HAT CREEK Q

HAT CREEK Q is a competition barbecue team with 18 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2019 and 2023. Their best overall finish is 13th of 35 at the Royal Oak Invitational Only (COMPETITOR SERIES) (2022). They are ranked #2179 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#2,179

of 6,476 rated · rankings

Rating

1532

peak 1536 · rated over 8 contests8 invitational or side-series contests not counted

Contests

in the data

First seen

Oct 18, 2019

latest Sep 27, 2023 · 3.9 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#807

Master 2022 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

2 podiums

Overall top-10s

0% of 18 contests

Avg finish

top 50%

overall standings

Best overall

696.4912 / 720

Master · American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Invitational Contest

Perfect 180s

1 🔥

Current form

680.02 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 679.13 (+0.88)

Walk rate

33%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

180 🔥

Brisket · Firelake BBQ Cook Off-Day 2

Consistency

±10.55

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Brisket

avg 172.44 · weakest Chicken (168.25)

Road miles

7,002

across 18 mapped stops · furthest 1,476 mi

Schedule strength

89%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1624)

Purse competed for

$389K

listed at 12 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 9 state-championship entries

Master avg

679.13 / 720

14 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (10 found in their record)

Each card leads with the number behind the story, straight from their results.

Perfect scores on the board

1 perfect 180

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

Brisket ×1

High-water mark

696.4912 career-best overall

96.7% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 696.4912 at American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Invitational Contest — 96.7% of a perfect 720.

Master
Sep 27, 2023

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

YES, DEAR BBQ has finished one call ahead of HAT CREEK Q 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

A tough matchup

13–1 behind in the head-to-head

RUB MY RACK ahead in 93% of their meetings

RUB MY RACK has come out ahead in 13 of their 14 shared contests.

The weak link

−4.2 points behind their best meat

Chicken is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 4.19 points below their brisket, and turns into a call 0% of the time against 27%.

Chicken avg 168.25
Brisket avg 172.44
0 calls in 15 entries

A strong matchup

6–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 86% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of UNCLE J'S in 6 of their 7 shared contests.

Brisket nemesis

7 of 11 shared brisket entries lost

SLAPS BBQ ahead 64% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, SLAPS BBQ has out-cooked them in 7 of 11 shared brisket entries.

Show 3 more storylines

They cook the hard rooms

1624 average field rating faced

A tougher draw than 89% of rated fields

The fields they enter average a 1624 power rating — a tougher draw than 89% of every rated contest in the data.

8 rated contests

The long haul

7,002 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 7,002 miles across 18 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 1,476 miles to Icebox Cookoff.

18 mapped stops
furthest 1,476 mi

The metronome

±1.42% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.42% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 94.3% of a perfect score
18 contests

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
2022 ↗	Master	#807 (180 pts)	#858 (185 pts)	#912 (180 pts)	#854 (180 pts)	#667 (285 pts)

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to HAT CREEK Q, each with one reason worth a look.

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

Chillin N Grillin N Iowa BBQ

#2,172 of the rated field

1532 power rating

Contests: 46
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 11%
Peak: 1546

2–1 in 3 shared contests (67% to HAT CREEK Q)

These two have cooked 3 of the same contests — HAT CREEK Q ahead 2–1 — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.

rated over 46 contests
last seen Jul 17, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

FIRECRAFT

#2,180 of the rated field

1532 power rating

Contests: 8
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 13%
Peak: 1533

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 8 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 8 contests
last seen Apr 8, 2016

⚔ Compare careers

SMOKE ON THE LAKES

#2,175 of the rated field

1532 power rating

Contests: 8
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 25%
Peak: 1538

Their last contest in the data was back in 2014, 9 years before HAT CREEK Q's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 8 contests

⚔ Compare careers

Gryphon Smokehouse

#2,165 of the rated field

1532 power rating

Contests: 9
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 89%
Peak: 1541

Fewer contests behind them than HAT CREEK Q has cooked, 9 to 18, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.

rated over 9 contests
last seen Aug 6, 2022
on a 4-contest top-10 run

⚔ Compare careers

BBQ BROS Competition Team

#2,164 of the rated field

1532 power rating

Contests: 9
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 44%
Peak: 1533

Level with HAT CREEK Q on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 9 contests
last seen Jul 20, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

