BAMBQ

BAMBQ is a competition barbecue team with 42 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2023. Their best overall finish is 4th of 36 at the Real Squeal BBQ Smoke Off (2020). They are ranked #1330 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#1,330

of 6,476 rated · rankings

Rating

1577

peak 1588 · rated over 41 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Aug 16, 2013

latest Jul 28, 2023 · 9.9 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#259

Master 2018 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

12 podiums

Overall top-10s

14% of 42 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 47%

overall standings

Best overall

690.8572 / 720

Master · American Royal World Series of Barbecue - OPEN CONTEST

Perfect 180s

Current form

679.14 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 661.86 (+17.28)

Walk rate

60%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

177.7372

Chicken · Up in Smoke BBQ Bash

Consistency

±16.54

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 168.96 · weakest Pork Ribs (163.94)

Road miles

7,866

across 42 mapped stops · furthest 695 mi

Schedule strength

67%

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

Purse competed for

$242K

listed at 14 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 23 state-championship entries

Master avg

661.86 / 720

41 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (14 found in their record)

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

Happy hunting ground

Top 13% average finish here

American Royal World Series of Barbecue - OPEN CONTEST is their spot: an average finish in the top 13% across 2 visits.

2 visits
best finish 47th
average top 13%

They almost always walk

60% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 25 of 42 contests

A top-10 category call in 60% of their 42 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

690.8572 career-best overall

96.0% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 690.8572 at American Royal World Series of Barbecue - OPEN CONTEST — 96.0% of a perfect 720.

Master
Sep 29, 2022

The one to beat

3× one call ahead of them

TREEFROG BBQ has finished one call ahead of BAMBQ 3 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2022 their best year

2022 was the year it came together: 5 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 29%.

5 contests
0 overall top-10s
0 category wins
average top 29%

A tough matchup

22–2 behind in the head-to-head

LUCKY'S Q ahead in 92% of their meetings

LUCKY'S Q has come out ahead in 22 of their 24 shared contests.

The weak link

−5.0 points behind their best meat

Pork Ribs is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 5.02 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 20% of the time against 29%.

Pork Ribs avg 163.94
Chicken avg 168.96
8 calls in 41 entries

Show 7 more storylines

A strong matchup

13–5 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 72% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of BERGEY BOYS BLAZING BBQ in 13 of their 18 shared contests.

The comeback

3.2 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 3.2 years, then back at 37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) (Oct 29, 2016).

last seen Aug 16, 2013
back Oct 29, 2016

Chicken nemesis

18 of 24 shared chicken entries lost

LUCKY'S Q ahead 75% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, LUCKY'S Q has out-cooked them in 18 of 24 shared chicken entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

GOTHIC TOWN GRILLERS has landed one call behind them 2 times.

Boom or bust

±9.31% swing around their own average

Their overall swings ±9.31% 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 90.5% of a perfect score
best 96.0%

A September team

Top 35% average finish in September

Something about September: average finish in the top 35% across 9 contests, versus top 47% the rest of the year.

9 September contests
top 47% the rest of the year

The long haul

7,866 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 7,866 miles across 42 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 695 miles to BBQ Boogie & Blues.

42 mapped stops
furthest 695 mi

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
2023 ↗	Master	#1565 (57 pts)	#1232 (82 pts)	#1363 (77 pts)	#1570 (57 pts)	#882 (162 pts)
2022 ↗	Master	#500 (412 pts)	#550 (392 pts)	#460 (547 pts)	#676 (282 pts)	#395 (592 pts)
2021 ↗	Master	#306 (628 pts)	#237 (843 pts)	#259 (823 pts)	#306 (668 pts)	#216 (908 pts)
2020 ↗	Master	#342 (330 pts)	#364 (330 pts)	#479 (240 pts)	#418 (275 pts)	#368 (330 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#504 (651 pts)	#521 (666 pts)	#508 (681 pts)	#501 (686 pts)	#480 (706 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#259 (1,199 pts)	#107 (1,729 pts)	#306 (1,044 pts)	#231 (1,249 pts)	#334 (1,004 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#646 (599 pts)	#601 (664 pts)	#767 (524 pts)	#608 (664 pts)	#688 (579 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#2274 (60 pts)	#2353 (60 pts)	#2349 (60 pts)	#2326 (60 pts)	#2345 (60 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#1936 (81 pts)	#1971 (91 pts)	#1976 (86 pts)	#2056 (81 pts)	#2440 (71 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to BAMBQ, each with one reason worth a look.

