LUCKY'S Q IA
Rating
1694
peak 1726
Contests
51
in the data
First seen
2019-02-15
latest 2023-09-27
Best ToY finish
#10
Master 2016
Grand champs
5
5 reserve
Category wins
10
32 podiums
Overall top-10s
30
of 51 contests
Avg finish
top 23%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
6 🔥
Current form
675.55 ▼
last 5 vs career avg 683.45 (-7.89)
Walk rate
80%
contests with a top-10 call
Top-10 streak
16
best run (overall)
Consistency
±8.94
std dev of overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Brisket
avg 172.03 · weakest Pork Ribs (169.81)
Road miles
19747
mi across 51 mapped stops · furthest 1357 mi
Storylines
🎯 The one to beat
IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ has finished one call ahead of LUCKY'S Q 5 times — their closest competition in the data.
👀 Looking over their shoulder
IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ has landed one call behind them 3 times.
⚔️ A tough matchup
TRIPLE H BBQ has come out ahead in 9 of their 12 shared contests.
⚔️ A strong matchup
They've finished ahead of TEAM CRAWFORD in 15 of their 20 shared contests.
🏕️ Happy hunting ground
Smokin in the Bogs is their spot: an average finish in the top 19% across 3 visits.
💔 The heartbreaker
Came within 1.7832 points of the Grand Championship at 26th Annual Colorado BBQ Challenge (2019-06-14).
🗡️ Giant slayer
Took the Grand Championship over a 46-team field at SMSU Smokefest.
📅 A July team
Something about July: average finish in the top 13% across 5 contests, versus top 23% the rest of the year.
🐣 Announced themselves early
Finished 5 of 49 at their very first tracked contest, The Smithfield Guinea Pig (TEAMS AND JUDGES FULL) (2019-02-15).
Teams like this (closest power rating, IA first)
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 50 | 20 | 1 | 7 | 180.0000 🔥 | 159.9428 | 171.07 | top 35% |
| Pork Ribs | 50 | 19 | 0 | 2 | 179.4400 | 158.2400 | 169.81 | top 36% |
| Pork | 50 | 19 | 3 | 9 | 180.0000 🔥 | 157.0856 | 170.54 | top 35% |
| Brisket | 50 | 31 | 6 | 14 | 180.0000 🔥 | 161.7144 | 172.03 | top 24% |
“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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| IA | 14 | 0 | top 34% |
| WI | 10 | 2 | top 14% |
| KS | 9 | 0 | top 24% |
| MN | 4 | 1 | top 14% |
| CO | 2 | 0 | top 14% |
| NE | 2 | 1 | top 20% |
| FL | 2 | 0 | top 9% |
| CA | 2 | 0 | top 11% |
| IL | 2 | 1 | top 5% |
| TN | 1 | 0 | top 60% |
| MO | 1 | 0 | top 33% |
| SD | 1 | 0 | top 28% |
By contest size
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (<20 teams) | 1 | 0 | top 21% |
| Medium (20–39) | 18 | 2 | top 19% |
| Large (40+) | 31 | 3 | top 25% |
The story so far
- Busiest season: 2019 (20 contests)
- Cooks mostly in IA (14 of 51 contests)
- Most-entered category: Chicken (50 entries)
- First Grand Championship in the data: Q for a Cause (2019-04-26)
- Wins it all in 10% of contests
- All-time average overall score: 683.45
- 6 perfect 180s on the books 🔥
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
Category scores over time
Overall finish over time (top-% of field, lower is better)