The Rack Pack

#2,181 of the rated field

1532 power rating

Contests: 9
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 56%
Peak: 1559

Their rating is built on 1 Grand Championship in 9 contests, alongside a 56% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 9 contests
last seen Sep 28, 2018

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
RUB MY RACK	14	1	13	7%	⚔ compare
MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ	13	5	8	38%	⚔ compare
ALL FORKED UP FOR Q	11	7	4	64%	⚔ compare
MAN MEAT BBQ	11	3	8	27%	⚔ compare
SLAPS BBQ	11	2	9	18%	⚔ compare
Petie's Smokin Pits BBQ	11	2	9	18%	⚔ compare
FAT BOYS BBQ - TEMPLE, TX	11	2	9	18%	⚔ compare
4 LEGS UP BBQ	11	2	9	18%	⚔ compare
LA PASADITA	10	6	4	60%	⚔ compare
Smoking OCD	10	5	5	50%	⚔ compare
RAZORRACKS	10	4	6	40%	⚔ compare
WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ	10	4	6	40%	⚔ compare
LC BBQ	10	4	6	40%	⚔ compare
AMERICAN FIRE BBQ	10	4	6	40%	⚔ compare
Three Hog Night Smokers	10	4	6	40%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	15	0	0	0	175.4172	152.5372	168.25	top 59%
Pork Ribs	15	2	0	0	175.4172	161.6456	169.58	top 45%
Pork	13	1	0	1	178.8572	162.8228	169.21	top 54%
Brisket	15	4	1	1	180 🔥	165.0740	172.44	top 32%

“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
Medium (20–39)	4	0	top 59%
Large (40+)	11	0	top 47%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
KS	6	top 40%
OK	5	top 55%
GA	3	top 63%
OR	1	top 47%

Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Invitational Contest	3	18	top 45%	Sep 27, 2023
American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest	3	63	top 34%	Sep 27, 2023
Royal Oak Invitational Only (COMPETITOR SERIES)	2	18	top 75%	Oct 15, 2021

More numbers

Busiest season 2021 5 contests

Contests a season 3.6 across 5 seasons in the data

Most contests held in KS 8 of 18 contests · 4 states in all

Contests visited 10 3 of them more than once

Opponents faced 972 finished ahead 1,485 times, behind 1,114

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

20233 milestones

Jul 1 Peak power rating (1536) Icebox Cookoff
Sep 27 Career-best overall score696.4912 American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Invitational Contest
Sep 27 Most recent contest American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Sides

20211 milestone

Nov 11 10th tracked contest 3rd Annual KCBS World Invitational - Open

20203 milestones

Sep 19 First call The Oklahoma Grand BBQ Championship Day 2
Oct 24 First category win (Brisket) Firelake BBQ Cook Off-Day 2
Oct 24 First perfect 180 (Brisket) Firelake BBQ Cook Off-Day 2

20192 milestones

Oct 18 First tracked contest Royal Oak Invitational Only (COMPETITOR SERIES)
Oct 18 First overall past 90% of a perfect score675.9084 Royal Oak Invitational Only (COMPETITOR SERIES)

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+12.8	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - OPEN CONTEST	Sep 29, 2022
+11	American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST	Sep 16, 2021
+7.7	Firelake BBQ Cook Off-Day 2	Oct 24, 2020
+7.5	The Oklahoma Grand BBQ Championship Day 2	Sep 19, 2020
+0.8	Icebox Cookoff	Jul 1, 2023

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-4.1	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest	Sep 27, 2023
-2.1	Firelake BBQ Cook Off-Day 1	Oct 23, 2020
-1.9	The Oklahoma Grand BBQ Championship Day 1	Sep 18, 2020

