SMOKIN' N THE DARK

SMOKIN' N THE DARK is a competition barbecue team with 15 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2017. They have won 1 Grand Championship, at the Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (2014), and finished Reserve Grand Champion once. They are ranked #764 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings. Also listed in KCBS results as “Smokin N the Dark”.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#764

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1632

peak 1632 · rated over 15 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Mar 1, 2013

latest Mar 3, 2017 · 4 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#628

Master 2014 · every season

Grand champs

1 reserve · wins it all 7% of the time

Category wins

11 podiums

Overall top-10s

67% of 15 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 29%

overall standings

Best overall

696.4912 / 720

Master · Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Championship

Perfect 180s

1 🔥

Current form

675.33 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 679.28 (-3.94)

Walk rate

100%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

180 🔥

Pork Ribs · Sam's Club National BBQ Tour

Consistency

±11.66

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork Ribs

avg 172.03 · weakest Brisket (167.75)

Road miles

3,946

across 15 mapped stops · furthest 410 mi

Schedule strength

78%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1601)

Master avg

679.28 / 720

15 Master contests · 1 GC

Storylines (15 found in their record)

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

Perfect scores on the board

1 perfect 180

1 perfect 180 in the data — every judge at the table handing back a nine, all in pork ribs.

Pork Ribs ×1

Against the odds

29-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings

The ratings favoured the top seed the other 71 times in 100

Their Grand Championship at Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Mar 7, 2014) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 29-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, LOTTA BULL BBQ.

Happy hunting ground

1× Grand Championship here

Sam's Club National BBQ Tour is their spot: 1 Grand Championship in 2 visits.

2 visits
best finish 1st
average top 9%

A multi-meat day

1 contest with 2+ category wins

They've won two or more meats on the same day 1 time — the best of them 2 category wins at Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Mar 4, 2016).

Chicken 1st
Pork Ribs 1st

They almost always walk

100% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 15 of 15 contests

A top-10 category call in 100% of their 15 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

696.4912 career-best overall

96.7% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 696.4912 at Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Championship — 96.7% of a perfect 720.

Master
Oct 9, 2015

Their season

2014 1 Grand Championship

2014 was the year it came together: 3 contests, 1 Grand Championship and 1 category win, at an average finish in the top 15%.

3 contests
3 overall top-10s
1 category win
average top 15%

Show 8 more storylines

A tough matchup

4–1 behind in the head-to-head

SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ ahead in 80% of their meetings

SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ has come out ahead in 4 of their 5 shared contests.

The weak link

−4.3 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 4.28 points below their pork ribs, and turns into a call 47% of the time against 73%.

Brisket avg 167.75
Pork Ribs avg 172.03
7 calls in 15 entries

The drought

10 contests since the last title

Their last Grand Championship came at Sam's Club National BBQ Tour on Mar 7, 2014 — 10 contests and 12.6 years ago.

last GC Mar 7, 2014
12.6 years ago

A strong matchup

6–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of ROUX 165 BBQ in 6 of their 6 shared contests.

Announced themselves early

4th at their very first contest

Finished 4 of 28 at their very first tracked contest, Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Mar 1, 2013).

Mar 1, 2013
28-team field

The long haul

3,946 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 3,946 miles across 15 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 410 miles to Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional).

15 mapped stops
furthest 410 mi

The metronome

±1.62% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.62% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 94.3% of a perfect score
15 contests

A standing appointment

4 years running at one contest

They've cooked Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) every year from 2013 to 2016 — the contest they never miss.

4 visits in all
best finish 7th

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
2017 ↗	Master	#1193 (244 pts)	#1962 (114 pts)	#1148 (294 pts)	#864 (454 pts)	#943 (384 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#798 (455 pts)	#688 (585 pts)	#813 (490 pts)	#790 (495 pts)	#1425 (205 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#736 (479 pts)	#794 (459 pts)	#713 (534 pts)	#1379 (219 pts)	#919 (379 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#628 (592 pts)	#701 (542 pts)	#647 (592 pts)	#1105 (297 pts)	#794 (452 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#1264 (203 pts)	#1754 (128 pts)	#1691 (138 pts)	#1837 (118 pts)	#1141 (253 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to SMOKIN' N THE DARK, each with one reason worth a look.

