The heartbreaker
1.1434
points from the title
Came within 1.1434 points of the Grand Championship at Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Mar 29, 2013).
G "QUE"
G "QUE" is a competition barbecue team with 47 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2024. They have won 7 Grand Championships, most recently at the Colorado Rockies Invitational BBQ Championship (Competitor's Series) (2014), and finished Reserve Grand Champion 7 times. They are ranked #329 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings. Also listed in KCBS results as “GQUE”, “G Que” and “G-QUE”.
At a glance (the record in numbers)
Rating
1717
peak 1753 · rated over 44 contests3 invitational or side-series contests not counted
Contests
47
in the data
First seen
Mar 29, 2013
latest Jul 12, 2024 · 11.3 years on the trail
Grand champs
7
7 reserve · wins it all 15% of the time
Category wins
14
49 podiums
Overall top-10s
32
68% of 47 contests
Best top-10 run
11
straight overall top-10s · 2 straight GCs
Avg finish
top 24%
overall standings
Best overall
703.4060 / 720
Perfect 180s
2 🔥
Current form
675.58 ▲
last 5 Master vs avg 672.73 (+2.85)
Walk rate
85%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±26.22
spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Pork
avg 170.49 · weakest Brisket (165.74)
Road miles
16,524
across 47 mapped stops · furthest 1,089 mi
Schedule strength
35%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1546)
Purse competed for
$20K
listed at 2 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0 🏅
won from 3 state-championship entries
Master avg
672.73 / 720
47 Master contests · 7 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 | #1129 (71 pts) | #1148 (86 pts) | #1588 (56 pts) | #1141 (81 pts) | #985 (116 pts) |
| 2021 ↗ | Master | #1567 (52 pts) | #1564 (52 pts) | #1286 (67 pts) | #1189 (82 pts) | #945 (122 pts) |
| 2015 ↗ | Master | #598 (610 pts) | #831 (435 pts) | #680 (565 pts) | #573 (675 pts) | #666 (560 pts) |
| 2014 ↗ | Master | #30 (2,555 pts) | #61 (2,030 pts) | #165 (1,588 pts) | #32 (2,256 pts) | #6 (2,618 pts) |
| 2013 ↗ | Master | #34 (2,455 pts) | #50 (2,146 pts) | #30 (2,197 pts) | #25 (2,326 pts) | #56 (2,124 pts) |
Overall rank by season
Teams like this (closest power rating)
The teams rated closest to G "QUE", each with one reason worth a look.
#328 of the rated field
- Contests
- 117
- GCs
- 4
- Top-10s
- 49%
- Peak
- 1804
1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to G "QUE")
One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team G "QUE" has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.
⚔ Head-to-head#327 of the rated field
- Contests
- 49
- GCs
- 6
- Top-10s
- 67%
- Peak
- 1718
This is the highest they've ever been rated, 48 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.
⚔ Compare careers#326 of the rated field
- Contests
- 78
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 27%
- Peak
- 1729
1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to G "QUE")
A longer road to the same neighbourhood — 78 contests to 47.
⚔ Head-to-head#333 of the rated field
- Contests
- 91
- GCs
- 11
- Top-10s
- 54%
- Peak
- 1802
2–2 in 4 shared contests (50% to G "QUE")
Their last contest in the data was back in 2021, 3 years before G "QUE"'s most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.
⚔ Head-to-head#325 of the rated field
- Contests
- 161
- GCs
- 19
- Top-10s
- 58%
- Peak
- 1880
1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to G "QUE")
Their rating is built on 19 Grand Championships in 161 contests, alongside a 58% overall top-10 rate.
⚔ Head-to-head#323 of the rated field
- Contests
- 227
- GCs
- 26
- Top-10s
- 65%
- Peak
- 1903
5–2 in 7 shared contests (71% to G "QUE")
Both teams' first contest in the data came in 2013.
