The heartbreaker
Came within 0.1140 points of the Grand Championship at Red, White, And BBQ (2014-05-24).
Each card leads with the number that made it a story — read straight out of their results, no editorialising.
Came within 0.1140 points of the Grand Championship at Red, White, And BBQ (2014-05-24).
In the top 3% of every rated team in the data
A power rating of 1758 puts them #195 of 6,413 rated teams — the top 3% of the field.
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 87 times in 100
Their Grand Championship at *SMOKEToBERFEST (2018-10-05) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 13-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ.
Their power rating has climbed 41 points across 21 contests since 2017-11-17 — from 1718 up to 1758.
Took the Grand Championship over a 58-team field at Red, White and BBQ (Day 2).
Red, White and BBQ (Day 2) is their spot: 1 Grand Championship in 3 visits.
A call in 43 of 56 contests
A top-10 category call in 77% of their 56 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.
96.5% of a perfect 720
Their best day on record: 694.7772 at Eighth Annual Bull Moose (JUDGE'S FULL) — 96.5% of a perfect 720.
CRASH TEST SMOKERS has finished one call ahead of A FINE SWINE 2 times — their closest competition in the data.
2015 was the year it came together: 17 contests, 2 Grand Championships and 3 category wins, at an average finish in the top 16%.
DIRT ROAD BBQ ahead in 94% of their meetings
DIRT ROAD BBQ has come out ahead in 15 of their 16 shared contests.
Ahead in 84% of their meetings
They've finished ahead of 5 FINGER BBQ in 16 of their 19 shared contests.
Off the trail for 2.1 years, then back at Que'n In Cumming (DAY 1) Duel (2017-11-17).
Finished 3 of 39 at their very first tracked contest, Poor Que (2013-06-07).
Runner-up for the whole thing 6 times against 4 Grand Championships — close enough to touch it, over and over.
IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ has landed one call behind them 3 times.
Something about September: average finish in the top 16% across 4 contests, versus top 26% the rest of the year.
Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 9,433 miles across 56 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 707 miles to Que'n In Cumming (DAY 1).
Their overall lands within ±1.96% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.
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.
This is the highest they've ever been rated, 45 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.
⚔ Head-to-headOne contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team A FINE SWINE has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.
⚔ Head-to-headA longer road to the same neighbourhood — 128 contests to 56.
⚔ Head-to-headTheir rating is built on 5 Grand Championships in 58 contests, alongside a 52% overall top-10 rate.
⚔ Head-to-headBoth teams' first contest in the data came in 2013.
⚔ Head-to-headRated 2 points below A FINE SWINE.
⚔ Head-to-head| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TIM'S FULL BELLI DELI | 25 | 12 | 13 | 48% | ⚔ compare |
| QUAU | 23 | 12 | 11 | 52% | ⚔ compare |
| T-MAC SMOKIN | 22 | 10 | 12 | 45% | ⚔ compare |
| THE SMOKIN' C'S BBQ | 21 | 16 | 5 | 76% | ⚔ compare |
| 5 FINGER BBQ | 19 | 16 | 3 | 84% | ⚔ compare |
| CRASH TEST SMOKERS | 19 | 11 | 8 | 58% | ⚔ compare |
| FOX RIVER BBQ | 18 | 12 | 6 | 67% | ⚔ compare |
| THE REAL SMOKIN ACES | 18 | 10 | 8 | 56% | ⚔ compare |
| IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | 18 | 5 | 13 | 28% | ⚔ compare |
| Freeman Brothers BBQ | 17 | 10 | 7 | 59% | ⚔ compare |
| BIG "E" BBQ | 17 | 10 | 7 | 59% | ⚔ compare |
| BRINGIN' THE HEAT | 16 | 6 | 10 | 38% | ⚔ compare |
| DIRT ROAD BBQ | 16 | 1 | 15 | 6% | ⚔ compare |
| BUCKAROO BBQ | 14 | 13 | 1 | 93% | ⚔ compare |
| SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ | 14 | 2 | 12 | 14% | ⚔ compare |
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 56 | 24 | 2 | 10 | 179.4400 | 154.8112 | 170.06 | top 30% |
| Pork Ribs | 56 | 18 | 2 | 4 | 178.8572 | 157.6916 | 167.11 | top 35% |
| Pork | 56 | 22 | 2 | 12 | 179.4400 | 153.0512 | 167.65 | top 36% |
| Brisket | 56 | 25 | 2 | 5 | 178.2972 | 155.9084 | 167.46 | top 36% |
“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.