ONE MAN PITS

#761 of the rated field

1632 power rating

Contests: 29
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 45%
Peak: 1641

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to SMOKIN' N THE DARK)

One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team SMOKIN' N THE DARK has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 29 contests
last seen Nov 15, 2019

⚔ Head-to-head

HABITUAL SMOKERS

#766 of the rated field

1632 power rating

Contests: 72
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 40%
Peak: 1740

5–3 in 8 shared contests (63% to SMOKIN' N THE DARK)

They've been 1740 at their best, 108 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 72 contests
last seen Sep 30, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

CHATTAHOOCHEE QUE

#763 of the rated field

1632 power rating

Contests: 35
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 43%
Peak: 1647

A longer road to the same neighbourhood — 35 contests to 15.

rated over 35 contests
last seen Aug 2, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

SUSQUEHANNA SMOKERS

#762 of the rated field

1632 power rating

Contests: 53
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 47%
Peak: 1632

Their rating is built on 1 Grand Championship in 53 contests, alongside a 47% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 50 contests
last seen Oct 9, 2026
on a 4-contest top-10 run

⚔ Compare careers

Smokin Highwaymen

#760 of the rated field

1632 power rating

Contests: 54
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 35%
Peak: 1658

Level with SMOKIN' N THE DARK on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 54 contests
last seen Aug 22, 2025

⚔ Compare careers

Q-JITSU

#765 of the rated field

1632 power rating

Contests: 59
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 32%
Peak: 1668

They've been 1668 at their best, 36 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 55 contests
last seen Sep 25, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
CLARK CREW BBQ	9	4	5	44%	⚔ compare
HABITUAL SMOKERS	8	5	3	63%	⚔ compare
BAYOU BOOGIE BBQ	7	4	3	57%	⚔ compare
THE AMERICAN DREAM BBQ	7	3	4	43%	⚔ compare
ROUX 165 BBQ	6	6	0	100%	⚔ compare
CAJUN BLAZE	6	4	2	67%	⚔ compare
LONGNECK SIPPERS	5	4	1	80%	⚔ compare
CAVEMAN CUISINE	5	3	2	60%	⚔ compare
FIRE DANCER BBQ	5	2	3	40%	⚔ compare
DIRT ROAD BBQ	5	2	3	40%	⚔ compare
SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ	5	1	4	20%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	15	7	2	4	178.8572	159.3712	169.70	top 41%
Pork Ribs	15	11	3	3	180 🔥	164.5256	172.03	top 28%
Pork	15	8	1	1	178.8572	161.0740	169.81	top 39%
Brisket	15	7	0	3	175.4056	153.6568	167.75	top 43%

“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)	10	1	top 29%
Large (40+)	5	0	top 31%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
LA	7	1	top 21%
OK	4	0	top 45%
TX	2	0	top 37%
AR	2	0	top 18%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional)	4	7	0	top 45%	Sep 23, 2016
Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	3	2	0	top 23%	Mar 3, 2017
Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	2	1	1	top 9%	Mar 7, 2014
Shotgun Fred BBQ Showdown (JUDGES FULL)	2	10	0	top 37%	Feb 16, 2017
Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Championship	2	9	0	top 18%	Oct 9, 2015

More numbers

Busiest season 2013 4 contests

Contests a season 3 across 5 seasons in the data

Most contests held in LA 7 of 15 contests · 4 states in all

Contests visited 7 5 of them more than once

First title Mar 7, 2014 Sam's Club National BBQ Tour

Opponents faced 326 finished ahead 369 times, behind 139

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

20172 milestones

Feb 16 Peak power rating (1632) Shotgun Fred BBQ Showdown (JUDGES FULL)
Mar 3 Most recent contest Sam's Club National BBQ Tour

20162 milestones

Mar 4 First Reserve Championship Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Mar 4 First multi-meat day Sam's Club National BBQ Tour

20152 milestones

Oct 9 10th tracked contest Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Championship
Oct 9 Career-best overall score696.4912 Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Championship

20144 milestones

Mar 7 First category win (Pork Ribs) Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Mar 7 First overall podium Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Mar 7 First Grand Championship Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Mar 7 First perfect 180 (Pork Ribs) Sam's Club National BBQ Tour

