Tuff Smoke

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

Power ranking

#3473

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1494

peak 1510 · rated over 13 contests ⓘ

Contests

in the data

First seen

2016-04-22

latest 2023-10-13

Best ToY finish

#957

Master 2017

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

0 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 13 contests

Avg finish

top 64%

overall standings

Best overall

673.7028 / 720

Master · BBQ Capital Cook Off

Perfect 180s

Current form

656.36 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 648.29 (+8.07)

Walk rate

31%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

174.2856

Chicken · Uptown Lexington BBQ Capital Cook Off

Consistency

±16.94

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 164.51 · weakest Brisket (157.51)

Road miles

1,429

mi across 13 mapped stops · furthest 164 mi

Schedule strength

73%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1592)

Purse competed for

$52K

listed at 4 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

GCs in 4 state-championship entries

Master avg

648.29 / 720

13 Master contests · 0 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (9 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.

High-water mark

673.7028 career-best overall

93.6% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 673.7028 at BBQ Capital Cook Off — 93.6% of a perfect 720.

Master
2019-04-26

Their season

2017 their best year

2017 was the year it came together: 4 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 51%.

4 contests
0 overall top-10s
0 category wins
average top 51%

A tough matchup

11–1 behind in the head-to-head

MUTTLEY CREW BBQ ahead in 92% of their meetings

MUTTLEY CREW BBQ has come out ahead in 11 of their 12 shared contests.

The weak link

−7.0 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 7.00 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 8% of the time against 23%.

Brisket avg 157.51
Chicken avg 164.51
1 calls in 13 entries

A strong matchup

7–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 88% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of CAROLINA SMOKE in 7 of their 8 shared contests.

The comeback

4.3 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 4.3 years, then back at Clayton BBQ Challenge (2023-09-15).

last seen 2019-05-17
back 2023-09-15

Chicken nemesis

8 of 12 shared chicken entries lost

MUTTLEY CREW BBQ ahead 67% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, MUTTLEY CREW BBQ has out-cooked them in 8 of 12 shared chicken entries.

An April team

Top 51% average finish in April

Something about April: average finish in the top 51% across 3 contests, versus top 64% the rest of the year.

3 April contests
top 64% the rest of the year

The metronome

±2.35% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±2.35% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 90.0% of a perfect score
13 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.

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

KEEP CALM AND QUE ON

#3487 of the rated field

1493 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 6
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1500

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to Tuff Smoke)

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

rated over 6 contests
last seen 2017-05-05

⚔ Head-to-head

Serious Hog

#3455 of the rated field

1494 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 21
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 24%
Peak: 1501

No shared contest yet.

A longer road to the same neighbourhood — 21 contests to 13.

rated over 13 contests
last seen 2024-06-07

⚔ Head-to-head

Rub Runners

#3476 of the rated field

1494 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 13
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1506

No shared contest yet.

13 contests and no Grand Championship yet.

rated over 13 contests
last seen 2022-05-06

⚔ Head-to-head

PE LITTLE THRIGS

#3471 of the rated field

1494 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 15
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1501

No shared contest yet.

Their last contest in the data was back in 2018, 5 years before Tuff Smoke's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 15 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

3 Master Basters

#3454 of the rated field

1494 ▲ 0 power rating

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

No shared contest yet.

Level with Tuff Smoke on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 10 contests
last seen 2023-06-23

⚔ Head-to-head

JUSTCUZ BBQ

#3474 of the rated field

1494 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 19
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 16%
Peak: 1514

No shared contest yet.

A longer road to the same neighbourhood — 19 contests to 13.

rated over 18 contests
last seen 2022-05-06

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
MUTTLEY CREW BBQ	12	1	11	8%	⚔ compare
REDNECK SCIENTIFIC	10	1	9	10%	⚔ compare
THE SMOKEHOUSE MAFIA	10	0	10	0%	⚔ compare
HOLY SMOKE BBQ-NC	9	4	5	44%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN SKULLIES	9	3	6	33%	⚔ compare
Grillin' Thyme	9	3	6	33%	⚔ compare
HICKORY BARBEQUE COMPANY	9	0	9	0%	⚔ compare
CAROLINA SMOKE	8	7	1	88%	⚔ compare
TWISTED PAIR BBQ	8	4	4	50%	⚔ compare
OLD COLONY SMOKEHOUSE	8	2	6	25%	⚔ compare
MCADOO HEIGHTS BBQ	8	1	7	13%	⚔ compare
House of Smoke NC	7	6	1	86%	⚔ compare
SAUCED! BBQ TEAM	7	1	6	14%	⚔ compare
BIG DOG BBQ VA	6	3	3	50%	⚔ compare
FatHeads bbq	6	3	3	50%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	13	3	174.2856	155.9656	164.51	top 59%
Pork Ribs	13	1	171.4172	137.6228	162.30	top 56%
Pork	13	1	170.8228	155.9312	163.96	top 55%
Brisket	13	1	170.8684	143.3600	157.51	top 69%

“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 contest size

Field	Contests	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	2	top 91%
Medium (20–39)	5	top 67%
Large (40+)	6	top 53%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Kings of Q BBQ Cook-off and Festival	3	11	top 64%	2019-05-17
Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down	2	15	top 52%	2023-10-13
Pigs & Pedals	2	26	top 64%	2018-08-03
Uptown Lexington BBQ Capital Cook Off	2	26	top 64%	2017-04-28

The story so far (17 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 7.5 yrs 2016-04-22 → 2023-10-13

