The heartbreaker
3.3600
points from the title
Came within 3.3600 points of the Grand Championship at Cape Jaycees BBQ Fest (Aug 23, 2013).
4 SMOKIN' BUTTS
4 SMOKIN' BUTTS is a competition barbecue team with 23 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2021. They have won 2 Grand Championships, most recently at the Knights of Columbus (2013), and finished Reserve Grand Champion once. They are ranked #1417 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings. Also listed in KCBS results as “4 Smokin Butts”.
At a glance (the record in numbers)
Rating
1570
peak 1605 · rated over 22 contests1 invitational or side-series contest not counted
Contests
23
in the data
First seen
Mar 15, 2013
latest May 1, 2021 · 8.1 years on the trail
Grand champs
2
1 reserve · wins it all 9% of the time
Category wins
6
15 podiums
Overall top-10s
9
39% of 23 contests
Best top-10 run
7
straight overall top-10s · 2 straight GCs
Avg finish
top 38%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
1 🔥
Current form
648.47 ▼
last 5 Master vs avg 661.86 (-13.39)
Walk rate
78%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±17.37
spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Brisket
avg 168.03 · weakest Pork (162.44)
Road miles
3,494
across 23 mapped stops · furthest 287 mi
Schedule strength
34%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1545)
Purse competed for
$17K
listed at 3 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0 🏅
won from 2 state-championship entries
Master avg
661.86 / 720
23 Master contests · 2 GCs
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 ↗ | Master | #1226 (62 pts) | #1246 (72 pts) | #1212 (87 pts) | #1518 (57 pts) | #1220 (67 pts) |
| 2020 ↗ | Master | #639 (125 pts) | #696 (120 pts) | #636 (150 pts) | #682 (125 pts) | #372 (320 pts) |
| 2015 ↗ | Master | #1636 (125 pts) | #1935 (110 pts) | #2031 (90 pts) | #2139 (75 pts) | #1556 (160 pts) |
| 2014 ↗ | Master | #654 (565 pts) | #737 (510 pts) | #711 (530 pts) | #628 (610 pts) | #783 (460 pts) |
| 2013 ↗ | Master | #155 (1,608 pts) | #150 (1,453 pts) | #140 (1,534 pts) | #295 (1,003 pts) | #65 (2,088 pts) |
Overall rank by season
Teams like this (closest power rating)
The teams rated closest to 4 SMOKIN' BUTTS, each with one reason worth a look.
43 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.
#1,414 of the rated field
- Contests
- 19
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 37%
- Peak
- 1584
1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to 4 SMOKIN' BUTTS)
One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team 4 SMOKIN' BUTTS has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.
⚔ Head-to-head#1,424 of the rated field
- Contests
- 132
- GCs
- 3
- Top-10s
- 21%
- Peak
- 1724
0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to 4 SMOKIN' BUTTS)
They've been 1724 at their best, 155 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.
⚔ Head-to-head#1,415 of the rated field
- Contests
- 23
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 35%
- Peak
- 1599
Careers of much the same size, 23 contests to 23, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.
⚔ Compare careers#1,425 of the rated field
- Contests
- 19
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 21%
- Peak
- 1570
19 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 21% top-10 finishes rather than wins.
⚔ Compare careers#1,423 of the rated field
- Contests
- 18
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 44%
- Peak
- 1570
4 straight overall top-10s says this rating is a moving target.
⚔ Compare careers#1,421 of the rated field
- Contests
- 35
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 43%
- Peak
- 1592
They turned up 8 years after 4 SMOKIN' BUTTS did, first appearing in 2021.
