The heartbreaker
1.7488
points from the title
Came within 1.7488 points of the Grand Championship at Smoke N for the Kids (Aug 16, 2025).
Fire Pig
Fire Pig is a competition barbecue team with 28 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2024 and 2026. They have won 5 Grand Championships, most recently at the September Fest (2025), and finished Reserve Grand Champion once. They are ranked #640 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings.
At a glance (the record in numbers)
Rating
1652
peak 1664 · rated over 21 contests4 invitational or side-series contests not counted
Contests
28
in the data
First seen
Aug 17, 2024
latest Aug 15, 2026 · 2 years on the trail
Grand champs
5
1 reserve · wins it all 18% of the time
Category wins
7
16 podiums
Overall top-10s
15
54% of 28 contests
Best top-10 run
12
straight overall top-10s · 3 straight GCs
Avg finish
top 28%
overall standings
Best overall
693.0512 / 720
Perfect 180s
0
Current form
346.36 ▲
last 5 Backyard vs avg 344.76 (+1.61)
Walk rate
82%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±7.51
spread of their Backyard overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Chicken
avg 173.63 · weakest Brisket (171.12)
Road miles
4,314
across 28 mapped stops · furthest 579 mi
Schedule strength
77%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1599)
Purse competed for
$133K
listed at 24 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
5 🏅
won from 14 state-championship entries
Master avg
690.77 / 720
3 Master contests · 0 GCs
Backyard avg
344.76 / 360
20 Backyard contests · 5 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.
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 | #189 (200 pts) | #181 (220 pts) | #125 (425 pts) | — | — |
| 2026 ↗ | Master | #573 (258 pts) | #550 (328 pts) | #467 (458 pts) | #434 (443 pts) | #640 (228 pts) |
| 2025 ↗ | Backyard | #6 (1,331 pts) | #13 (1,231 pts) | #10 (1,283 pts) | — | — |
| 2025 ↗ | Master | — | #818 (177 pts) | #990 (128 pts) | #1140 (74 pts) | — |
| 2024 ↗ | Backyard | #346 (86 pts) | #335 (101 pts) | #358 (81 pts) | — | — |
Overall rank by season
Teams like this (closest power rating)
The teams rated closest to Fire Pig, each with one reason worth a look.
#639 of the rated field
- Contests
- 52
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 38%
- Peak
- 1672
Their last contest in the data was back in 2019, 7 years before Fire Pig's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.
⚔ Compare careers#642 of the rated field
- Contests
- 57
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 32%
- Peak
- 1655
A longer road to the same neighbourhood — 57 contests to 28.
⚔ Compare careers#637 of the rated field
- Contests
- 65
- GCs
- 4
- Top-10s
- 72%
- Peak
- 1680
Their rating is built on 4 Grand Championships in 65 contests, alongside a 72% overall top-10 rate.
⚔ Compare careers#638 of the rated field
- Contests
- 68
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 40%
- Peak
- 1677
They were already cooking in 2018, 6 years before Fire Pig's first contest.
⚔ Compare careers#641 of the rated field
- Contests
- 67
- GCs
- 4
- Top-10s
- 48%
- Peak
- 1722
They've been 1722 at their best, 70 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.
⚔ Compare careers#636 of the rated field
- Contests
- 35
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 49%
- Peak
- 1653
3–1 in 4 shared contests (75% to Fire Pig)
These two have cooked 4 of the same contests — Fire Pig ahead 3–1 — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.
