Sweet Heat BBQ

Sweet Heat BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 32 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2025. Their best overall finish is 4th of 60 at the Smokin' On The Pecos (2014). They are ranked #2517 of 6,485 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#2,517

of 6,485 rated · rankings

Rating

1520

peak 1539 · rated over 32 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

May 25, 2013

latest Mar 14, 2025 · 11.8 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#741

Master 2019 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

4 podiums

Overall top-10s

13% of 32 contests

Avg finish

top 53%

overall standings

Best overall

685.0856 / 720

Master · Smokin' On The Pecos

Perfect 180s

Current form

645.88 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 636.42 (+9.47)

Walk rate

50%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

176.5828

Brisket · Ointoberfest BBQ Cookoff

Consistency

±19.00

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 162.55 · weakest Brisket (154.62)

Road miles

16,207

across 32 mapped stops · furthest 2,267 mi

Schedule strength

35%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1547)

Purse competed for

$41K

listed at 5 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 5 state-championship entries

Master avg

636.42 / 720

32 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (10 found in their record)

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

High-water mark

685.0856 career-best overall

95.2% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 685.0856 at Smokin' On The Pecos — 95.2% of a perfect 720.

Master
Jun 27, 2014

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

PULLIN' MY MONEY MUSCLE has finished one call ahead of Sweet Heat BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2019 their best year

2019 was the year it came together: 3 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 28%.

3 contests
1 overall top-10
0 category wins
average top 28%

A tough matchup

18–0 behind in the head-to-head

GOOD SMOKE BBQ ahead in 100% of their meetings

GOOD SMOKE BBQ has come out ahead in 18 of their 18 shared contests.

The weak link

−7.9 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 7.94 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 13% of the time against 25%.

Brisket avg 154.62
Chicken avg 162.55
4 calls in 32 entries

A strong matchup

10–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 91% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of BUTTS & LINKS BBQ in 10 of their 11 shared contests.

The comeback

3 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 3 years, then back at The Great Kearney BBQ Smoke-Out (Sep 23, 2022).

last seen Sep 21, 2019
back Sep 23, 2022

Show 3 more storylines

Chicken nemesis

18 of 21 shared chicken entries lost

SHORTSVILLE SMOKERS ahead 86% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, SHORTSVILLE SMOKERS has out-cooked them in 18 of 21 shared chicken entries.

A September team

Top 43% average finish in September

Something about September: average finish in the top 43% across 11 contests, versus top 53% the rest of the year.

11 September contests
top 53% the rest of the year

The long haul

16,207 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 16,207 miles across 32 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 2,267 miles to The Great Kearney BBQ Smoke-Out.

32 mapped stops
furthest 2,267 mi

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
2019 ↗	Master	#741 (407 pts)	#756 (437 pts)	#764 (427 pts)	#831 (377 pts)	#992 (292 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#773 (424 pts)	#718 (499 pts)	#787 (454 pts)	#648 (574 pts)	#871 (384 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#784 (481 pts)	#905 (431 pts)	#740 (541 pts)	#896 (431 pts)	#919 (401 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#872 (403 pts)	#549 (738 pts)	#1018 (348 pts)	#736 (538 pts)	#770 (493 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#931 (340 pts)	#1054 (310 pts)	#899 (395 pts)	#662 (570 pts)	#1129 (270 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#1330 (210 pts)	#999 (350 pts)	#1275 (240 pts)	#1668 (150 pts)	#1664 (150 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#979 (295 pts)	#1206 (235 pts)	#840 (385 pts)	#1031 (300 pts)	#879 (355 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to Sweet Heat BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.