Where they finish (overall)
Best vs average (by meat)
Team of the Year rank by season
Season by season
| Season | Contests | GCs | Category wins | Best overall | Avg overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 684.4916 | 675.75 |
| 2022 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 693.6684 | 681.41 |
| 2021 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 695.3716 | 683.47 |
| 2020 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 701.6800 | 677.46 |
| 2019 | 20 | 4 | 8 | 697.0972 | 688.48 |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-09-27 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest Kansas City, KS | 210 / 487 (676.4912) | 80 (175.4056) | 176 (170.8800) | 421 (157.0856) | 82 (173.1200) |
| 2023-09-27 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Invitational Contest Kansas City, KS | 100 / 211 (684.4916) | 172 (166.8228) | 150 (167.9888) | 111 (170.8228) | 9 (178.8572) |
| 2023-09-01 | Smokin in the Bogs Warrens, WI | 3 / 14 (682.7544) | 2 (174.2628) | 4 (174.2744) | 5 (169.6800) | 9 (164.5372) |
| 2023-03-31 | Iowa State BBQ Championship Altoona, IA | 39 / 47 (659.2684) | 36 (163.9428) | 33 (165.0856) | 34 (163.9772) | 33 (166.2628) |
| 2022-10-14 | King of the Corn Ottumwa, IA | 19 / 36 (674.7656) | 23 (169.6800) | 23 (165.1428) | 11 (172.5600) | 14 (167.3828) |
| 2022-10-01 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - SIDES Kansas City, KS | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2022-09-29 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - INVITATIONAL CONTEST Kansas City, KS | 119 / 249 (682.1828) | 147 (170.2744) | 62 (173.7028) | 239 (160.5028) | 12 (177.7028) |
| 2022-09-29 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - OPEN CONTEST Kansas City, KS | 36 / 505 (693.6684) | 69 (174.8572) | 4 (179.4400) | 266 (166.8112) | 80 (172.5600) |
| 2022-09-16 | Tri City BBQ Fest Denison, IA | 10 / 25 (675.9088) | 13 (170.2744) | 9 (169.6916) | 6 (171.9772) | 20 (163.9656) |
| 2022-09-02 | Smokin' in the Bogs Warrens, WI | 7 / 23 (675.3260) | 5 (170.8344) | 21 (158.2400) | 1 (176.5716) | 10 (169.6800) |
| 2022-06-16 | Frisco BBQ Challenge Frisco, CO | 9 / 37 (687.3140) | 10 (173.1200) | 10 (169.6684) | 13 (170.2628) | 5 (174.2628) |
| 2022-04-29 | Masters in May Bancroft, WI | 1 / 43 (683.3368) | 22 (166.8456) | 8 (170.8228) | 18 (167.3712) | 1 (178.2972) |
| 2022-04-01 | Iowa State BBQ Championship Altoona, IA | 20 / 48 (678.7544) | 22 (170.2744) | 15 (171.9888) | 35 (163.3828) | 10 (173.1084) |
| 2021-10-08 | 32nd Annual Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue (Competitor's Series)(JUDGES BY INVITATION ONLY) Lynchburg, TN | 42 / 70 (676.5024) | 49 (166.2628) | 19 (173.7028) | 26 (170.8684) | 58 (165.6684) |
| 2021-09-24 | Ottumwa 4th Annual Smoketoberfest Ottumwa, IA | 2 / 35 (691.9200) | 25 (166.8228) | 4 (173.1200) | 7 (174.2628) | 2 (177.7144) |
| 2021-09-16 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue-INVITATIONAL CONTEST Kansas City, KS | 45 / 185 (689.0624) | 35 (175.4056) | 113 (169.1428) | 78 (171.4056) | 56 (173.1084) |
