CANCERSUCKSCHICAGO.COM

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

Power ranking

#355

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1710

peak 1726 · rated over 40 contests ⓘ

Best runs

straight top-10s · 2 straight GCs

Contests

in the data

First seen

2013-05-24

latest 2017-08-19

Best ToY finish

#60

Master 2013

Grand champs

2 reserve

Category wins

33 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 42 contests

Avg finish

top 22%

overall standings

Best overall

693.6684 / 720

Master · Silver Lake Apple BBQ Festival

Perfect 180s

2 🔥

Current form

650.85 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 668.08 (-17.23)

Walk rate

81%

contests with a top-10 call

Top-10 streak

best run (overall)

Best single call

180.0000 🔥

Brisket · *RED, WHITE and BAR-B-Q ( DAY 1)

Consistency

±12.81

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 168.91 · weakest Brisket (164.09)

Road miles

19,545

mi across 42 mapped stops · furthest 1704 mi

Schedule strength

34%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1545)

Master avg

668.08 / 720

42 Master contests · 3 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (20 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

1.1426 points from the title

Came within 1.1426 points of the Grand Championship at Westmont Red, White & BBQ (2013-05-24).

Among the elite

#355 of 6,413 rated teams

In the top 6% of every rated team in the data

A power rating of 1710 puts them #355 of 6,413 rated teams — the top 6% of the field.

rating 1710
peak 1726
40 rated contests

Perfect scores on the board

2 perfect 180s

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

Pork Ribs ×1
Brisket ×1

Against the odds

32-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings

The ratings favoured the top seed the other 68 times in 100

Their Grand Championship at 9th Annual Pepsi Wyoming State BBQ & Bluegrass Festival (2013-08-16) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 32-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, QUAU.

Giant slayer

47 teams beaten in one weekend

Took the Grand Championship over a 47-team field at Silver Lake Apple BBQ Festival.

2013-09-13

Happy hunting ground

1× Grand Championships here

Silver Lake Apple BBQ Festival is their spot: 1 Grand Championship in 2 visits.

2 visits
best finish 1st
average top 8%

Multi-meat days

2 contests with 2+ category wins

They've won two or more meats on the same day 2 times — the best of them 2 category wins at Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (2014-04-04).

Chicken 1st
Pork 1st

They almost always walk

81% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 34 of 42 contests

A top-10 category call in 81% of their 42 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

693.6684 career-best overall

96.3% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 693.6684 at Silver Lake Apple BBQ Festival — 96.3% of a perfect 720.

Master
2013-09-13

The one to beat

3× one call ahead of them

BIG "E" BBQ has finished one call ahead of CANCERSUCKSCHICAGO.COM 3 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2013 2 Grand Championships

2013 was the year it came together: 13 contests, 2 Grand Championships and 6 category wins, at an average finish in the top 14%.

13 contests
10 overall top-10s
6 category wins
average top 14%

A tough matchup

16–2 behind in the head-to-head

IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ ahead in 89% of their meetings

IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ has come out ahead in 16 of their 18 shared contests.

The weak link

−4.8 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 4.82 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 31% of the time against 40%.

Brisket avg 164.09
Chicken avg 168.91
13 calls in 42 entries

The drought

18 contests since the last title

Their last Grand Championship came at Firin' Up the Fox BBQ Contest on 2014-07-11 — 18 contests and 12.1 years ago.

last GC 2014-07-11
12.1 years ago

A strong matchup

14–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of DESIGNATED SMOKIN' AREA in 14 of their 14 shared contests.

Chicken nemesis

13 of 18 shared chicken entries lost

IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ ahead 72% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ has out-cooked them in 13 of 18 shared chicken entries.

Announced themselves early

2nd at their very first contest

Finished 2 of 70 at their very first tracked contest, Westmont Red, White & BBQ (2013-05-24).

2013-05-24
70-team field

Looking over their shoulder

3× one call behind them

THE SMOKE HUNTERS has landed one call behind them 3 times.

The long haul

19,545 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 19,545 miles across 42 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 1,704 miles to Sam's Club National BBQ Tour.

42 mapped stops
furthest 1,704 mi

The metronome

±1.78% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.78% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 92.8% of a perfect score
42 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.