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

MEADOW VALLEY BBQ CO.

#1,321 of the rated field

1578 power rating

Contests: 30
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 43%
Peak: 1632

2–2 in 4 shared contests (50% to BAMBQ)

These two have cooked 4 of the same contests — honours even — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.

rated over 29 contests
last seen Jul 20, 2018

⚔ Head-to-head

LION 'BOUT THE Q

#1,327 of the rated field

1577 power rating

Contests: 25
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 36%
Peak: 1583

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to BAMBQ)

Their last contest in the data was back in 2019, 4 years before BAMBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 25 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

K-TOWN DADDY'S BBQ

#1,320 of the rated field

1578 power rating

Contests: 87
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 34%
Peak: 1697

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to BAMBQ)

They've been 1697 at their best, 120 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 86 contests
last seen Jul 19, 2024

⚔ Head-to-head

Big Bang BBQ

#1,333 of the rated field

1577 power rating

Contests: 15
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 27%
Peak: 1577

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to BAMBQ)

Fewer contests behind them than BAMBQ has cooked, 15 to 42, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.

rated over 15 contests
last seen Oct 11, 2019

⚔ Head-to-head

Pork Life

#1,325 of the rated field

1578 power rating

Contests: 46
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 35%
Peak: 1578

Their rating is built on 1 Grand Championship in 46 contests, alongside a 35% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 46 contests
last seen Sep 18, 2026
on a 3-contest top-10 run

⚔ Compare careers

Slayton's Barbeque Company

#1,328 of the rated field

1577 power rating

Contests: 49
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 18%
Peak: 1615

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

rated over 49 contests
last seen Jul 25, 2025

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
LUCKY'S Q	24	2	22	8%	⚔ compare
TEAM CRAWFORD	23	16	7	70%	⚔ compare
SHIGGIN & GRINNIN	22	2	20	9%	⚔ compare
Hogline	21	3	18	14%	⚔ compare
IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ	20	2	18	10%	⚔ compare
2 CASE BBQ	19	10	9	53%	⚔ compare
WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ	19	7	12	37%	⚔ compare
BERGEY BOYS BLAZING BBQ	18	13	5	72%	⚔ compare
SMOKEHOUSE 72	18	10	8	56%	⚔ compare
Luscious Loins BBQ	17	6	11	35%	⚔ compare
LUCKY 19 SAUCE COMPANY	16	4	12	25%	⚔ compare
DRY 2 DA BONE	16	3	13	19%	⚔ compare
GOTHIC TOWN GRILLERS	15	9	6	60%	⚔ compare
Bohica BBQ	14	8	6	57%	⚔ compare
MACHETE BOYS BBQ	14	7	7	50%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	41	12	3	5	177.7372	154.8228	168.96	top 41%
Pork Ribs	41	8	1	3	176.0344	148.4912	163.94	top 52%
Pork	41	9	0	2	176.6172	142.2172	164.20	top 55%
Brisket	41	12	0	2	176.5716	141.6228	164.76	top 46%

“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	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	1	top 29%
Medium (20–39)	22	top 50%
Large (40+)	18	top 46%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
IA	26	top 47%
KS	6	top 40%
WI	4	top 61%
IL	2	top 47%
SD	1	top 35%
GA	1	top 55%
MO	1	top 48%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Rose Festival KCBS BBQ Competition	3	4	top 37%	Jun 18, 2021
Tri City BBQ Fest	3	11	top 44%	Sep 20, 2019
BBQ'Loo & Blues Too!	3	9	top 39%	Jul 19, 2019
American Royal World Series of Barbecue - OPEN CONTEST	2	47	top 13%	Sep 29, 2022
Bring'n Home the Bacon - Day 1	2	29	top 68%	Jun 11, 2021
Smoketoberfest	2	14	top 38%	Oct 4, 2019
Up in Smoke BBQ Bash	2	6	top 22%	Sep 28, 2018
Central Iowa Expo BBQ & Cruise (DAY 2)	2	17	top 69%	Apr 29, 2017

