Fire Ants BBQ

Fire Ants BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 38 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2025. Their best overall finish is 21st of 65 at the New Jersey State Barbecue Championship (2013). They are ranked #6484 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#6,484

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1332

peak 1332 · rated over 38 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

May 10, 2013

latest Jul 25, 2025 · 12.2 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#652

Master 2024 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

3 podiums

Overall top-10s

0% of 38 contests

Avg finish

top 81%

overall standings

Best overall

655.8632 / 720

Master · Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 1)

Perfect 180s

Current form

629.78 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 606.42 (+23.37)

Walk rate

16%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

173.7600

Chicken · New Holland Summer Fest

Consistency

±26.94

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork

avg 153.64 · weakest Chicken (149.05)

Road miles

2,556

across 38 mapped stops · furthest 93 mi

Schedule strength

30%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1540)

Purse competed for

$94K

listed at 13 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 13 state-championship entries

Master avg

606.42 / 720

38 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (10 found in their record)

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

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

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

Their season

2013 their best year

2013 was the year it came together: 5 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 65%.

5 contests
0 overall top-10s
0 category wins
average top 65%

A tough matchup

30–0 behind in the head-to-head

Uncle Pig's Barbeque Pit ahead in 100% of their meetings

Uncle Pig's Barbeque Pit has come out ahead in 30 of their 30 shared contests.

The weak link

−4.6 points behind their best meat

Chicken is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 4.59 points below their pork, and turns into a call 8% of the time against 5%.

Chicken avg 149.05
Pork avg 153.64
3 calls in 38 entries

A strong matchup

5–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of BIG BAD WOLVES in 5 of their 5 shared contests.

The comeback

3.2 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 3.2 years, then back at New Holland Summer Fest (Aug 27, 2021).

last seen Jun 1, 2018
back Aug 27, 2021

Pork nemesis

26 of 30 shared pork entries lost

Uncle Pig's Barbeque Pit ahead 87% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, Uncle Pig's Barbeque Pit has out-cooked them in 26 of 30 shared pork entries.

Show 3 more storylines

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

Tom Tom Bob A Que has landed one call behind them 2 times.

A July team

Top 62% average finish in July

Something about July: average finish in the top 62% across 6 contests, versus top 81% the rest of the year.

6 July contests
top 81% the rest of the year

A standing appointment

5 years running at one contest

They've cooked New Holland Summer Fest every year from 2013 to 2017 — the contest they never miss.

9 visits in all
best finish 33rd

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
2025 ↗	Master	#734 (179 pts)	#860 (159 pts)	#687 (269 pts)	#642 (259 pts)	#669 (234 pts)
2024 ↗	Master	#652 (242 pts)	#591 (322 pts)	#616 (337 pts)	#686 (242 pts)	#696 (237 pts)
2023 ↗	Master	#668 (234 pts)	#724 (234 pts)	#801 (234 pts)	#600 (304 pts)	#666 (259 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#1589 (150 pts)	#1453 (200 pts)	#1653 (150 pts)	#1668 (150 pts)	#1488 (185 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#1440 (156 pts)	#1218 (231 pts)	#1647 (146 pts)	#1193 (241 pts)	#1478 (156 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to Fire Ants BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.

THE SMOKIN' GRILL

#6,485 of the rated field

1332 power rating

Contests: 21
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1332

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 21 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 21 contests
last seen Jul 7, 2022

⚔ Compare careers

Smokin G's BBQ

#6,483 of the rated field

1334 ▲ 2 power rating

Contests: 35
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 6%
Peak: 1334

Careers of much the same size, 35 contests to 38, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 35 contests
last seen Aug 28, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

Pig In or Pig Out

#6,486 of the rated field

1330 ▼ 2 power rating

Contests: 26
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 4%
Peak: 1330

26 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 4% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 26 contests
last seen Apr 25, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

DUSTY ROADS BBQ

#6,482 of the rated field

1334 ▲ 2 power rating

Contests: 63
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1334

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

rated over 63 contests
last seen Jun 5, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

Pappy's Q

#6,480 of the rated field

1337 ▲ 5 power rating

Contests: 20
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1505

4–1 in 5 shared contests (80% to Fire Ants BBQ)

