BIRD DAWG BBQ

At a glance (everything the results say about this team, in numbers)

Power ranking

#3111

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1503

peak 1520 · rated over 26 contests ⓘ

Contests

in the data

First seen

2013-09-13

latest 2024-06-14

Best ToY finish

#774

Master 2019

Grand champs

1 reserve

Category wins

6 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 27 contests

Avg finish

top 54%

overall standings

Best overall

691.9776 / 720

Master · Atlanta BBQ Classic (At Atlanta Motor Speedway)

Perfect 180s

1 🔥

Current form

659.76 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 661.84 (-2.08)

Walk rate

67%

contests with a top-10 call

Top-10 streak

best run (overall)

Best single call

180.0000 🔥

Chicken · Hawgin On Lanier

Consistency

±14.98

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 166.77 · weakest Brisket (163.31)

Road miles

2,800

mi across 27 mapped stops · furthest 424 mi

Schedule strength

48%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1563)

Purse competed for

$90K

listed at 9 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

GCs in 10 state-championship entries

Master avg

661.84 / 720

22 Master contests · 0 GCs

Backyard avg

318.39 / 360

4 Backyard contests · 0 GCs

Master and Backyard overall scores sit on different scales (Master is 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.

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (12 found in this team's record)

Each card leads with the number that made it a story — read straight out of their results, no editorialising.

The heartbreaker

2.2396 points from the title

Came within 2.2396 points of the Grand Championship at Atlanta BBQ Classic (At Atlanta Motor Speedway) (2017-04-22).

Perfect scores on the board

1 perfect 180s

1 perfect 180 in the data — every judge at the table handing back a nine, all in chicken.

Chicken ×1

They almost always walk

67% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 18 of 27 contests

A top-10 category call in 67% of their 27 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

691.9776 career-best overall

96.1% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 691.9776 at Atlanta BBQ Classic (At Atlanta Motor Speedway) — 96.1% of a perfect 720.

Master
2017-04-22

Their season

2017 their best year

2017 was the year it came together: 3 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 1 category win, at an average finish in the top 38%.

3 contests
1 overall top-10s
1 category wins
average top 38%

A tough matchup

14–2 behind in the head-to-head

QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N ahead in 88% of their meetings

QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N has come out ahead in 14 of their 16 shared contests.

A strong matchup

8–2 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 80% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of Stewbabys BBQ in 8 of their 10 shared contests.

The comeback

1.6 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 1.6 years, then back at Almost Heaven BBQ Bash (2021-06-18).

last seen 2019-11-15
back 2021-06-18

Chicken nemesis

13 of 16 shared chicken entries lost

QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N ahead 81% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N has out-cooked them in 13 of 16 shared chicken entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

RUNWAY SMOKE has landed one call behind them 2 times.

An April team

Top 44% average finish in April

Something about April: average finish in the top 44% across 3 contests, versus top 54% the rest of the year.

3 April contests
top 54% the rest of the year

The metronome

±2.48% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±2.48% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 91.4% of a perfect score
27 contests

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The nearest teams in the power rankings, with a different reason on each card — six teams on one rating are rarely on it for the same reason. Rating decides who makes the list; where teams tie on it, the ones this team has actually cooked against come first, then teams at a similar point in their own career. KCBS doesn’t publish where a team is from, so nothing here is inferred from geography.

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

92 BBQ

#3097 of the rated field

1503 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 5
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 20%
Peak: 1503

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to BIRD DAWG BBQ)

One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team BIRD DAWG BBQ has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 5 contests
last seen 2017-04-22

⚔ Head-to-head

SMOLDERING Q

#3122 of the rated field

1502 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 27
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 7%
Peak: 1524

No shared contest yet.

Their last contest in the data was back in 2021, 3 years before BIRD DAWG BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 26 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

ARMED AND HAMMERED BBQ

#3119 of the rated field

1502 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 20
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 15%
Peak: 1547

No shared contest yet.

They've been 1547 at their best, 45 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 20 contests
last seen 2023-04-14

⚔ Head-to-head

EF-Q

#3114 of the rated field

1502 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 17
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 24%
Peak: 1533

No shared contest yet.

