MONSTER-QUE

MONSTER-QUE is a competition barbecue team with 40 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2019. They have won 3 Grand Championships, most recently at the Wine, Brew & Bar-B-Que Too! (2015), and finished Reserve Grand Champion twice. They are ranked #378 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#378

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1705

peak 1727 · rated over 39 contests1 invitational or side-series contest not counted

Contests

in the data

First seen

May 10, 2013

latest May 31, 2019 · 6.1 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#125

Master 2013 · every season

Grand champs

2 reserve · wins it all 8% of the time

Category wins

23 podiums

Overall top-10s

68% of 40 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 24%

overall standings

Best overall

699.4400 / 720

Master · Up In Smoke On The Square

Perfect 180s

Current form

666.52 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 673.89 (-7.37)

Walk rate

85%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

178.8572

Brisket · Legacy BBQ Championship

Consistency

±12.30

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Brisket

avg 169.68 · weakest Pork Ribs (166.61)

Road miles

5,714

across 40 mapped stops · furthest 274 mi

Schedule strength

42%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1555)

Purse competed for

$9,525

listed at 1 contest — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 1 state-championship entry

Master avg

673.89 / 720

40 Master contests · 3 GCs

Storylines (19 found in their record)

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

The heartbreaker

0.6060 points from the title

Came within 0.6060 points of the Grand Championship at 7th Annual Wellsville BBQ Cookoff (Jul 11, 2014).

Among the elite

#378 of 6,491 rated teams

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

A power rating of 1705 puts them #378 of 6,491 rated teams — the top 6% of the field.

rating 1705
peak 1727
39 rated contests

Against the odds

21-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings

The ratings favoured the top seed the other 79 times in 100

Their Grand Championship at Up In Smoke On The Square (Aug 22, 2014) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 21-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ.

Giant slayer

50 teams beaten in one weekend

Took the Grand Championship over a 50-team field at Up In Smoke On The Square.

Aug 22, 2014

Happy hunting ground

1× Grand Championship here

Smoke on the Prairie is their spot: 1 Grand Championship in 2 visits.

2 visits
best finish 1st
average top 15%

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 Smoke on the River (Sep 5, 2014).

Chicken 1st
Brisket 1st

They almost always walk

85% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 34 of 40 contests

A top-10 category call in 85% of their 40 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

Show 12 more storylines

High-water mark

699.4400 career-best overall

97.1% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 699.4400 at Up In Smoke On The Square — 97.1% of a perfect 720.

Master
Aug 22, 2014

The one to beat

3× one call ahead of them

GILLY'S BBQ has finished one call ahead of MONSTER-QUE 3 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2015 2 Grand Championships

2015 was the year it came together: 15 contests, 2 Grand Championships and 2 category wins, at an average finish in the top 22%.

15 contests
7 overall top-10s
2 category wins
average top 22%

A tough matchup

7–3 behind in the head-to-head

GREY STREET BBQ ahead in 70% of their meetings

GREY STREET BBQ has come out ahead in 7 of their 10 shared contests.

The drought

14 contests since the last title

Their last Grand Championship came at Wine, Brew & Bar-B-Que Too! on Jul 17, 2015 — 14 contests and 11.3 years ago.

last GC Jul 17, 2015
11.3 years ago

A strong matchup

17–6 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 74% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of ALL IN QUE in 17 of their 23 shared contests.

Announced themselves early

4th at their very first contest

Finished 4 of 25 at their very first tracked contest, 2013 Optimist Kick-Off Cook-Off (May 10, 2013).

May 10, 2013
25-team field

Looking over their shoulder

3× one call behind them

Its 5 Oclock Somewhere has landed one call behind them 3 times.

An October team

Top 15% average finish in October

Something about October: average finish in the top 15% across 5 contests, versus top 24% the rest of the year.

5 October contests
top 24% the rest of the year

The long haul

5,714 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 5,714 miles across 40 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 274 miles to 36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Invitational.