| 2021-09-16 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST Kansas City, KS | 12 / 467 (694.8228) | 241 (165.6800) | 36 (175.4172) | 3 (180.0000) | 43 (173.7256) |
| 2021-09-03 | Smokin' in the Bogs Warrens, WI | 4 / 25 (681.5884) | 6 (170.8228) | 5 (169.6800) | 11 (169.6800) | 3 (171.4056) |
| 2021-07-16 | Real Squeal BBQ Smokeoff Cedar Rapids, IA | 9 / 26 (673.6112) | 9 (173.7028) | 20 (165.6684) | 17 (163.3828) | 6 (170.8572) |
| 2021-05-28 | 9th Annual Valley Veterans BBQ Competition Valley, NE | 17 / 46 (678.7884) | 27 (166.2744) | 28 (166.2512) | 3 (178.8572) | 29 (167.4056) |
| 2021-04-23 | WashMo BBQ & Bluesfest Washington, MO | 15 / 45 (669.5768) | 24 (169.1084) | 29 (166.2400) | 35 (161.6684) | 3 (172.5600) |
| 2021-04-09 | Boss of the Sauce BBQ Festival Jacksonville, FL | 4 / 40 (695.3716) | 7 (176.5600) | 8 (174.8572) | 15 (169.6916) | 3 (174.2628) |
| 2020-11-13 | Second Annual KCBS World Invitational Barbeque Competition Mayetta, KS | 3 / 94 (701.6800) | 58 (170.2628) | 26 (173.7144) | 11 (177.7028) | 2 (180.0000) |
| 2020-10-02 | Ottumwa Smoketoberfest Ottumwa, IA | 37 / 66 (666.1940) | 15 (171.9656) | 51 (158.8572) | 50 (163.4056) | 8 (171.9656) |
| 2020-09-18 | KTD Smokin' Gobbler Cook-off Worthington, MN | 12 / 35 (679.4172) | 9 (173.1544) | 15 (169.1656) | 4 (174.2628) | 23 (162.8344) |
| 2020-09-04 | Smokin in the Bogs Warrens, WI | 5 / 28 (676.4572) | 13 (167.3944) | 7 (167.9772) | 11 (169.1084) | 5 (171.9772) |
| 2020-08-21 | Hill City Wine Brew and BBQ Fest Hill City, SD | 12 / 43 (678.7540) | 14 (173.1200) | 31 (164.5256) | 22 (167.9656) | 4 (173.1428) |
| 2020-07-17 | Real Squeal BBQ Smoke Off MARION, IA | 2 / 36 (678.8688) | 7 (172.5944) | 6 (170.8456) | 2 (173.7144) | 19 (161.7144) |
| 2020-06-27 | Back to Mayberry Day 2 Rodney, IA | 26 / 47 (669.0400) | 22 (167.9656) | 40 (161.0972) | 14 (172.0000) | 17 (167.9772) |
| 2020-06-26 | Back to Mayberry Day 1 Rodney, IA | 25 / 53 (666.1940) | 30 (164.5484) | 27 (165.7144) | 34 (164.5256) | 9 (171.4056) |
| 2020-02-21 | The Tyson Guinea Pig, Matt Dalton Memorial Coachella, CA | 6 / 50 (680.5032) | 4 (176.0116) | 19 (169.1316) | 12 (169.6800) | 22 (165.6800) |
| 2019-10-04 | Smoketoberfest Ottumwa, IA | 11 / 49 (688.5140) | 14 (172.5600) | 27 (166.8456) | 18 (169.1084) | 1 (180.0000) |
| 2019-09-20 | Tri City BBQ Fest Denison, IA | 5 / 34 (682.7428) | 11 (169.6800) | 15 (166.8228) | 1 (180.0000) | 17 (166.2400) |
| 2019-09-12 | 40th American Royal World Series of Barbecue- INVITATIONAL CONTEST Kansas City, KS | 38 / 135 (690.2284) | 60 (172.5600) | 67 (170.2628) | 22 (174.8456) | 50 (172.5600) |
| 2019-09-12 | 40th American Royal World Series of Barbecue- OPEN CONTEST Kansas City, KS | 76 / 468 (681.1084) | 233 (165.6800) | 58 (173.1428) | 59 (173.1428) | 140 (169.1428) |
| 2019-08-30 | Smokin in the Bogs Warrens, WI | 7 / 38 (687.9428) | 2 (178.8572) | 12 (168.5600) | 28 (163.3828) | 2 (177.1428) |
| 2019-08-23 | Big Island BBQ Alberta Lea, MN | 3 / 50 (686.2168) | 9 (172.0000) | 11 (170.2628) | 16 (171.4056) | 2 (172.5484) |