⚔ Head-to-headFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Take It Easy BBQ | 11 | 8 | 3 | 73% | ⚔ compare |
| Can Country Outlaw BBQ | 11 | 5 | 5 | 45% | ⚔ compare |
| JANKY LEG BBQ | 11 | 5 | 6 | 45% | ⚔ compare |
| Electro-Que-ted | 11 | 4 | 7 | 36% | ⚔ compare |
| Rudes BBQ | 11 | 3 | 8 | 27% | ⚔ compare |
| TRIPLE H BBQ | 10 | 4 | 6 | 40% | ⚔ compare |
| Mulkey's BBQ | 9 | 8 | 1 | 89% | ⚔ compare |
| MEAT ME IN ST. LOUIS | 9 | 6 | 3 | 67% | ⚔ compare |
| LEE LA Q | 9 | 4 | 5 | 44% | ⚔ compare |
| Smokey Bees BBQ - MS | 9 | 4 | 5 | 44% | ⚔ compare |
| Rollin Smoke BBQ | 9 | 3 | 6 | 33% | ⚔ compare |
| WE WILL ROCK QUE | 8 | 7 | 1 | 88% | ⚔ compare |
| Big Reds Backyard BBQ | 8 | 5 | 3 | 63% | ⚔ compare |
| MUDVILLE BBQ | 8 | 5 | 3 | 63% | ⚔ compare |
| Shiggin aint easy | 8 | 4 | 4 | 50% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 25 | 18 | 2 | 7 | 178.2972 | 163.3828 | 173.63 | top 26% |
| Pork Ribs | 25 | 15 | 4 | 7 | 177.7028 | 155.3484 | 171.47 | top 34% |
| Pork | 9 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 177.7028 | 164.5256 | 173.06 | top 26% |
| Brisket | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 175.4056 | 165.6800 | 171.12 | top 41% |
“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) | 4 | 1 | top 39% |
| Medium (20–39) | 15 | 4 | top 28% |
| Large (40+) | 4 | 0 | top 19% |
Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke N for the Kids (Day 2) | 4 | 2 | 0 | top 44% | Aug 15, 2026 |
| Smokin on the Osage BBQ Contest and Car Show (Day 2) | 2 | 1 | 1 | top 11% | Jul 19, 2025 |
| Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship | 2 | 13 | 0 | top 13% | Mar 20, 2026 |
| Cameron Elks BBQ Cook-Off | 2 | 4 | 0 | top 26% | Jul 11, 2025 |
More numbers
Busiest season
2025
20 contests · 5 GCs
Contests a season
9.3
across 3 seasons in the data
Most contests held in
AL
8 of 28 contests · 7 states in all
Contests visited
17
4 of them more than once
First title
Apr 11, 2025
Smoke on the Falls BBQ Competition
Opponents faced
554
finished ahead 930 times, behind 300
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
20264 milestones
- 25th tracked contest 8th Annual KCBS World Invitational: Wells Cup, Cocktail Ancillary, Dessert Ancillary (Saturday, May 23, 2026)
- Career-best overall score693.0512 8th Annual KCBS World Invitational: Wells Cup, Cocktail Ancillary, Dessert Ancillary (Saturday, May 23, 2026)
- Peak power rating (1664) Smoke N for the Kids (Day 1)
- Most recent contest Smoke N for the Kids (Day 2)
202513 milestones
- First call Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score347.3828 Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship
- First overall top-10 Smoke on the Falls BBQ Competition
- First overall podium Smoke on the Falls BBQ Competition
- First Grand Championship Smoke on the Falls BBQ Competition
- First state championship Smoke on the Falls BBQ Competition
- Biggest field won (31 teams) Smoke on the Falls BBQ Competition
- 10th tracked contest Smokin on the Osage BBQ Contest and Car Show (Day 1)
- First category win (Pork Ribs) Smokin on the Osage BBQ Contest and Car Show (Day 2)
- First Reserve Championship Smoke N for the Kids
- First multi-meat day Bands and BBQ at the Point
- 5th Grand Championship September Fest
- Career-best single call (Chicken)178.2972 September Fest
20241 milestone
- First tracked contest Smoke N for the Kids
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +18.5 | Smoke on the Falls BBQ Competition | Apr 11, 2025 |
| +17 | Smokin on the Osage BBQ Contest and Car Show (Day 2) | Jul 19, 2025 |
| +15 | Smoke N for the Kids | Aug 16, 2025 |
| +15 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship | Mar 14, 2025 |
| +14 | Buds Blues and BBQ | Sep 5, 2025 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -11.5 | Smoke N for the Kids (Day 2) | Aug 15, 2026 |
| -2.2 | Smokin Downtown (BACKYARD ONLY) | Aug 9, 2025 |
| -2.2 | Last Chance Points Dance (BACKYARD) | Oct 25, 2025 |
| -2.1 | Smoke N for the Kids | Aug 17, 2024 |
| -1.4 | O'So Good BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Day 2 | May 3, 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 71% | top 34% | 96.3% | 95.9% |