40 mapped stops
furthest 274 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 93.6% of a perfect score
40 contests

A standing appointment

7 years running at one contest

They've cooked Up In Smoke on the Square every year from 2013 to 2019 — the contest they never miss.

7 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
2017 ↗	Master	#1716 (122 pts)	#2083 (92 pts)	#1997 (112 pts)	#1970 (112 pts)	#1384 (207 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#621 (629 pts)	#966 (374 pts)	#879 (439 pts)	#667 (604 pts)	#623 (644 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#147 (1,754 pts)	#244 (1,291 pts)	#158 (1,586 pts)	#114 (1,742 pts)	#202 (1,485 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#148 (1,749 pts)	#149 (1,624 pts)	#204 (1,444 pts)	#209 (1,384 pts)	#146 (1,674 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#125 (1,754 pts)	#109 (1,679 pts)	#202 (1,314 pts)	#169 (1,409 pts)	#129 (1,654 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to MONSTER-QUE, each with one reason worth a look.

BBQ WIESEL

#376 of the rated field

1706 ▲ 1 power rating

Contests: 50
GCs: 5
Top-10s: 54%
Peak: 1709

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 44 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 44 contests
last seen Oct 14, 2022

⚔ Compare careers

BURNTOUT BBQ CO

#377 of the rated field

1706 ▲ 1 power rating

Contests: 51
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 43%
Peak: 1706

Careers of much the same size, 51 contests to 40, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 51 contests
last seen Jun 21, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

The Swine Doctor's BBQ

#374 of the rated field

1707 ▲ 1 power rating

Contests: 57
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 53%
Peak: 1707

Their rating is built on 1 Grand Championship in 57 contests, alongside a 53% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 56 contests
last seen Sep 27, 2026
on a 4-contest top-10 run

⚔ Compare careers

Grandpa Val's BBQ

#375 of the rated field

1707 ▲ 1 power rating

Contests: 61
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 57%
Peak: 1718

They turned up 7 years after MONSTER-QUE did, first appearing in 2020.

rated over 57 contests
last seen Oct 9, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

THE CELTIC PIG

#373 of the rated field

1707 ▲ 2 power rating

Contests: 52
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 37%
Peak: 1724

1–1 in 2 shared contests (50% to MONSTER-QUE)

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

rated over 50 contests
last seen Jun 16, 2023

⚔ Head-to-head

BBQ LONGHORN RANCH HANDS

#382 of the rated field

1703 ▼ 2 power rating

Contests: 44
GCs: 5
Top-10s: 73%
Peak: 1703

Rated 2 points below MONSTER-QUE.

rated over 40 contests
last seen Jun 30, 2018

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
One2BBQ	26	9	17	35%	⚔ compare
Its 5 Oclock Somewhere	24	16	8	67%	⚔ compare
ALL IN QUE	23	17	6	74%	⚔ compare
QUAU	20	9	11	45%	⚔ compare
ST. LOUIS BLACK IRON BBQ	17	13	4	76%	⚔ compare
FIDDLIN' FATBACK	16	16	0	100%	⚔ compare
THE CHILLY WATER SMOKERS	16	10	6	63%	⚔ compare
BONEHEAD BBQ	15	13	2	87%	⚔ compare
JUGS BBQ	14	10	4	71%	⚔ compare
GILLY'S BBQ	14	5	9	36%	⚔ compare
RURAL ROUTE BBQ	13	7	6	54%	⚔ compare
CLUCK , OINK & MOO BARBECUE	12	10	2	83%	⚔ compare
BOSS HAWG BBQ	11	11	0	100%	⚔ compare
MEATSMACK	11	11	0	100%	⚔ compare
PITMASTERIQ BBQ	11	8	3	73%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	40	21	1	5	178.2972	154.7772	168.79	top 35%
Pork Ribs	40	17	1	6	177.1772	147.9544	166.61	top 37%
Pork	40	23	2	4	178.2972	156.5372	168.81	top 30%
Brisket	40	24	2	8	178.8572	153.7142	169.68	top 26%