These two have cooked 5 of the same contests — Fire Ants BBQ ahead 4–1 — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.

rated over 20 contests
last seen Jul 25, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

Up in Smoke

#6,481 of the rated field

1336 ▲ 5 power rating

Contests: 54
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 6%
Peak: 1501

Rated 5 points above Fire Ants BBQ.

rated over 52 contests
last seen Apr 17, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
Uncle Pig's Barbeque Pit	30	0	30	0%	⚔ compare
WEEKEND SMOKERS	21	3	18	14%	⚔ compare
PHILLY BLIND PIG BBQ	21	1	20	5%	⚔ compare
Palm tree smokehouse	20	4	16	20%	⚔ compare
SMOKOPOLIS BBQ	20	1	19	5%	⚔ compare
SHADY CREW	16	2	14	13%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN' TEX BBQ	16	2	14	13%	⚔ compare
BEERBEQUE	16	1	15	6%	⚔ compare
WILBUR'S REVENGE	16	1	15	6%	⚔ compare
PIGHEADED BBQ	16	0	16	0%	⚔ compare
LO' -N- SLO' BBQ	16	0	16	0%	⚔ compare
DRILLING & GRILLING	15	1	14	7%	⚔ compare
THE BBQ GURU	15	0	15	0%	⚔ compare
QUEGASM	14	1	13	7%	⚔ compare
Dr. Pearl's Medicinal Smoke BBQ Team	14	0	14	0%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	38	3	1	173.7600	20	149.05	top 77%
Pork Ribs	38	1	0	170.8344	137.0516	150.84	top 77%
Pork	38	2	1	171.4172	131.9428	153.64	top 70%
Brisket	38	1	1	169.7256	133.6572	152.89	top 64%

“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)	9	0	top 89%
Large (40+)	29	0	top 78%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
PA	26	top 85%
NJ	11	top 71%
MD	1	top 80%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
New Holland Summer Fest	9	33	top 85%	Aug 23, 2024
New Jersey State Barbecue Championship	5	21	top 58%	Jul 14, 2023
Que by the Sea	5	22	top 79%	Sep 22, 2017
Que for the Troops	4	23	top 78%	Jun 1, 2018
York County BBQ Festival (Day 1)	3	23	top 86%	Jun 27, 2025
Twin Valley Fire and Smoke (Day 1)	3	28	top 98%	May 16, 2025
Smoke in the Valley BBQ competition	2	32	top 78%	May 6, 2016

More numbers

Busiest season 2017 5 contests

Contests a season 3.5 across 11 seasons in the data

Most contests held in PA 26 of 38 contests · 3 states in all

Contests visited 14 7 of them more than once

Opponents faced 623 finished ahead 420 times, behind 1,644

Longest layoff 3.2 yrs Jun 1, 2018 → Aug 27, 2021

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

20252 milestones

Jul 25 Career-best overall score655.8632 Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 1)
Jul 25 Most recent contest Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 1)

20231 milestone

Jul 14 First overall past 90% of a perfect score650.1256 New Jersey State Barbecue Championship

20181 milestone

Jun 1 25th tracked contest Que for the Troops

20151 milestone

Aug 28 Career-best single call (Chicken)173.7600 New Holland Summer Fest

20141 milestone

Sep 20 10th tracked contest Que by the Sea

20133 milestones

May 10 First tracked contest Green Lane Fire CO's
May 31 First call Que for the Troops
Jul 12 Peak power rating (1500) New Jersey State Barbecue Championship

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+8.9	New Jersey State Barbecue Championship	Jul 14, 2023
+6.5	New Jersey State Barbecue Championship	Jul 12, 2013
+3.6	Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 1)	Jul 25, 2025
+3.5	Que by the Sea	Sep 19, 2015
+2.6	New Holland Summer Fest	Aug 28, 2015

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-12.8	New Holland Summer Fest	Aug 23, 2013
-11.9	Que for the Troops	Jun 6, 2014
-10.6	New Holland Summer Fest	Aug 26, 2016
-9.5	Smoke in the Valley BBQ competition	May 6, 2016
-9.4	Que by the Sea	Sep 20, 2014

