The heartbreaker
0.5256
points from the title
Came within 0.5256 points of the Grand Championship at BBQ on the Bypass (Sep 13, 2014).
Rusty's BBQ
Rusty's BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 42 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2014 and 2026. They have won 3 Grand Championships, most recently at the 5th Annual Hudson's Bay Heritage Days BBQ Cookoff (2022), and finished Reserve Grand Champion twice. They are ranked #659 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings. Also listed in KCBS results as “Rustys BBQ”.
At a glance (the record in numbers)
Rating
1648
peak 1655 · rated over 32 contests7 invitational or side-series contests not counted
Contests
42
in the data
First seen
Apr 25, 2014
latest Aug 22, 2026 · 12.3 years on the trail
Grand champs
3
2 reserve · wins it all 7% of the time
Category wins
9
26 podiums
Overall top-10s
22
52% of 42 contests
Best top-10 run
9
straight overall top-10s
Avg finish
top 37%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
3 🔥
Current form
674.08 ▲
last 5 Master vs avg 664.43 (+9.65)
Walk rate
67%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±23.39
spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Pork
avg 168.01 · weakest Brisket (163.20)
Road miles
32,472
across 42 mapped stops · furthest 2,332 mi
Schedule strength
22%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1530)
Purse competed for
$413K
listed at 15 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
1 🏅
won from 8 state-championship entries
Master avg
664.43 / 720
38 Master contests · 3 GCs
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 ↗ | Master | #470 (407 pts) | #689 (252 pts) | #413 (587 pts) | #454 (452 pts) | #507 (407 pts) |
| 2023 ↗ | Master | #938 (120 pts) | #1011 (120 pts) | #1118 (120 pts) | #989 (120 pts) | #757 (215 pts) |
| 2019 ↗ | Master | #485 (675 pts) | #611 (560 pts) | #610 (570 pts) | #629 (535 pts) | #657 (515 pts) |
| 2018 ↗ | Master | #436 (815 pts) | #467 (780 pts) | #546 (690 pts) | #507 (720 pts) | #493 (755 pts) |
| 2017 ↗ | Master | #1096 (285 pts) | #1251 (250 pts) | #886 (440 pts) | #1200 (270 pts) | #1583 (165 pts) |
| 2016 ↗ | Master | #796 (457 pts) | #1129 (297 pts) | #985 (372 pts) | #857 (457 pts) | #991 (352 pts) |
| 2015 ↗ | Master | #830 (405 pts) | #841 (430 pts) | #777 (475 pts) | #616 (630 pts) | #1022 (320 pts) |
Overall rank by season
Teams like this (closest power rating)
The teams rated closest to Rusty's BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.
#660 of the rated field
- Contests
- 38
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 24%
- Peak
- 1655
Their last contest in the data was back in 2023, 3 years before Rusty's BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.
⚔ Compare careers#658 of the rated field
- Contests
- 19
- GCs
- 2
- Top-10s
- 63%
- Peak
- 1648
This is the highest they've ever been rated, 19 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.
⚔ Compare careers#651 of the rated field
- Contests
- 35
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 40%
- Peak
- 1661
1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to Rusty's BBQ)
One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team Rusty's BBQ has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.
⚔ Head-to-head#657 of the rated field
- Contests
- 42
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 52%
- Peak
- 1656
2–2 in 4 shared contests (50% to Rusty's BBQ)
Careers of much the same size, 42 contests to 42, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.
⚔ Head-to-head#665 of the rated field
- Contests
- 20
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 60%
- Peak
- 1648
0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to Rusty's BBQ)
Their rating is built on 1 Grand Championship in 20 contests, alongside a 60% overall top-10 rate.
⚔ Head-to-head#650 of the rated field
- Contests
- 66
- GCs
- 3
- Top-10s
- 44%
- Peak
- 1751
1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to Rusty's BBQ)
Level with Rusty's BBQ on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.