More numbers

Busiest season 2018 10 contests

Contests a season 4.7 across 9 seasons in the data

Most contests held in IA 26 of 42 contests · 7 states in all

Contests visited 30 8 of them more than once

Opponents faced 1,774 finished ahead 2,219 times, behind 1,998

Longest layoff 3.2 yrs Aug 16, 2013 → Oct 29, 2016

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

20231 milestone

Jul 28 Most recent contest 7th Annual E'burg BBQ Contest

20221 milestone

Sep 29 Career-best overall score690.8572 American Royal World Series of Barbecue - OPEN CONTEST

20201 milestone

Jul 17 Peak power rating (1588) Real Squeal BBQ Smoke Off

20191 milestone

Oct 4 25th tracked contest Smoketoberfest

20183 milestones

Jun 8 10th tracked contest Beardstown Blues,Brews & Barbecue
Jun 15 First category win (Chicken) Rose Festival KCBS BBQ Competition
Sep 28 Career-best single call (Chicken)177.7372 Up in Smoke BBQ Bash

20173 milestones

Apr 28 First overall past 90% of a perfect score655.4404 Central Iowa Expo BBQ & Cruise (Day 1)
Jul 14 First call BBQ 'Loo & Blues TOO!
Jul 14 First overall top-10 BBQ 'Loo & Blues TOO!

20131 milestone

Aug 16 First tracked contest Lynch Livestock Pig Stampede

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+13.7	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - OPEN CONTEST	Sep 29, 2022
+12.4	Up in Smoke BBQ Bash	Jul 21, 2017
+12.3	Real Squeal BBQ Smoke Off	Jul 17, 2020
+12.2	Rose Festival KCBS BBQ Competition	Jun 15, 2018
+11.8	Up in Smoke BBQ Bash	Sep 28, 2018

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-10.8	Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 1	Oct 16, 2020
-10.4	5th Annual E'burg BBQ Contest	Jul 30, 2021
-9.8	7th Annual E'burg BBQ Contest	Jul 28, 2023
-9.3	Lynch Livestock Pig Stampede	Aug 16, 2013
-8.6	Bring'n Home the Bacon - Day 1	Jun 11, 2021