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	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2025	3	0%	top 88%	91.1%	88.3%
2024	4	50%	top 88%	89.9%	87.3%
2023	4	0%	top 78%	90.3%	87.3%
2022	1	0%	top 94%	83.8%	83.8%
2021	1	0%	top 91%	83.5%	83.5%
2018	1	0%	top 72%	87.4%	87.4%
2017	5	0%	top 87%	84%	83.3%
2016	5	0%	top 93%	84.8%	79.1%
2015	4	50%	top 69%	87.4%	85.2%
2014	5	0%	top 75%	84.8%	83.1%
2013	5	40%	top 65%	85.4%	82.8%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Jul 25, 2025	Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 1) 🏅 New Freedom, PA	23 / 30 (655.8632)	28 (158.2172)	15 (168.5604)	15 (171.4172)	26 (157.6684)
Jun 27, 2025	York County BBQ Festival (Day 1) 🏅 Delta, PA	23 / 26 (639.8284)	26 (145.0856)	13 (168.5372)	17 (163.9428)	17 (162.2628)
May 16, 2025	Twin Valley Fire and Smoke (Day 1) 🏅 Morgantown, PA	28 / 28 (612.4000)	28 (139.9656)	28 (147.3716)	23 (161.0856)	18 (163.9772)
Oct 18, 2024	Red White & Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 1) 🏅 Columbia, NJ	27 / 28 (615.2460)	27 (156.0116)	26 (155.9428)	22 (157.6572)	28 (145.6344)
Oct 4, 2024	Keystone Classic BBQ State Championship 🏅 Harrisburg, PA	22 / 25 (625.5776)	19 (162.2628)	21 (157.6916)	23 (153.0744)	21 (152.5488)
Aug 23, 2024	New Holland Summer Fest 🏅 New Holland, PA	33 / 38 (627.2916)	26 (167.3828)	8 (170.8344)	38 (136.5716)	33 (152.5028)
Jun 28, 2024	York County BBQ Festival (Day 1) 🏅 Delta, PA	23 / 29 (647.2916)	10 (170.8572)	24 (162.8344)	27 (157.0856)	25 (156.5144)
Aug 25, 2023	New Holland Summer Fest 🏅 New Holland, PA	37 / 44 (615.2112)	41 (152.5028)	37 (155.3600)	30 (157.6912)	39 (149.6572)
Jul 14, 2023	New Jersey State Barbecue Championship 🏅 North Wildwood, NJ	29 / 64 (650.1256)	27 (165.7028)	36 (162.2400)	15 (169.1200)	44 (153.0628)
Jun 16, 2023	York County BBQ Festival 🏅 Delta, PA	26 / 29 (623.8400)	26 (159.4172)	28 (151.3484)	25 (155.9544)	20 (157.1200)
May 19, 2023	Twin Valley Fire and Smoke 🏅 Morgantown, PA	35 / 37 (624.3884)	29 (157.1428)	35 (151.9200)	21 (163.4056)	33 (151.9200)
Aug 26, 2022	New Holland Summer Fest 🏅 New Holland, PA	46 / 49 (603.2004)	36 (162.8344)	47 (143.3600)	48 (146.7772)	40 (150.2288)
Aug 27, 2021	New Holland Summer Fest 🏅 New Holland, PA	40 / 44 (600.9372)	39 (151.4172)	22 (158.2172)	41 (146.2056)	39 (145.0972)
Jun 1, 2018	Que for the Troops Levittown, PA	44 / 61 (629.0744)	60 (145.6800)	44 (154.2744)	26 (161.1200)	12 (168)
Sep 22, 2017	Que by the Sea Seaside Heights, NJ	36 / 43 (605.0172)	36 (157.1200)	38 (149.7144)	37 (148.5372)	31 (149.6456)
Aug 25, 2017	New Holland Summer Fest New Holland, PA	61 / 69 (603.2912)	53 (152.5712)	69 (137.0516)	60 (149.7028)	25 (163.9656)
Jul 7, 2017	New Jersey State Barbecue Championship North Wildwood, NJ	46 / 67 (603.4056)	56 (147.4400)	52 (146.8572)	35 (156.0112)	30 (153.0972)
Jun 2, 2017	Que for the Troops Levittown, PA	61 / 63 (581.6232)	63 (136.5716)	59 (142.7772)	34 (157.6800)	53 (144.5944)