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

JAYBIRD'S BBQ

#2,527 of the rated field

1519 power rating

Contests: 27
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 19%
Peak: 1556

They've been 1556 at their best, 37 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 27 contests
last seen May 1, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

FIRESIDE ALCHEMY

#2,519 of the rated field

1520 power rating

Contests: 20
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1526

Their last contest in the data was back in 2018, 7 years before Sweet Heat BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 20 contests

⚔ Compare careers

Slam Dunk BBQ

#2,513 of the rated field

1520 power rating

Contests: 18
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 44%
Peak: 1527

Fewer contests behind them than Sweet Heat BBQ has cooked, 18 to 32, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.

rated over 18 contests
last seen Sep 4, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

Electrified BBQ

#2,514 of the rated field

1520 power rating

Contests: 15
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 27%
Peak: 1531

15 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 27% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 15 contests
last seen Sep 11, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

M & K BBQ

#2,523 of the rated field

1519 power rating

Contests: 20
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 15%
Peak: 1533

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

rated over 15 contests
last seen Oct 17, 2025

⚔ Compare careers

BAD BRAD'S BBQ

#2,528 of the rated field

1519 power rating

Contests: 14
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 21%
Peak: 1551

They turned up 10 years after Sweet Heat BBQ did, first appearing in 2023.

rated over 14 contests
last seen Sep 25, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
THREE DOGS BBQ	21	6	15	29%	⚔ compare
SHORTSVILLE SMOKERS	21	3	18	14%	⚔ compare
BEHIND BBQ	20	9	11	45%	⚔ compare
KISS MY BBQ	19	5	14	26%	⚔ compare
GOOD SMOKE BBQ	18	0	18	0%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN' AIN'T EASY	17	9	8	53%	⚔ compare
THE GOOD CUE CREW	17	7	10	41%	⚔ compare
RED VALLEY BBQ	16	4	12	25%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN BOYS AND HOT GRILLS	15	3	12	20%	⚔ compare
TRANQUIL CARNIVORES	13	6	7	46%	⚔ compare
Priorville BBQ	13	0	13	0%	⚔ compare
MORT'S MEAT MAFIA	12	9	3	75%	⚔ compare
BLACK DAWG BBQ	12	3	9	25%	⚔ compare
BUTTS & LINKS BBQ	11	10	1	91%	⚔ compare
BLACK HART BBQ	11	2	9	18%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	32	8	3	176.5600	149.7142	162.55	top 47%
Pork Ribs	32	7	0	170.2972	138.2284	159.62	top 49%
Pork	32	8	0	171.4172	138.8568	159.62	top 50%
Brisket	32	4	1	176.5828	138.2172	154.62	top 61%

“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)	10	0	top 61%
Large (40+)	22	0	top 50%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
NY	22	top 51%
WV	3	top 75%
NM	3	top 30%
CA	2	top 84%
PA	1	top 30%
MO	1	top 73%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Oinktoberfest	6	7	top 34%	Sep 21, 2019
I Love Barbecue & Music Festival	2	12	top 56%	Jul 5, 2019
Almost Heaven BBQ Bash	2	38	top 73%	Jun 15, 2018
Salt City BBQ Festival	2	11	top 42%	May 18, 2018
BBQ in The Valley	2	20	top 80%	May 4, 2018
Finger Lakes Fire & Smoke	2	11	top 56%	Sep 3, 2016
Roc City Rib Fest	2	40	top 78%	May 28, 2016
Smokin' On The Pecos	2	11	top 42%	Jun 26, 2015
Roc City Rib Fest	2	48	top 70%	May 23, 2015

More numbers

Busiest season 2018 5 contests

Contests a season 3.6 across 9 seasons in the data

Most contests held in NY 22 of 32 contests · 6 states in all

Contests visited 19 9 of them more than once

Opponents faced 679 finished ahead 741 times, behind 768

Longest layoff 3 yrs Sep 21, 2019 → Sep 23, 2022

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

20251 milestone

Mar 14 Most recent contest Dinuba's BBQ & Brew Fest

20191 milestone

Sep 21 Peak power rating (1539) Oinktoberfest

20181 milestone

Jun 15 25th tracked contest Almost Heaven BBQ Bash

20161 milestone

Sep 23 Career-best single call (Brisket)176.5828 Ointoberfest BBQ Cookoff

20151 milestone

Jun 26 10th tracked contest Smokin' On The Pecos

20142 milestones

Jun 27 First overall top-10 Smokin' On The Pecos
Jun 27 Career-best overall score685.0856 Smokin' On The Pecos