| Where | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| WI | 23 | 2 | top 24% |
| IL | 10 | 1 | top 22% |
| TN | 7 | 0 | top 23% |
| MO | 6 | 0 | top 24% |
| IA | 3 | 1 | top 17% |
| GA | 3 | 0 | top 78% |
| AR | 1 | 0 | top 22% |
| KY | 1 | 0 | top 7% |
| KS | 1 | 0 | top 27% |
| MS | 1 | 0 | top 36% |
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (<20 teams) | 2 | 1 | top 13% |
| Medium (20–39) | 22 | 1 | top 22% |
| Large (40+) | 32 | 2 | top 29% |
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red, White and BBQ (Day 2) | 3 | 1 | 1 | top 8% | 2015-05-23 |
| Puckaway Pigfest | 3 | 2 | 0 | top 13% | 2015-09-11 |
| Grillin' in Grafton | 3 | 4 | 0 | top 29% | 2015-06-26 |
| Poor Que | 3 | 2 | 0 | top 15% | 2015-06-05 |
| *RED, WHITE and BAR-B-Q ( DAY 2) | 2 | 17 | 0 | top 37% | 2018-05-26 |
| High on the Hog Festival | 2 | 8 | 0 | top 23% | 2018-04-20 |
| Que'n In Cumming (DAY 2) | 2 | 39 | 0 | top 71% | 2017-11-18 |
| Central Iowa Expo BBQ | 2 | 4 | 0 | top 24% | 2015-04-25 |
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +15 | Red, White, And BBQ | 2014-05-24 |
| +14.4 | Poor Que | 2013-06-07 |
| +13.8 | Hog and Steer Barbecue Competition & Festival | 2014-06-13 |
| +12.7 | Central Iowa Expo BBQ | 2015-04-25 |
| +12.7 | High on the Hog Festival | 2014-04-18 |
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -13.7 | Que'n In Cumming (DAY 1) Duel | 2017-11-17 |
| -9.1 | Que'n In Cumming (DAY 2) | 2017-11-18 |
| -8.7 | *Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Day 2 | 2018-06-23 |
| -6.2 | *Gold Ribbin' BBQ Fest of Greater Green Bay-Heat1 | 2018-07-13 |
| -4.5 | 36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Open | 2015-10-03 |
| 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 22% | 95.1% | 95.1% |
| 2018 | 18 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 72% | top 27% | 96.5% | 94.2% |
| 2017 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33% | top 78% | 93.5% | 92.2% |
| 2015 | 17 | 2 | 13 | 3 | 88% | top 16% | 96.2% | 93.8% |
| 2014 | 13 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 77% | top 24% | 95.5% | 92.6% |
| 2013 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 75% | top 31% | 92.5% | 90.8% |
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-02-08 | KCBS World Invitational Barbeque Championship 🏅 unrated Little Rock, AR | 20 / 92 (685.0744) | 15 (175.4172) | 87 (160.5372) | 27 (170.8228) | 2 (178.2972) |
| 2018-10-19 | Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cook-Off Munfordville, KY | 2 / 29 (692.4916) | 4 (174.2628) | 13 (167.3944) | 2 (177.7144) | 5 (173.1200) |
| 2018-10-12 | *Anchor City Cook Off Centralia, MO | 3 / 33 (687.9656) | 6 (173.7256) | 15 (167.3944) | 2 (179.4400) | 16 (167.4056) |
| 2018-10-05 | *SMOKEToBERFEST Ottumwa, IA | 1 / 40 (689.6456) | 2 (175.4056) | 6 (171.4172) | 13 (169.6800) | 5 (173.1428) |
| 2018-09-15 | 39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS | 125 / 467 (675.8968) | 176 (169.1084) | 70 (173.1200) | 351 (158.2628) | 28 (175.4056) |
| 2018-07-14 | *Gold Ribbin' BBQ Fest of Greater Green Bay-Heat 2 Green Bay, WI | 18 / 49 (670.7772) | 21 (167.3944) | 36 (161.7028) | 12 (170.8228) | 10 (170.8572) |
| 2018-07-13 | *Gold Ribbin' BBQ Fest of Greater Green Bay-Heat1 Green Bay, WI | 32 / 54 (651.9200) | 34 (162.2284) | 38 (159.4172) | 37 (159.4288) | 13 (170.8456) |