May 19, 2017	Twin Valley Fire and Smoke Morgantown, PA	52 / 53 (604.4116)	53 (150.8000)	35 (159.9544)	52 (131.9428)	24 (161.7144)
Sep 17, 2016	Que by the Sea Seaside Heights, NJ	40 / 44 (580.5148)	42 (138.2172)	33 (149.1888)	38 (145.1200)	29 (147.9888)
Aug 26, 2016	New Holland Summer Fest New Holland, PA	65 / 66 (499.4400)	66 (20)	45 (156.5600)	27 (163.4400)	23 (159.4400)
Jul 8, 2016	New Jersey State Barbecue Championship North Wildwood, NJ	59 / 65 (569.6112)	56 (144.5140)	59 (137.1200)	54 (145.7144)	42 (142.2628)
Jun 3, 2016	Que for the Troops Levittown, PA	59 / 67 (610.7316)	45 (157.7372)	63 (142.1944)	54 (151.9200)	27 (158.8800)
May 6, 2016	Smoke in the Valley BBQ competition Greenlane, PA	45 / 47 (588.4112)	47 (138.2512)	40 (148.5372)	39 (151.9656)	39 (149.6572)
Sep 19, 2015	Que by the Sea Seaside Heights, NJ	22 / 41 (625.6456)	40 (141.0744)	21 (157.1200)	20 (157.7256)	2 (169.7256)
Aug 28, 2015	New Holland Summer Fest New Holland, PA	38 / 70 (629.1316)	3 (173.7600)	65 (143.4172)	49 (153.6800)	32 (158.2744)
Aug 14, 2015	14th Annual Maryland State BBQ Bash Bel Air, MD	37 / 46 (606.8000)	43 (147.4056)	39 (148.5716)	37 (157.7028)	29 (153.1200)
May 8, 2015	Smoke in the Valley BBQ Competition & Festival Green Lane, PA	49 / 57 (591.9884)	53 (145.7028)	44 (150.8456)	40 (152.5600)	46 (142.8800)
Sep 20, 2014	Que by the Sea Seaside Heights, NJ	43 / 48 (588.4684)	26 (155.4284)	41 (145.7144)	39 (150.2400)	44 (137.0856)
Aug 22, 2014	New Holland Summer Fest New Holland, PA	55 / 70 (605.6228)	15 (166.2972)	62 (144.5600)	53 (150.8000)	57 (143.9656)
Jul 11, 2014	New Jersey State Barbecue Championship North Wildwood, NJ	36 / 65 (607.9084)	56 (145.1084)	41 (149.7144)	33 (153.6800)	18 (159.4056)
Jun 6, 2014	Que for the Troops Levittown, PA	61 / 65 (580.4572)	63 (138.8116)	56 (143.4056)	52 (150.8456)	43 (147.3944)
May 9, 2014	Smoke in the Valley BBQ Competition Green Lane, PA	32 / 54 (610.7544)	32 (153.6684)	43 (141.0860)	27 (156.5828)	16 (159.4172)
Sep 21, 2013	Que by the Sea Seaside Heights, NJ	38 / 49 (579.9200)	41 (142.2628)	37 (139.9772)	3 (164.0228)	43 (133.6572)
Aug 23, 2013	New Holland Summer Fest New Holland, PA	65 / 71 (579.3028)	63 (147.4284)	58 (146.2516)	68 (135.9200)	48 (149.7028)
Jul 12, 2013	New Jersey State Barbecue Championship North Wildwood, NJ	21 / 65 (614.7660)	23 (157.7144)	24 (153.1200)	44 (147.9772)	18 (155.9544)
May 31, 2013	Que for the Troops Levittown, PA	23 / 46 (612.5712)	9 (161.1426)	38 (140.5716)	8 (163.4286)	30 (147.4284)
May 10, 2013	Green Lane Fire CO's Green Lane, PA	43 / 58 (593.7142)	43 (150.2856)	34 (149.1428)	51 (140)	23 (154.2858)

Fire Ants 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

Storylines (10 found in their record)

The one to beat

Their season

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

The comeback

Pork nemesis

Looking over their shoulder

A July 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, 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)