MUTTLEY CREW BBQ

#352 of the rated field

1711 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 320
GCs: 16
Top-10s: 49%
Peak: 1879

1–1 in 2 shared contests (50% to CANCERSUCKSCHICAGO.COM)

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

rated over 295 contests
last seen 2026-08-21

⚔ Head-to-head

ONE EYED PIG BBQ

#354 of the rated field

1711 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 43
GCs: 4
Top-10s: 56%
Peak: 1731

No shared contest yet.

Careers of much the same size, 43 contests to 42, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 39 contests
last seen 2025-09-05

⚔ Head-to-head

SONS OF BUTCHERS

#351 of the rated field

1711 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 34
GCs: 3
Top-10s: 71%
Peak: 1721

No shared contest yet.

Their rating is built on 3 Grand Championships in 34 contests, alongside a 71% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 33 contests
last seen 2020-09-18

⚔ Head-to-head

PIGGIN' WHISKEY O.G

#356 of the rated field

1710 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 64
GCs: 3
Top-10s: 44%
Peak: 1748

No shared contest yet.

They've been 1748 at their best, 38 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 59 contests
last seen 2022-09-29

⚔ Head-to-head

SPICY SPITFIRE

#353 of the rated field

1711 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 73
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 47%
Peak: 1712

No shared contest yet.

Both teams' first contest in the data came in 2013.

rated over 73 contests
last seen 2019-05-03

⚔ Head-to-head

BYO GRILL

#348 of the rated field

1712 ▲ 1 power rating

Contests: 46
GCs: 3
Top-10s: 39%
Peak: 1733

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to CANCERSUCKSCHICAGO.COM)

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

rated over 39 contests
last seen 2025-05-09

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
QUAU	24	9	15	38%	⚔ compare
THE REAL SMOKIN ACES	20	9	11	45%	⚔ compare
Mac Attack BBQ	19	12	7	63%	⚔ compare
Its 5 Oclock Somewhere	19	12	7	63%	⚔ compare
IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ	18	2	16	11%	⚔ compare
CAPTAIN RON'S BREW-N-QUE	16	13	3	81%	⚔ compare
RACK MASTERS BBQ	16	11	5	69%	⚔ compare
iBQ'n	16	10	6	63%	⚔ compare
THE SMOKE HUNTERS	16	7	9	44%	⚔ compare
MUD'S BBQ	15	10	5	67%	⚔ compare
DESIGNATED SMOKIN' AREA	14	14	0	100%	⚔ compare
AWW HELL	14	13	1	93%	⚔ compare
TIM'S FULL BELLI DELI	14	8	6	57%	⚔ compare
BIG JT'S SMOKIN BBQ	14	7	7	50%	⚔ compare
YELLOW RIVER BBQ	14	7	7	50%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	42	17	2	6	178.8572	159.9772	168.91	top 29%
Pork Ribs	42	18	5	11	180.0000 🔥	158.8228	167.85	top 27%
Pork	42	20	2	10	178.8572	152.5256	167.23	top 31%
Brisket	42	13	2	6	180.0000 🔥	130.6624	164.09	top 35%

“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	17	1	top 18%
MI	6	1	top 9%
MO	4	0	top 25%
WI	3	0	top 34%
IA	2	0	top 27%
NV	2	0	top 35%
KS	1	0	top 70%
IN	1	0	top 30%
CT	1	0	top 47%
DE	1	0	top 25%
WA	1	0	top 17%
WY	1	1	top 4%
SC	1	0	top 17%
NH	1	0	top 16%

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	1	0	top 47%
Medium (20–39)	13	2	top 19%
Large (40+)	28	1	top 22%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Red, White and BBQ (Day 2)	4	3	0	top 17%	2015-05-23
Silver Lake Apple BBQ Festival	2	1	1	top 8%	2014-09-12
Firin' Up the Fox BBQ Contest	2	1	1	top 9%	2014-07-11
*RED, WHITE and BAR-B-Q ( DAY 2)	2	5	0	top 33%	2017-05-27
Red, White & BBQ (Day 2)	2	8	0	top 20%	2016-05-28