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	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2023	4	0	25%	top 42%	96.7%	94%
2022	4	0	25%	top 41%	96.3%	95.1%
2021	5	0	40%	top 48%	95.5%	94.4%
2020	4	1	50%	top 63%	95.5%	93.9%
2019	1	0	0%	top 56%	93.9%	93.9%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Sep 27, 2023	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Sides Kansas City, KS	—	—	—	—	—
Sep 27, 2023	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Invitational Contest unrated Kansas City, KS	18 / 211 (696.4912)	47 (175.4172)	74 (173.1084)	88 (172.5484)	27 (175.4172)
Sep 27, 2023	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS	338 / 487 (655.2912)	455 (152.5372)	372 (162.2284)	280 (166.8228)	68 (173.7028)
Jul 1, 2023	Icebox Cookoff 🏅 Sweet Home, OR	18 / 38 (679.3368)	26 (169.1084)	8 (173.7028)	23 (166.2628)	17 (170.2628)
Oct 21, 2022	Royal Oak Invitational Only (COMPETITOR SERIES) unrated Roswell, GA	13 / 35 (693.6456)	14 (174.2972)	4 (175.4172)	2 (178.8572)	29 (165.0740)
Oct 1, 2022	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - SIDES Kansas City, KS	—	—	—	—	—
Sep 29, 2022	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS	93 / 505 (685.1084)	92 (173.1772)	211 (168.5600)	107 (173.1084)	138 (170.2628)
Sep 29, 2022	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - INVITATIONAL CONTEST unrated Kansas City, KS	169 / 249 (675.3256)	223 (163.9428)	79 (172.5716)	198 (166.2628)	75 (172.5484)
Nov 11, 2021	3rd Annual KCBS World Invitational - Open unrated Shawnee, OK	27 / 111 (687.3600)	24 (173.7028)	61 (167.4288)	79 (168.5256)	7 (177.7028)
Nov 11, 2021	3rd Annual KCBS World Invitational - Ancillary unrated Shawnee, OK	—	—	—	—	—
Oct 15, 2021	Royal Oak Invitational Only (COMPETITOR SERIES) unrated Roswell, GA	32 / 34 (671.8168)	26 (169.6684)	31 (161.6456)	32 (163.9428)	7 (176.5600)
Sep 16, 2021	American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS	63 / 467 (681.0972)	130 (170.2972)	301 (163.3828)	33 (175.4172)	73 (172)
Sep 16, 2021	American Royal World Series of Barbecue-INVITATIONAL CONTEST 🏅 unrated Kansas City, KS	111 / 185 (677.0744)	65 (172.5716)	80 (171.4400)	164 (163.3828)	90 (169.6800)
Oct 24, 2020	Firelake BBQ Cook Off-Day 2 🏅 Shawnee, OK	27 / 58 (687.3256)	27 (173.7028)	36 (167.3828)	—	1 (180)
Oct 23, 2020	Firelake BBQ Cook Off-Day 1 🏅 Shawnee, OK	48 / 64 (668.4572)	50 (167.3828)	31 (169.1544)	—	39 (167.9772)
Sep 19, 2020	The Oklahoma Grand BBQ Championship Day 2 🏅 Shawnee, OK	28 / 56 (681.0860)	54 (159.9544)	11 (174.2744)	28 (170.8572)	9 (176)
Sep 18, 2020	The Oklahoma Grand BBQ Championship Day 1 🏅 Shawnee, OK	44 / 56 (668.4572)	52 (162.8000)	19 (171.4172)	50 (162.8228)	22 (171.4172)
Oct 18, 2019	Royal Oak Invitational Only (COMPETITOR SERIES) unrated Roswell, GA	18 / 32 (675.9084)	27 (165.1200)	11 (171.9656)	12 (170.8572)	17 (167.9656)

An unrated contest — an invitational, or a Competitor or Kosher Series board — is in the record but doesn’t move the power rating.

HAT CREEK Q

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

Rating

Contests

First seen

Best ToY finish

Grand champs

Category wins

Overall top-10s

Avg finish

Best overall

Perfect 180s

Current form

Walk rate

Best single call

Consistency

Strongest meat

Road miles

Schedule strength

Purse competed for

State championships

Master avg

Storylines (10 found in their record)

Perfect scores on the board

High-water mark

The one to beat

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

Brisket nemesis

They cook the hard rooms

The long haul

The metronome

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

Teams like this (closest power rating)

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

By meat

By field size and state

By contest size

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)

More numbers

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

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

📉 Toughest weekends

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

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

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