⚔ Head-to-headFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Backdraft BBQ | 32 | 24 | 8 | 75% | ⚔ compare |
| BURNIN BOBS BUTTS N BONES | 28 | 17 | 11 | 61% | ⚔ compare |
| GRILLIN' BEAVERS | 27 | 22 | 5 | 81% | ⚔ compare |
| JO-BAWB'S BBQ | 26 | 21 | 5 | 81% | ⚔ compare |
| STARS AND STRIPES BBQ | 24 | 20 | 4 | 83% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOKIN TRIGGERS | 19 | 13 | 6 | 68% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOKIN TIMBERS BBQ | 18 | 17 | 1 | 94% | ⚔ compare |
| LONESTAR SMOKE RANGERS | 18 | 13 | 5 | 72% | ⚔ compare |
| 4 LEGS UP BBQ | 16 | 11 | 5 | 69% | ⚔ compare |
| FLYBOY BBQ | 16 | 9 | 7 | 56% | ⚔ compare |
| BRACKEN RACKS BBQ | 15 | 13 | 2 | 87% | ⚔ compare |
| Lost Weekend Grill | 15 | 13 | 2 | 87% | ⚔ compare |
| 3 LIL' MACS BBQ | 15 | 12 | 3 | 80% | ⚔ compare |
| SWINESTONE COWBOYS | 15 | 10 | 5 | 67% | ⚔ compare |
| CHIBI-Q | 14 | 10 | 4 | 71% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 47 | 27 | 2 | 14 | 180 🔥 | 148.5488 | 169.36 | top 31% |
| Pork Ribs | 47 | 25 | 2 | 6 | 178.2858 | 154.8574 | 167.14 | top 36% |
| Pork | 47 | 33 | 5 | 14 | 180 🔥 | 152.5712 | 170.49 | top 25% |
| Brisket | 47 | 27 | 5 | 15 | 177.7028 | 20 | 165.74 | top 30% |
“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) | 2 | 0 | top 34% |
| Medium (20–39) | 29 | 7 | top 22% |
| Large (40+) | 16 | 0 | top 27% |
Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) | 3 | 2 | 0 | top 20% | Apr 24, 2015 |
| Conifer Mountain BBQ Challenge | 2 | 1 | 1 | top 4% | Aug 15, 2014 |
| Wild West BBQ | 2 | 1 | 1 | top 24% | May 9, 2014 |
| Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Championship | 2 | 12 | 0 | top 51% | Oct 9, 2015 |
| Colorado Pork & Hops Challenge | 2 | 3 | 0 | top 12% | Sep 12, 2014 |
| Bootleggin' BBQ | 2 | 3 | 0 | top 34% | Aug 22, 2014 |
| Griller's Cup | 2 | 3 | 0 | top 15% | Jul 16, 2014 |
More numbers
Busiest season
2013
21 contests · 2 GCs
Contests a season
9.4
across 5 seasons in the data
Most contests held in
CO
24 of 47 contests · 9 states in all
Contests visited
39
7 of them more than once
First title
May 3, 2013
North Platte Honky Tonk Barbecue Festival
Opponents faced
1,343
finished ahead 2,229 times, behind 643
Longest layoff
6 yrs
Oct 9, 2015 → Oct 1, 2021
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
20241 milestone
- Most recent contest Smoke & Soul Fest
20151 milestone
- Peak power rating (1753) Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Championship
20144 milestones
- 25th tracked contest Wild West BBQ
- 10th category win Wild West BBQ
- 5th Grand Championship Wild West BBQ
- Career-best overall score703.4060 Colorado Rockies Invitational BBQ Championship (Competitor's Series)
201312 milestones
- First tracked contest Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
- First call Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
- First category win (Pork Ribs) Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