“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)	2	1	top 11%
Medium (20–39)	22	0	top 31%
Large (40+)	16	2	top 15%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
IL	26	2	top 22%
IN	7	1	top 26%
MO	6	0	top 19%
IA	1	0	top 76%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Up In Smoke on the Square	7	1	1	top 30%	May 31, 2019
Central Illinois Bragging Rights	3	3	0	top 18%	Oct 9, 2015
Knights of Columbus	3	2	0	top 13%	Jun 19, 2015
Smoke on the Prairie	2	1	1	top 15%	May 29, 2015
Smoke on the River	2	8	0	top 36%	Sep 5, 2014

More numbers

Busiest season 2015 15 contests · 2 GCs

Contests a season 5.7 across 7 seasons in the data

Most contests held in IL 26 of 40 contests · 4 states in all

Contests visited 28 5 of them more than once

First title Aug 22, 2014 Up In Smoke On The Square

Opponents faced 1,119 finished ahead 1,778 times, behind 344

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

20191 milestone

May 31 Most recent contest Up In Smoke on the Square

20161 milestone

Aug 19 Peak power rating (1727) Madison Ribberfest BBQ & Blues Festisval

20151 milestone

Jul 10 25th tracked contest 8th Annual Wellsville BBQ Cookoff

20147 milestones

Jun 13 10th tracked contest Smoke on the Prairie
Jun 20 First category win (Pork) Knights of Columbus
Jun 20 First Reserve Championship Knights of Columbus
Aug 22 First Grand Championship Up In Smoke On The Square
Aug 22 Biggest field won (50 teams) Up In Smoke On The Square
Aug 22 Career-best overall score699.4400 Up In Smoke On The Square
Sep 5 First multi-meat day Smoke on the River

20136 milestones

May 10 First tracked contest 2013 Optimist Kick-Off Cook-Off
May 10 First call 2013 Optimist Kick-Off Cook-Off
May 10 First overall top-10 2013 Optimist Kick-Off Cook-Off
May 10 First overall past 90% of a perfect score661.7140 2013 Optimist Kick-Off Cook-Off
May 17 First overall podium Randolph County Pig Party
Jun 27 Career-best single call (Brisket)178.8572 Legacy BBQ Championship

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+13.4	Randolph County Pig Party	May 17, 2013
+12.9	Up In Smoke On The Square	Aug 22, 2014
+12.9	Knights of Columbus	Jun 21, 2013
+12.8	Legacy BBQ Championship	Jun 27, 2013
+12.6	2013 Optimist Kick-Off Cook-Off	May 10, 2013

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-15.9	Up In Smoke on the Square	May 31, 2019
-10.1	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	Jul 25, 2014
-8.3	Balloons, Blues & BBQ	Sep 12, 2015
-3.6	Up In smoke on the Square ( WAIT LIST ONLY FOR JUDGES)	Jun 1, 2018
-1.7	Up In smoke on the Square	Jun 2, 2017

