COUNTY LINE SMOKERS

COUNTY LINE SMOKERS is a competition barbecue team with 20 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2018. They have won 1 Grand Championship, at the Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (2014), and finished Reserve Grand Champion 3 times. They are ranked #922 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#922

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1614

peak 1624 · rated over 18 contests2 invitational or side-series contests not counted

Contests

in the data

First seen

Apr 26, 2013

latest Sep 15, 2018 · 5.4 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#357

Master 2013 · every season

Grand champs

3 reserve · wins it all 5% of the time

Category wins

11 podiums

Overall top-10s

45% of 20 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 29%

overall standings

Best overall

696.5372 / 720

Master · Smokin' on the Summit BBQ

Perfect 180s

1 🔥

Current form

666.79 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 670.81 (-4.02)

Walk rate

60%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

180 🔥

Pork · Smokin' on the Summit BBQ

Consistency

±12.66

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork

avg 170.44 · weakest Brisket (164.17)

Road miles

1,745

across 20 mapped stops · furthest 280 mi

Schedule strength

39%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1551)

Master avg

670.81 / 720

20 Master contests · 1 GC

Storylines (13 found in their record)

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

The heartbreaker

3.4632 points from the title

Came within 3.4632 points of the Grand Championship at Rock'n Freedom (Jun 20, 2014).

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.

Pork ×1

Against the odds

30-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings

The ratings favoured the top seed the other 70 times in 100

Their Grand Championship at Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (May 2, 2014) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 30-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, THE SMOKING HILLS.

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 17%

They almost always walk

60% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 12 of 20 contests

A top-10 category call in 60% of their 20 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

696.5372 career-best overall

96.7% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 696.5372 at Smokin' on the Summit BBQ — 96.7% of a perfect 720.

Master
Jun 3, 2016

A tough matchup

10–4 behind in the head-to-head

BURNT FINGER BBQ ahead in 71% of their meetings

BURNT FINGER BBQ has come out ahead in 10 of their 14 shared contests.

Show 6 more storylines

The weak link

−6.3 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 6.26 points below their pork, and turns into a call 15% of the time against 45%.

Brisket avg 164.17
Pork avg 170.44
3 calls in 20 entries

The drought

13 contests since the last title

Their last Grand Championship came at Sam's Club National BBQ Tour on May 2, 2014 — 13 contests and 12.5 years ago.

last GC May 2, 2014
12.5 years ago

A strong matchup

9–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of WOODBROTHERS BBQ in 9 of their 9 shared contests.

Always the bridesmaid

3 reserve championships

Runner-up for the whole thing 3 times against 1 Grand Championship — close enough to touch it, over and over.

1 Grand Championship
20 contests

A June team

Top 12% average finish in June

Something about June: average finish in the top 12% across 7 contests, versus top 29% the rest of the year.

7 June contests
top 29% the rest of the year

The metronome

±1.76% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.76% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 93.2% of a perfect score
20 contests

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	#1954 (60 pts)	#2012 (60 pts)	#1996 (60 pts)	#2030 (60 pts)	#1990 (60 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#2212 (60 pts)	#2286 (60 pts)	#2304 (60 pts)	#2260 (60 pts)	#2266 (60 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#1011 (320 pts)	#1457 (195 pts)	#1692 (155 pts)	#1044 (345 pts)	#1187 (270 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#869 (386 pts)	#776 (476 pts)	#755 (501 pts)	#814 (446 pts)	#1073 (291 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#403 (941 pts)	#401 (931 pts)	#555 (701 pts)	#519 (741 pts)	#513 (726 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#357 (860 pts)	#337 (905 pts)	#540 (615 pts)	#286 (1,010 pts)	#650 (500 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to COUNTY LINE SMOKERS, each with one reason worth a look.

Who's Cookin'

#921 of the rated field

1614 power rating

Contests: 52
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 15%
Peak: 1614

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 52 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 52 contests
last seen Oct 9, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

MONSOON BBQ

#920 of the rated field

1614 power rating

Contests: 68
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 16%
Peak: 1634

68 contests to 20: their number has had years to settle where COUNTY LINE SMOKERS's is still finding its level.

rated over 68 contests
last seen Sep 27, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

SMOKIN VAN NORMAN

#910 of the rated field

1615 ▲ 1 power rating

Contests: 22
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 23%
Peak: 1615

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to COUNTY LINE SMOKERS)

One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team COUNTY LINE SMOKERS has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 22 contests
last seen Mar 19, 2021

