Lucky Q BBQ

Lucky Q BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 17 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2016 and 2026. Their best overall finish is 5th of 55 at the Rock'n N Ribs BBQ Festival (2017). They are ranked #4582 of 6,477 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#4,582

of 6,477 rated · rankings

Rating

1471

peak 1513 · rated over 17 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Sep 17, 2016

latest Jul 24, 2026 · 9.8 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#174

Backyard 2024 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

1 podium

Overall top-10s

18% of 17 contests

Avg finish

top 60%

overall standings

Best overall

688.6516 / 720

Master · Rock'n N Ribs BBQ Festival

Perfect 180s

Current form

317.04 ▼

last 5 Backyard vs avg 318.09 (-1.05)

Walk rate

29%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

176.0228

Pork · Rock'n N Ribs BBQ Festival

Consistency

±11.80

spread of their Backyard overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork

avg 163.52 · weakest Brisket (158.82)

Road miles

1,549

across 17 mapped stops · furthest 1,013 mi

Schedule strength

52%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1568)

Purse competed for

$89K

listed at 11 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 12 state-championship entries

Master avg

654.88 / 720

5 Master contests · 0 GCs

Backyard avg

318.09 / 360

12 Backyard contests · 0 GCs

These overall scores sit on different scales (Master 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.

Storylines (9 found in their record)

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

High-water mark

688.6516 career-best overall

95.6% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 688.6516 at Rock'n N Ribs BBQ Festival — 95.6% of a perfect 720.

Master
Apr 21, 2017

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

Estancia has finished one call ahead of Lucky Q BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2024 their best year

2024 was the year it came together: 3 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 47%.

3 contests
1 overall top-10
0 category wins
average top 47%

A tough matchup

11–0 behind in the head-to-head

All About the Wood ahead in 100% of their meetings

All About the Wood has come out ahead in 11 of their 11 shared contests.

The weak link

−4.7 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 4.69 points below their pork, and turns into a call 20% of the time against 20%.

Brisket avg 158.82
Pork avg 163.52
1 call in 5 entries

The comeback

4.1 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 4.1 years, then back at Twin Valley Fire and Smoke (May 13, 2022).

last seen Apr 20, 2018
back May 13, 2022

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

Second Helping BBQ -PA has landed one call behind them 2 times.

Show 2 more storylines

An April team

Top 39% average finish in April

Something about April: average finish in the top 39% across 4 contests, versus top 60% the rest of the year.

4 April contests
top 60% the rest of the year

A standing appointment

4 years running at one contest

They've cooked Twin Valley Fire and Smoke (Day 1) every year from 2022 to 2025 — the contest they never miss.

5 visits in all
best finish 15th

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 ↗	Backyard	#317 (60 pts)	#320 (60 pts)	#326 (60 pts)	—	—
2025 ↗	Backyard	#317 (111 pts)	#234 (181 pts)	#309 (126 pts)	—	—
2024 ↗	Backyard	#174 (308 pts)	#146 (418 pts)	#199 (253 pts)	—	—
2017 ↗	Master	#1190 (245 pts)	#1493 (180 pts)	#1559 (175 pts)	#1200 (270 pts)	#1285 (235 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#2274 (60 pts)	#1822 (130 pts)	#2349 (60 pts)	#2326 (60 pts)	#2345 (60 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to Lucky Q BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.

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

Rub n Butts BBQ

#4,565 of the rated field

1472 power rating

Contests: 8
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1472

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to Lucky Q BBQ)

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

rated over 8 contests
last seen Jan 9, 2025

⚔ Head-to-head

PORKOLOGY BBQ

#4,586 of the rated field

1471 power rating

Contests: 6
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1471

1–1 in 2 shared contests (50% to Lucky Q BBQ)

Their last contest in the data was back in 2018, 8 years before Lucky Q BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 6 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

OLD SCHOOL BBQ ARIZONA

#4,570 of the rated field

1472 power rating

Contests: 17
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 6%
Peak: 1472

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 17 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 17 contests
last seen Dec 27, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