| 2019-08-16 | SMSU Smokefest MARSHALL, MN | 1 / 46 (697.0972) | 2 (178.2972) | 10 (173.1200) | 3 (175.4172) | 15 (170.2628) |
| 2019-08-09 | 16th Annual UP IN SMOKE BBQ Bash Mason City, IA | 5 / 38 (683.3716) | 2 (174.8572) | 11 (166.2744) | 5 (172.5600) | 10 (169.6800) |
| 2019-07-19 | BBQ'Loo & Blues Too! Waterloo, IA | 2 / 33 (692.4912) | 1 (180.0000) | 11 (168.5600) | 18 (167.3712) | 3 (176.5600) |
| 2019-07-13 | Gold Ribbin' BBQ Fest of Greater Green Bay-Heat 2 Green Bay, WI | 1 / 36 (694.8116) | 5 (171.9772) | 2 (177.1544) | 5 (172.5484) | 7 (173.1316) |
| 2019-07-12 | Gold Ribbin' BBQ Fest of Greater Green Bay-Heat 1 Green Bay, WI | 6 / 37 (686.2056) | 28 (159.9428) | 4 (174.8572) | 2 (177.1428) | 1 (174.2628) |
| 2019-06-22 | Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Day 2 Belvidere, IL | 1 / 45 (692.4912) | 7 (173.1200) | 5 (174.2628) | 7 (173.1428) | 9 (171.9656) |
| 2019-06-21 | Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Day 1 Belvidere, IL | 4 / 50 (679.9316) | 13 (170.8572) | 28 (159.9544) | 13 (169.6800) | 1 (179.4400) |
| 2019-06-14 | 26th Annual Colorado BBQ Challenge Frisco, CO | 2 / 55 (692.4800) | 3 (175.4172) | 10 (170.8228) | 6 (171.9772) | 1 (174.2628) |
| 2019-05-31 | Smokin In Steele Owatonna, MN | 5 / 43 (686.7660) | 6 (174.2744) | 2 (177.7144) | 27 (163.9544) | 7 (170.8228) |
| 2019-05-04 | Masters in May Day 2 Bancroft, WI | 4 / 40 (682.8684) | 22 (165.7028) | 14 (170.2628) | 2 (176.0344) | 6 (170.8684) |
| 2019-05-03 | Masters In May Day 1 Bancroft, WI | 4 / 42 (686.8344) | 27 (162.2744) | 8 (173.7372) | 9 (173.1200) | 4 (177.7028) |
| 2019-04-26 | Q for a Cause Papillion, NE | 1 / 32 (695.9656) | 4 (175.4172) | 6 (172.0000) | 20 (168.5484) | 1 (180.0000) |
| 2019-04-12 | Fire it up Frostproof! Frostproof, FL | 2 / 25 (695.9428) | 3 (175.4172) | 8 (171.4056) | 1 (177.7028) | 6 (171.4172) |
| 2019-02-15 | The Smithfield Guinea Pig (TEAMS AND JUDGES FULL) Indian Wells, CA | 5 / 49 (685.6456) | 16 (170.2628) | 12 (172.5600) | 9 (172.5600) | 19 (170.2628) |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 ↗ | Master | #143 (1201 pts) | #264 (771 pts) | #245 (856 pts) | #167 (1076 pts) | #126 (1301 pts) |
| 2020 ↗ | Master | #92 (1043 pts) | #98 (993 pts) | #140 (773 pts) | #93 (1028 pts) | #85 (1023 pts) |
| 2019 ↗ | Master | #20 (2560 pts) | #20 (2255 pts) | #79 (1787 pts) | #30 (2169 pts) | #3 (2560 pts) |
| 2018 ↗ | Master | #35 (2409 pts) | #63 (1965 pts) | #75 (1884 pts) | #110 (1669 pts) | #14 (2374 pts) |
| 2017 ↗ | Master | #16 (2588 pts) | #2 (2721 pts) | #105 (1812 pts) | #85 (1868 pts) | #17 (2490 pts) |
| 2016 ↗ | Master | #10 (2690 pts) | #60 (2060 pts) | #58 (1998 pts) | #28 (2249 pts) | #2 (2736 pts) |
| 2015 ↗ | Master | #148 (1752 pts) | #295 (1177 pts) | #263 (1247 pts) | #192 (1422 pts) | #82 (1922 pts) |
| 2014 ↗ | Master | #25 (2582 pts) | #42 (2229 pts) | #51 (2015 pts) | #162 (1549 pts) | #11 (2577 pts) |
| 2013 ↗ | Master | #102 (1922 pts) | #91 (1832 pts) | #102 (1718 pts) | #136 (1518 pts) | #32 (2282 pts) |