THE SMOKE HUNTERS

THE SMOKE HUNTERS is a competition barbecue team with 63 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2019. They have won 7 Grand Championships, most recently at the Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (2017), and finished Reserve Grand Champion 5 times. They are ranked #101 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#101

of 6,476 rated · rankings

Rating

1806

peak 1813 · rated over 58 contests5 invitational or side-series contests not counted

Contests

in the data

First seen

May 24, 2013

latest Jun 22, 2019 · 6.1 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#64

Master 2016 · every season

Grand champs

5 reserve · wins it all 11% of the time

Category wins

46 podiums

Overall top-10s

60% of 63 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 22%

overall standings

Best overall

698.2172 / 720

Master · National Pro BBQ Tour Championship

Perfect 180s

3 🔥

Current form

677.86 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 673.05 (+4.81)

Walk rate

81%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

180 🔥

Pork Ribs · National Pro BBQ Tour Championship

Consistency

±12.32

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork

avg 168.82 · weakest Pork Ribs (167.80)

Road miles

11,662

across 63 mapped stops · furthest 471 mi

Schedule strength

55%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1570)

Purse competed for

$30K

listed at 2 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 2 state-championship entries

Master avg

673.05 / 720

63 Master contests · 7 GCs

Storylines (18 found in their record)

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

The heartbreaker

1.7028 points from the title

Came within 1.7028 points of the Grand Championship at Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Sep 2, 2016).

Among the elite

#101 of 6,476 rated teams

In the top 2% of every rated team in the data

A power rating of 1806 puts them #101 of 6,476 rated teams — the top 2% of the field.

rating 1806
peak 1813
58 rated contests

Perfect scores on the board

3 perfect 180s

3 perfect 180s in the data — every judge at the table handing back a nine, across 2 different meats.

Pork Ribs ×2
Brisket ×1

Against the odds

18-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings

The ratings favoured the top seed the other 82 times in 100

Their Grand Championship at Heritage Days BBQ Showdown (Jun 24, 2016) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 18-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ.

Giant slayer

54 teams beaten in one weekend

Took the Grand Championship over a 54-team field at 8th Annual Lambs Farm Barn Burner Bar-B-Q (TEAMS FULL).

Oct 18, 2013

Happy hunting ground

2× Grand Championships here

Grill Games is their spot: 2 Grand Championships in 6 visits.

6 visits
best finish 1st
average top 15%

Multi-meat days

3 contests with 2+ category wins

They've won two or more meats on the same day 3 times — the best of them 2 category wins at Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Sep 2, 2016).

Chicken 1st
Pork 1st

Show 11 more storylines

They almost always walk

81% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 51 of 63 contests

A top-10 category call in 81% of their 63 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

698.2172 career-best overall

97.0% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 698.2172 at National Pro BBQ Tour Championship — 97.0% of a perfect 720.

Master
Oct 6, 2017

The one to beat

4× one call ahead of them

JH OLD SCHOOL has finished one call ahead of THE SMOKE HUNTERS 4 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2013 3 Grand Championships

2013 was the year it came together: 13 contests, 3 Grand Championships and 2 category wins, at an average finish in the top 21%.

13 contests
9 overall top-10s
2 category wins
average top 21%

A tough matchup

23–4 behind in the head-to-head

IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ ahead in 85% of their meetings

IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ has come out ahead in 23 of their 27 shared contests.

The drought

12 contests since the last title

Their last Grand Championship came at Sam's Club National BBQ Tour on Jul 14, 2017 — 12 contests and 9.2 years ago.

last GC Jul 14, 2017
9.2 years ago

A strong matchup

24–4 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 86% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of RACK MASTERS BBQ in 24 of their 28 shared contests.

Looking over their shoulder

4× one call behind them

THE REAL SMOKIN ACES has landed one call behind them 4 times.

The long haul

11,662 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 11,662 miles across 63 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 471 miles to National Pro BBQ Tour Championship.

63 mapped stops
furthest 471 mi

The metronome

±1.71% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.71% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 93.5% of a perfect score
63 contests

A standing appointment

6 years running at one contest

They've cooked Grill Games every year from 2013 to 2018 — the contest they never miss.

