Meat Machine BBQ

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

Power ranking

#1508

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1563

peak 1565 · rated over 22 contests ⓘ

Best runs

straight top-10s

Contests

in the data

First seen

2021-05-07

latest 2023-08-25

Best ToY finish

#130

Master 2022

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

11 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 24 contests

Avg finish

top 49%

overall standings

Best overall

698.8000 / 720

Master · Frisco BBQ Challenge

Perfect 180s

1 🔥

Current form

677.83 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 670.31 (+7.52)

Walk rate

83%

contests with a top-10 call

Top-10 streak

best run (overall)

Best single call

180.0000 🔥

Chicken · The Art of BBQ

Consistency

±16.65

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 170.63 · weakest Brisket (164.48)

Road miles

4,716

mi across 24 mapped stops · furthest 424 mi

Schedule strength

67%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1584)

Purse competed for

$202K

listed at 20 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

GCs in 21 state-championship entries

Master avg

670.31 / 720

22 Master contests · 0 GCs

⚔ 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.

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

83% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 20 of 24 contests

A top-10 category call in 83% of their 24 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

698.8000 career-best overall

97.1% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 698.8000 at Frisco BBQ Challenge — 97.1% of a perfect 720.

Master
2022-06-16

The one to beat

3× one call ahead of them

Heifers, Butts, & Clucks BBQ has finished one call ahead of Meat Machine BBQ 3 times — their closest competition in the data.

A tough matchup

14–3 behind in the head-to-head

Bushmaster BBQ ahead in 82% of their meetings

Bushmaster BBQ has come out ahead in 14 of their 17 shared contests.

The weak link

−6.1 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 6.14 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 23% of the time against 50%.

Brisket avg 164.48
Chicken avg 170.63
5 calls in 22 entries

A strong matchup

11–4 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 73% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of BRACKEN RACKS BBQ in 11 of their 15 shared contests.

Chicken nemesis

9 of 11 shared chicken entries lost

Texas Smoke Whisperer ahead 82% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, Texas Smoke Whisperer has out-cooked them in 9 of 11 shared chicken entries.

Looking over their shoulder

3× one call behind them

3 LIL' MACS BBQ has landed one call behind them 3 times.

A June team

Top 33% average finish in June

Something about June: average finish in the top 33% across 7 contests, versus top 49% the rest of the year.

7 June contests
top 49% the rest of the year

The long haul

4,716 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 4,716 miles across 24 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 424 miles to Rod Trowbridge Memorial Cook Flyin BBQ Competition.

24 mapped stops
furthest 424 mi

The metronome

±2.31% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±2.31% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 93.1% of a perfect score
24 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.

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

HEAVENLY HAWGS GA

#1512 of the rated field

1563 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 23
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 26%
Peak: 1570

No shared contest yet.

Their last contest in the data was back in 2017, 6 years before Meat Machine BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 23 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

DR. ALAN'S BBQ

#1510 of the rated field

1563 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 20
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 15%
Peak: 1582

No shared contest yet.

Careers of much the same size, 20 contests to 24, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 20 contests
last seen 2020-10-24

⚔ Head-to-head

QUE'S YER DADDY

#1516 of the rated field

1563 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 19
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 16%
Peak: 1572

No shared contest yet.

19 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 16% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 19 contests
last seen 2026-05-08

⚔ Head-to-head

Col. Buck’s BBQ

#1507 of the rated field

1563 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 20
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 25%
Peak: 1563

No shared contest yet.

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 19 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 19 contests
last seen 2024-08-10

⚔ Head-to-head

O' Town Que

#1517 of the rated field

1563 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 19
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 47%
Peak: 1571

No shared contest yet.

Both teams' first contest in the data came in 2021.

rated over 19 contests
last seen 2024-07-26

⚔ Head-to-head

MEAT MISTERS

#1504 of the rated field

1564 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 26
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 31%
Peak: 1566

No shared contest yet.

Level with Meat Machine BBQ on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 26 contests
last seen 2020-07-24