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	1	0	0	0	100%	top 72%	91.1%	91.1%
2018	1	0	0	0	100%	top 45%	89.6%	89.6%
2017	1	0	0	0	100%	top 38%	93.1%	93.1%
2016	4	0	4	0	75%	top 21%	95.7%	94.1%
2015	15	2	7	2	67%	top 22%	96.8%	94%
2014	9	1	8	4	100%	top 23%	97.1%	94.2%
2013	9	0	8	0	100%	top 18%	94.3%	92.8%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
May 31, 2019	Up In Smoke on the Square 🏅 Lincoln, IL	26 / 36 (655.8856)	25 (164.5600)	30 (157.0972)	7 (170.8228)	23 (163.4056)
Jun 1, 2018	Up In smoke on the Square ( WAIT LIST ONLY FOR JUDGES) Lincoln, IL	18 / 40 (644.9712)	34 (154.7772)	6 (168.5828)	27 (158.2284)	12 (163.3828)
Jun 2, 2017	Up In smoke on the Square Lincoln, IL	12 / 32 (670.1824)	18 (165.7256)	14 (165.6800)	14 (166.8112)	4 (171.9656)
Aug 19, 2016	Madison Ribberfest BBQ & Blues Festisval Madison, IN	9 / 63 (689.0400)	20 (170.8344)	14 (173.1200)	13 (171.9656)	15 (173.1200)
Jul 8, 2016	9th Annual Wellsville BBQ Cookoff Wellsville, MO	10 / 26 (672.5140)	11 (170.8228)	11 (164.5600)	8 (171.4056)	15 (165.7256)
Jun 17, 2016	Hog Capital Challenge - JUDGES FULL Kewanee, IL	5 / 23 (671.2912)	18 (159.3600)	8 (166.8228)	7 (170.8456)	3 (174.2628)
Jun 3, 2016	Up In smoke on the Square Lincoln, IL	5 / 52 (677.6112)	20 (169.1200)	29 (160.5372)	5 (172.5484)	4 (175.4056)
Oct 9, 2015	Central Illinois Bragging Rights Arthur, IL	13 / 48 (671.3256)	13 (168.5256)	14 (167.9772)	21 (165.7028)	11 (169.1200)
Oct 3, 2015	36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Open Kansas City, MO	39 / 606 (683.9312)	49 (174.8456)	160 (169.1200)	193 (167.4056)	65 (172.5600)
Oct 2, 2015	36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Invitational unrated Kansas City, MO	23 / 187 (688.5256)	32 (175.4056)	105 (167.3944)	86 (169.1428)	12 (176.5828)
Sep 18, 2015	Marshall County Blazin' BBQ & Bluegrass Plymouth, IN	7 / 27 (682.8340)	9 (172.5484)	5 (172)	10 (171.9656)	18 (166.3200)
Sep 12, 2015	Balloons, Blues & BBQ Bloomington, IN	14 / 23 (651.2340)	21 (158.2056)	14 (165.6800)	11 (164.5256)	14 (162.8228)
Aug 21, 2015	Madison Ribberfest BBQ & Blues Festival Madison, IN	8 / 64 (682.7540)	6 (174.2856)	18 (169.6800)	24 (169.6684)	17 (169.1200)
Jul 24, 2015	5th Annual Morton BBQ Throwdown Morton, IL	10 / 47 (669.0740)	8 (169.6800)	9 (168.0116)	26 (162.2396)	10 (169.1428)
Jul 17, 2015	Wine, Brew & Bar-B-Que Too! New Palestine, IN	1 / 44 (697.1428)	20 (169.1200)	2 (177.1772)	5 (177.1428)	10 (173.7028)
Jul 10, 2015	8th Annual Wellsville BBQ Cookoff Wellsville, MO	11 / 31 (672.5028)	7 (173.7028)	27 (154.8116)	4 (172.5484)	7 (171.4400)
Jun 19, 2015	Knights of Columbus Quincy, IL	6 / 28 (674.7312)	22 (162.2284)	14 (166.2400)	1 (178.2972)	10 (167.9656)
Jun 5, 2015	Up In Smoke On The Square Lincoln, IL	4 / 40 (677.0624)	20 (164.5256)	10 (169.1084)	7 (170.8456)	5 (172.5828)
May 29, 2015	Smoke on the Prairie Brimfield, IL	1 / 18 (678.7884)	8 (165.6800)	1 (176)	4 (168.5256)	3 (168.5828)
May 2, 2015	Smokin' on the Water Liberty, IN	13 / 36 (677.0860)	32 (160.5600)	17 (166.2632)	3 (177.7028)	7 (172.5600)