⚔ Head-to-headFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SMELLAQUE | 13 | 5 | 8 | 38% | ⚔ compare |
| ROCKY MOUNTAIN SMOKERS | 12 | 10 | 2 | 83% | ⚔ compare |
| DANCES WITH SMOKE BARBEQUE | 11 | 7 | 4 | 64% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOKIN TIMBERS NORTHWEST | 11 | 5 | 6 | 45% | ⚔ compare |
| BOOTIES BBQ | 9 | 5 | 4 | 56% | ⚔ compare |
| LAKE HOUSE BBQ | 9 | 4 | 5 | 44% | ⚔ compare |
| Small Axe BBQ | 9 | 3 | 6 | 33% | ⚔ compare |
| IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | 9 | 2 | 7 | 22% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA | 9 | 2 | 7 | 22% | ⚔ compare |
| GETTIN' BASTED | 9 | 1 | 8 | 11% | ⚔ compare |
| MOTLEY QUE | 8 | 7 | 1 | 88% | ⚔ compare |
| JERIMIAH JOHNSON MOUNTAIN MAN BBQ | 8 | 7 | 1 | 88% | ⚔ compare |
| LOOT N' BOOTY BBQ | 8 | 1 | 7 | 13% | ⚔ compare |
| SLAPS BBQ | 8 | 1 | 7 | 13% | ⚔ compare |
| Rob's Smokin and Grillin BBQ | 7 | 6 | 1 | 86% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 38 | 17 | 1 | 5 | 180 🔥 | 143.9544 | 166.55 | top 46% |
| Pork Ribs | 39 | 21 | 3 | 9 | 178.8572 | 143.4060 | 166.50 | top 38% |
| Pork | 39 | 22 | 4 | 6 | 180 🔥 | 147.9772 | 168.01 | top 34% |
| Brisket | 39 | 15 | 1 | 6 | 178.8800 | 140.5600 | 163.20 | top 46% |
“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) | 6 | 0 | top 38% |
| Medium (20–39) | 20 | 3 | top 27% |
| Large (40+) | 13 | 0 | top 51% |
Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay | 5 | 5 | 0 | top 26% | May 25, 2024 |
| Barn Burner BBQ | 2 | 1 | 1 | top 24% | Jul 21, 2018 |
| Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue (Competitor's Series) (JUDGES BY INVITATION ONLY) | 2 | 44 | 0 | top 67% | Oct 11, 2024 |
| BBQ on the Bow | 2 | 3 | 0 | top 8% | Sep 1, 2018 |
More numbers
Busiest season
2015
9 contests
Contests a season
3.5
across 12 seasons in the data
Most contests held in
WA
7 of 42 contests · 12 states and provinces in all
Contests visited
32
4 of them more than once
First title
Mar 19, 2016
Barn Burner BBQ
Opponents faced
1,670
finished ahead 1,568 times, behind 1,614
Longest layoff
1.8 yrs
Oct 25, 2019 → Aug 27, 2021
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
20261 milestone
- Most recent contest 9th Annual DuPont BBQ Competition
20241 milestone
- Peak power rating (1655) Didsbury Lions BBQ
20221 milestone
- First state championship 5th Annual Hudson's Bay Heritage Days BBQ Cookoff
20191 milestone
- 25th tracked contest Prairie Dog on the Bow
20182 milestones
- First multi-meat day 2nd Annual Hudson Bay Heritage Days BBQ Cook Off
- Career-best overall score705.1772 2nd Annual Hudson Bay Heritage Days BBQ Cook Off
20162 milestones
- First Grand Championship Barn Burner BBQ
- First perfect 180 (Pork) Barn Burner BBQ
20151 milestone
- 10th tracked contest Oinktoberfest
20146 milestones
- First call Washington State Spring BBQ Championship
- First overall top-10 Washington State Spring BBQ Championship
- First overall podium Washington State Spring BBQ Championship
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score654.7772 Washington State Spring BBQ Championship
- First category win (Pork Ribs) BBQ on the Bypass
- First Reserve Championship BBQ on the Bypass
20131 milestone
- First tracked contest World Food Championships - World Barbecue Championship (Competitor's Series)
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +15.9 | Barn Burner BBQ | Mar 19, 2016 |
| +13.9 | BBQ on the Bypass | Sep 13, 2014 |
| +13 | Washington State Spring BBQ Championship | Apr 25, 2014 |
| +12.8 | BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay | May 28, 2016 |
| +12.6 | 2nd Annual Hudson Bay Heritage Days BBQ Cook Off | Aug 18, 2018 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -16 | Drayton Kinsmen Smoke and Sounds Festval | Jul 10, 2015 |
| -7.2 | 36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Open | Oct 3, 2015 |
| -7 | Oinktoberfest | Sep 19, 2015 |
| -6.5 | Fatboys Canadian Capital Classic BBQ Competition | Aug 8, 2015 |