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

On the trail 4.2 yrs 2013-05-24 → 2017-08-19

Busiest season 2014 17 contests · 1 GC

Contests a season 8.4 across 5 seasons in the data

Cooks most in IL 17 of 42 contests · 14 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 35 5 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 42 entries · 2 wins · 17 calls

Strongest meat Chicken averages 168.91 · weakest Brisket (164.09)

Walk rate 81% a top-10 call in 34 of 42 contests

Overall top-10 rate 62% 26 of 42 contests

Wins it all 7% 3 Grand Championships · 2 reserve

First title 2013-08-16 9th Annual Pepsi Wyoming State BBQ & Bluegrass Festival

Best top-10 run 6 straight contests

Master average 668.08 out of 720 · 42 contests · 3 GCs

Perfect 180s 2 every judge at the table handing back a nine

Opponents faced 1,884 2,608–1,065 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 19,545 42 mapped stops · furthest 1,704 mi

Schedule strength 1545 average field rating faced — tougher than 34% of rated contests

Power rating 1710 peak 1726 · #355 of 6,413 rated

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

2013
May 24 First tracked contest Westmont Red, White & BBQ
May 24 First call Westmont Red, White & BBQ
May 24 First category win (Pork Ribs) Westmont Red, White & BBQ
May 24 First overall top-10 Westmont Red, White & BBQ
May 24 First overall podium Westmont Red, White & BBQ
May 24 First Reserve Championship Westmont Red, White & BBQ
May 24 First overall past 90% of a perfect score681.7140 Westmont Red, White & BBQ
Aug 16 First Grand Championship 9th Annual Pepsi Wyoming State BBQ & Bluegrass Festival
Sep 13 First multi-meat day Silver Lake Apple BBQ Festival
Sep 13 First perfect 180 (Pork Ribs) Silver Lake Apple BBQ Festival
Sep 13 Biggest field won (47 teams) Silver Lake Apple BBQ Festival
Sep 13 Career-best overall score693.6684 Silver Lake Apple BBQ Festival
Oct 3 10th tracked contest 34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Invitational
2014
Jul 25 25th tracked contest Taste of Grand Rapids 2014
2015
May 22 10th category win Red, White and BBQ (Day 1)
2016
Aug 26 Peak power rating (1726) 5th Annual Deaths Door Barbeque
2017
Aug 19 Most recent contest *McHenry Rotary Blues Brews & BBQ

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+15.9	Westmont Red, White & BBQ	2013-05-24
+13.5	9th Annual Pepsi Wyoming State BBQ & Bluegrass Festival	2013-08-16
+12.4	Silver Lake Apple BBQ Festival	2013-09-13
+12	Taste of Grand Rapids	2013-07-19
+11.4	Morton BBQ Throwdown (TEAMS & JUDGES FULL - May email to be put on waitlist)	2013-07-26

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-12.6	37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue(OPEN)	2016-10-29
-4.8	*RED, WHITE and BAR-B-Q ( DAY 2)	2017-05-27
-4.5	*McHenry Rotary Blues Brews & BBQ	2017-08-19
-3.9	*Gold Ribbin' BBQ Fest of Greater Green Bay-Heat1	2017-07-14
-3.2	Ridgefield Gone Country BBQ Festival	2014-05-03