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
PROUD SOULS BARBECUE	17	4	13	24%	⚔ compare
Bushmaster BBQ	17	3	14	18%	⚔ compare
BRACKEN RACKS BBQ	15	11	4	73%	⚔ compare
Happy Burnt Endings	15	11	4	73%	⚔ compare
Brinkerhoff BBQ	14	6	8	43%	⚔ compare
GRILLIN' BEAVERS	13	7	6	54%	⚔ compare
Heifers, Butts, & Clucks BBQ	13	1	12	8%	⚔ compare
Hooligans Barbecue	12	10	2	83%	⚔ compare
CRUSH BBQ	11	9	2	82%	⚔ compare
Frank's BBQ Trading Post	11	7	4	64%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN' BOXERS BBQ	11	6	5	55%	⚔ compare
UNCLE J'S	11	6	5	55%	⚔ compare
AMERICAN HEROES BBQ	11	5	6	45%	⚔ compare
ROCKET BOYS PYRO BBQ	11	5	6	45%	⚔ compare
Texas Smoke Whisperer	11	2	9	18%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	22	11	2	4	180.0000 🔥	158.8000	170.63	top 39%
Pork Ribs	24	13	2	5	178.8572	156.5028	169.67	top 37%
Pork	22	4	0	1	175.4056	152.4800	165.81	top 57%
Brisket	22	5	0	1	175.4056	148.5256	164.48	top 55%

“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	Avg finish
CO	14	top 38%
SD	3	top 71%
WY	3	top 57%
KS	1	top 79%
NE	1	top 78%

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	19	0	top 51%
Large (40+)	3	0	top 35%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Greeley Blues Jam (Day 2)	3	3	top 39%	2022-06-04
Hill City Wine, Brew & BBQ Fest	2	16	top 65%	2023-08-25
Wild West BBQ Cook-Off	2	17	top 60%	2022-05-06

The story so far (18 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 2.3 yrs 2021-05-07 → 2023-08-25

Busiest season 2022 11 contests

Contests a season 8 across 3 seasons in the data

Cooks most in CO 16 of 24 contests · 5 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 18 3 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Pork Ribs 24 entries · 2 wins · 13 calls

Strongest meat Chicken averages 170.63 · weakest Brisket (164.48)

Walk rate 83% a top-10 call in 20 of 24 contests

Overall top-10 rate 33% 8 of 24 contests

Best top-10 run 5 straight contests

Master average 670.31 out of 720 · 22 contests · 0 GCs

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

Opponents faced 243 378–339 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 4,716 24 mapped stops · furthest 424 mi

Schedule strength 1584 average field rating faced — tougher than 67% of rated contests

Purse competed for $201,650 listed at 20 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships 0 from 21 state-championship entries

Power rating 1563 peak 1565 · #1508 of 6,413 rated

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

2021
May 7 First tracked contest Wild West BBQ Cook-Off
Jun 4 First call Greeley Blues Jam
Jun 18 First overall past 90% of a perfect score655.9888 Central Plains Ribfest Day 1
Aug 13 First overall top-10 Milliken BBQ Beef N Bean Day
2022
Jun 4 First overall podium Greeley Blues Jam (Day 2)
Jun 4 10th tracked contest Greeley Blues Jam (Day 2)
Jun 16 First category win (Chicken) Frisco BBQ Challenge
Jun 16 Career-best overall score698.8000 Frisco BBQ Challenge
Jul 1 First perfect 180 (Chicken) The Art of BBQ
2023
Jun 30 Peak power rating (1565) Art of Barbeque
Aug 25 Most recent contest Hill City Wine, Brew & BBQ Fest

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+16.2	Greeley Blues Jam (Day 2)	2022-06-04
+15.4	Art of Barbeque	2023-06-30
+15.4	Milliken BBQ Beef N Bean Day	2021-08-13
+14.8	Frisco BBQ Challenge	2022-06-16
+13.8	Colorado BBQ Challenge	2023-06-16

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-12	Meat Scream BBQ Competition-Day 1	2022-10-21
-10.9	Rod Trowbridge Memorial Cook Flyin BBQ Competition	2023-04-21
-7.8	Greeley Blues Jam	2021-06-04
-6	Hill City Wine, Brew & BBQ Fest	2022-08-26
-5.3	Hill City Wine Brew and BBQ Fest	2021-08-27

