Riding a hot streak
10
straight overall top-10s
Currently on a 10-contest overall top-10 run.
- career best 10
Loose Cannon BBQ
At a glance (everything the results say about this team, in numbers)
Rating
1584
peak 1584 · rated over 16 contests ⓘ
Best runs
10
straight top-10s
Contests
20
in the data
First seen
2016-12-02
latest 2023-09-15
Best ToY finish
#1087
Master 2021
Grand champs
0
2 reserve
Category wins
1
8 podiums
Overall top-10s
13
of 20 contests
Avg finish
top 42%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
0
Current form
366.03 ▼
last 5 Backyard vs avg 371.47 (-5.44)
Walk rate
80%
contests with a top-10 call
Top-10 streak
11
and counting
Consistency
±81.66
std dev of Backyard overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Pork Ribs
avg 163.95 · weakest Pork (148.84)
Road miles
2,326
mi across 19 mapped stops · furthest 599 mi
Schedule strength
40%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1553)
Purse competed for
$70K
listed at 15 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0 🏅
GCs in 7 state-championship entries
Master avg
641.59 / 720
2 Master contests · 0 GCs
Backyard avg
371.47 / 360
15 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.
Storylines (15 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
2.8800
points from the title
Came within 2.8800 points of the Grand Championship at Bar-B-QC (Backyard) (2022-09-09).
On the rise
+71
rating points in a year
Their power rating has climbed 71 points across 8 contests since 2022-08-20 — from 1514 up to 1584.
- 8 contests since 2022-08-20
- now 1584
Happy hunting ground
Top 10%
average finish here
Best of the Midwest BBQ is their spot: an average finish in the top 10% across 2 visits.
- 2 visits
- best finish 2nd
- average top 10%
They almost always walk
80%
of contests with a top-10 call
A call in 16 of 20 contests
A top-10 category call in 80% of their 20 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.
The one to beat
2×
one call ahead of them
RUBY CREEK BBQ has finished one call ahead of Loose Cannon BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.
Their season
2023
their best year
2023 was the year it came together: 5 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 1 category win, at an average finish in the top 25%.
- 5 contests
- 5 overall top-10s
- 1 category wins
- average top 25%
A tough matchup
9–3
behind in the head-to-head
WEEZ'S GROOVIN' BBQ ahead in 75% of their meetings
WEEZ'S GROOVIN' BBQ has come out ahead in 9 of their 12 shared contests.
The weak link
−15.1
points behind their best meat
Pork is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 15.12 points below their pork ribs, and turns into a call 50% of the time against 60%.
- Pork avg 148.84
- Pork Ribs avg 163.95
- 4 calls in 8 entries
A strong matchup
6–0
ahead in the head-to-head
Ahead in 100% of their meetings
They've finished ahead of Too Sauced Guys Bar-B-Que in 6 of their 6 shared contests.
The comeback
4.6 yrs
off the trail, then back
Off the trail for 4.6 years, then back at Hot Summer Nights Smoke n Sauce BBQ-(BACKYARD ONLY) (2021-07-23).
- last seen 2016-12-02
- back 2021-07-23
Pork Ribs nemesis
9 of 13
shared pork ribs entries lost
WEEZ'S GROOVIN' BBQ ahead 69% of the time
Even in their strongest meat, WEEZ'S GROOVIN' BBQ has out-cooked them in 9 of 13 shared pork ribs entries.
Looking over their shoulder
2×
one call behind them
Red, White & Bacon has landed one call behind them 2 times.
Boom or bust
±21.79%
swing around their own average
Their overall swings ±21.79% of a perfect score around its own average — when it lands they're dangerous, and when it doesn't the weekend is gone by lunch.
- averages 101.5% of a perfect score
- best 147.1%
An October team
Top 32%
average finish in October
Something about October: average finish in the top 32% across 3 contests, versus top 42% the rest of the year.
- 3 October contests
- top 42% the rest of the year
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.