May 1, 2015	Smokin on the Water 2 Liberty, IN	11 / 37 (679.3712)	7 (172.5600)	7 (171.9772)	15 (170.2628)	19 (164.5712)
Apr 24, 2015	Wabash Ribber Fest Mt. Carmel, IL	13 / 46 (669.5768)	23 (165.6684)	15 (168)	12 (169.6800)	19 (166.2284)
Oct 10, 2014	Central Illinois Bragging Rights Arthur, IL	8 / 37 (666.7656)	4 (172)	16 (161.6916)	15 (161.6684)	5 (171.4056)
Sep 18, 2014	Murphysboro Barbecue Cook-Off Murphysboro, IL	5 / 57 (690.2400)	5 (173.7028)	8 (173.7144)	16 (169.7028)	9 (173.1200)
Sep 5, 2014	Smoke on the River Quincy, IL	9 / 21 (662.7656)	1 (176.5600)	19 (150.2744)	16 (159.3712)	1 (176.5600)
Aug 22, 2014	Up In Smoke On The Square Lincoln, IL	1 / 50 (699.4400)	2 (178.2972)	6 (172)	6 (172)	1 (177.1428)
Jul 25, 2014	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Des Moines, IA	22 / 29 (657.6344)	9 (171.4056)	22 (161.7144)	12 (164.5600)	20 (159.9544)
Jul 11, 2014	7th Annual Wellsville BBQ Cookoff Wellsville, MO	2 / 41 (696.5024)	14 (172.5484)	2 (175.4056)	5 (174.2628)	4 (174.2856)
Jun 26, 2014	Legacy State BBQ Championship Cook-Off Effingham, IL	3 / 18 (681.0856)	5 (173.1084)	11 (167.4172)	5 (168)	3 (172.5600)
Jun 20, 2014	Knights of Columbus Quincy, IL	2 / 25 (686.3200)	7 (171.4516)	2 (174.8456)	1 (175.4400)	11 (164.5828)
Jun 13, 2014	Smoke on the Prairie Brimfield, IL	7 / 28 (665.1316)	19 (163.4172)	4 (170.2972)	12 (165.1200)	11 (166.2972)
Oct 11, 2013	Central Illinois Bragging Rights Arthur, IL	3 / 53 (676.5144)	6 (173.7028)	27 (161.0972)	7 (170.2744)	7 (171.4400)
Sep 27, 2013	Taste of Downtown Danville BBQ Competition Danville, IL	4 / 25 (675.9428)	2 (175.4056)	2 (176)	19 (156.5372)	6 (168)
Sep 13, 2013	Q the Lou Litchfield, IL	7 / 25 (663.3600)	14 (159.9772)	7 (166.8344)	10 (164.5484)	3 (172)
Sep 6, 2013	Smoke On The River Quincy, IL	8 / 28 (663.4400)	6 (167.4400)	19 (160)	9 (168.0116)	6 (167.9884)
Aug 23, 2013	Up In Smoke on the Square Lincoln, IL	16 / 46 (669.6800)	4 (174.8572)	41 (147.9544)	6 (173.7028)	5 (173.1656)
Jun 27, 2013	Legacy BBQ Championship Effingham, IL	3 / 28 (678.8572)	3 (172)	11 (162.8572)	10 (165.1428)	2 (178.8572)
Jun 21, 2013	Knights of Columbus Quincy, IL	3 / 32 (654.8570)	9 (160.5714)	2 (170.8572)	5 (169.7142)	18 (153.7142)
May 17, 2013	Randolph County Pig Party Steeleville, IL	3 / 25 (667.9998)	10 (162.8570)	4 (166.8570)	6 (165.1430)	2 (173.1428)
May 10, 2013	2013 Optimist Kick-Off Cook-Off Florissant, MO	4 / 25 (661.7140)	2 (169.7142)	15 (158.8572)	3 (170.8570)	10 (162.2856)

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

MONSTER-QUE

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 (19 found in their record)

The heartbreaker

Among the elite

Against the odds

Giant slayer

Happy hunting ground

A multi-meat day

They almost always walk

High-water mark

The one to beat

Their season

A tough matchup

The drought

A strong matchup

Announced themselves early

Looking over their shoulder

An October team

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)