20133 milestones

May 25 First tracked contest Roc City Rib Fest
Jun 28 First call Smokin' On the Pecos
Jun 28 First overall past 90% of a perfect score665.1424 Smokin' On the Pecos

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+14.9	Smokin' On The Pecos	Jun 27, 2014
+12.7	Smokin' On the Pecos	Jun 28, 2013
+12.1	Ointoberfest BBQ Cookoff	Sep 23, 2016
+11.9	The Great Adirondack BBQ	Jul 28, 2017
+10.1	Oinktoberfest	Sep 20, 2014

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-14.4	Dinuba's BBQ & Brew Fest	Mar 14, 2025
-10.2	Roc City Rib Fest	May 23, 2015
-8.2	Roc City Rib Fest	May 28, 2016
-8.1	Roc City Rib Fest	May 25, 2013
-7.3	Jesse James Barbeque Cook Out	Sep 19, 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	Top-10s	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2025	1	0	0%	top 100%	83.6%	83.6%
2022	1	0	0%	top 67%	89%	89%
2019	3	1	100%	top 28%	93%	92%
2018	5	0	60%	top 57%	89.4%	87.7%
2017	5	1	20%	top 53%	90.6%	88.2%
2016	5	1	60%	top 63%	90.9%	88.7%
2015	5	0	60%	top 58%	88.6%	87%
2014	4	1	50%	top 39%	95.2%	90.2%
2013	3	0	33%	top 46%	92.4%	87.2%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Mar 14, 2025	Dinuba's BBQ & Brew Fest 🏅 Dinuba, CA	26 / 26 (601.5772)	25 (154.8228)	21 (162.8228)	26 (145.7144)	26 (138.2172)
Sep 23, 2022	The Great Kearney BBQ Smoke-Out 🏅 Fresno, CA	29 / 43 (640.5712)	26 (163.4172)	15 (168)	32 (155.9884)	34 (153.1656)
Sep 21, 2019	Oinktoberfest 🏅 Clarence, NY	7 / 43 (669.6456)	8 (168.5600)	6 (170.2972)	8 (169.6684)	20 (161.1200)
Jul 5, 2019	I Love Barbecue & Music Festival 🏅 Lake Placid, NY	12 / 32 (652.5368)	5 (169.1656)	15 (159.4284)	9 (166.2400)	21 (157.7028)
May 17, 2019	Twin Valley Fire and Smoke 🏅 Morgantown, PA	13 / 44 (665.0860)	17 (165.7028)	9 (167.9888)	21 (161.7144)	11 (169.6800)
Sep 22, 2018	Oinktoberfest Clarence, NY	17 / 51 (632.4232)	11 (165.6800)	10 (162.8572)	26 (154.8000)	29 (149.0860)
Jul 6, 2018	I Love Barbecue & Music Festival Lake Placid, NY	29 / 39 (610.1484)	28 (153.6800)	37 (142.2628)	13 (159.4056)	20 (154.8000)
Jun 15, 2018	Almost Heaven BBQ Bash Weston, WV	38 / 59 (643.8400)	53 (154.2172)	27 (162.2400)	6 (171.4172)	45 (155.9656)
May 18, 2018	Salt City BBQ Festival Syracuse, NY	11 / 34 (637.6456)	12 (162.2972)	20 (154.2400)	18 (157.1084)	11 (164)
May 4, 2018	BBQ in The Valley Jamestown, NY	20 / 25 (632.5368)	10 (162.8000)	12 (161.6684)	10 (162.3428)	25 (145.7256)
Sep 22, 2017	Oinktoberfest Clarence, NY	15 / 53 (646.1944)	16 (166.8456)	12 (165.1316)	21 (159.9428)	30 (154.2744)
Jul 28, 2017	The Great Adirondack BBQ Old Forge, NY	7 / 30 (652.4456)	10 (163.9656)	8 (166.2972)	13 (159.3600)	10 (162.8228)