BIG J'S SMOKEHOUSE

#4,600 of the rated field

1471 power rating

Contests: 18
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 6%
Peak: 1471

Careers of much the same size, 18 contests to 17, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 18 contests
last seen Jul 14, 2017

⚔ Compare careers

Can't Beat Our Meat

#4,567 of the rated field

1472 power rating

Contests: 15
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 7%
Peak: 1518

15 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 7% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 15 contests
last seen Jun 26, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

QUE ON THE HOOCH

#4,579 of the rated field

1471 power rating

Contests: 15
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 7%
Peak: 1471

Level with Lucky Q BBQ on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 15 contests
last seen Nov 13, 2015

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
4 BOXERS Q	12	7	5	58%	⚔ compare
Leaning Jowler BBQ	11	2	9	18%	⚔ compare
Capt. Blue BBQ	11	1	10	9%	⚔ compare
All About the Wood	11	0	11	0%	⚔ compare
SUSQUEHANNA SMOKERS	10	3	7	30%	⚔ compare
3 EYZ BBQ	10	2	8	20%	⚔ compare
Zoni-Q	10	2	8	20%	⚔ compare
HotMess BBQ	10	1	9	10%	⚔ compare
Brewski's BBQ Competition Team	10	0	10	0%	⚔ compare
HARCO LOCO BBQ	9	6	3	67%	⚔ compare
UP IN SMOKERS	9	4	5	44%	⚔ compare
SMOKECRAFT - MD	9	1	8	11%	⚔ compare
Weber's Backyard BBQ	9	0	9	0%	⚔ compare
The Fat is Where It's At	9	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
BIG BOB'S SMOKIN QUE	8	5	3	63%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	17	4	1	174.2856	143.9316	163.50	top 47%
Pork Ribs	17	1	0	168.0228	143.3828	158.85	top 61%
Pork	5	1	0	176.0228	156.5372	163.52	top 60%
Brisket	5	1	0	172.5716	141.0860	158.82	top 62%

“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
Medium (20–39)	12	0	top 63%
Large (40+)	5	0	top 54%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
PA	11	top 66%
MO	4	top 48%
NJ	1	top 17%
AR	1	top 89%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Twin Valley Fire and Smoke (Day 1)	5	15	0	top 55%	May 16, 2025
Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 1)	4	10	0	top 77%	Jul 24, 2026

More numbers

Busiest season 2023 4 contests

Contests a season 2.1 across 8 seasons in the data

Most contests held in PA 11 of 17 contests · 4 states in all

Contests visited 10 2 of them more than once

Opponents faced 394 finished ahead 336 times, behind 585

Longest layoff 4.1 yrs Apr 20, 2018 → May 13, 2022

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

20261 milestone

Jul 24 Most recent contest Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 1)

20232 milestones

May 19 Peak power rating (1513) Twin Valley Fire and Smoke
Jul 28 10th tracked contest Smoke on the Rail (Day 1)

20174 milestones

Apr 21 First call Rock'n N Ribs BBQ Festival
Apr 21 First overall top-10 Rock'n N Ribs BBQ Festival
Apr 21 Career-best overall score688.6516 Rock'n N Ribs BBQ Festival
Apr 21 Career-best single call (Pork)176.0228 Rock'n N Ribs BBQ Festival

20162 milestones

Sep 17 First tracked contest Table Rock Boats and Bones
Sep 17 First overall past 90% of a perfect score655.3488 Table Rock Boats and Bones

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+15.3	Rock'n N Ribs BBQ Festival	Apr 21, 2017
+11.5	New Jersey KnoQ-out - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 1)	Apr 21, 2023
+10.3	Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 1)	Jul 26, 2024
+4.9	Rock'n N Ribs BBQ Festival	Apr 20, 2018
+3	Twin Valley Fire and Smoke (Day 1)	May 17, 2024

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-10.9	Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 2)	Jul 26, 2025
-10.5	Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 1)	Jul 25, 2025
-10.1	Smoke on the Border Gravette Chambers of Commerce	Apr 1, 2017
-7.4	Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 1)	Jul 24, 2026
-7.4	York County BBQ Festival	Jun 16, 2023