| -6.4 | Sweet Home Icebox Cookoff 2022 | Jul 2, 2022 |
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 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 100% | top 33% | 95.2% | 95.2% |
| 2024 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 50% | top 53% | 95.1% | 93.6% |
| 2023 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33% | top 52% | 96% | 93.7% |
| 2022 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 33% | top 37% | 97.7% | 94.8% |
| 2021 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0% | top 13% | 97.4% | 97.4% |
| 2019 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 100% | top 14% | 96.1% | 93.8% |
| 2018 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 100% | top 19% | 97.9% | 93.5% |
| 2017 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 100% | top 23% | 94.1% | 92% |
| 2016 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 100% | top 15% | 95.7% | 93.7% |
| 2015 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 56% | top 59% | 92% | 88.1% |
| 2014 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 100% | top 13% | 94.3% | 92.6% |
| 2013 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | — | — | — |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 22, 2026 | 9th Annual DuPont BBQ Competition 🏅 DuPont, WA | 9 / 27 (685.6460) | 22 (165.0972) | 1 (177.1544) | 4 (175.4172) | 14 (167.9772) |
| Oct 30, 2024 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Sides Kansas City, KS | — | — | — | — | — |
| Oct 30, 2024 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS | 231 / 444 (674.7312) | 295 (165.6800) | 203 (170.2512) | 170 (170.8228) | 196 (167.9772) |
| Oct 30, 2024 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Invitational Contest unrated Kansas City, KS | 155 / 169 (667.8628) | 120 (169.1200) | 133 (167.9772) | 163 (158.8000) | 77 (171.9656) |
| Oct 11, 2024 | Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue (Competitor's Series) (JUDGES BY INVITATION ONLY) unrated Lynchburg, TN | 71 / 87 (660.5484) | 70 (164.5828) | 61 (167.9884) | 26 (171.9656) | 79 (156.0116) |
| Aug 24, 2024 | 7th Annual DuPont BBQ Competition 🏅 DuPont, WA | 11 / 27 (681.6340) | 22 (166.8340) | 4 (175.4400) | 9 (175.4056) | 19 (163.9544) |
| Aug 2, 2024 | La Classique BBQ Labonte Sainte-Perpetue, QC | 11 / 26 (663.3596) | 23 (161.1084) | 5 (169.7600) | 18 (165.1084) | 7 (167.3828) |
| Jul 27, 2024 | Didsbury Lions BBQ Didsbury, AB | 7 / 28 (685.0744) | 14 (167.9772) | 1 (178.2972) | 6 (171.9772) | 16 (166.8228) |
| May 25, 2024 | BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay 🏅 North Bend, OR | 10 / 27 (684.5140) | 20 (168) | 14 (166.2628) | 8 (175.4056) | 3 (174.8456) |
| Sep 27, 2023 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Sides Kansas City, KS | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sep 27, 2023 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Invitational Contest unrated Kansas City, KS | 196 / 211 (658.6740) | 189 (165.0856) | 181 (165.6800) | 131 (169.6684) | 196 (158.2400) |
| Sep 27, 2023 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS | 57 / 487 (690.8688) | 263 (167.9772) | 27 (177.1544) | 268 (166.8572) | 8 (178.8800) |
| Oct 14, 2022 | Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue (Competitor's Series) (JUDGES BY INVITATION ONLY) unrated Lynchburg, TN | 44 / 83 (674.2856) | 70 (162.8228) | 56 (168) | 32 (170.8800) | 20 (172.5828) |
| Aug 20, 2022 | 5th Annual Hudson's Bay Heritage Days BBQ Cookoff 🏅 DuPont, WA | 1 / 29 (703.4288) | 1 (180) | 14 (172.0116) | 1 (180) | 10 (171.4172) |
| Jul 2, 2022 | Sweet Home Icebox Cookoff 2022 🏅 Sweet Home, OR | 19 / 34 (669.6112) | 19 (169.1428) | 24 (162.2400) | 16 (169.1084) | 15 (169.1200) |
| Aug 27, 2021 | World Championship Hot wing Contest and Festival (COMPETITOR SERIES) unrated Memphis, TN | 4 / 30 (175.4056) | — | — | — | — |
