Backroad BBQ IA
Rating
1517
peak 1527
Contests
10
in the data
First seen
2023-03-31
latest 2025-07-18
Best ToY finish
#163
Backyard 2024
Grand champs
1
0 reserve
Category wins
0
1 podiums
Overall top-10s
2
of 10 contests
Avg finish
top 48%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
0
Current form
469.65 ▲
last 5 vs career avg 464.72 (+4.93)
Walk rate
60%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±161.05
std dev of overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Chicken
avg 168.38 · weakest Pork (158.93)
Road miles
1100
mi across 10 mapped stops · furthest 207 mi
Storylines
🎯 The one to beat
Cross Cut BBQ has finished one call ahead of Backroad BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.
⚔️ A tough matchup
HOT DADDY'S BBQ has come out ahead in 8 of their 9 shared contests.
⚔️ A strong matchup
They've finished ahead of Smokin Suckers in 5 of their 7 shared contests.
🏕️ Happy hunting ground
Tri City BBQ Fest is their spot: 1 Grand Championship in 2 visits.
🗡️ Giant slayer
Took the Grand Championship over a 32-team field at Tri City BBQ Fest.
Teams like this (closest power rating, IA first)
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 10 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 174.8456 | 162.2284 | 168.38 | top 38% |
| Pork Ribs | 10 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 173.1544 | 159.4060 | 166.44 | top 45% |
| Pork | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 163.9544 | 155.9544 | 158.93 | top 74% |
| Brisket | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 170.2628 | 161.6572 | 165.10 | top 52% |
“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 state / province
| Where | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| IA | 9 | 1 | top 51% |
| MN | 1 | 0 | top 22% |
By contest size
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medium (20–39) | 6 | 1 | top 50% |
| Large (40+) | 4 | 0 | top 46% |
The story so far
- Busiest season: 2024 (4 contests)
- Cooks mostly in IA (9 of 10 contests)
- Most-entered category: Chicken (10 entries)
- First Grand Championship in the data: Tri City BBQ Fest (2023-09-15)
- Wins it all in 10% of contests
- All-time average overall score: 464.72
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
Category scores over time
Overall finish over time (top-% of field, lower is better)
Where they finish (overall)
Best vs average (by meat)
Team of the Year rank by season
Season by season
| Season | Contests | GCs | Category wins | Best overall | Avg overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 673.0400 | 499.64 |
| 2024 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 675.3488 | 420.66 |
| 2023 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 654.1260 | 491.33 |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-07-18 | Shenandoah ShenDig Shenandoah, IA | 22 / 30 (673.0400) | 19 (169.7028) | 10 (173.1544) | 27 (163.9544) | 17 (166.2284) |
| 2025-04-04 | Iowa State BBQ Championship Altoona, IA | 30 / 49 (326.2404) | 24 (166.8344) | 32 (159.4060) | — | — |
| 2024-09-20 | Tri City BBQ Fest Denison, IA | 5 / 30 (332.5028) | 7 (162.2284) | 4 (170.2744) | — | — |
| 2024-07-19 | Shenandoah ShenDig BBQ Shenandoah, IA | 23 / 36 (675.3488) | 8 (173.7144) | 14 (173.1200) | 32 (158.2516) | 15 (170.2628) |
| 2024-05-10 | Minnesota in May St. Peter, MN | 13 / 58 (341.1084) | 6 (174.8456) | 20 (166.2628) | 13 (155.9772) | — |
| 2024-03-29 | Iowa State BBQ Championship Altoona, IA | 24 / 42 (333.6688) | 10 (171.9772) | 35 (161.6916) | — | — |
| 2023-09-15 | Tri City BBQ Fest Denison, IA | 1 / 32 (344.0000) | 4 (170.8456) | 2 (173.1544) | — | — |
| 2023-07-21 | Shenandoah ShenDig Shenandoah, IA | 25 / 37 (643.8056) | 26 (163.3828) | 25 (162.2284) | 33 (155.9544) | 20 (162.2400) |
| 2023-06-30 | Ditmars Red White & Blue BBQ Council Bluffs, IA | 16 / 22 (654.1260) | 15 (167.3944) | 12 (164.5600) | 18 (160.5144) | 12 (161.6572) |
| 2023-03-31 | Iowa State BBQ Championship Altoona, IA | 21 / 47 (323.3716) | 18 (162.8344) | 26 (160.5372) | — | — |
Team of the Year standings (rank per category by season — year links to the full board on kcbs.us)
| Year | Series | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 ↗ | Backyard | #368 (60 pts) | #369 (65 pts) | #380 (60 pts) | — | — |
| 2025 ↗ | Master | #1108 (70 pts) | #1131 (85 pts) | #983 (130 pts) | #1451 (55 pts) | #1058 (95 pts) |
| 2024 ↗ | Backyard | #163 (344 pts) | #141 (449 pts) | #168 (329 pts) | — | — |
| 2024 ↗ | Master | #1136 (70 pts) | #879 (155 pts) | #1105 (115 pts) | #1231 (60 pts) | #1011 (110 pts) |
| 2023 ↗ | Backyard | — | #174 (273 pts) | #172 (288 pts) | — | — |
| 2023 ↗ | Master | #852 (152 pts) | #903 (157 pts) | #944 (172 pts) | #912 (142 pts) | #789 (197 pts) |