Jun 16, 2017	Almost Heaven BBQ Bash Weston, WV	46 / 57 (621.6116)	46 (156.5372)	43 (155.3600)	43 (160)	48 (149.7144)
May 19, 2017	Salt City BBQ Festival Syracuse, NY	21 / 41 (623.3828)	26 (158.2400)	15 (158.3200)	21 (155.9544)	20 (150.8684)
May 5, 2017	BBQ In the Valley Jamestown, NY	21 / 26 (630.1368)	20 (159.9428)	16 (163.4172)	16 (158.2400)	22 (148.5368)
Sep 23, 2016	Ointoberfest BBQ Cookoff Clarence, NY	10 / 54 (654.7888)	11 (166.2972)	49 (142.1944)	4 (169.7144)	2 (176.5828)
Sep 3, 2016	Finger Lakes Fire & Smoke Geneva, NY	24 / 35 (626.7656)	2 (176.5600)	35 (138.2284)	14 (161.7144)	27 (150.2628)
Aug 12, 2016	Salamanca Rock'in Ribfest Salamanca, NY	19 / 28 (642.1256)	3 (171.4172)	14 (162.8344)	21 (158.2056)	25 (149.6684)
Jun 17, 2016	Almost Heaven BBQ Bash Buckhannon, WV	34 / 42 (638.1372)	34 (161.7144)	36 (153.0628)	25 (162.2400)	26 (161.1200)
May 28, 2016	Roc City Rib Fest Rochester, NY	40 / 50 (631.3140)	44 (155.3828)	27 (164.5484)	21 (164.0116)	46 (147.3712)
Sep 19, 2015	Oinktoberfest Clarence, NY	30 / 52 (623.3716)	19 (161.6800)	40 (149.6916)	6 (166.2972)	46 (145.7028)
Sep 4, 2015	Finger Lakes Fire & Smoke Geneva, NY	11 / 25 (634.2512)	19 (154.8572)	6 (161.6800)	4 (166.8456)	17 (150.8684)
Jun 26, 2015	Smokin' On The Pecos Artesia, NM	33 / 48 (617.5200)	19 (162.8112)	34 (155.3944)	44 (146.2172)	25 (153.0972)
Jun 19, 2015	Crossborder Blues, Brews & Que Wilson, NY	17 / 47 (638.2056)	21 (160.5600)	15 (161.0856)	10 (164.5828)	25 (151.9772)
May 23, 2015	Roc City Rib Fest Rochester, NY	48 / 57 (617.0624)	39 (160.5828)	34 (158.8228)	54 (150.2628)	52 (147.3940)
Sep 20, 2014	Oinktoberfest Clarence, NY	13 / 66 (645.7032)	2 (172.5600)	9 (165.7032)	48 (151.4172)	29 (156.0228)
Sep 19, 2014	Jesse James Barbeque Cook Out Kearney, MO	36 / 49 (640.5028)	31 (163.4172)	27 (163.4400)	39 (160)	36 (153.6456)
Jun 27, 2014	Smokin' On The Pecos Artesia, NM	4 / 60 (685.0856)	5 (172.5828)	19 (168.5372)	15 (170.8228)	4 (173.1428)
May 24, 2014	Roc City Rib Fest Rochester, NY	48 / 86 (626.8116)	25 (164.0228)	24 (163.4404)	65 (151.9884)	70 (147.3600)
Sep 20, 2013	Oinktoberfest Clarence, NY	33 / 71 (622.2284)	23 (163.4400)	23 (158.2740)	17 (162.2972)	66 (138.2172)
Jun 28, 2013	Smokin' On the Pecos Artesia, NM	11 / 70 (665.1424)	35 (158.2856)	4 (170.2856)	18 (164.5712)	5 (172)
May 25, 2013	Roc City Rib Fest Rochester, NY	61 / 80 (596.5704)	63 (149.7142)	50 (150.2856)	76 (138.8568)	24 (157.7138)

Sweet Heat 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)

High-water mark

The one to beat

Their season

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

The comeback

Chicken nemesis

A September team

The long haul

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)