6 visits in all
best finish 1st

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
2018 ↗	Master	#518 (690 pts)	#766 (445 pts)	#398 (900 pts)	#832 (410 pts)	#561 (645 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#256 (1,309 pts)	#278 (1,189 pts)	#207 (1,414 pts)	#262 (1,249 pts)	#401 (954 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#64 (2,215 pts)	#104 (1,770 pts)	#68 (1,945 pts)	#104 (1,770 pts)	#143 (1,692 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#195 (1,541 pts)	#204 (1,426 pts)	#308 (1,121 pts)	#177 (1,491 pts)	#183 (1,576 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#169 (1,632 pts)	#168 (1,542 pts)	#326 (1,082 pts)	#155 (1,572 pts)	#169 (1,592 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#80 (2,096 pts)	#129 (1,576 pts)	#95 (1,781 pts)	#93 (1,746 pts)	#130 (1,651 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to THE SMOKE HUNTERS, each with one reason worth a look.

FIRE DOWN BELOW

#103 of the rated field

1806 power rating

Contests: 83
GCs: 6
Top-10s: 72%
Peak: 1828

0–2 in 2 shared contests (0% to THE SMOKE HUNTERS)

2 contests in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team THE SMOKE HUNTERS has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 81 contests
last seen May 6, 2023

⚔ Head-to-head

Leaning Jowler BBQ

#102 of the rated field

1806 power rating

Contests: 73
GCs: 14
Top-10s: 82%
Peak: 1810

Careers of much the same size, 73 contests to 63, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 69 contests
last seen Sep 27, 2026
on a 21-contest top-10 run

⚔ Compare careers

MCADOO HEIGHTS BBQ

#100 of the rated field

1807 ▲ 1 power rating

Contests: 107
GCs: 6
Top-10s: 48%
Peak: 1808

1–3 in 4 shared contests (25% to THE SMOKE HUNTERS)

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 101 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 101 contests
last seen Sep 18, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

Kings BBQ Team

#105 of the rated field

1805 ▼ 1 power rating

Contests: 74
GCs: 10
Top-10s: 69%
Peak: 1808

Their rating is built on 10 Grand Championships in 74 contests, alongside a 69% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 66 contests
last seen Jul 9, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

FIRE AT THE END OF THE DAY

#104 of the rated field

1805 ▼ 1 power rating

Contests: 111
GCs: 13
Top-10s: 67%
Peak: 1810

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

rated over 99 contests
last seen Aug 15, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

Piggin' Whiskey

#106 of the rated field

1804 ▼ 2 power rating

Contests: 190
GCs: 16
Top-10s: 51%
Peak: 1825

2–2 in 4 shared contests (50% to THE SMOKE HUNTERS)

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 172 contests
last seen Aug 2, 2025

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
QUAU	31	16	15	52%	⚔ compare
RACK MASTERS BBQ	28	24	4	86%	⚔ compare
CAPTAIN RON'S BREW-N-QUE	27	23	4	85%	⚔ compare
One2BBQ	27	9	18	33%	⚔ compare
IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ	27	4	23	15%	⚔ compare
THE REAL SMOKIN ACES	25	17	8	68%	⚔ compare
Its 5 Oclock Somewhere	24	18	6	75%	⚔ compare
TIM'S FULL BELLI DELI	24	13	11	54%	⚔ compare
BIG "E" BBQ	23	14	9	61%	⚔ compare
Mac Attack BBQ	23	13	10	57%	⚔ compare
MUD'S BBQ	22	16	6	73%	⚔ compare
DESIGNATED SMOKIN' AREA	21	21	0	100%	⚔ compare
iBQ'n	20	10	10	50%	⚔ compare
Risky Brisket	19	15	4	79%	⚔ compare
AWW HELL	19	14	5	74%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	63	25	3	11	179.4400	156.5028	168.58	top 35%
Pork Ribs	63	30	5	14	180 🔥	150.2858	167.80	top 32%
Pork	63	31	5	11	179.4400	152.5140	168.82	top 29%
Brisket	63	29	4	10	180 🔥	153.6572	167.85	top 30%