⚔ Head-to-head

BACKFIRIN' BBQ

#928 of the rated field

1613 ▼ 1 power rating

Contests: 25
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 32%
Peak: 1613

0–2 in 2 shared contests (0% to COUNTY LINE SMOKERS)

Their rating is built on 1 Grand Championship in 25 contests, alongside a 32% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 24 contests
last seen Oct 29, 2016

⚔ Head-to-head

TEAM BREW & QUE

#911 of the rated field

1615 ▲ 1 power rating

Contests: 46
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 22%
Peak: 1617

0–2 in 2 shared contests (0% to COUNTY LINE SMOKERS)

Level with COUNTY LINE SMOKERS on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 46 contests
last seen Sep 30, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

SCORCH AND RESQUE

#927 of the rated field

1613 ▼ 1 power rating

Contests: 47
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 34%
Peak: 1637

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to COUNTY LINE SMOKERS)

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

rated over 46 contests
last seen Aug 2, 2019

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
SMOOTH SMOKE	14	6	8	43%	⚔ compare
GETTIN' BASTED	14	6	8	43%	⚔ compare
BURNT FINGER BBQ	14	4	10	29%	⚔ compare
Theslabs.com	13	7	6	54%	⚔ compare
DIRT ROAD BBQ	13	4	9	31%	⚔ compare
PELLET ENVY	12	3	9	25%	⚔ compare
SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ	12	2	10	17%	⚔ compare
Sons of a Brisket	11	6	5	55%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN O BBQ	11	6	5	55%	⚔ compare
50 SHADES OF QUE	11	5	6	45%	⚔ compare
THE SMOKING HILLS	11	5	6	45%	⚔ compare
THE AMERICAN DREAM BBQ	11	3	8	27%	⚔ compare
SLAPS BBQ	10	5	5	50%	⚔ compare
PITMASTERIQ BBQ	10	4	6	40%	⚔ compare
CAVEMAN CUISINE	10	3	7	30%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	20	8	3	5	177.7028	164	170.04	top 29%
Pork Ribs	20	5	0	1	173.7144	154.8000	166.16	top 42%
Pork	20	9	3	4	180 🔥	157.0628	170.44	top 27%
Brisket	20	3	0	1	176	149.1088	164.17	top 45%

“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)	6	1	top 31%
Large (40+)	14	0	top 29%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
MO	14	0	top 24%
KS	5	1	top 39%
OK	1	0	top 59%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Rock'n Freedom	3	2	0	top 15%	Jun 19, 2015
Smokin' on the Summit	3	2	0	top 13%	Jun 5, 2015
Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	2	1	1	top 17%	May 2, 2014

More numbers

Busiest season 2014 6 contests · 1 GC

Contests a season 3.3 across 6 seasons in the data

Most contests held in MO 14 of 20 contests · 3 states in all

Contests visited 15 3 of them more than once

First title May 2, 2014 Sam's Club National BBQ Tour

Opponents faced 1,728 finished ahead 2,577 times, behind 1,473

Longest layoff 1 yrs Sep 1, 2017 → Sep 15, 2018

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

20181 milestone

Sep 15 Most recent contest 39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN)

20163 milestones

Jun 3 First perfect 180 (Pork) Smokin' on the Summit BBQ
Jun 3 Career-best overall score696.5372 Smokin' on the Summit BBQ
Oct 29 Peak power rating (1624) 37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN)

20142 milestones

May 2 First Grand Championship Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Sep 19 10th tracked contest Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional)

20137 milestones

Apr 26 First tracked contest Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Apr 26 First call Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Apr 26 First overall top-10 Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Apr 26 First overall past 90% of a perfect score659.4282 Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Jun 7 First category win (Chicken) SMOKIN on the Summit
Jun 7 First overall podium SMOKIN on the Summit
Jun 7 First Reserve Championship SMOKIN on the Summit

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+15.4	SMOKIN on the Summit	Jun 7, 2013
+15.2	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	May 2, 2014
+14.2	Rock'n Freedom	Jun 20, 2014
+12.9	Blue Springs Barbeque Blaze-Off	Sep 6, 2013
+12.4	Rock'n Freedom	Jun 20, 2013

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-6.1	39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN)	Sep 15, 2018
-4.4	Table Rock and Ribs (GC receives Golden Ticket to the World Food Championship)	May 22, 2015
-3.9	38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN)	Sep 1, 2017
-0.2	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional)	Sep 19, 2014