- First overall top-10 Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
- First overall podium Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
- First Reserve Championship Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score667.4278 Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
- First multi-meat day Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional)
- First Grand Championship North Platte Honky Tonk Barbecue Festival
- Biggest field won (38 teams) North Platte Honky Tonk Barbecue Festival
- 10th tracked contest South Park Kick Ass BBQ Competition
- First perfect 180 (Chicken) Smokin' Brew BBQ
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +15 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour | Mar 29, 2013 |
| +15 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) | Apr 19, 2013 |
| +14.6 | North Platte Honky Tonk Barbecue Festival | May 3, 2013 |
| +14.3 | Pony Express BBQ Challenge | Apr 26, 2013 |
| +12.8 | Colorado Barbecue Challenge | Jun 14, 2013 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -22.8 | 21st Colorado BBQ Challenge | Jun 13, 2014 |
| -19.8 | Smoke & Soul Fest - Day 1 | Oct 1, 2021 |
| -15.7 | Smoke & Soul Fest | Jul 12, 2024 |
| -10 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Championship | Oct 18, 2013 |
| -5.6 | High on the Hog Festival | Apr 19, 2013 |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 81% | 91.2% | 91.2% |
| 2021 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 93% | 89.4% | 89.4% |
| 2015 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 100% | top 19% | 96.6% | 95.8% |
| 2014 | 19 | 5 | 14 | 7 | 95% | top 17% | 97.7% | 93.5% |
| 2013 | 21 | 2 | 15 | 6 | 81% | top 25% | 96% | 93.1% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 12, 2024 | Smoke & Soul Fest 🏅 Casper, WY | 21 / 26 (656.4688) | 18 (168.5372) | 24 (157.6800) | 19 (162.2516) | 12 (168) |
| Oct 1, 2021 | Smoke & Soul Fest - Day 1 🏅 Casper, WY | 25 / 27 (643.8976) | 27 (148.5488) | 22 (160.5716) | 19 (163.9428) | 11 (170.8344) |
| Oct 9, 2015 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Championship Bentonville, AR | 12 / 50 (695.3828) | 17 (173.7028) | 7 (176.5716) | 5 (177.1428) | 41 (167.9656) |
| Sep 18, 2015 | 2015 Colorado Rockies Championship Denver, CO | 11 / 35 (691.3372) | 7 (176.5600) | 14 (171.9772) | 4 (176.5600) | 28 (166.2400) |
| Apr 24, 2015 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) Las Vegas, NV | 5 / 30 (690.8344) | 29 (165.7028) | 8 (172.5600) | 8 (176) | 5 (176.5716) |
| Apr 17, 2015 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Fort Collins, CO | 2 / 30 (682.2400) | 3 (169.7028) | 10 (165.1316) | 1 (176) | 3 (171.4056) |
| Jan 9, 2015 | National Western BBQ Throwdown Denver, CO | 6 / 40 (688.4568) | 14 (169.6800) | 10 (170.2628) | 11 (170.8112) | 2 (177.7028) |
| Oct 2, 2014 | 35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Invitational unrated Kansas City, MO | 26 / 165 (685.6800) | 44 (172) | 40 (171.9772) | 31 (172) | 60 (169.7028) |
