The one to beat
2×
one call ahead of them
Off The Rack BBQ has finished one call ahead of Bill's Back Yard 2 times — their closest competition in the data.
Bill's Back Yard
Bill's Back Yard is a competition barbecue team with 19 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2021 and 2024. Their best overall finish is 6th of 37 at the Twin Valley Fire and Smoke (Day 1) (2024). They are ranked #2277 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.
At a glance (the record in numbers)
Rating
1528
peak 1531 · rated over 19 contests
Contests
19
in the data
First seen
Jun 18, 2021
latest Oct 11, 2024 · 3.3 years on the trail
Grand champs
0
0 reserve
Category wins
1
5 podiums
Overall top-10s
5
26% of 19 contests
Best top-10 run
2
straight overall top-10s
Avg finish
top 48%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
0
Current form
329.89 ▲
last 5 Backyard vs avg 325.05 (+4.84)
Walk rate
58%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±12.02
spread of their Backyard overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Brisket
avg 171.42 · weakest Pork (137.50)
Road miles
421
across 19 mapped stops · furthest 37 mi
Schedule strength
48%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1562)
Purse competed for
$158K
listed at 18 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0 🏅
won from 19 state-championship entries
Master avg
647.92 / 720
1 Master contest · 0 GCs
Backyard avg
325.05 / 360
16 Backyard contests · 0 GCs
Backyard (3-meat) avg
467.06 / 540
2 Backyard (3-meat) contests · 0 GCs
These overall scores sit on different scales (Master out of 720, Backyard out of 360, Backyard (3-meat) out of 540), 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 ↗ | Backyard | #95 (649 pts) | #80 (749 pts) | #109 (559 pts) | — | — |
| 2024 ↗ | Master | #1006 (101 pts) | #1131 (91 pts) | #1187 (91 pts) | #1102 (91 pts) | #733 (221 pts) |
| 2023 ↗ | Backyard | — | #119 (526 pts) | #105 (631 pts) | — | — |
| 2022 ↗ | Backyard | — | #113 (397 pts) | #125 (327 pts) | — | — |
| 2021 ↗ | Backyard | — | #142 (194 pts) | #170 (139 pts) | — | — |
Teams like this (closest power rating)
The teams rated closest to Bill's Back Yard, each with one reason worth a look.
64 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.
#2,276 of the rated field
- Contests
- 20
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1528
This is the highest they've ever been rated, 20 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.
⚔ Compare careers#2,285 of the rated field
- Contests
- 18
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 11%
- Peak
- 1528
Careers of much the same size, 18 contests to 19, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.
⚔ Compare careers#2,284 of the rated field
- Contests
- 15
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 13%
- Peak
- 1540
Their last contest in the data was back in 2018, 6 years before Bill's Back Yard's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.
⚔ Compare careers#2,288 of the rated field
- Contests
- 27
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 15%
- Peak
- 1530
27 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 15% top-10 finishes rather than wins.
⚔ Compare careers#2,283 of the rated field
- Contests
- 28
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 11%
- Peak
- 1533
They were already cooking in 2016, 5 years before Bill's Back Yard's first contest.
⚔ Compare careers#2,272 of the rated field
- Contests
- 15
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 20%
- Peak
- 1533
Level with Bill's Back Yard on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.
⚔ Compare careersFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capt. Blue BBQ | 18 | 5 | 13 | 28% | ⚔ compare |
| 4 BOXERS Q | 16 | 9 | 7 | 56% | ⚔ compare |
| Weber's Backyard BBQ | 15 | 0 | 15 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| All About the Wood | 14 | 4 | 10 | 29% | ⚔ compare |
| Zoni-Q | 14 | 3 | 11 | 21% | ⚔ compare |
| 3 EYZ BBQ | 14 | 2 | 11 | 14% | ⚔ compare |
| Uncle Pig's Barbeque Pit | 14 | 2 | 12 | 14% | ⚔ compare |
| HARCO LOCO BBQ | 13 | 9 | 3 | 69% | ⚔ compare |
| PHILLY BLIND PIG BBQ | 13 | 8 | 5 | 62% | ⚔ compare |
| MRC_Barbecue | 13 | 1 | 12 | 8% | ⚔ compare |
| Oink N' Doink BBQ | 12 | 5 | 7 | 42% | ⚔ compare |
| Leaning Jowler BBQ | 12 | 4 | 8 | 33% | ⚔ compare |
| GLAZED AND INFUSED NEW JERSEY BBQ | 12 | 4 | 7 | 33% | ⚔ compare |
| DRILLING & GRILLING | 12 | 4 | 8 | 33% | ⚔ compare |
| Brewski's BBQ Competition Team | 12 | 2 | 10 | 17% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 19 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 175.4400 | 150.8344 | 164.49 | top 45% |
| Pork Ribs | 19 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 173.7144 | 129.5772 | 158.91 | top 51% |
| Pork | 6 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 169.1428 | 20 | 137.50 | top 41% |
| Brisket | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 171.4172 | 171.4172 | 171.42 | top 14% |
“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) | 1 | 0 | top 47% |