Fewer contests behind them than BIRD DAWG BBQ has cooked, 17 to 27, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.

rated over 16 contests
last seen 2019-10-18

⚔ Head-to-head

TARHEEL SMOKERS

#3117 of the rated field

1502 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 13
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 23%
Peak: 1517

No shared contest yet.

13 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 23% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 13 contests
last seen 2019-05-17

⚔ Head-to-head

FULLWOOD BROS' BBQ

#3094 of the rated field

1503 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 12
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 8%
Peak: 1510

No shared contest yet.

Both teams' first contest in the data came in 2013.

rated over 12 contests
last seen 2019-09-12

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N	16	2	14	13%	⚔ compare
RUNWAY SMOKE	13	8	5	62%	⚔ compare
SWINE AND SHINE BBQ	12	2	10	17%	⚔ compare
CHOO CHOO TRAIN BBQ	11	5	6	45%	⚔ compare
Stewbabys BBQ	10	8	2	80%	⚔ compare
WeQ4U	10	6	4	60%	⚔ compare
SMOKE ON THIS	10	1	9	10%	⚔ compare
ATLANTA BBQ STORE	10	1	9	10%	⚔ compare
FYC BARBEQUE	10	0	10	0%	⚔ compare
Wiggle Butts BBQ	9	7	2	78%	⚔ compare
BALDY'S BUTTS	9	4	5	44%	⚔ compare
SWINE DINING GA	9	2	7	22%	⚔ compare
Under the Radar	9	1	8	11%	⚔ compare
BIG L'S SWEET HEAT	8	3	5	38%	⚔ compare
HOLD YOUR HORSES BBQ	8	2	5	25%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	26	10	3	4	180.0000 🔥	152.0000	166.77	top 47%
Pork Ribs	26	6	0	0	173.1544	151.3256	163.55	top 56%
Pork	22	4	0	1	176.0000	157.0512	166.04	top 56%
Brisket	22	5	0	1	174.2628	149.6228	163.31	top 57%

“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 state / province

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
GA	21	0	top 57%
WV	5	0	top 42%

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	19	0	top 54%
Large (40+)	7	0	top 53%

Contest-by-contest record (recurring contests they've cooked twice or more)

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Roman Roast on the River	3	18	top 50%	2017-05-12
Euharlee Covered Bridge 'Que (GBC Qualifier)	3	16	top 62%	2016-06-03
Almost Heaven BBQ Bash	2	9	top 34%	2024-06-14
Almost Heaven BBQ Bash	2	9	top 55%	2022-06-17
Pigs and Peaches BBQ Festival	2	19	top 58%	2019-08-23
Atlanta BarB-Que Festival	2	9	top 32%	2015-08-14

The story so far (20 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 10.8 yrs 2013-09-13 → 2024-06-14

Busiest season 2019 6 contests

Contests a season 2.5 across 11 seasons in the data

Cooks most in GA 21 of 27 contests · 2 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 18 6 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 26 entries · 3 wins · 10 calls

Strongest meat Chicken averages 166.77 · weakest Brisket (163.31)

Walk rate 67% a top-10 call in 18 of 27 contests

Overall top-10 rate 22% 6 of 27 contests

Best top-10 run 2 straight contests

Master average 661.84 out of 720 · 22 contests · 0 GCs

Backyard average 318.39 out of 360 · 4 contests · 0 GCs

Perfect 180s 1 every judge at the table handing back a nine

Opponents faced 493 426–595 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 2,800 27 mapped stops · furthest 424 mi

Schedule strength 1563 average field rating faced — tougher than 48% of rated contests

Purse competed for $90,000 listed at 9 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships 0 from 10 state-championship entries

