| Pork | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 171.4400 | 143.9772 | 157.40 | top 70% |
| Brisket | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 165.6800 | 138.2060 | 150.65 | top 81% |
“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) | 1 | 0 | top 83% |
| Medium (20–39) | 10 | 0 | top 86% |
| Large (40+) | 2 | 0 | top 72% |
Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montana Pitmaster Classic | 7 | 15 | 0 | top 83% | Aug 22, 2025 |
| East Helena Smoke Show | 2 | 15 | 0 | top 77% | Aug 9, 2024 |
More numbers
Busiest season
2024
2 contests
Contests a season
1.3
across 10 seasons in the data
Most contests held in
MT
12 of 13 contests · 2 states in all
Contests visited
6
2 of them more than once
Most-entered meat
Chicken
13 entries · 0 wins · 2 calls
Opponents faced
704
finished ahead 127 times, behind 762
Longest layoff
3.7 yrs
Oct 3, 2013 → Jun 24, 2017
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
20261 milestone
- Most recent contest Dillon Days Blowin' Smoke BBQ Cook Off
20241 milestone
- 10th tracked contest East Helena Smoke Show
20233 milestones
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score659.9200 Montana Pitmaster Classic
- Career-best overall score659.9200 Montana Pitmaster Classic
- Career-best single call (Chicken)172.5716 Montana Pitmaster Classic
20171 milestone
- First call Montana Pitmaster Classic
20132 milestones
- First tracked contest 34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open
- Peak power rating (1489) 34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +2.6 | Montana Pitmaster Classic | Aug 25, 2023 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -12.7 | Montana Pitmaster Classic | Aug 24, 2018 |
| -11 | 34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open | Oct 3, 2013 |
| -10.8 | Montana Pitmaster Classic | Aug 22, 2025 |
| -10.7 | Montana BBQ Cook-Off | Jun 24, 2017 |
| -9.7 | Montana Pitmaster Classic | Aug 23, 2024 |
Scores over time (% of a perfect score — 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 85% | 91.1% | 91.1% |
| 2025 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 100% | 22.4% | 22.4% |
| 2024 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50% | top 89% | 88.2% | 88% |
| 2023 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 64% | 91.7% | 90.5% |
| 2022 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 81% | 89% | 89% |
| 2021 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 90% | 82.7% | 82.7% |
| 2019 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 76% | 82.8% | 82.8% |
| 2018 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 96% | 61.9% | 61.9% |
| 2017 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50% | top 83% | 82.6% | 80.4% |
| 2013 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 88% | 82.3% | 82.3% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 3, 2026 | Dillon Days Blowin' Smoke BBQ Cook Off 🏅 Dillon, MT | 22 / 26 (655.9432) | 19 (169.1888) | 22 (164.5372) | 21 (167.9772) | 25 (154.2400) |
| Aug 22, 2025 | Montana Pitmaster Classic 🏅 Bozeman, MT | 38 / 38 (161.1656) | 37 (161.1656) | — | — | — |
| Aug 23, 2024 | Montana Pitmaster Classic 🏅 Bozeman, MT | 37 / 39 (635.3144) | 37 (154.8228) | 38 (156.0116) | 15 (170.2628) | 37 (154.2172) |
| Aug 9, 2024 | East Helena Smoke Show 🏅 East Helena, MT | 15 / 18 (631.8632) | 8 (167.4172) | 14 (161.7028) | 13 (159.9660) | 18 (142.7772) |
| Aug 25, 2023 | Montana Pitmaster Classic 🏅 Bozeman, MT | 25 / 44 (659.9200) | 11 (172.5716) | 42 (150.2400) | 12 (171.4400) | 24 (165.6684) |
| Aug 5, 2023 | East Helena Smoke Show 🏅 East Helena, MT | 17 / 24 (642.6400) | 18 (160.5028) | 17 (162.8116) | 14 (165.6684) | 19 (153.6572) |
| Aug 26, 2022 | Montana Pitmaster Classic 🏅 Bozeman, MT | 30 / 37 (640.4456) | 29 (157.1200) | 34 (153.0856) | 25 (164.5600) | 22 (165.6800) |
| Aug 27, 2021 | Montana Pitmaster Classic 🏅 Bozeman, MT | 28 / 31 (595.7712) | 20 (163.4056) | 29 (141.6456) | 29 (149.0972) | 27 (141.6228) |
| Aug 23, 2019 | Montana Pitmaster Classic 🏅 Bozeman, MT | 22 / 29 (595.8744) | 29 (146.2972) | 18 (157.6912) | 14 (153.6800) | 26 (138.2060) |
| Aug 24, 2018 | Montana Pitmaster Classic Bozeman, MT | 25 / 26 (445.5540) | 18 (155.9428) | 23 (139.9312) | 23 (149.6800) | — |
| Aug 25, 2017 | Montana Pitmaster Classic Bozeman, MT | 15 / 20 (562.7656) | 9 (154.2972) | 18 (118.7772) | 16 (144) | 13 (145.6912) |
| Jun 24, 2017 | Montana BBQ Cook-Off Absarokee, MT | 32 / 35 (594.8232) | 25 (156.5944) | 32 (142.2400) | 32 (143.9772) | 26 (152.0116) |
| Oct 3, 2013 | 34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO | 469 / 535 (592.5028) | 453 (150.2628) | 426 (150.3316) | 472 (148.4912) | 467 (143.4172) |