“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
Small (<20 teams)	3	1	top 26%
Medium (20–39)	21	4	top 22%
Large (40+)	39	2	top 23%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
IL	27	3	top 21%
WI	15	3	top 16%
KS	6	0	top 33%
IN	6	1	top 24%
MO	4	0	top 37%
AR	2	0	top 36%
MI	2	0	top 12%
KY	1	0	top 23%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Grill Games	6	1	2	top 15%	Aug 24, 2018
Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional)	5	1	1	top 23%	Sep 15, 2017
RED, WHITE and BAR-B-Q ( DAY 2)	4	4	0	top 23%	May 26, 2018
Red, White and BBQ (Day 2)	4	4	0	top 24%	May 23, 2015
Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	2	1	1	top 20%	Jul 14, 2017
Heritage Days BBQ Showdown	2	1	1	top 17%	Jun 23, 2017
39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN)	2	65	0	top 34%	Sep 15, 2018
38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN)	2	79	0	top 41%	Sep 1, 2017
37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN)	2	34	0	top 23%	Oct 29, 2016
Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	2	2	0	top 12%	Sep 2, 2016
Red, White & BBQ (Day 2)	2	2	0	top 5%	May 28, 2016
Grillin' in Grafton	2	4	0	top 14%	Jun 27, 2014

More numbers

Busiest season 2013 13 contests · 3 GCs

Contests a season 9 across 7 seasons in the data

Most contests held in IL 27 of 63 contests · 8 states in all

Contests visited 40 12 of them more than once

First title Jul 5, 2013 Sam's Club National BBQ Tour

Opponents faced 1,963 finished ahead 4,072 times, behind 1,357

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

20192 milestones

Jun 21 Peak power rating (1813) Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Day 1
Jun 22 Most recent contest Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Day 2

20172 milestones

Jun 23 50th tracked contest Heritage Days BBQ Showdown
Oct 6 Career-best overall score698.2172 National Pro BBQ Tour Championship

20162 milestones

May 13 10th category win Madison Magazine BBQ Festival
Jun 24 5th Grand Championship Heritage Days BBQ Showdown

20152 milestones

May 23 25th tracked contest Red, White and BBQ (Day 2)
Jun 26 First perfect 180 (Brisket) Sam's Club National BBQ Tour

20141 milestone

Sep 5 First multi-meat day Heart of Illinois BBQ, Beer & Bluegrass Festival

201310 milestones

May 24 First tracked contest Westmont Red, White & BBQ
May 24 First call Westmont Red, White & BBQ
May 24 First overall top-10 Westmont Red, White & BBQ
May 24 First overall past 90% of a perfect score668.5710 Westmont Red, White & BBQ
Jul 5 First overall podium Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Jul 5 First Grand Championship Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Aug 2 First category win (Pork) Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional)
Oct 3 10th tracked contest 34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open
Oct 11 First Reserve Championship Central Illinois Bragging Rights
Oct 18 Biggest field won (54 teams) 8th Annual Lambs Farm Barn Burner Bar-B-Q (TEAMS FULL)

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+15.1	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	Jul 5, 2013
+13.7	Grill Games	Aug 23, 2013
+12.9	Central Illinois Bragging Rights	Oct 11, 2013
+12.7	Westmont Red, White & BBQ	May 24, 2013
+12.3	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional)	Aug 7, 2015

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-7.9	Smoke on the Prairie	May 29, 2015
-6.7	Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Day 2	Jun 22, 2019
-5.3	10th Annual Lambs Farm Barn Burner Bar-B-Q	Oct 16, 2015
-4	Grill Games	Aug 25, 2017
-2.3	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional)	Sep 16, 2016