| Oct 2, 2014 | 35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO | 18 / 552 (691.4400) | 3 (179.4400) | 285 (163.4172) | 5 (178.2972) | 101 (170.2856) |
| Sep 12, 2014 | Colorado Pork & Hops Challenge Grand Junction, CO | 8 / 47 (677.6916) | 16 (169.1200) | 5 (171.4172) | 13 (170.2744) | 13 (166.8800) |
| Sep 5, 2014 | Best of the West BBQ Fest Sheridan, WY | 2 / 25 (654.8000) | 4 (166.8112) | 11 (155.3832) | 6 (162.8228) | 2 (169.7828) |
| Aug 30, 2014 | Smokin' Brew BBQ Parker, CO | 3 / 48 (689.0856) | 3 (174.2628) | 5 (171.9772) | 13 (168.5828) | 1 (174.2628) |
| Aug 22, 2014 | Bootleggin' BBQ Garden City, CO | 3 / 17 (687.9312) | 3 (174.2628) | 10 (168) | 4 (174.8456) | 5 (170.8228) |
| Aug 15, 2014 | Conifer Mountain BBQ Challenge Conifer, CO | 2 / 43 (684.5256) | 8 (170.8456) | 12 (168.5600) | 15 (167.4172) | 1 (177.7028) |
| Aug 1, 2014 | The SLV Beat the Heat BBQ, Brews and Chili Competition Alamosa, CO | 13 / 31 (665.5656) | 9 (170.2628) | 19 (159.9544) | 5 (170.8228) | 13 (164.5256) |
| Jul 25, 2014 | Colorado Rockies Invitational BBQ Championship (Competitor's Series) unrated Denver, CO | 1 / 20 (703.4060) | 2 (178.8572) | 14 (170.8460) | 1 (179.4400) | 9 (174.2628) |
| Jul 16, 2014 | Griller's Cup Laramie, WY | 3 / 26 (687.4172) | 7 (169.7256) | 9 (169.7260) | 3 (176.5600) | 2 (171.4056) |
| Jul 4, 2014 | Pork & Brew BBQ State Championship 🏅 Rio Rancho, NM | 10 / 38 (666.8112) | 25 (157.6912) | 8 (170.2744) | 12 (167.4400) | 5 (171.4056) |
| Jun 20, 2014 | 2nd Annual South Park Kick Ass BBQ Competition Fairplay, CO | 1 / 28 (687.3256) | 3 (174.2628) | 9 (166.8344) | 3 (171.9656) | 3 (174.2628) |
| Jun 13, 2014 | 21st Colorado BBQ Challenge Frisco, CO | 55 / 55 (525.6684) | 29 (163.4056) | 14 (166.2400) | 3 (176.0228) | 55 (20) |
| Jun 6, 2014 | Boats, Bands & BBQ Pueblo, CO | 4 / 29 (675.8512) | 8 (170.8228) | 7 (167.3828) | 9 (166.2400) | 4 (171.4056) |
| May 30, 2014 | Royal Gorge Holy Smoke BBQ Showdown Canon City, CO | 3 / 34 (682.1940) | 3 (173.7028) | 8 (168.5372) | 10 (165.1084) | 2 (174.8456) |
| May 9, 2014 | Wild West BBQ Lamar, CO | 1 / 29 (682.8340) | 6 (167.4172) | 11 (163.9540) | 1 (175.4400) | 1 (176.0228) |
| May 2, 2014 | North Platte Honky Tonk BBQ Festival North Platte, NE | 1 / 25 (684.5828) | 6 (166.8572) | 8 (168) | 2 (173.7028) | 1 (176.0228) |
| Apr 25, 2014 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) Las Vegas, NV | 11 / 30 (671.9200) | 15 (167.9772) | 25 (159.4172) | 6 (172.5600) | 3 (171.9656) |
| Apr 18, 2014 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Denver, CO | 1 / 30 (686.7768) | 8 (168.5256) | 6 (166.2284) | 1 (175.4400) | 2 (176.5828) |
| Oct 18, 2013 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Championship Bentonville, AR | 39 / 50 (671.9200) | 42 (167.3828) | 43 (164.5600) | 10 (172.5600) | 38 (167.4172) |