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	GCs	Top-10s	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2017	4	0	1	1	50%	top 39%	92.9%	90.9%
2016	4	0	2	0	75%	top 33%	93.9%	92.3%
2015	4	0	1	1	25%	top 18%	95.5%	93.9%
2014	17	1	12	3	94%	top 21%	95.2%	92.8%
2013	13	2	10	6	92%	top 14%	96.3%	93.1%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2017-08-19	*McHenry Rotary Blues Brews & BBQ McHenry, IL	16 / 36 (645.0056)	9 (168.5600)	13 (161.6800)	22 (158.8228)	15 (155.9428)
2017-07-14	*Gold Ribbin' BBQ Fest of Greater Green Bay-Heat1 Green Bay, WI	28 / 58 (651.3600)	27 (163.4172)	26 (162.2744)	46 (156.5256)	13 (169.1428)
2017-05-27	*RED, WHITE and BAR-B-Q ( DAY 2) Westmont, IL	31 / 59 (651.3260)	24 (166.2400)	33 (162.2744)	47 (158.2744)	19 (164.5372)
2017-05-26	*RED, WHITE and BAR-B-Q ( DAY 1) Westmont, IL	5 / 40 (669.0628)	28 (160.5028)	20 (161.7144)	12 (166.8456)	1 (180.0000)
2016-10-29	37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue(OPEN) Kansas City, KS	391 / 557 (637.4964)	75 (172.0228)	86 (171.9656)	318 (162.8456)	550 (130.6624)
2016-08-26	5th Annual Deaths Door Barbeque Washington Island, WI	10 / 42 (676.0004)	2 (176.0116)	11 (168.0116)	10 (168.5600)	19 (163.4172)
2016-05-28	Red, White & BBQ (Day 2) Westmont, IL	11 / 55 (674.7540)	27 (167.9656)	11 (169.6800)	9 (171.4400)	15 (165.6684)
2016-05-27	Red, White & BBQ (Day 1) Westmont, IL	8 / 42 (670.8000)	12 (169.7144)	8 (170.8800)	25 (162.2400)	10 (167.9656)
2015-10-03	36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Open Kansas City, MO	118 / 606 (672.5484)	124 (170.2856)	281 (164.5600)	243 (165.7028)	74 (172.0000)
2015-10-02	36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Invitational unrated Kansas City, MO	28 / 187 (687.3712)	166 (162.2284)	28 (175.4172)	16 (174.3200)	22 (175.4056)
2015-05-23	Red, White and BBQ (Day 2) Westmont, IL	17 / 58 (666.1940)	18 (169.1428)	21 (165.7028)	18 (167.9656)	28 (163.3828)
2015-05-22	Red, White and BBQ (Day 1) Westmont, IL	4 / 41 (677.6228)	1 (178.8572)	8 (168.5600)	17 (165.1084)	11 (165.0972)
2014-10-17	9th Annual Lambs Farm Barn Burner Bar-B-Q Libertyville, IL	7 / 42 (671.8628)	18 (167.3944)	16 (166.2744)	12 (166.2284)	5 (171.9656)
2014-09-19	Blazin' BBQ & Bluegrass Plymouth, IN	10 / 33 (668.4344)	21 (163.9544)	2 (175.4172)	22 (163.3828)	17 (165.6800)
2014-09-12	Silver Lake Apple BBQ Festival Mears, MI	6 / 43 (681.0396)	8 (171.9656)	3 (174.2856)	2 (175.4400)	25 (159.3484)
2014-08-22	Grill Games Kenosha, WI	14 / 47 (652.4688)	5 (171.4288)	18 (162.2744)	37 (152.5256)	16 (166.2400)
2014-08-08	Jimmy's Roadhouse BBQ Championship Newaygo, MI	3 / 32 (681.0512)	4 (174.2856)	1 (177.7144)	11 (167.3828)	18 (161.6684)
2014-07-25	Taste of Grand Rapids 2014 Grand Rapids, MI	7 / 55 (670.6968)	12 (167.9656)	2 (171.9772)	30 (161.0856)	6 (169.6684)
2014-07-11	Firin' Up the Fox BBQ Contest St. Charles, IL	1 / 34 (685.0968)	2 (173.7028)	2 (171.4284)	2 (174.8456)	8 (165.1200)
2014-07-04	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Traverse City, MI	2 / 21 (674.7884)	4 (170.2972)	7 (167.4400)	7 (165.0856)	2 (171.9656)
2014-06-21	Mr. BBQ Barbeque Challenge Davenport, IA	8 / 25 (677.0400)	6 (172.5600)	4 (170.2744)	3 (176.5600)	16 (157.6456)
2014-06-13	Smoke on the Prairie Brimfield, IL	4 / 28 (677.0172)	4 (171.4172)	16 (160.5144)	7 (168.5256)	3 (176.5600)