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	GCs	Top-10s	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2019	2	0	1	0	100%	top 30%	95%	93.5%
2018	5	0	2	0	60%	top 21%	95.1%	94.3%
2017	10	1	4	2	80%	top 28%	97%	93.5%
2016	12	2	9	7	83%	top 15%	96.8%	94.6%
2015	11	0	6	2	82%	top 28%	96%	93.1%
2014	10	1	7	4	80%	top 20%	96.9%	93.1%
2013	13	3	9	2	85%	top 21%	95.2%	92.7%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Jun 22, 2019	Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Day 2 🏅 Belvidere, IL	24 / 45 (662.6972)	20 (167.9772)	4 (174.2744)	41 (158.2172)	26 (162.2284)
Jun 21, 2019	Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Day 1 🏅 Belvidere, IL	3 / 50 (683.9316)	19 (167.9772)	11 (169.6916)	9 (170.8456)	3 (175.4172)
Sep 15, 2018	39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	130 / 467 (675.3372)	107 (171.9772)	246 (165.1544)	68 (173.1084)	209 (165.0972)
Sep 14, 2018	39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (INVITATIONAL) unrated Kansas City, KS	65 / 164 (685.0740)	83 (171.4056)	15 (177.1428)	141 (163.9656)	64 (172.5600)
Aug 24, 2018	Grill Games Kenosha, WI	3 / 42 (682.2516)	6 (174.2628)	4 (171.4172)	14 (165.7144)	5 (170.8572)
May 26, 2018	RED, WHITE and BAR-B-Q ( DAY 2) Westmont, IL	4 / 60 (684.5372)	19 (170.2744)	2 (173.7144)	37 (163.9656)	2 (176.5828)
May 25, 2018	RED, WHITE and BAR-B-Q ( DAY 1) Westmont, IL	12 / 49 (668.5256)	29 (165.1084)	2 (171.4860)	14 (167.3712)	21 (164.5600)
Oct 6, 2017	National Pro BBQ Tour Championship Bentonville, AR	9 / 50 (698.2172)	11 (176.5716)	1 (180)	15 (175.4056)	41 (166.2400)
Sep 15, 2017	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) Madison, WI	6 / 30 (680.4916)	4 (174.2860)	3 (170.8228)	23 (159.9428)	4 (175.4400)
Sep 1, 2017	38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	79 / 407 (681.6568)	294 (160.5256)	18 (176)	58 (173.7256)	79 (171.4056)
Aug 31, 2017	38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (INVITATIONAL) unrated Kansas City, KS	81 / 129 (678.1712)	64 (171.9772)	48 (172.5600)	70 (170.8112)	110 (162.8228)
Aug 25, 2017	Grill Games Kenosha, WI	13 / 39 (652.4228)	29 (156.5372)	19 (162.2516)	8 (165.6684)	8 (167.9656)
Jul 14, 2017	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour South Bend, IN	1 / 27 (674.2512)	16 (165.6800)	1 (175.4172)	4 (169.7256)	12 (163.4284)
Jun 23, 2017	Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Belvidere, IL	13 / 42 (665.5768)	5 (172.5600)	31 (159.9540)	6 (171.4172)	24 (161.6456)
May 27, 2017	RED, WHITE and BAR-B-Q ( DAY 2) Westmont, IL	13 / 59 (672.4800)	8 (172.5600)	24 (166.8688)	8 (170.2628)	26 (162.7884)
May 26, 2017	RED, WHITE and BAR-B-Q ( DAY 1) Westmont, IL	15 / 40 (658.1828)	14 (167.9656)	12 (164.5716)	9 (167.4056)	27 (158.2400)
May 12, 2017	Rockin BBQ Warsaw, IN	10 / 27 (669.5880)	11 (168.5484)	10 (167.3828)	11 (167.9540)	13 (165.7028)
Oct 29, 2016	37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	151 / 557 (668.5372)	275 (164.5600)	341 (161.7144)	46 (174.2628)	150 (168)
Oct 28, 2016	37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue (INVITATIONAL) unrated Kansas City, KS	34 / 180 (689.7028)	26 (176.5600)	136 (163.9428)	25 (173.7372)	23 (175.4628)