31 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.
#1218 of the rated field
- Contests
- 20
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 40%
- Peak
- 1606
No shared contest yet.
Careers of much the same size, 20 contests to 20, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.
⚔ Head-to-head#1215 of the rated field
- Contests
- 22
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1584
No shared contest yet.
This is the highest they've ever been rated, 22 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.
⚔ Head-to-head#1219 of the rated field
- Contests
- 22
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 50%
- Peak
- 1597
No shared contest yet.
Their last contest in the data was back in 2019, 4 years before Loose Cannon BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.
⚔ Head-to-head#1217 of the rated field
- Contests
- 26
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 42%
- Peak
- 1593
No shared contest yet.
Their rating is built on 1 Grand Championship in 26 contests, alongside a 42% overall top-10 rate.
⚔ Head-to-head#1212 of the rated field
- Contests
- 26
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 35%
- Peak
- 1584
No shared contest yet.
Level with Loose Cannon BBQ on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.
⚔ Head-to-head#1220 of the rated field
- Contests
- 10
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 60%
- Peak
- 1584
No shared contest yet.
They turned up 7 years after Loose Cannon BBQ did, first appearing in 2023.
⚔ Head-to-headFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shmack Q | 12 | 5 | 7 | 42% | ⚔ compare |
| WEEZ'S GROOVIN' BBQ | 12 | 3 | 9 | 25% | ⚔ compare |
| Stone Cold Grillers | 10 | 5 | 5 | 50% | ⚔ compare |
| WE WILL ROCK QUE | 7 | 4 | 3 | 57% | ⚔ compare |
| 309 BBQ | 7 | 3 | 4 | 43% | ⚔ compare |
| RUBY CREEK BBQ | 7 | 2 | 5 | 29% | ⚔ compare |
| Too Sauced Guys Bar-B-Que | 6 | 6 | 0 | 100% | ⚔ compare |
| QUE U | 6 | 4 | 2 | 67% | ⚔ compare |
| Rudes BBQ | 6 | 4 | 2 | 67% | ⚔ compare |
| SmokinGhost BBQ | 6 | 4 | 2 | 67% | ⚔ compare |
| Up From The Pits BBQ | 6 | 3 | 2 | 50% | ⚔ compare |
| THE BBQ BUS | 6 | 3 | 3 | 50% | ⚔ compare |
| Rusty Pig BBQ | 6 | 2 | 4 | 33% | ⚔ compare |
| T Daddys BBQ | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| SmoQued On Main St | 5 | 5 | 0 | 100% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 19 | 11 | 1 | 3 | 177.1428 | 143.9428 | 162.78 | top 40% |
| Pork Ribs | 20 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 175.4172 | 146.7772 | 163.95 | top 38% |
| Pork | 8 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 178.8572 | 20.0000 | 148.84 | top 57% |
| Brisket | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 159.9772 | 149.6684 | 154.82 | top 94% |
“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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| IL | 13 | 0 | top 40% |
| WI | 3 | 0 | top 32% |
| IA | 1 | 0 | top 15% |
| IN | 1 | 0 | top 79% |
| AL | 1 | 0 | top 85% |
By contest size
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (<20 teams) | 6 | 0 | top 62% |
| Medium (20–39) | 11 | 0 | top 30% |
| Large (40+) | 2 | 0 | top 46% |
Contest-by-contest record (recurring contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke on the Midway (BACKYARD ONLY) | 3 | 5 | 0 | top 30% | 2023-08-19 |