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	Top-10s	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2026	1	0	0%	top 79%	85.1%	85.1%
2025	3	0	0%	top 89%	90%	87.2%
2024	3	1	67%	top 47%	93.8%	91.7%
2023	4	1	25%	top 50%	91.2%	88.3%
2022	1	0	0%	top 51%	85.2%	85.2%
2018	1	0	100%	top 40%	92.4%	92.4%
2017	3	1	33%	top 55%	95.6%	90.5%
2016	1	0	0%	top 79%	91%	91%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Jul 24, 2026	Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 1) 🏅 New Freedom, PA	34 / 43 (306.2060)	35 (143.9316)	28 (162.2744)	—	—
Jul 26, 2025	Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 2) 🏅 New Freedom, PA	26 / 27 (308.4116)	26 (152.4800)	22 (155.9316)	—	—
Jul 25, 2025	Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 1) 🏅 New Freedom, PA	31 / 30 (323.9200)	11 (172.5600)	33 (151.3600)	—	—
May 16, 2025	Twin Valley Fire and Smoke (Day 1) 🏅 Morgantown, PA	19 / 28 (308.9944)	20 (152.4800)	18 (156.5144)	—	—
Jul 26, 2024	Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 1) 🏅 New Freedom, PA	10 / 35 (337.6684)	5 (172.5828)	20 (165.0856)	—	—
May 18, 2024	Twin Valley Fire and Smoke (Day 2) 🏅 Morgantown, PA	19 / 26 (317.0168)	16 (161.6340)	19 (155.3828)	—	—
May 17, 2024	Twin Valley Fire and Smoke (Day 1) 🏅 Morgantown, PA	15 / 37 (335.8968)	8 (169.6684)	16 (166.2284)	—	—
Jul 28, 2023	Smoke on the Rail (Day 1) 🏅 New Freedom, PA	33 / 51 (299.8852)	33 (156.5024)	33 (143.3828)	—	—
Jun 16, 2023	York County BBQ Festival 🏅 Delta, PA	22 / 29 (318.7428)	21 (160.5256)	21 (158.2172)	—	—
May 19, 2023	Twin Valley Fire and Smoke 🏅 Morgantown, PA	16 / 37 (325.0744)	14 (165.6800)	15 (159.3944)	—	—
Apr 21, 2023	New Jersey KnoQ-out - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 1) 🏅 Blairstown, NJ	6 / 36 (328.4916)	2 (170.2744)	9 (158.2172)	—	—
May 13, 2022	Twin Valley Fire and Smoke 🏅 Morgantown, PA	20 / 39 (306.7772)	21 (146.2400)	13 (160.5372)	—	—
Apr 20, 2018	Rock'n N Ribs BBQ Festival Springfield, MO	17 / 43 (665.0400)	10 (174.2628)	18 (166.2628)	24 (162.2516)	23 (162.2628)
Jun 23, 2017	Freedom Fest BBQ Cook-Off Willard, MO	23 / 35 (650.7316)	16 (169.7372)	21 (163.3828)	22 (161.6916)	28 (155.9200)
Apr 21, 2017	Rock'n N Ribs BBQ Festival Springfield, MO	5 / 55 (688.6516)	14 (172.0344)	14 (168.0228)	4 (176.0228)	6 (172.5716)
Apr 1, 2017	Smoke on the Border Gravette Chambers of Commerce Gravette, AR	33 / 37 (614.6404)	24 (164.5372)	36 (147.9316)	30 (161.0856)	35 (141.0860)
Sep 17, 2016	Table Rock Boats and Bones Kimberling City, MO	34 / 43 (655.3488)	11 (174.2856)	33 (162.2516)	40 (156.5372)	30 (162.2744)

Lucky Q BBQ

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

Rating

Contests

First seen

Best ToY finish

Grand champs

Category wins

Overall top-10s

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

Backyard avg

Storylines (9 found in their record)

High-water mark

The one to beat

Their season

A tough matchup

The weak link

The comeback

Looking over their shoulder

An April team

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 — 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)