| 2018-06-23 | *Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Day 2 Belvidere, IL | 29 / 44 (649.0284) | 39 (157.0856) | 31 (160.0000) | 9 (167.9772) | 25 (163.9656) |
| 2018-06-22 | *Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Day 1 Belvidere, IL | 4 / 51 (688.5600) | 24 (167.4400) | 12 (169.7028) | 1 (179.4400) | 9 (171.9772) |
| 2018-05-26 | *RED, WHITE and BAR-B-Q ( DAY 2) Westmont, IL | 17 / 60 (670.7200) | 11 (171.9656) | 21 (167.9772) | 43 (161.6572) | 18 (169.1200) |
| 2018-05-25 | *RED, WHITE and BAR-B-Q ( DAY 1) Westmont, IL | 22 / 49 (661.6000) | 23 (167.3828) | 26 (162.8344) | 19 (166.2628) | 20 (165.1200) |
| 2018-05-04 | *Route 66 Smoke Out Dwight, IL | 4 / 38 (685.6572) | 9 (171.9772) | 11 (167.9656) | 2 (175.4400) | 6 (170.2744) |
| 2018-04-20 | High on the Hog Festival Winchester, TN | 14 / 42 (688.5028) | 18 (170.8228) | 16 (169.7144) | 11 (172.5600) | 6 (175.4056) |
| 2018-04-13 | TN River BBQ Battle & Music Fest Savannah, TN | 8 / 28 (684.4572) | 7 (173.1200) | 11 (170.8228) | 6 (174.2628) | 18 (166.2516) |
| 2018-04-06 | Eighth Annual Bull Moose (JUDGE'S FULL) Somerville, TN | 2 / 40 (694.7772) | 17 (169.6800) | 1 (178.8572) | 6 (173.1200) | 5 (173.1200) |
| 2018-03-23 | Dickson County Smokefest Dickson, TN | 12 / 29 (678.7772) | 23 (162.2628) | 11 (171.4172) | 17 (168.5372) | 4 (176.5600) |
| 2018-03-16 | *Hog Wild BBQ Contest Corinth, MS | 13 / 36 (676.9824) | 16 (169.1084) | 4 (174.2628) | 19 (169.6800) | 25 (163.9312) |
| 2018-03-09 | Smoke on the Shores Nashville, TN | 26 / 87 (679.3484) | 29 (171.4056) | 34 (167.4172) | 15 (173.7028) | 43 (166.8228) |
| 2018-02-23 | Polar Bear BBQ Challenge Kingdom City, MO | 5 / 29 (684.5484) | 7 (174.2856) | 15 (165.7144) | 5 (174.8456) | 7 (169.7028) |
| 2017-11-18 | Que'n In Cumming (DAY 2) Cumming, GA | 46 / 58 (668.4000) | 32 (171.9772) | 38 (167.3944) | 14 (173.1200) | 57 (155.9084) |
| 2017-11-17 | Que'n In Cumming (DAY 1) Cumming, GA | 39 / 62 (672.9824) | 27 (170.8228) | 7 (176.0000) | 44 (165.0856) | 54 (161.0740) |
| 2017-11-17 | Que'n In Cumming (DAY 1) Duel Cumming, GA | 54 / 58 (650.6516) | 54 (165.0972) | 41 (165.6916) | 55 (158.1940) | 54 (161.6688) |
| 2015-10-23 | Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitation Barbecue (JUDGES BY INVITATION ONLY) Lynchburg, TN | 6 / 93 (689.1312) | 14 (176.0000) | 55 (166.2856) | 5 (176.5600) | 30 (170.2856) |
| 2015-10-03 | 36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Open Kansas City, MO | 140 / 606 (670.8116) | 147 (169.1772) | 215 (167.3828) | 100 (170.8344) | 270 (163.4172) |
| 2015-10-02 | 36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Invitational unrated Kansas City, MO | 61 / 187 (681.6568) | 180 (154.8112) | 34 (174.8572) | 6 (177.7028) | 30 (174.2856) |
| 2015-09-11 | Puckaway Pigfest Montello, WI | 2 / 33 (667.8972) | 13 (158.2172) | 7 (166.2972) | 2 (170.8344) | 3 (172.5484) |
| 2015-07-31 | Badger Brews & Que Manitowoc, WI | 2 / 30 (673.6572) | 1 (174.2744) | 2 (171.4400) | 13 (161.6456) | 10 (166.2972) |
| 2015-07-25 | Illinois BBQ Fest at Hillcrest Event Center Orion, IL | 3 / 15 (682.8000) | 2 (174.2628) | 10 (162.2400) | 1 (179.4400) | 7 (166.8572) |
| 2015-07-10 | Gold Ribbin' BBQ Fest of Greater Green Bay Green Bay, WI | 4 / 80 (684.5372) | 21 (169.1428) | 8 (170.8344) | 7 (173.1200) | 11 (171.4400) |