⚔ Compare careersFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BLAZIN' BLUES BBQ | 13 | 4 | 9 | 31% | ⚔ compare |
| BOSS HAWG BBQ | 9 | 8 | 1 | 89% | ⚔ compare |
| PITMASTERIQ BBQ | 9 | 4 | 5 | 44% | ⚔ compare |
| OUTLAW HAWGS BBQ | 9 | 3 | 6 | 33% | ⚔ compare |
| GILLY'S BBQ | 9 | 1 | 8 | 11% | ⚔ compare |
| ST. LOUIS BLACK IRON BBQ | 8 | 3 | 5 | 38% | ⚔ compare |
| SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ | 8 | 1 | 7 | 13% | ⚔ compare |
| ALL IN QUE | 7 | 4 | 3 | 57% | ⚔ compare |
| One2BBQ | 7 | 1 | 6 | 14% | ⚔ compare |
| I QUE & BREW | 6 | 6 | 0 | 100% | ⚔ compare |
| RUB IT, SMOKE IT, LOVE IT | 6 | 6 | 0 | 100% | ⚔ compare |
| RIPPEL-QUE | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| OKLAHOMA JOE'S SERIOUS QUE | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOKIN' BUTTS | 5 | 5 | 0 | 100% | ⚔ compare |
| A PIGS WORST NIGHTMARE | 5 | 4 | 1 | 80% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 23 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 177.7028 | 153.7142 | 166.77 | top 44% |
| Pork Ribs | 23 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 180 🔥 | 141.6228 | 164.61 | top 44% |
| Pork | 23 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 176 | 145.1426 | 162.44 | top 57% |
| Brisket | 23 | 13 | 2 | 7 | 178.3200 | 142.1944 | 168.03 | top 31% |
“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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medium (20–39) | 12 | 2 | top 34% |
| Large (40+) | 11 | 0 | top 42% |
Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Covid-Que Relief (Day 2) | 2 | 61 | 0 | top 97% | Jun 20, 2020 |
| Sam's Club National BBQ Tour | 2 | 11 | 0 | top 43% | May 15, 2015 |
| Kennett Jaycee's Show Me State BBQ Cookoff | 2 | 8 | 0 | top 27% | Apr 4, 2014 |
More numbers
Busiest season
2013
12 contests · 2 GCs
Contests a season
4.6
across 5 seasons in the data
Most contests held in
MO
15 of 23 contests · 5 states in all
Contests visited
20
3 of them more than once
First title
Jun 14, 2013
Southern Pride Invitational (Competitor's Series)
Opponents faced
592
finished ahead 582 times, behind 375
Longest layoff
5.1 yrs
May 15, 2015 → Jun 19, 2020
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
20211 milestone
- Most recent contest 39th Annual Kennett Jaycees Show Me State BBQ Cook Off
20151 milestone
- Peak power rating (1605) Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
201313 milestones
- First tracked contest Smokin' At The Run Miami, OK
- First call Smokin' At The Run Miami, OK
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score667.9994 Smokin' At The Run Miami, OK
- First overall top-10 Kennett Jaycee's Show Me State BBQ Cookoff
- First category win (Chicken) Southern Pride Invitational (Competitor's Series)
- First overall podium Southern Pride Invitational (Competitor's Series)
- First Grand Championship Southern Pride Invitational (Competitor's Series)
- First multi-meat day Knights of Columbus
- Biggest field won (32 teams) Knights of Columbus
- First Reserve Championship Cape Jaycees BBQ Fest
- First perfect 180 (Pork Ribs) Cape Jaycees BBQ Fest
- Career-best overall score683.9656 Cape Jaycees BBQ Fest
- 10th tracked contest Q the Lou
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +15.1 | Knights of Columbus | Jun 21, 2013 |
| +13.9 | Cape Jaycees BBQ Fest | Aug 23, 2013 |
| +10.6 | Kennett Jaycee's Show Me State BBQ Cookoff | Apr 5, 2013 |
| +10 | 22nd Annual Cape Jaycees BBQ Fest | Aug 22, 2014 |
| +9.9 | Q the Lou | Sep 13, 2013 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -14.2 | Covid-Que Relief (Day 1) | Jun 19, 2020 |
| -13.1 | Covid-Que Relief (Day 2) | Jun 20, 2020 |
| -6.5 | 39th Annual Kennett Jaycees Show Me State BBQ Cook Off | May 1, 2021 |
| -4.3 | Main Street BBQ & Bluesfest | Apr 19, 2013 |
| -1.4 | Columbia Elks Lodge # 594 BBQ Contest | Oct 17, 2020 |
Scores over time (% of a perfect score — 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 75% | 90.8% | 90.8% |