| Oct 3, 2013 | 34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Invitational unrated Kansas City, MO | 83 / 174 (663.3484) | 11 (175.4056) | 73 (165.7144) | 141 (157.6800) | 88 (164.5484) |
| Oct 3, 2013 | 34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO | 189 / 535 (648.4912) | 60 (170.8456) | 276 (158.8572) | 306 (158.8228) | 244 (159.9656) |
| Sep 13, 2013 | Colorado Pork & Hops Challenge Grand Junction, CO | 3 / 42 (690.8456) | 9 (170.8456) | 4 (174.2744) | 2 (180) | 13 (165.7256) |
| Sep 7, 2013 | Sky's the Limit BBQ Classic Garden City, KS | 5 / 26 (685.0628) | 20 (161.0856) | 3 (175.4172) | 5 (176) | 4 (172.5600) |
| Sep 6, 2013 | Showdown on the Plains BBQ Challenge & Air Show Scott City, KS | 6 / 28 (682.8460) | 5 (174.2744) | 22 (160.5716) | 2 (174.2856) | 4 (173.7144) |
| Aug 30, 2013 | Smokin' Brew BBQ Parker, CO | 5 / 53 (683.9544) | 1 (180) | 11 (170.2860) | 7 (171.4056) | 19 (162.2628) |
| Aug 23, 2013 | Bootleggin' BBQ Garden City, CO | 8 / 16 (661.0172) | 3 (170.8344) | 2 (170.2744) | 6 (169.6684) | 15 (150.2400) |
| Aug 16, 2013 | Conifer Mountain BBQ Challenge Conifer, CO | 1 / 33 (682.2400) | 10 (166.8456) | 7 (166.8228) | 5 (172) | 1 (176.5716) |
| Aug 9, 2013 | Smokin' on the Prairie Gillette, WY | 3 / 25 (672.5600) | 3 (171.4400) | 4 (169.1544) | 6 (166.2628) | 6 (165.7028) |
| Jul 19, 2013 | Griller's Cup Laramie, WY | 6 / 33 (674.1600) | 11 (167.3828) | 11 (167.3944) | 3 (171.9656) | 4 (167.4172) |
| Jun 21, 2013 | South Park Kick Ass BBQ Competition Fairplay, CO | 7 / 23 (659.4278) | 3 (171.9998) | 6 (167.4284) | 1 (177.7142) | 16 (142.2854) |
| Jun 14, 2013 | Colorado Barbecue Challenge Frisco, CO | 2 / 68 (681.1426) | 3 (173.1430) | 7 (169.7144) | 2 (172.5714) | 9 (165.7138) |
| Jun 7, 2013 | Boats, Bands and BBQ Pueblo, CO | 3 / 39 (683.9998) | 16 (164.5712) | 2 (174.2856) | 4 (174.2858) | 4 (170.8572) |
| May 24, 2013 | Lewisburg Rotary Club BBQ Cook-off Lewisburg, TN | 22 / 36 (655.9996) | 14 (166.8574) | 24 (159.9998) | 14 (169.7140) | 26 (159.4284) |
| May 10, 2013 | Wild West BBQ Lamar, CO | 14 / 31 (641.7142) | 2 (174.2856) | 20 (154.8574) | 26 (152.5712) | 14 (160) |
| May 3, 2013 | North Platte Honky Tonk Barbecue Festival North Platte, NE | 1 / 38 (689.7144) | 4 (166.8572) | 2 (178.2858) | 8 (169.7144) | 3 (174.8570) |
| Apr 26, 2013 | Pony Express BBQ Challenge Gothenburg, NE | 2 / 47 (674.8570) | 13 (164) | 18 (163.4286) | 2 (173.1428) | 3 (174.2856) |
| Apr 19, 2013 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) Las Vegas, NV | 2 / 30 (665.7138) | 1 (173.7142) | 1 (175.4286) | 25 (155.9998) | 16 (160.5712) |
| Apr 19, 2013 | High on the Hog Festival Winchester, TN | 39 / 60 (641.7144) | 54 (154.8572) | 45 (155.4286) | 28 (164.5714) | 22 (166.8572) |
| Mar 29, 2013 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Thornton, CO | 2 / 30 (667.4278) | 14 (164.5712) | 1 (170.2856) | 6 (164.5712) | 4 (167.9998) |
An unrated contest — an invitational, or a Competitor or Kosher Series board — is in the record but doesn’t move the power rating.