| 2025 | 20 | 5 | 14 | 7 | 90% | top 24% | 98.4% | 96.2% |
| 2024 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 63% | 88.5% | 88.5% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 15, 2026 | Smoke N for the Kids (Day 2) 🏅 Troy, IL | 22 / 32 (691.9200) | 22 (171.9772) | 25 (170.8228) | 4 (177.7028) | 17 (171.4172) |
| Aug 14, 2026 | Smoke N for the Kids (Day 1) 🏅 Troy, IL | 10 / 26 (687.3488) | 9 (171.9772) | 6 (173.1316) | 5 (176.5600) | 21 (165.6800) |
| May 24, 2026 | 8th Annual KCBS World Invitational: Master Series Invitational and the Backyard Series Invitational (Sunday, May 24, 2026) unrated Lebanon, TN | 18 / 82 (346.2628) | 33 (170.2628) | 8 (176) | — | — |
| May 23, 2026 | 8th Annual KCBS World Invitational: Wells Cup, Cocktail Ancillary, Dessert Ancillary (Saturday, May 23, 2026) unrated Lebanon, TN | 33 / 117 (693.0512) | 33 (175.4056) | 94 (167.3828) | 34 (174.8572) | 25 (175.4056) |
| May 22, 2026 | 8th Annual KCBS World Invitational: World Chicken Finals (Friday, May 22, 2026) unrated Lebanon, TN | — | 32 (174.2628) | — | — | — |
| May 22, 2026 | 8th Annual KCBS World Invitational: World Rib Finals (Friday, May 22, 2026) unrated Lebanon, TN | — | — | 6 (177.7028) | — | — |
| Mar 20, 2026 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship 🏅 Lebanon, TN | 16 / 125 (343.9428) | 17 (173.1200) | 18 (170.8228) | 8 (174.2628) | — |
| Oct 25, 2025 | Last Chance Points Dance (BACKYARD) Cleveland, AL | 9 / 16 (344.5256) | 9 (175.4056) | 11 (169.1200) | — | — |
| Oct 24, 2025 | The Great Alabama BBQ Cook-Off (ONE MEAT CHICKEN) Cleveland, AL | — | 5 (176.5600) | — | — | — |
| Oct 24, 2025 | The Great Alabama BBQ Cook-Off (ONE MEAT PORK) Cleveland, AL | — | — | — | 20 (164.5256) | — |
| Oct 24, 2025 | The Great Alabama BBQ Cook-Off (ONE MEAT RIBS) Cleveland, AL | — | — | 10 (173.1200) | — | — |
| Oct 3, 2025 | Big Creek BBQ Bash (BACKYARD ONLY) Pleasant Hill, MO | 6 / 23 (347.3828) | 7 (174.2628) | 8 (173.1200) | — | — |
| Sep 19, 2025 | September Fest 🏅 Coldwater, MI | 1 / 26 (349.7028) | 1 (178.2972) | 1 (171.4056) | — | — |
| Sep 12, 2025 | Bands and BBQ at the Point 🏅 Carrollton, KY | 1 / 29 (354.2744) | 1 (177.7144) | 1 (176.5600) | 1 (173.7372) | 2 (171.9656) |
| Sep 5, 2025 | Buds Blues and BBQ 🏅 Columbia, MO | 1 / 9 (352.5600) | 2 (176.5600) | 1 (176) | — | — |
| Aug 16, 2025 | Smoke N for the Kids 🏅 Troy, IL | 2 / 32 (347.3828) | 3 (174.2744) | 5 (173.1084) | — | — |
| Aug 9, 2025 | Smokin Downtown (BACKYARD ONLY) Warsaw, IN | 9 / 18 (339.3944) | 4 (174.2744) | 15 (165.1200) | — | — |
| Jul 19, 2025 | Smokin on the Osage BBQ Contest and Car Show (Day 2) 🏅 Osceola, MO | 1 / 28 (352.5832) | 2 (176.5716) | 1 (176.0116) | — | — |
| Jul 18, 2025 | Smokin on the Osage BBQ Contest and Car Show (Day 1) 🏅 Osceola, MO | 6 / 32 (341.6688) | 9 (166.2516) | 3 (175.4172) | — | — |
| Jul 11, 2025 | Cameron Elks BBQ Cook-Off 🏅 Cameron, MO | 4 / 36 (345.1088) | 3 (171.9772) | 2 (173.1316) | — | — |
| Jul 11, 2025 | Cameron Elks BBQ Cook-Off (Backyard 2) Cameron, MO | 4 / 10 (339.3828) | 2 (171.4056) | 6 (167.9772) | — | — |
| Jun 27, 2025 | Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown 🏅 Eureka, IL | 6 / 26 (345.6684) | 8 (171.9656) | 3 (173.7028) | — | — |
| Jun 13, 2025 | Reelin N Smokin Backyard BBQ Competition (BACKYARD ONLY) Huntsville, AL | 16 / 35 (340.5144) | 12 (173.1200) | 18 (167.3944) | — | — |
| May 3, 2025 | O'So Good BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Day 2 Oneonta, AL | 15 / 23 (341.6456) | 10 (174.2628) | 19 (167.3828) | 6 (174.2744) | — |
| May 2, 2025 | O'So Good BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Day 1 Oneonta, AL | 10 / 28 (342.7768) | 5 (173.1084) | 12 (169.6684) | 10 (170.8112) | — |
| Apr 11, 2025 | Smoke on the Falls BBQ Competition 🏅 Gadsden, AL | 1 / 31 (354.2744) | 4 (177.7144) | 5 (176.5600) | — | — |
| Mar 14, 2025 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship 🏅 Lebanon, TN | 13 / 100 (347.3828) | 9 (176.5600) | 21 (170.8228) | 14 (170.8344) | — |
| Aug 17, 2024 | Smoke N for the Kids 🏅 Troy, IL | 17 / 27 (318.7312) | 14 (163.3828) | 18 (155.3484) | — | — |
An unrated contest — an invitational, or a Competitor or Kosher Series board — is in the record but doesn’t move the power rating.