Oct 21, 2016	Best of the Midwest BBQ Cook-off Union Grove, WI	3 / 51 (677.0396)	3 (174.2628)	1 (180)	45 (152.5140)	6 (170.2628)
Oct 14, 2016	CIBR-BBQ Central Illinois Bragging Right BBQ Authur, IL	5 / 55 (678.7656)	50 (156.5028)	6 (172.5716)	2 (177.1428)	8 (172.5484)
Sep 16, 2016	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) Madison, WI	15 / 30 (680.5488)	17 (169.7372)	25 (167.4288)	18 (170.8228)	10 (172.5600)
Sep 2, 2016	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Ypsilanti, MI	2 / 30 (689.7144)	1 (179.4400)	9 (169.7028)	1 (176.5716)	14 (164)
Aug 26, 2016	Grill Games Kenosha, WI	1 / 37 (692.5256)	2 (174.8456)	5 (168.5716)	1 (178.2972)	4 (170.8112)
Jul 15, 2016	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour South Bend, IN	10 / 28 (662.8344)	4 (171.4172)	3 (169.7372)	12 (163.9772)	23 (157.7028)
Jun 24, 2016	Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Belvidere, IL	1 / 33 (697.1200)	3 (174.8800)	1 (178.8572)	4 (173.7028)	6 (169.6800)
May 28, 2016	Red, White & BBQ (Day 2) Westmont, IL	2 / 55 (689.1428)	14 (171.4284)	2 (177.1544)	18 (169.6800)	7 (170.8800)
May 27, 2016	Red, White & BBQ (Day 1) Westmont, IL	3 / 42 (677.0740)	5 (172.5600)	27 (160.5600)	8 (169.1084)	3 (174.8456)
May 13, 2016	Madison Magazine BBQ Festival Sauk City, WI	2 / 19 (674.2856)	13 (156.5600)	1 (174.8800)	3 (172.5828)	1 (170.2628)
Oct 16, 2015	10th Annual Lambs Farm Barn Burner Bar-B-Q Libertyville, IL	16 / 35 (652.4112)	21 (162.2284)	26 (154.2172)	9 (168)	10 (167.9656)
Oct 9, 2015	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Championship Bentonville, AR	27 / 50 (689.1316)	47 (166.8688)	23 (173.7028)	30 (172)	12 (176.5600)
Sep 11, 2015	Windy City BBQ Classic Chicago, IL	10 / 61 (678.8000)	22 (167.4172)	11 (169.7028)	12 (170.8228)	7 (170.8572)
Aug 28, 2015	Grill Games Kenosha, WI	10 / 49 (659.9200)	30 (158.8572)	2 (173.1428)	16 (163.9544)	14 (163.9656)
Aug 7, 2015	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) Madison, WI	3 / 30 (691.3940)	9 (172.0228)	12 (170.8228)	7 (172.5484)	4 (176)
Jul 24, 2015	5th Annual Morton BBQ Throwdown Morton, IL	6 / 47 (673.1200)	1 (174.2972)	29 (158.2744)	4 (172.5828)	12 (167.9656)
Jul 10, 2015	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Indianapolis, IN	2 / 28 (683.4060)	3 (173.7372)	11 (165.1316)	3 (174.8688)	7 (169.6684)
Jun 26, 2015	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Ypsilanti, MI	5 / 30 (663.9084)	2 (171.9656)	21 (154.2628)	19 (157.6800)	1 (180)
May 29, 2015	Smoke on the Prairie Brimfield, IL	11 / 18 (653.5888)	12 (161.6800)	10 (162.2632)	6 (164.5256)	6 (165.1200)
May 23, 2015	Red, White and BBQ (Day 2) Westmont, IL	18 / 58 (665.6456)	27 (166.8456)	16 (166.8572)	17 (167.9772)	21 (163.9656)
May 22, 2015	Red, White and BBQ (Day 1) Westmont, IL	13 / 41 (661.6912)	10 (169.7256)	25 (159.4172)	6 (169.7372)	15 (162.8112)
Oct 17, 2014	9th Annual Lambs Farm Barn Burner Bar-B-Q Libertyville, IL	4 / 42 (676.5028)	12 (168.5600)	15 (166.8228)	10 (167.4172)	2 (173.7028)
Oct 2, 2014	35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Invitational unrated Kansas City, MO	108 / 165 (663.3828)	152 (158.2744)	127 (161.6684)	16 (174.2856)	64 (169.1544)
Oct 2, 2014	35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO	67 / 552 (678.2744)	30 (176.0116)	214 (166.2972)	213 (166.2856)	117 (169.6800)