Scores over time (% of a perfect score, averaged over 5 contests — 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	Top-10s	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2023	1	0	0	100%	top 88%	92.5%	92.5%
2022	5	0	0	60%	top 29%	96%	94.8%
2021	8	1	1	63%	top 53%	93.2%	91.6%
2020	3	1	0	67%	top 55%	93.1%	91.2%
2019	7	0	0	57%	top 45%	94.1%	83.8%
2018	10	3	3	70%	top 40%	95.6%	92.5%
2017	6	1	0	50%	top 46%	93.1%	92%
2016	1	0	0	0%	top 71%	88.5%	88.5%
2013	1	0	0	0%	top 86%	81.9%	81.9%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Jul 28, 2023	7th Annual E'burg BBQ Contest 🏅 Emmetsburg, IA	28 / 32 (666.2056)	20 (168.5484)	21 (166.8228)	32 (158.2744)	7 (172.5600)
Oct 14, 2022	King of the Corn 🏅 Ottumwa, IA	16 / 36 (678.2172)	32 (165.6800)	15 (167.4288)	16 (171.4056)	3 (173.7028)
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	47 / 505 (690.8572)	44 (176.5600)	300 (165.7028)	54 (175.4744)	70 (173.1200)
Jun 17, 2022	Rose Festival 21st Annual KCBS BBQ Contest 🏅 State Center, IA	12 / 32 (677.0400)	7 (173.1200)	9 (170.8344)	25 (163.9428)	8 (169.1428)
Apr 1, 2022	Iowa State BBQ Championship 🏅 Altoona, IA	12 / 48 (683.3832)	15 (172.5600)	3 (176.0344)	38 (160.5144)	9 (174.2744)
Sep 16, 2021	American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS	79 / 467 (489.8404)	395 (154.8228)	306 (162.8572)	249 (164.5372)	57 (172.5828)
Jul 30, 2021	5th Annual E'burg BBQ Contest 🏅 Emmetsburg, IA	32 / 35 (647.9088)	23 (167.4400)	27 (160.5372)	33 (151.9316)	11 (168)
Jul 16, 2021	Real Squeal BBQ Smokeoff 🏅 Cedar Rapids, IA	20 / 26 (659.3376)	11 (173.1200)	1 (174.8688)	22 (157.6572)	24 (153.6916)
Jun 18, 2021	Rose Festival KCBS BBQ Competition 🏅 State Center, IA	9 / 32 (670.7656)	6 (171.4056)	22 (161.6800)	3 (171.9772)	12 (165.7028)
Jun 12, 2021	Bring'n Home the Bacon - Day 2 🏅 West Salem, WI	23 / 45 (661.6112)	3 (173.1200)	19 (165.7028)	42 (154.8112)	18 (167.9772)
Jun 11, 2021	Bring'n Home the Bacon - Day 1 🏅 West Salem, WI	33 / 52 (654.1940)	43 (159.9656)	32 (161.1544)	40 (163.3828)	14 (169.6912)
Jun 4, 2021	Original SD BBQ Championship 🏅 Huron, SD	17 / 49 (671.3372)	24 (166.8572)	9 (173.7144)	37 (162.8000)	18 (167.9656)
May 1, 2021	Route 66 Smoke Out 🏅 Dwight, IL	28 / 44 (658.1600)	28 (164.5256)	36 (154.2516)	23 (165.1200)	3 (174.2628)
Oct 16, 2020	Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 1 🏅 West Salem, WI	29 / 40 (654.7884)	9 (170.8456)	28 (160)	32 (161.7028)	29 (162.2400)
Oct 2, 2020	Ottumwa Smoketoberfest 🏅 Ottumwa, IA	53 / 66 (645.7032)	18 (170.8456)	47 (160.5944)	55 (160.0232)	60 (154.2400)
Jul 17, 2020	Real Squeal BBQ Smoke Off 🏅 Marion, IA	4 / 36 (670.1944)	19 (163.4172)	13 (163.9772)	8 (169.6800)	4 (173.1200)
Oct 4, 2019	Smoketoberfest 🏅 Ottumwa, IA	20 / 49 (677.7264)	20 (170.2972)	2 (174.8688)	25 (166.8688)	25 (165.6916)
Sep 20, 2019	Tri City BBQ Fest 🏅 Denison, IA	11 / 34 (675.4060)	10 (170.2628)	16 (166.2744)	25 (162.2972)	5 (176.5716)
Sep 12, 2019	40th American Royal World Series of Barbecue- OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS	133 / 468 (172.5828)	261 (164)	421 (152.0116)	354 (158.2516)	258 (162.2516)
Aug 9, 2019	16th Annual UP IN SMOKE BBQ Bash 🏅 Mason City, IA	16 / 38 (661.0288)	23 (165.1084)	23 (161.6572)	19 (165.1316)	12 (169.1316)
Jul 19, 2019	BBQ'Loo & Blues Too! 🏅 Waterloo, IA	17 / 33 (667.3144)	15 (171.4172)	26 (157.1088)	6 (172.5600)	14 (166.2284)