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)
2018	1	0	0	0	0%	top 64%	90.3%	90.3%
2017	1	0	0	0	0%	top 56%	91.2%	91.2%
2016	2	0	1	1	50%	top 21%	96.7%	94.4%
2015	4	0	1	1	50%	top 35%	94.7%	92.8%
2014	6	1	3	2	67%	top 31%	95.4%	93.4%
2013	6	0	4	2	83%	top 17%	95.3%	93.6%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Sep 15, 2018	39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	299 / 467 (650.0912)	265 (165.0856)	309 (162.2400)	373 (157.0628)	192 (165.7028)
Sep 1, 2017	38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	229 / 407 (656.4916)	234 (164.5600)	229 (163.9888)	154 (168)	273 (159.9428)
Oct 29, 2016	37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	218 / 557 (662.2284)	287 (164)	450 (154.8344)	66 (173.1084)	106 (170.2856)
Jun 3, 2016	Smokin' on the Summit BBQ Lee's Summit, MO	2 / 67 (696.5372)	10 (171.9656)	18 (168.5716)	1 (180)	4 (176)
Oct 3, 2015	36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Open Kansas City, MO	154 / 606 (668.6060)	234 (166.2744)	356 (161.7600)	81 (171.9772)	149 (168.5944)
Jun 19, 2015	Rock'n Freedom Seymour, MO	9 / 36 (682.1828)	1 (177.7028)	19 (166.2744)	4 (175.4172)	20 (162.7884)
Jun 5, 2015	Smokin' on the Summit Lee's Summit, MO	19 / 78 (659.8856)	31 (165.7028)	2 (173.7028)	55 (157.0972)	30 (163.3828)
May 22, 2015	Table Rock and Ribs (GC receives Golden Ticket to the World Food Championship) Kimberling City, MO	17 / 26 (662.6856)	21 (166.2284)	17 (166.8344)	12 (167.9772)	18 (161.6456)
Oct 2, 2014	35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO	208 / 552 (662.1600)	129 (170.2744)	451 (154.8000)	40 (174.8456)	272 (162.2400)
Oct 2, 2014	35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Invitational unrated Kansas City, MO	113 / 165 (662.2172)	54 (171.4172)	111 (164.0228)	74 (168.5372)	145 (158.2400)
Sep 19, 2014	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) Midwest City, OK	17 / 29 (669.5772)	12 (173.1200)	4 (173.7144)	26 (163.9428)	23 (158.8000)
Jun 20, 2014	Rock'n Freedom Seymour, MO	2 / 33 (686.7656)	1 (177.1428)	20 (163.9544)	5 (170.2628)	3 (175.4056)
Jun 6, 2014	Smokin on the Summit Lee's Summit, MO	9 / 79 (670.7544)	3 (176)	17 (169.1316)	36 (162.2400)	25 (163.3828)
May 2, 2014	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Overland Park, KS	1 / 29 (683.3484)	10 (167.3712)	8 (167.4172)	1 (179.4400)	4 (169.1200)
Oct 3, 2013	34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Invitational unrated Kansas City, MO	33 / 174 (674.2400)	50 (169.7028)	40 (169.7144)	6 (177.1544)	137 (157.6684)
Oct 3, 2013	34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO	139 / 535 (655.3256)	119 (167.4284)	43 (171.4056)	125 (167.3828)	417 (149.1088)
Sep 6, 2013	Blue Springs Barbeque Blaze-Off Blue Springs, MO	6 / 72 (686.2284)	14 (171.4056)	7 (173.1428)	1 (177.7028)	22 (163.9772)
Jun 20, 2013	Rock'n Freedom Seymour, MO	7 / 50 (684.5710)	3 (174.8572)	35 (162.8570)	2 (177.7142)	19 (169.1426)
Jun 7, 2013	SMOKIN on the Summit Lees Summit, MO	2 / 81 (682.8572)	1 (173.7142)	11 (169.1428)	6 (171.4288)	12 (168.5714)
Apr 26, 2013	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Overland Park, KS	9 / 30 (659.4282)	8 (166.8570)	9 (165.7142)	6 (167.4284)	18 (159.4286)

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

COUNTY LINE SMOKERS

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 (13 found in their record)

The heartbreaker

Perfect scores on the board

Against the odds

Happy hunting ground

They almost always walk

High-water mark

A tough matchup

The weak link

The drought

A strong matchup

Always the bridesmaid

A June team

The metronome

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)