| 2020 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33% | top 86% | 94.6% | 89.4% |
| 2015 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% | top 37% | 91.3% | 91.3% |
| 2014 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 83% | top 32% | 93.5% | 92.8% |
| 2013 | 12 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 92% | top 26% | 95% | 92.3% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1, 2021 | 39th Annual Kennett Jaycees Show Me State BBQ Cook Off 🏅 Kennett, MO | 24 / 32 (653.5540) | 22 (162.8228) | 19 (165.6916) | 27 (160.5140) | 23 (164.5256) |
| Oct 17, 2020 | Columbia Elks Lodge # 594 BBQ Contest 🏅 Columbia, MO | 24 / 38 (681.1544) | 33 (166.8800) | 19 (168.5944) | 24 (169.1200) | 2 (176.5600) |
| Jun 20, 2020 | Covid-Que Relief (Day 2) Franklin, IN | 61 / 63 (643.9312) | 56 (162.8456) | 41 (162.8572) | 61 (158.2628) | 55 (159.9656) |
| Jun 19, 2020 | Covid-Que Relief (Day 1) Franklin, IN | 67 / 69 (606.6516) | 55 (162.2856) | 69 (141.6228) | 52 (160.5488) | 68 (142.1944) |
| May 15, 2015 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour St. Charles, MO | 11 / 30 (657.0740) | 14 (167.4056) | 18 (161.7028) | 21 (157.1428) | 7 (170.8228) |
| Oct 17, 2014 | Casino Queen BBQ Competition Greater St. Louis, IL | 15 / 44 (668.5028) | 2 (177.7028) | 27 (162.2972) | 27 (162.8228) | 20 (165.6800) |
| Sep 26, 2014 | Hermann Bar-BQ and Brats Festival Hermann, MO | 12 / 37 (673.0168) | 25 (164.5256) | 22 (165.6684) | 3 (176) | 14 (166.8228) |
| Aug 22, 2014 | 22nd Annual Cape Jaycees BBQ Fest Cape Girardeau, MO | 6 / 52 (671.3832) | 11 (169.7144) | 3 (174.2744) | 10 (168.5716) | 25 (158.8228) |
| May 2, 2014 | Columbia Elks Lodge #594 BBQ Contest Columbia, MO | 14 / 35 (666.7772) | 18 (166.8228) | 13 (166.8572) | 17 (166.2744) | 15 (166.8228) |
| Apr 11, 2014 | 6th Annual Main Street BBQ & Bluesfest Washington, MO | 18 / 46 (659.9084) | 4 (173.7028) | 25 (161.1544) | 16 (167.3828) | 30 (157.6684) |
| Apr 4, 2014 | Kennett Jaycee's Show Me State BBQ Cookoff Kennett, MO | 8 / 22 (669.0168) | 18 (162.7884) | 9 (168) | 13 (164.5256) | 4 (173.7028) |
| Nov 8, 2013 | 1st Annual BBQ BIVOUAC St. James, MO | 10 / 33 (673.0400) | 15 (168.5372) | 17 (164.5372) | 8 (170.8228) | 7 (169.1428) |
| Sep 27, 2013 | Hermann BBQ & Brats Festival Hermann, MO | 6 / 39 (673.1200) | 11 (169.7028) | 19 (163.4400) | 26 (161.6572) | 1 (178.3200) |
| Sep 13, 2013 | Q the Lou Litchfield, IL | 5 / 25 (664.5144) | 6 (166.8228) | 21 (150.2516) | 2 (174.8456) | 2 (172.5944) |
| Aug 23, 2013 | Cape Jaycees BBQ Fest Cape Girardeau, MO | 2 / 56 (683.9656) | 5 (170.2628) | 1 (180) | 29 (158.2972) | 3 (175.4056) |
| Jun 21, 2013 | Knights of Columbus Quincy, IL | 1 / 32 (677.1426) | 1 (170.2858) | 1 (172.5712) | 18 (158.2856) | 1 (176) |
| Jun 14, 2013 | Southern Pride Invitational (Competitor's Series) unrated Marion, IL | 1 / 29 (667.9998) | 1 (172.5714) | 6 (164) | 12 (161.1426) | 2 (170.2858) |
| Jun 7, 2013 | SMOKIN on the Summit Lees Summit, MO | 22 / 81 (651.4284) | 18 (166.2856) | 4 (172.5716) | 76 (145.1426) | 14 (167.4286) |
| May 3, 2013 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour St. Charles, MO | 15 / 30 (649.1426) | 12 (166.2856) | 18 (158.8572) | 28 (152.5712) | 6 (171.4286) |
| Apr 19, 2013 | Main Street BBQ & Bluesfest Washington, MO | 31 / 50 (627.9994) | 35 (153.7142) | 23 (158.8572) | 33 (153.1424) | 16 (162.2856) |
| Apr 5, 2013 | Kennett Jaycee's Show Me State BBQ Cookoff Kennett, MO | 8 / 44 (678.2854) | 6 (171.4284) | 28 (162.8572) | 23 (166.8570) | 3 (177.1428) |
| Mar 29, 2013 | Benton KY Kiwanis Barbeque Kook Off Benton, KY | 15 / 40 (657.1422) | 28 (161.1426) | 8 (168.5714) | 34 (156.5712) | 8 (170.8570) |
| Mar 15, 2013 | Smokin' At The Run Miami, OK Miami, OK | 22 / 55 (667.9994) | 40 (161.1426) | 14 (170.8570) | 29 (165.7142) | 10 (170.2856) |
An unrated contest — an invitational, or a Competitor or Kosher Series board — is in the record but doesn’t move the power rating.