Busiest season 2017 4 contests

Contests a season 2.6 across 5 seasons in the data

Cooks most in NC 13 of 13 contests

Contests visited 8 4 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 13 entries · 0 wins · 3 calls

Strongest meat Chicken averages 164.51 · weakest Brisket (157.51)

Walk rate 31% a top-10 call in 4 of 13 contests

Overall top-10 rate 0% 0 of 13 contests

Master average 648.29 out of 720 · 13 contests · 0 GCs

Opponents faced 233 203–309 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 1,429 13 mapped stops · furthest 164 mi

Schedule strength 1592 average field rating faced — tougher than 73% of rated contests

Purse competed for $52,300 listed at 4 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships 0 from 4 state-championship entries

Longest layoff 4.3 yrs 2019-05-17 → 2023-09-15

Power rating 1494 peak 1510 · #3473 of 6,413 rated

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

2016
Apr 22 First tracked contest Uptown Lexington BBQ Capital Cook Off
Apr 22 First overall past 90% of a perfect score662.7312 Uptown Lexington BBQ Capital Cook Off
Apr 22 Career-best single call (Chicken)174.2856 Uptown Lexington BBQ Capital Cook Off
Sep 16 First call *Currituck Heritage Festival
2019
Apr 26 10th tracked contest BBQ Capital Cook Off
Apr 26 Career-best overall score673.7028 BBQ Capital Cook Off
Apr 26 Peak power rating (1510) BBQ Capital Cook Off
2023
Oct 13 Most recent contest Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+12.7	BBQ Capital Cook Off	2019-04-26
+10.2	Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down	2017-10-13
+9.9	Kings of Q BBQ cook off and Festival	2017-05-19
+3.6	Pigs & Pedals	2018-08-03
+0.7	Uptown Lexington BBQ Capital Cook Off	2016-04-22

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-9.9	Kings of Q BBQ cook off and Festival	2018-05-18
-9.3	Clayton BBQ Challenge	2023-09-15
-5.8	Jiggy With the Piggy	2016-05-06
-5.5	*Currituck Heritage Festival	2016-09-16
-4.3	Kings of Q BBQ Cook-off and Festival	2019-05-17

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	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2023	2	0%	top 87%	90.9%	90.8%
2019	2	100%	top 49%	93.6%	91.6%
2018	2	0%	top 72%	91.1%	89.3%
2017	4	25%	top 51%	92.9%	90.3%
2016	3	33%	top 72%	92%	88.7%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2023-10-13	Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down 🏅 Rocky Mount, NC	20 / 27 (654.7432)	18 (166.8460)	11 (170.8228)	23 (158.8000)	22 (158.2744)
2023-09-15	Clayton BBQ Challenge 🏅 Clayton, NC	17 / 17 (652.4340)	17 (159.3828)	15 (161.6800)	15 (162.8228)	12 (168.5484)
2019-05-17	Kings of Q BBQ Cook-off and Festival 🏅 Ayden, NC	26 / 36 (644.9712)	34 (158.2284)	8 (167.9772)	28 (161.0856)	26 (157.6800)
2019-04-26	BBQ Capital Cook Off 🏅 Lexington, NC	11 / 43 (673.7028)	8 (172.5944)	28 (160.5256)	8 (169.7144)	10 (170.8684)
2018-08-03	Pigs & Pedals Asheboro, NC	26 / 48 (655.9544)	38 (161.1316)	12 (171.4172)	15 (170.2628)	41 (153.1428)
2018-05-18	Kings of Q BBQ cook off and Festival Ayden, NC	34 / 38 (629.5540)	34 (155.9656)	28 (158.8572)	35 (155.9312)	25 (158.8000)
2017-10-13	Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down Rocky Mount, NC	15 / 50 (669.0744)	24 (168.5600)	27 (163.4288)	19 (167.3828)	12 (169.7028)
2017-08-04	*Pigs & Pedals Asheboro, NC	34 / 46 (622.2516)	30 (157.1544)	22 (161.1428)	24 (160.5372)	44 (143.4172)
2017-05-19	Kings of Q BBQ cook off and Festival Ayden, NC	11 / 36 (657.6340)	19 (164.5368)	14 (165.1316)	13 (164.5256)	14 (163.4400)
2017-04-28	Uptown Lexington BBQ Capital Cook Off Lexington, NC	26 / 38 (651.2224)	10 (170.8228)	23 (163.9656)	14 (169.1084)	36 (147.3256)
2016-09-16	*Currituck Heritage Festival Powells Point, NC	13 / 16 (615.3028)	8 (163.4400)	15 (137.6228)	12 (157.0856)	11 (157.1544)
2016-05-06	Jiggy With the Piggy Kannapolis, NC	57 / 76 (638.1484)	41 (165.7028)	33 (165.7028)	38 (163.3828)	73 (143.3600)
2016-04-22	Uptown Lexington BBQ Capital Cook Off Lexington, NC	32 / 54 (662.7312)	13 (174.2856)	41 (161.6800)	16 (170.8228)	45 (155.9428)

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	#1196 (190 pts)	#1182 (215 pts)	#1188 (215 pts)	#1196 (215 pts)	#1227 (195 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#1524 (120 pts)	#1598 (120 pts)	#1329 (185 pts)	#1412 (170 pts)	#1586 (120 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#957 (360 pts)	#1041 (350 pts)	#1084 (320 pts)	#954 (390 pts)	#984 (360 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#1580 (161 pts)	#1452 (196 pts)	#1713 (151 pts)	#1658 (166 pts)	#1588 (171 pts)