Sep 5, 2014	Heart of Illinois BBQ, Beer & Bluegrass Festival Peoria, IL	1 / 16 (697.6912)	2 (174.8572)	4 (172.5828)	1 (172.5484)	1 (177.7028)
Aug 22, 2014	Grill Games Kenosha, WI	10 / 47 (664.5712)	24 (163.4172)	21 (160)	8 (169.7256)	8 (171.4284)
Jul 25, 2014	Morton BBQ Throwdown Morton, IL	5 / 48 (670.8228)	1 (176.5716)	23 (162.2972)	14 (165.7028)	7 (166.2512)
Jul 11, 2014	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Madison, WI	9 / 29 (656.9940)	4 (171.9656)	10 (165.1200)	11 (165.1200)	20 (154.7884)
Jun 27, 2014	Grillin' in Grafton Grafton, WI	5 / 32 (657.7716)	10 (164.5600)	7 (168.0116)	14 (161.1200)	8 (164.0800)
May 24, 2014	Red, White, And BBQ Westmont, IL	17 / 72 (670.2856)	13 (172.5944)	49 (157.6684)	11 (169.1428)	4 (170.8800)
May 23, 2014	Red, White, and BBQ Westmont, IL	4 / 43 (668.0688)	7 (171.4400)	22 (160.0232)	1 (172.6056)	17 (164)
Oct 18, 2013	8th Annual Lambs Farm Barn Burner Bar-B-Q (TEAMS FULL) Libertyville, IL	1 / 54 (680.5600)	3 (169.7600)	2 (176.0116)	6 (165.1084)	3 (169.6800)
Oct 11, 2013	Central Illinois Bragging Rights Arthur, IL	2 / 53 (681.6916)	10 (172.0344)	7 (169.6800)	3 (174.8572)	15 (165.1200)
Oct 3, 2013	34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Invitational unrated Kansas City, MO	48 / 174 (670.8116)	133 (161.7144)	8 (175.4400)	62 (167.9772)	80 (165.6800)
Oct 3, 2013	34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO	235 / 535 (642.2740)	317 (158.8456)	173 (164)	325 (157.7028)	199 (161.7256)
Sep 20, 2013	Marshall County Plymouth, IN	5 / 27 (668.0344)	7 (168)	2 (173.1428)	10 (165.7144)	11 (161.1772)
Sep 6, 2013	Smoke On The River Quincy, IL	7 / 28 (667.9428)	13 (165.7256)	2 (173.7028)	8 (169.1200)	16 (159.3944)
Aug 23, 2013	Grill Games Kenosha, WI	1 / 43 (685.7488)	15 (164.5944)	6 (169.1544)	3 (173.1428)	1 (178.8572)
Aug 2, 2013	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) Rockford, IL	16 / 30 (663.9200)	22 (164)	13 (166.8228)	1 (179.4400)	28 (153.6572)
Jul 5, 2013	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Madison, WI	1 / 30 (670.8570)	2 (170.2858)	5 (166.8570)	6 (164.5714)	2 (169.1428)
Jun 28, 2013	Grillin' in Grafton Grafton, WI	4 / 33 (654.2854)	4 (169.1428)	22 (150.2858)	3 (171.4284)	7 (163.4284)
Jun 14, 2013	Smokin' on the River Jeffersonville, IN	23 / 52 (659.9998)	32 (162.2856)	32 (160)	14 (169.7140)	17 (168.0002)
Jun 7, 2013	Bourbon City BBQ Festival Cookoff Bardstown, KY	7 / 30 (659.4284)	15 (161.1426)	10 (163.4286)	5 (169.1430)	14 (165.7142)
May 24, 2013	Westmont Red, White & BBQ Westmont, IL	9 / 70 (668.5710)	11 (170.2856)	7 (170.8572)	43 (161.1426)	16 (166.2856)

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

THE SMOKE HUNTERS

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 (18 found in their record)

The heartbreaker

Among the elite

Perfect scores on the board

Against the odds

Giant slayer

Happy hunting ground

Multi-meat days

They almost always walk

High-water mark

The one to beat

Their season

A tough matchup

The drought

A strong matchup

Looking over their shoulder

The long haul

The metronome

A standing appointment

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)