| Saluting with Smoke (COMPETITOR'S SERIES) | 2 | 8 | 0 | top 74% | 2023-09-15 |
| Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown | 2 | 3 | 0 | top 26% | 2023-07-14 |
| Best of the Midwest BBQ | 2 | 2 | 0 | top 10% | 2022-10-14 |
The story so far (19 numbers that describe this team)
On the trail
6.8 yrs
2016-12-02 → 2023-09-15
Busiest season
2022
8 contests
Contests a season
4
across 5 seasons in the data
Cooks most in
IL
14 of 20 contests · 5 states/provinces in all
Contests visited
14
4 of them cooked more than once
Most-entered meat
Pork Ribs
20 entries · 0 wins · 12 calls
Strongest meat
Pork Ribs
averages 163.95 · weakest Pork (148.84)
Walk rate
80%
a top-10 call in 16 of 20 contests
Overall top-10 rate
65%
13 of 20 contests
Best top-10 run
11
straight contests — and still running
Master average
641.59
out of 720 · 2 contests · 0 GCs
Backyard average
371.47
out of 360 · 15 contests · 0 GCs
Opponents faced
335
357–221 across every shared overall standing
Road miles
2,326
19 mapped stops · furthest 599 mi
Schedule strength
1553
average field rating faced — tougher than 40% of rated contests
Purse competed for
$70,345
listed at 15 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0
from 7 state-championship entries
Longest layoff
4.6 yrs
2016-12-02 → 2021-07-23
Power rating
1584
peak 1584 · #1216 of 6,413 rated
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
- First tracked contest Smoke on the Midway (BACKYARD ONLY)
- First call Smoke on the Midway (BACKYARD ONLY)
- First overall top-10 Smoke on the Midway (BACKYARD ONLY)
- 2021
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score473.0512 Hot Summer Nights Smoke n Sauce BBQ-(BACKYARD ONLY)
- 2022
- 10th tracked contest Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown
- First overall podium Bar-B-QC (Backyard)
- First Reserve Championship Bar-B-QC (Backyard)
- Career-best single call (Pork)178.8572 Bar-B-QC (Backyard)
- 2023
- First category win (Chicken) Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown
- Peak power rating (1584) Smoke on the Midway (BACKYARD ONLY)
- Career-best overall score678.7768 Saluting with Smoke (COMPETITOR'S SERIES)
- Most recent contest Saluting with Smoke (COMPETITOR'S SERIES)
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +14.9 | Best of the Midwest BBQ | 2022-10-14 |
| +14.5 | Bar-B-QC (Backyard) | 2022-09-09 |
| +13.7 | Best of the Midwest BBQ | 2021-10-22 |
| +12 | Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown | 2023-07-14 |
| +10.8 | Westmont Red White & BBQ (BACKYARD ONLY) | 2023-05-27 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -7.3 | Honor-Q | 2021-09-10 |
| -6.9 | Hot Summer Nights Smoke n Sauce BBQ-(BACKYARD ONLY) | 2021-07-23 |
| -6.5 | Bring'n Home the Bacon II Day 1 (BACKYARD) | 2021-10-15 |
| -6.3 | *Christmas on the River | 2016-12-02 |
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)
Season by season
| Season | Contests | GCs | Top-10s | Category wins | Walk rate | Avg finish | Best overall (% of perfect) | Avg overall (% of perfect) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 100% | top 47% | 85.4% | 85.4% |
| 2023 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 80% | top 25% | 141.7% | 105.7% |
| 2022 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 88% | top 27% | 147.1% | 105.3% |