| Oct 25, 2019 | 31st Annual Jack Daniels World Championship Invitational Barbecue (JUDGES FULL) (COMPETITORS SERIES) unrated Lynchburg, TN | 13 / 97 (691.9772) | 32 (172.5828) | 6 (178.8572) | 17 (173.7028) | 50 (166.8344) |
| Sep 1, 2019 | Prairie Dog on the Bow Alberta | 3 / 13 (666.1944) | 3 (172.5600) | 4 (165.7144) | 8 (157.6572) | 3 (170.2628) |
| Aug 31, 2019 | BBQ on the Bow Calgary | 2 / 37 (666.1828) | 9 (166.8228) | 2 (171.4172) | 6 (167.4172) | 8 (160.5256) |
| Aug 17, 2019 | 3rd Annual Hudson Bay Heritage Days BBQ Cookoff 🏅 DuPont, WA | 4 / 27 (675.8740) | 4 (171.4056) | 11 (165.0856) | 3 (171.9656) | 8 (167.4172) |
| Sep 1, 2018 | BBQ on the Bow Calgary | 3 / 43 (663.4172) | 5 (168) | 7 (162.2972) | 13 (160.5600) | 2 (172.5600) |
| Aug 18, 2018 | 2nd Annual Hudson Bay Heritage Days BBQ Cook Off DuPont, WA | 1 / 27 (705.1772) | 2 (176.5600) | 2 (176.5600) | 1 (175.4628) | 1 (176.5944) |
| Jul 21, 2018 | Barn Burner BBQ Chilliwack, BC | 8 / 18 (644.4916) | 5 (169.7028) | 9 (163.4172) | 5 (162.2972) | 12 (149.0744) |
| May 26, 2018 | BBQ Blues & Brews on the Bay (JUDGES FULL) North Bend, OR | 7 / 35 (678.8228) | 6 (170.8228) | 9 (170.2972) | 8 (172.5828) | 15 (165.1200) |
| Sep 2, 2017 | BBQ on the Bow Calgary | 4 / 42 (656.6744) | 11 (162.3200) | 3 (166.8572) | 6 (165.7600) | 6 (161.7372) |
| May 27, 2017 | BBQ Blues & Brews on the Bay (JUDGES FULL) North Bend, OR | 7 / 37 (677.6228) | 10 (170.8112) | 3 (173.7144) | 4 (173.7028) | 25 (159.3944) |
| Mar 31, 2017 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Renton, WA | 12 / 30 (653.0400) | 13 (166.8228) | 4 (172) | 24 (154.8456) | 15 (159.3716) |
| Sep 10, 2016 | BBQ off the Bypass Langley, British of Columbia, BC | 5 / 18 (654.1944) | 4 (165.6684) | 9 (162.2972) | 1 (171.4056) | 10 (154.8232) |
| May 28, 2016 | BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay North Bend, OR | 5 / 43 (681.1428) | 9 (170.2628) | 12 (168.0572) | 5 (173.7028) | 11 (169.1200) |
| Mar 19, 2016 | Barn Burner BBQ Chilliwack, British of Columbi, CA | 1 / 22 (689.0744) | 7 (163.9428) | 2 (172.5600) | 1 (180) | 3 (172.5716) |
| Oct 3, 2015 | 36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Open Kansas City, MO | 461 / 606 (628.4684) | 467 (157.1312) | 469 (155.4056) | 177 (168) | 518 (147.9316) |
| Oct 2, 2015 | 36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Invitational unrated Kansas City, MO | 183 / 187 (636.4344) | 93 (169.7256) | 168 (158.8228) | 170 (158.8116) | 185 (149.0744) |
| Sep 19, 2015 | Oinktoberfest Clarence, NY | 36 / 52 (615.8744) | 50 (143.9544) | 31 (154.2744) | 16 (162.8228) | 26 (154.8228) |
| Sep 12, 2015 | BBQ On the Bypass Langley, BC | 4 / 19 (662.2636) | 3 (167.9772) | 4 (166.2972) | 4 (171.4516) | 15 (156.5376) |
| Sep 4, 2015 | Finger Lakes Fire & Smoke Geneva, NY | 5 / 25 (649.7144) | 9 (161.7144) | 2 (162.8800) | 2 (170.8572) | 13 (154.2628) |
| Aug 8, 2015 | Fatboys Canadian Capital Classic BBQ Competition Ottawa, ON | 16 / 22 (602.7888) | 10 (155.3828) | 17 (143.4060) | 4 (163.4400) | 20 (140.5600) |
| Jul 10, 2015 | Drayton Kinsmen Smoke and Sounds Festval Drayton, ON | 18 / 18 (609.7032) | 11 (165.7028) | 18 (148.5944) | 18 (147.9772) | 18 (147.4288) |
| May 22, 2015 | BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay North Bend, OR | 17 / 38 (661.5768) | 14 (167.3712) | 35 (151.3600) | 6 (173.1084) | 14 (169.7372) |
| Mar 21, 2015 | Barn Burner BBQ Yarrow, BC | 7 / 21 (643.8972) | 2 (169.7028) | 4 (165.7144) | 19 (148.5028) | 5 (159.9772) |
| Sep 13, 2014 | BBQ on the Bypass Langley, BC | 2 / 15 (678.8116) | 5 (166.8228) | 1 (173.1544) | 4 (168.5716) | 2 (170.2628) |
| Apr 25, 2014 | Washington State Spring BBQ Championship Monroe, WA | 3 / 22 (654.7772) | 13 (161.7144) | 7 (162.2628) | 4 (168) | 6 (162.8000) |
| Nov 7, 2013 | World Food Championships - World Barbecue Championship (Competitor's Series) Las Vegas, NV | — | — | 36 (164.0344) | 16 (168.5600) | 43 (158.8344) |
An unrated contest — an invitational, or a Competitor or Kosher Series board — is in the record but doesn’t move the power rating.