20134 milestones

Mar 1 First tracked contest Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Mar 1 First call Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Mar 1 First overall top-10 Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Mar 1 First overall past 90% of a perfect score677.1426 Sam's Club National BBQ Tour

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+16.8	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Championship	Oct 9, 2015
+16.6	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	Mar 7, 2014
+16.1	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Championship	Sep 26, 2014
+13.8	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional)	Sep 19, 2014
+13.6	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	Mar 4, 2016

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-7.6	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional)	Oct 11, 2013
-1.1	Shotgun Fred BBQ Showdown	Feb 25, 2016
-0.3	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	Mar 3, 2017

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)
2017	2	0	1	1	100%	top 36%	95.9%	94.3%
2016	3	0	1	2	100%	top 32%	94.6%	93.5%
2015	3	0	3	2	100%	top 22%	96.7%	95.2%
2014	3	1	3	1	100%	top 15%	96.4%	95.9%
2013	4	0	2	0	100%	top 40%	94.7%	93.2%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Mar 3, 2017	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Shreveport, LA	14 / 29 (667.2796)	26 (159.3712)	19 (164.5256)	6 (169.6800)	3 (173.7028)
Feb 16, 2017	Shotgun Fred BBQ Showdown (JUDGES FULL) Huntsville, TX	10 / 41 (690.7540)	33 (159.9312)	4 (176.5600)	1 (178.8572)	8 (175.4056)
Sep 23, 2016	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) Midwest City, OK	12 / 30 (679.8968)	3 (177.7028)	27 (167.3828)	6 (173.7256)	30 (161.0856)
Mar 4, 2016	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Shreveport, LA	2 / 30 (681.1200)	1 (174.3200)	1 (175.4288)	5 (171.4056)	18 (159.9656)
Feb 25, 2016	Shotgun Fred BBQ Showdown Huntsville, TX	21 / 42 (657.6108)	22 (164.5256)	8 (169.7028)	9 (169.7256)	34 (153.6568)
Oct 9, 2015	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Championship Bentonville, AR	9 / 50 (696.4912)	29 (171.9656)	9 (176.5600)	29 (172.5600)	15 (175.4056)
Sep 25, 2015	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) Midwest City, OK	10 / 30 (679.8972)	1 (178.8572)	14 (169.1316)	18 (166.8228)	18 (165.0856)
Mar 6, 2015	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Shreveport, LA	4 / 29 (680.4452)	12 (168.5484)	1 (177.7144)	22 (161.0740)	5 (173.1084)
Sep 26, 2014	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Championship Bentonville, AR	9 / 50 (694.3088)	9 (177.1428)	7 (174.8916)	31 (169.7144)	26 (172.5600)
Sep 19, 2014	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) Midwest City, OK	7 / 29 (682.2172)	3 (176.0228)	9 (170.2628)	24 (166.2400)	10 (169.6916)
Mar 7, 2014	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Baton Rouge, LA	1 / 23 (694.2284)	7 (171.9656)	1 (180)	6 (171.4172)	2 (170.8456)
Oct 11, 2013	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) Midwest City, OK	25 / 30 (663.8856)	28 (163.9660)	13 (170.2512)	8 (170.8228)	29 (158.8456)
Sep 27, 2013	Jim Bowie BBQ Throwdown Vidalia, LA	7 / 38 (681.5768)	11 (170.8228)	8 (170.8228)	15 (167.3828)	4 (172.5484)
Mar 29, 2013	Slidell BBQ Challenge Slidell, LA	19 / 44 (662.2852)	26 (163.9998)	9 (168)	10 (168.5712)	23 (161.7142)
Mar 1, 2013	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Baton Rouge, LA	4 / 28 (677.1426)	10 (166.2856)	9 (169.1428)	12 (169.1428)	2 (172.5714)

SMOKIN' N THE DARK

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

Master avg

Storylines (15 found in their record)

Perfect scores on the board

Against the odds

Happy hunting ground

A multi-meat day

They almost always walk

High-water mark

Their season

A tough matchup

The weak link

The drought

A strong matchup

Announced themselves early

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 — 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)