Longest layoff 1.6 yrs 2019-11-15 → 2021-06-18

Power rating 1503 peak 1520 · #3111 of 6,413 rated

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

2013
Sep 13 First tracked contest Atlanta BarB-Q Festival
Sep 13 First call Atlanta BarB-Q Festival
2014
Aug 15 First overall top-10 Atlanta BarB-Que Festival (SBBQA)
Aug 15 First overall past 90% of a perfect score670.1484 Atlanta BarB-Que Festival (SBBQA)
2017
Apr 22 First category win (Chicken) Atlanta BBQ Classic (At Atlanta Motor Speedway)
Apr 22 First overall podium Atlanta BBQ Classic (At Atlanta Motor Speedway)
Apr 22 First Reserve Championship Atlanta BBQ Classic (At Atlanta Motor Speedway)
Apr 22 10th tracked contest Atlanta BBQ Classic (At Atlanta Motor Speedway)
Apr 22 Career-best overall score691.9776 Atlanta BBQ Classic (At Atlanta Motor Speedway)
Aug 25 Peak power rating (1520) Pigs and Peaches BBQ Festival(GBC QUALIFIER)
2019
Aug 2 First perfect 180 (Chicken) Hawgin On Lanier
2022
Jun 17 25th tracked contest Almost Heaven BBQ Bash
2024
Jun 14 Most recent contest Almost Heaven BBQ Bash

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+16.6	Atlanta BBQ Classic (At Atlanta Motor Speedway)	2017-04-22
+11	Atlanta BarB-Que Festival (SBBQA)	2014-08-15
+7.5	Almost Heaven BBQ Bash	2023-06-16
+6.6	Almost Heaven BBQ Bash	2021-06-18
+5	Roman Roast on the River	2015-05-08

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-12.9	Smoke-n-Thunder BBQ Classic	2013-10-12
-9.5	Euharlee Covered Bridge 'Que (GBC Qualifier)	2014-06-06
-8.7	Hawgin On Lanier	2019-08-02
-8.4	Almost Heaven BBQ Bash	2022-06-17
-8	Sip & Swine BBQ Festival	2018-03-02

Category scores over time

Overall finish over time (top-% of field, lower is better)

Where they finish (overall)

Best vs average (by meat)

How entries end (by meat)