2014-05-24	Red, White, And BBQ Westmont, IL	16 / 72 (670.8000)	22 (168.5944)	35 (161.6800)	9 (170.8228)	9 (169.7028)
2014-05-23	Red, White, and BBQ Westmont, IL	3 / 43 (668.4912)	2 (176.5600)	19 (163.9884)	3 (170.2628)	28 (157.6800)
2014-05-03	Ridgefield Gone Country BBQ Festival Ridgefield, CT	8 / 17 (646.7880)	11 (164.5484)	3 (163.4056)	3 (169.7256)	13 (149.1084)
2014-04-26	Smokin In Mesquite BBQ Championship Mesquite, NV	14 / 51 (666.7884)	12 (170.2512)	28 (161.7144)	2 (177.7028)	34 (157.1200)
2014-04-25	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) Las Vegas, NV	13 / 30 (670.1832)	4 (175.4400)	7 (169.6916)	26 (160.5144)	18 (164.5372)
2014-04-11	Delaware's Triple Threat BBQ Festival at the Fair Harrington, DE	27 / 109 (638.1484)	22 (164.0000)	35 (158.8228)	13 (167.3828)	75 (147.9428)
2014-04-04	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Renton, WA	5 / 30 (661.7144)	1 (170.8800)	13 (160.5716)	1 (170.2856)	12 (159.9772)
2013-10-18	8th Annual Lambs Farm Barn Burner Bar-B-Q (TEAMS FULL) Libertyville, IL	8 / 54 (652.4916)	22 (159.9772)	12 (165.1428)	7 (162.8344)	8 (164.5372)
2013-10-11	Central Illinois Bragging Rights Arthur, IL	4 / 53 (673.1316)	32 (160.5944)	11 (167.9772)	1 (178.8572)	14 (165.7028)
2013-10-03	34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO	28 / 535 (675.9312)	61 (170.8456)	3 (178.2972)	118 (167.4056)	252 (159.3828)
2013-10-03	34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Invitational unrated Kansas City, MO	107 / 174 (655.2568)	34 (171.9656)	110 (161.6456)	107 (162.8228)	125 (158.8228)
2013-09-13	Silver Lake Apple BBQ Festival Mears, MI	1 / 47 (693.6684)	14 (165.7028)	1 (180.0000)	2 (173.7028)	1 (174.2628)
2013-08-16	9th Annual Pepsi Wyoming State BBQ & Bluegrass Festival Worland, WY	1 / 25 (670.7312)	5 (170.8228)	8 (163.9544)	3 (167.9884)	2 (167.9656)
2013-07-26	Morton BBQ Throwdown (TEAMS & JUDGES FULL - May email to be put on waitlist) Morton, IL	4 / 45 (681.0628)	2 (174.8456)	5 (174.8572)	10 (169.6916)	19 (161.6684)
2013-07-19	Taste of Grand Rapids Comstock Park, MI	3 / 39 (675.8740)	7 (170.8228)	22 (162.8228)	10 (167.9656)	4 (174.2628)
2013-07-11	SC Festival of Discovery Greenwood, SC	13 / 78 (667.2684)	17 (168.5256)	1 (176.0000)	26 (164.5256)	43 (158.2172)
2013-07-05	Firin' Up the Fox BBQ Contest St. Charles, IL	5 / 34 (659.4278)	4 (170.8570)	11 (161.7140)	7 (168.5712)	12 (158.2856)
2013-06-22	Mr. BBQ Barbeque Challenge Davenport, IA	7 / 32 (672.5716)	16 (164.0002)	1 (178.2858)	14 (165.7142)	11 (164.5714)
2013-06-01	Monadnock Up In Smoke BBQ Fest Swanzey, NH	7 / 43 (658.2860)	23 (162.2858)	13 (162.8574)	6 (170.8570)	11 (162.2858)
2013-05-24	Westmont Red, White & BBQ Westmont, IL	2 / 70 (681.7140)	35 (162.8570)	1 (176.0002)	23 (166.2854)	2 (176.5714)

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
2017 ↗	Master	#877 (410 pts)	#1073 (330 pts)	#1076 (325 pts)	#1093 (320 pts)	#652 (605 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#779 (480 pts)	#777 (505 pts)	#828 (475 pts)	#943 (400 pts)	#903 (395 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#803 (430 pts)	#737 (500 pts)	#976 (355 pts)	#970 (360 pts)	#1013 (325 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#90 (2068 pts)	#49 (2143 pts)	#36 (2160 pts)	#33 (2236 pts)	#164 (1607 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#60 (2220 pts)	#164 (1410 pts)	#31 (2183 pts)	#83 (1805 pts)	#108 (1825 pts)