| 2021 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 80% | top 70% | 131.4% | 97.7% |
| 2016 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 85% | 89.7% | 89.7% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-09-15 | Saluting with Smoke (COMPETITOR'S SERIES) unrated Yorkville, IL | 8 / 17 (678.7768) | 2 (176.5600) | 2 (174.2628) | 15 (163.4056) | — |
| 2023-08-19 | Smoke on the Midway (BACKYARD ONLY) Fairbury, IL | 6 / 32 (335.3944) | 4 (171.9772) | 11 (163.4172) | — | — |
| 2023-07-14 | Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown 🏅 Eureka, IL | 3 / 25 (344.5372) | 1 (177.1428) | 5 (167.3944) | — | — |
| 2023-06-17 | Morris Rhythm & BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Morris, IL | 10 / 33 (332.5600) | 14 (165.6800) | 11 (166.8800) | — | — |
| 2023-05-27 | Westmont Red White & BBQ (BACKYARD ONLY) Westmont, IL | 5 / 34 (510.2856) | 6 (174.8800) | 16 (164.0000) | 3 (171.4056) | — |
| 2022-11-04 | Saluting with Smoke Single Meat Rib Burn (ONE MEAT RIBS) Yorkville, IL | — | — | 13 (169.1544) | — | — |
| 2022-10-14 | Best of the Midwest BBQ 🏅 Union Grove, WI | 2 / 36 (334.7540) | 5 (166.2284) | 3 (168.5256) | — | — |
| 2022-09-16 | Smokin' For Garrett 🏅 Mt. Carmel, IL | 10 / 27 (505.1428) | 8 (171.4628) | 14 (162.2744) | 7 (171.4056) | — |
| 2022-09-09 | Bar-B-QC (Backyard) Davenport, IA | 2 / 13 (529.6916) | 2 (175.4172) | 3 (175.4172) | 3 (178.8572) | — |
| 2022-08-20 | Smoke on the Midway (BACKYARD ONLY) Fairbury, IL | 5 / 20 (325.0628) | 4 (165.6684) | 9 (159.3944) | — | — |
| 2022-07-15 | Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown 🏅 Eureka, IL | 10 / 25 (313.6456) | 9 (158.2512) | 9 (155.3944) | — | — |
| 2022-06-24 | Heritage Days BBQ Showdown (Day One) 🏅 Belvidere, IL | 12 / 36 (319.4060) | 13 (151.9428) | 5 (167.4632) | — | — |
| 2022-05-28 | Westmont Red White & BBQ Backyard BBQ Cook-Off 2022 (BACKYARD ONLY) Westmont, IL | 9 / 28 (325.1544) | 9 (165.1772) | 13 (159.9772) | — | — |
| 2021-11-05 | Saluting with Smoke (COMPETITOR'S SERIES) unrated Yorkville, IL | 18 / 18 (490.7196) | 18 (147.4056) | 6 (166.2628) | 18 (20.0000) | — |
| 2021-10-22 | Best of the Midwest BBQ 🏅 Union Grove, WI | 6 / 44 (299.9428) | 6 (153.1656) | 5 (146.7772) | — | — |
| 2021-10-15 | Bring'n Home the Bacon II Day 1 (BACKYARD) West Salem, WI | 31 / 40 (316.0116) | 28 (157.1544) | 28 (158.8572) | — | — |
| 2021-09-10 | Honor-Q 🏅 Yorkville, IL | 14 / 17 (637.0512) | 12 (159.4056) | 9 (168.6060) | 14 (159.3712) | 17 (149.6684) |
| 2021-07-23 | Hot Summer Nights Smoke n Sauce BBQ-(BACKYARD ONLY) Bloomington, IN | 11 / 14 (473.0512) | 12 (146.7884) | 7 (162.2628) | 7 (164.0000) | — |
| 2016-12-02 | *Christmas on the River Demopolis, AL | 29 / 34 (646.1372) | 23 (164.5256) | 30 (159.3716) | 26 (162.2628) | 30 (159.9772) |
| Smoke on the Midway (BACKYARD ONLY) Fairbury, IL | 8 / 17 (307.3484) | 13 (143.9428) | 4 (163.4056) | — | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 ↗ | Backyard | — | #79 (761 pts) | #104 (633 pts) | — | — |
| 2023 ↗ | Master | — | — | #1243 (107 pts) | — | — |
| 2022 ↗ | Backyard | — | #42 (874 pts) | #42 (847 pts) | — | — |
| 2021 ↗ | Backyard | — | #72 (525 pts) | #52 (695 pts) | — | — |
| 2021 ↗ | Master | #1087 (97 pts) | #1098 (107 pts) | #995 (127 pts) | #1124 (97 pts) | #1161 (82 pts) |