| Medium (20–39) | 12 | 0 | top 48% |
| Large (40+) | 6 | 0 | top 49% |
Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| York County BBQ Festival (Day 2) | 5 | 9 | 0 | top 50% | Jun 29, 2024 |
| Twin Valley Fire and Smoke (Day 2) | 3 | 6 | 0 | top 46% | May 18, 2024 |
| Smoke in the Grove (Day 2) | 3 | 25 | 0 | top 53% | Jul 30, 2022 |
| Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 2) | 2 | 16 | 0 | top 59% | Jul 27, 2024 |
| Maryland State BBQ Bash | 2 | 8 | 0 | top 34% | Oct 13, 2023 |
| Smoke on the Rail (Day 2) | 2 | 8 | 0 | top 39% | Jul 29, 2023 |
More numbers
Busiest season
2024
8 contests
Contests a season
4.8
across 4 seasons in the data
Most contests held in
PA
16 of 19 contests · 2 states in all
Contests visited
8
6 of them more than once
Opponents faced
328
finished ahead 563 times, behind 593
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
20245 milestones
- Career-best overall score647.9204 The Ironman
- Career-best single call (Chicken)175.4400 Twin Valley Fire and Smoke (Day 1)
- Peak power rating (1531) Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 1)
- First category win (Pork) Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 2)
- Most recent contest MD State BBQ Bash
20231 milestone
- 10th tracked contest Smoke on the Rail (Day 2)
20222 milestones
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score326.2520 York County BBQ Festival
- First overall top-10 Maryland State BBQ Bash
20212 milestones
- First tracked contest York County BBQ Festival
- First call York County BBQ Festival
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +12.3 | Twin Valley Fire and Smoke (Day 1) | May 17, 2024 |
| +12.3 | Smoke on the Rail (Day 2) | Jul 29, 2023 |
| +9 | Maryland State BBQ Bash | Oct 14, 2022 |
| +8.3 | Maryland State BBQ Bash | Oct 13, 2023 |
| +5.5 | York County BBQ Festival (Day 1) | Jun 28, 2024 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -8.3 | Twin Valley Fire and Smoke (Day 2) | May 18, 2024 |
| -7.7 | Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 2) | Jul 27, 2024 |
| -4.3 | The Ironman | Apr 5, 2024 |
| -4.3 | York County BBQ Festival | Jun 18, 2021 |
| -3.6 | York County BBQ Festival | Jun 16, 2023 |
Scores over time (% of a perfect score — 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 75% | top 51% | 94.9% | 91.4% |
| 2023 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 60% | top 45% | 94.3% | 90.6% |
| 2022 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 25% | top 45% | 90.8% | 88.6% |
| 2021 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50% | top 52% | 86.8% | 84.7% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 11, 2024 | MD State BBQ Bash 🏅 Bel Air, MD | 11 / 26 (333.6916) | 12 (168.5600) | 14 (165.1316) | — | — |
| Jul 27, 2024 | Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 2) 🏅 New Freedom, PA | 23 / 32 (307.3144) | 23 (151.3600) | 22 (155.9544) | 1 (169.1200) | — |
| Jul 26, 2024 | Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 1) 🏅 New Freedom, PA | 16 / 35 (334.8232) | 20 (166.2516) | 10 (168.5716) | 3 (169.1428) | — |
| Jun 29, 2024 | York County BBQ Festival (Day 2) 🏅 Delta, PA | 9 / 19 (337.0744) | 7 (170.8228) | 13 (166.2516) | — | — |
| Jun 28, 2024 | York County BBQ Festival (Day 1) 🏅 Delta, PA | 12 / 29 (336.5488) | 9 (170.8572) | 15 (165.6916) | — | — |
| May 18, 2024 | Twin Valley Fire and Smoke (Day 2) 🏅 Morgantown, PA | 20 / 26 (316.4688) | 18 (159.3944) | 18 (157.0744) | — | — |
| May 17, 2024 | Twin Valley Fire and Smoke (Day 1) 🏅 Morgantown, PA | 6 / 37 (341.6916) | 2 (175.4400) | 15 (166.2516) | — | — |
| Apr 5, 2024 | The Ironman 🏅 Seven Valleys, PA | 14 / 21 (647.9204) | 16 (157.7144) | 16 (161.1316) | 16 (157.6572) | 3 (171.4172) |
| Oct 13, 2023 | Maryland State BBQ Bash 🏅 Bel Air, MD | 8 / 23 (327.4400) | 10 (162.8684) | 10 (164.5716) | — | — |
| Jul 29, 2023 | Smoke on the Rail (Day 2) 🏅 New Freedom, PA | 8 / 40 (339.3828) | 18 (165.6684) | 2 (173.7144) | — | — |
| Jul 28, 2023 | Smoke on the Rail (Day 1) 🏅 New Freedom, PA | 30 / 51 (317.0512) | 15 (167.9772) | 30 (149.0740) | — | — |
| Jun 16, 2023 | York County BBQ Festival 🏅 Delta, PA | 19 / 29 (322.7776) | 22 (157.6804) | 14 (165.0972) | — | — |
| May 19, 2023 | Twin Valley Fire and Smoke 🏅 Morgantown, PA | 17 / 37 (323.3604) | 9 (168.5488) | 18 (154.8116) | — | — |
| Oct 14, 2022 | Maryland State BBQ Bash 🏅 Belair, MD | 10 / 30 (326.7772) | 8 (166.8228) | 15 (159.9544) | — | — |
| Jul 30, 2022 | Smoke in the Grove (Day 2) 🏅 Spring Grove, PA | 25 / 42 (451.2680) | 22 (166.2856) | 26 (137.0512) | 27 (147.9312) | — |
| Jul 29, 2022 | Smoke in the Grove (Day 1) 🏅 Spring Grove, PA | 27 / 54 (482.8460) | 24 (166.8460) | 30 (154.8344) | 22 (161.1656) | — |
| Jun 17, 2022 | York County BBQ Festival 🏅 Delta, PA | 13 / 34 (326.2520) | 13 (163.4060) | 14 (162.8460) | — | — |
| Jul 30, 2021 | Smoke in the Grove 🏅 Spring Grove, PA | 26 / 54 (312.5144) | 32 (150.8344) | 20 (161.6800) | 28 (20) | — |
| Jun 18, 2021 | York County BBQ Festival 🏅 Delta, PA | 23 / 41 (297.5888) | 9 (168.0116) | 24 (129.5772) | — | — |