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)
2023	6	2	0	100%	top 46%	95.7%	94.1%
2022	11	5	4	82%	top 40%	97.1%	93.9%
2021	7	1	0	71%	top 64%	94.1%	91.2%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2023-08-25	Hill City Wine, Brew & BBQ Fest 🏅 Hill City, SD	16 / 26 (669.0280)	7 (173.1084)	16 (166.8340)	23 (159.9656)	13 (169.1200)
2023-07-29	Colorado Rib Challenge (ONE MEAT RIBS) Castle Rock, CO	—	—	4 (170.2628)	—	—
2023-06-30	Art of Barbeque 🏅 Sterling, CO	4 / 35 (689.0512)	7 (173.7144)	12 (172.5484)	14 (170.8112)	11 (171.9772)
2023-06-16	Colorado BBQ Challenge 🏅 Frisco, CO	6 / 42 (689.0628)	5 (175.4516)	7 (173.1200)	6 (175.4056)	16 (165.0856)
2023-05-27	Veterans of Foreign Wars Colorado KCBS Pitmaster BBQ Contest 🏅 Castle Rock, CO	23 / 37 (671.8744)	32 (161.6572)	7 (175.4288)	34 (161.6456)	8 (173.1428)
2023-04-21	Rod Trowbridge Memorial Cook Flyin BBQ Competition 🏅 Derby, KS	22 / 28 (670.1372)	7 (175.4172)	16 (170.8228)	25 (162.2400)	24 (161.6572)
2022-10-22	Meat Scream BBQ Competition-Day 2 🏅 Westminster, CO	16 / 31 (670.7656)	11 (171.9656)	18 (168.0000)	24 (166.2400)	19 (164.5600)
2022-10-21	Meat Scream BBQ Competition-Day 1 🏅 Westminster, CO	29 / 32 (647.7828)	7 (171.4056)	15 (167.9656)	32 (152.4800)	30 (155.9316)
2022-10-07	Smoke & Soul Fest 🏅 Casper, WY	13 / 29 (669.5884)	3 (174.2628)	16 (164.5600)	12 (168.5372)	21 (162.2284)
2022-08-26	Hill City Wine, Brew & BBQ Fest 🏅 Hill City, SD	19 / 28 (677.0284)	12 (170.8228)	1 (178.8572)	24 (165.7028)	24 (161.6456)
2022-08-05	Beat the Heat BBQ & Brews 🏅 Alamosa, CO	10 / 35 (683.3944)	17 (167.4172)	3 (177.7372)	15 (170.2628)	16 (167.9772)
2022-07-30	Colorado Rib Challenge at the Douglas County Fair & Rodeo - One Meat Rib Castle Rock, CO	—	—	1 (175.4172)	—	—
2022-07-01	The Art of BBQ 🏅 Sterling, CO	4 / 28 (689.6228)	1 (180.0000)	9 (168.5372)	11 (169.6800)	10 (171.4056)
2022-06-16	Frisco BBQ Challenge 🏅 Frisco, CO	4 / 37 (698.8000)	1 (178.8572)	3 (176.0116)	6 (174.2628)	8 (169.6684)
2022-06-04	Greeley Blues Jam (Day 2) 🏅 Greeley, CO	3 / 34 (688.4800)	8 (173.1200)	8 (172.5716)	8 (171.9772)	10 (170.8112)
2022-06-03	Greeley Blues Jam (Day 1) 🏅 Greeley, CO	9 / 33 (673.0628)	2 (177.1428)	8 (170.8572)	15 (166.2400)	26 (158.8228)
2022-05-06	Wild West BBQ Cook-Off 🏅 Lamar, CO	17 / 33 (664.3996)	13 (169.6684)	24 (162.2400)	15 (166.2284)	13 (166.2628)
2021-10-02	Smoke & Soul Fest - Day 2 Casper, WY	18 / 26 (661.5884)	7 (173.1200)	23 (156.5028)	15 (166.8456)	17 (165.1200)
2021-10-01	Smoke & Soul Fest - Day 1 🏅 Casper, WY	15 / 27 (672.9940)	21 (164.5256)	14 (167.3828)	18 (165.6800)	2 (175.4056)
2021-08-27	Hill City Wine Brew and BBQ Fest 🏅 Hill City, SD	26 / 31 (658.1600)	26 (166.2628)	2 (175.4288)	25 (162.8456)	30 (153.6228)
2021-08-13	Milliken BBQ Beef N Bean Day 🏅 Milliken, CO	6 / 42 (677.6568)	23 (166.2512)	9 (171.4056)	3 (174.2972)	16 (165.7028)
2021-06-18	Central Plains Ribfest Day 1 🏅 Holdrege, NE	31 / 40 (655.9888)	29 (165.7144)	33 (159.4172)	22 (165.1200)	21 (165.7372)
2021-06-04	Greeley Blues Jam 🏅 Greeley, CO	27 / 33 (633.5772)	27 (158.8000)	8 (167.4172)	29 (153.1200)	25 (154.2400)
2021-05-07	Wild West BBQ Cook-Off 🏅 Lamar, CO	24 / 35 (634.7084)	20 (165.1316)	15 (162.8456)	24 (158.2056)	29 (148.5256)

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 ↗	Master	#337 (619 pts)	#317 (724 pts)	#297 (836 pts)	#449 (464 pts)	#374 (559 pts)
2022 ↗	Master	#130 (1378 pts)	#50 (1828 pts)	#59 (1755 pts)	#194 (1073 pts)	#232 (973 pts)
2021 ↗	Master	#322 (602 pts)	#364 (557 pts)	#232 (892 pts)	#300 (677 pts)	#290 (702 pts)