Team of the Year rank by season

Season by season

Season	Contests	Top-10s	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2024	1	0	0	100%	top 37%	89%	89%
2023	1	1	0	100%	top 32%	91%	91%
2022	1	0	0	0%	top 80%	89%	89%
2021	1	1	0	100%	top 32%	89.3%	89.3%
2019	6	2	2	83%	top 54%	93.3%	91%
2018	5	0	0	60%	top 70%	93.6%	91.7%
2017	3	1	1	67%	top 38%	96.1%	94%
2016	2	0	0	50%	top 51%	92.9%	92.8%
2015	3	0	0	67%	top 46%	93.7%	92.8%
2014	2	1	0	50%	top 54%	93.1%	90.5%
2013	2	0	0	50%	top 78%	89%	88.8%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2024-06-14	Almost Heaven BBQ Bash 🏅 Buckhannon, WV	11 / 30 (320.5488)	11 (152.5488)	6 (168.0000)	—	—
2023-06-16	Almost Heaven BBQ Bash 🏅 Buckhannon, WV	9 / 28 (327.4288)	5 (171.4860)	14 (155.9428)	—	—
2022-06-17	Almost Heaven BBQ Bash 🏅 Roanoke, WV	16 / 20 (640.5372)	17 (158.2628)	19 (157.1772)	15 (165.6800)	14 (159.4172)
2021-06-18	Almost Heaven BBQ Bash 🏅 Roanoke, WV	9 / 28 (321.6228)	10 (161.0972)	10 (160.5256)	—	—
2019-11-15	Georgia BBQ Championship Throwdown 🏅 Cedartown, GA	27 / 35 (660.9596)	22 (169.6800)	25 (166.2628)	21 (166.2284)	33 (158.7884)
2019-08-23	Pigs and Peaches BBQ Festival 🏅 Kennesaw, GA	21 / 32 (660.4340)	2 (175.4056)	28 (159.9544)	20 (164.5600)	21 (160.5140)
2019-08-02	Hawgin On Lanier 🏅 Gainesville, GA	34 / 45 (665.0056)	1 (180.0000)	41 (157.6688)	42 (159.9656)	23 (167.3712)
2019-06-07	Almost Heaven BBQ Bash 🏅 Roanoke, WV	9 / 31 (303.9428)	9 (152.0000)	9 (151.9428)	—	—
2019-05-31	Smokin' Bike Fest 🏅 Peachtree City, GA	10 / 31 (671.8508)	12 (167.3712)	16 (167.9540)	9 (167.9884)	9 (168.5372)
2019-04-26	BBQ Boogie & Blues 🏅 Calhoun, GA	14 / 33 (666.7200)	1 (177.7144)	14 (169.6800)	17 (161.6456)	23 (157.6800)
2018-06-15	Almost Heaven BBQ Bash Weston, WV	—	—	—	—	—
2018-05-11	Roman Roast on the River Rome, GA	28 / 39 (674.1484)	26 (169.6684)	9 (173.1544)	28 (166.2400)	29 (165.0856)
2018-05-05	Atlanta BBQ Festival Atlanta, GA	12 / 27 (671.8168)	4 (175.4056)	14 (167.3828)	24 (157.0512)	6 (171.9772)
2018-04-28	Atlanta BBQ Classic Atlanta, GA	21 / 26 (660.4228)	23 (162.2400)	18 (168.5372)	21 (167.3828)	21 (162.2628)
2018-03-02	Sip & Swine BBQ Festival Lawrenceville, GA	49 / 59 (633.4740)	53 (155.3828)	55 (151.3256)	4 (176.0000)	54 (150.7656)
2017-08-25	Pigs and Peaches BBQ Festival(GBC QUALIFIER) Kennesaw, GA	19 / 37 (674.7200)	11 (172.5600)	11 (170.8228)	5 (174.2628)	35 (157.0744)
2017-05-12	Roman Roast on the River Rome, GA	20 / 37 (664.3768)	30 (163.9312)	16 (166.2400)	14 (170.2628)	21 (163.9428)
2017-04-22	Atlanta BBQ Classic (At Atlanta Motor Speedway) Hampton, GA	2 / 23 (691.9776)	1 (178.2972)	4 (172.5832)	11 (168.5372)	5 (172.5600)
2016-06-03	Euharlee Covered Bridge 'Que (GBC Qualifier) Euharlee, GA	16 / 32 (669.0056)	27 (162.2400)	15 (168.5372)	14 (169.1200)	11 (169.1084)
2016-05-13	Roman Roast on the River Rome, GA	19 / 36 (667.8168)	21 (165.0856)	21 (165.6800)	29 (162.7884)	2 (174.2628)
2015-08-14	Atlanta BarB-Que Festival Atlanta, GA	21 / 48 (665.0168)	35 (162.7768)	39 (154.2284)	3 (174.2744)	8 (173.7372)
2015-06-05	Euharlee Covered Bridge 'Que (GBC Qualifier) Euharlee, GA	21 / 42 (665.6000)	21 (170.8228)	28 (165.1200)	27 (165.6800)	22 (163.9772)
2015-05-08	Roman Roast on the River Rome, GA	18 / 41 (674.8228)	10 (173.1772)	17 (170.2628)	37 (159.9656)	16 (171.4172)
2014-08-15	Atlanta BarB-Que Festival (SBBQA) Atlanta, GA	9 / 43 (670.1484)	15 (169.1200)	8 (169.6684)	13 (166.2628)	13 (165.0972)
2014-06-06	Euharlee Covered Bridge 'Que (GBC Qualifier) Eurharlee, GA	27 / 31 (632.3540)	27 (158.2628)	20 (162.8000)	23 (161.6684)	29 (149.6228)
2013-10-12	Smoke-n-Thunder BBQ Classic Rome, GA	25 / 25 (641.0748)	22 (164.5600)	24 (158.8460)	19 (166.2744)	25 (151.3944)
2013-09-13	Atlanta BarB-Q Festival Atlanta, GA	23 / 41 (638.2052)	10 (166.8340)	34 (151.9428)	19 (161.1428)	23 (158.2856)

Career map (orange GC · green top-10 · grey the rest — tap a pin)

Team of the Year standings (rank per category by season — year links to the full board on kcbs.us)

Year	Series	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2019 ↗	Master	#774 (381 pts)	#330 (946 pts)	#925 (331 pts)	#828 (381 pts)	#867 (356 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#2033 (102 pts)	#2890 (57 pts)	#2103 (107 pts)	#2054 (112 pts)	#1793 (127 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#1496 (160 pts)	#1669 (140 pts)	#1776 (120 pts)	#1118 (295 pts)	#1274 (230 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#1333 (209 pts)	#1565 (174 pts)	#1262 (244 pts)	#1486 (194 pts)	#1500 (184 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#2715 (50 pts)	#2538 (65 pts)	#2656 (55 pts)	#2060 (80 pts)	#2710 (50 pts)