Jun 14, 2019	Rose Festival KCBS BBQ Competition 🏅 State Center, IA	20 / 31 (654.1368)	15 (168.5484)	22 (159.9772)	9 (170.2628)	26 (155.3484)
Apr 26, 2019	BBQ Boogie & Blues 🏅 Calhoun, GA	18 / 33 (659.3144)	16 (169.1084)	26 (162.8116)	16 (161.7144)	15 (165.6800)
Oct 12, 2018	Anchor City Cook Off Centralia, MO	16 / 33 (665.0284)	4 (175.4056)	16 (165.7144)	11 (170.2856)	29 (153.6228)
Oct 5, 2018	SMOKEToBERFEST Ottumwa, IA	14 / 40 (666.8224)	16 (169.1656)	16 (164)	14 (168.5600)	18 (165.0968)
Sep 28, 2018	Up in Smoke BBQ Bash Mason City, IA	6 / 29 (658.2520)	1 (177.7372)	22 (154.8116)	13 (162.2516)	12 (163.4516)
Sep 21, 2018	Tri City BBQ Fest Denison, IA	16 / 27 (656.5028)	1 (172)	7 (168)	21 (160.5600)	24 (155.9428)
Sep 15, 2018	39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	294 / 467 (651.3140)	168 (169.1428)	313 (161.7260)	183 (167.4056)	391 (153.0396)
Jul 20, 2018	BBQ 'Loo & Blues TOO! Waterloo, IA	16 / 42 (671.9656)	25 (165.1084)	31 (159.9544)	3 (176.6172)	11 (170.2856)
Jun 22, 2018	Rotary Rockn Ribs LaCrosse, WI	24 / 41 (654.7656)	26 (166.2628)	22 (163.9772)	24 (163.3828)	27 (161.1428)
Jun 15, 2018	Rose Festival KCBS BBQ Competition State Center, IA	4 / 23 (688.4916)	1 (176.5600)	6 (170.8344)	4 (173.1200)	9 (167.9772)
Jun 8, 2018	Beardstown Blues,Brews & Barbecue Beardstown, IL	5 / 17 (672.4800)	7 (168.5256)	4 (167.4172)	4 (172.5600)	10 (163.9772)
May 11, 2018	BBQ in the Bluffs Council Bluffs, IA	13 / 39 (672.0004)	2 (176.5600)	30 (158.8460)	23 (164.0344)	6 (172.5600)
Sep 22, 2017	Tri City BBQ Fest Denison, IA	15 / 37 (670.2632)	18 (170.2744)	16 (166.8688)	25 (162.2400)	10 (170.8800)
Sep 1, 2017	38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	199 / 407 (662.2172)	194 (166.8572)	252 (162.8000)	321 (158.8000)	36 (173.7600)
Jul 21, 2017	Up in Smoke BBQ Bash Mason City, IA	11 / 49 (669.0400)	4 (174.2628)	20 (166.2628)	4 (175.4172)	40 (153.0972)
Jul 14, 2017	BBQ 'Loo & Blues TOO! Waterloo, IA	9 / 33 (665.0632)	17 (166.2744)	15 (162.2516)	5 (170.8344)	9 (165.7028)
Apr 29, 2017	Central Iowa Expo BBQ & Cruise (DAY 2) Boone, IA	29 / 35 (654.1940)	16 (170.8228)	15 (168)	28 (163.9884)	32 (151.3828)
Apr 28, 2017	Central Iowa Expo BBQ & Cruise (Day 1) Boone, IA	17 / 31 (655.4404)	17 (165.7144)	25 (156.5488)	18 (165.1200)	12 (168.0572)
Oct 29, 2016	37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	394 / 557 (637.0284)	123 (170.2856)	33 (174.3200)	542 (142.2172)	471 (150.2056)
Aug 16, 2013	Lynch Livestock Pig Stampede Waucoma, IA	18 / 21 (589.5196)	16 (154.8228)	17 (148.4912)	18 (144.5828)	20 (141.6228)

BAMBQ

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

Rating

Contests

First seen

Best ToY finish

Grand champs

Category wins

Overall top-10s

Best top-10 run

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 (14 found in their record)

Happy hunting ground

They almost always walk

High-water mark

The one to beat

Their season

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

The comeback

Chicken nemesis

Looking over their shoulder

Boom or bust

A September team

The long haul

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

Overall rank by season

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, averaged over 5 contests — 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)