| 2015-06-26 | Grillin' in Grafton Grafton, WI | 4 / 33 (667.3256) | 6 (169.6912) | 2 (170.8572) | 7 (166.8228) | 18 (159.9544) |
| 2015-06-12 | 3rd Annual Hog & Steer Barbecue Competition and Festival Oconomowoc, WI | 1 / 17 (684.5832) | 2 (177.1544) | 4 (169.7144) | 3 (168.0000) | 6 (169.7144) |
| 2015-06-05 | Poor Que Montello, WI | 2 / 38 (674.8116) | 2 (174.2744) | 1 (173.1544) | 4 (168.5600) | 18 (158.8228) |
| 2015-05-23 | Red, White and BBQ (Day 2) Westmont, IL | 1 / 58 (692.6172) | 5 (176.0000) | 9 (168.5944) | 2 (177.1772) | 5 (170.8456) |
| 2015-05-22 | Red, White and BBQ (Day 1) Westmont, IL | 8 / 41 (669.6340) | 11 (169.6912) | 14 (166.8572) | 27 (161.6800) | 4 (171.4056) |
| 2015-05-16 | Madison Magazine BBQ Festival Madison, WI | 7 / 29 (664.5372) | 9 (169.1200) | 15 (162.8688) | 21 (159.4056) | 2 (173.1428) |
| 2015-05-02 | The Masters In May - The Classic Appleton, WI | 6 / 47 (669.0168) | 30 (159.3484) | 8 (167.9772) | 3 (167.9884) | 4 (173.7028) |
| 2015-05-01 | The Masters In May Appleton, WI | 24 / 57 (646.1600) | 5 (171.4172) | 29 (157.6916) | 46 (154.8228) | 31 (162.2284) |
| 2015-04-25 | Central Iowa Expo BBQ Boone, IA | 4 / 41 (687.9428) | 8 (174.2628) | 9 (171.4172) | 23 (167.4172) | 6 (174.8456) |
| 2015-04-24 | Central Iowa Expo BBQ Boone, IA | 16 / 42 (670.2516) | 11 (174.2628) | 13 (168.0116) | 36 (161.1428) | 21 (166.8344) |
| 2014-10-17 | Casino Queen BBQ Competition Greater St. Louis, IL | 10 / 44 (677.0400) | 16 (170.8228) | 6 (171.9772) | 11 (170.8572) | 24 (163.3828) |
| 2014-10-02 | 35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO | 70 / 552 (678.2172) | 15 (177.7372) | 132 (169.6800) | 80 (172.0116) | 337 (158.7884) |
| 2014-10-02 | 35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Invitational unrated Kansas City, MO | 80 / 165 (671.2680) | 17 (175.4056) | 18 (174.8456) | 156 (153.0512) | 75 (167.9656) |
| 2014-09-05 | Puckaway Pigfest Montello, WI | 4 / 40 (673.1088) | 1 (179.4400) | 18 (161.1316) | 18 (161.6916) | 8 (170.8456) |
| 2014-08-29 | 4th Annual Smokin In the Bogs Warrens, WI | 13 / 34 (660.4344) | 7 (171.9772) | 22 (161.1316) | 17 (166.2284) | 23 (161.0972) |
| 2014-07-11 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Madison, WI | 13 / 29 (654.2288) | 7 (169.1200) | 11 (164.5944) | 17 (160.5372) | 14 (159.9772) |
| 2014-06-27 | Grillin' in Grafton Grafton, WI | 10 / 32 (651.8972) | 6 (167.9656) | 6 (168.0116) | 19 (158.2400) | 17 (157.6800) |
| 2014-06-20 | Pig in the Park Whitewater, WI | 4 / 26 (660.5032) | 2 (175.4172) | 14 (158.8688) | 3 (169.1200) | 16 (157.0972) |
| 2014-06-13 | Hog and Steer Barbecue Competition & Festival Oconomowoc, WI | 1 / 22 (677.7144) | 3 (171.4056) | 4 (164.6060) | 3 (168.0000) | 1 (173.7028) |
| 2014-06-06 | Poor Que Montello, WI | 12 / 38 (642.1368) | 17 (162.2512) | 13 (159.4400) | 28 (156.5028) | 9 (163.9428) |
| 2014-05-24 | Red, White, And BBQ Westmont, IL | 2 / 72 (683.3488) | 3 (175.4056) | 24 (166.2744) | 24 (165.0972) | 1 (176.5716) |
| 2014-05-02 | The Masters in May Fremont, WI | 20 / 62 (647.9196) | 13 (166.8456) | 29 (161.7028) | 22 (161.6912) | 34 (157.6800) |
| 2014-04-18 | High on the Hog Festival Winchester, TN | 8 / 62 (687.3372) | 12 (174.2628) | 11 (172.5600) | 8 (173.1200) | 30 (167.3944) |
| 2013-09-06 | Puckaway Pigfest Montello, WI | 7 / 31 (660.3884) | 16 (161.6572) | 5 (167.3828) | 13 (162.2400) | 9 (169.1084) |
| 2013-08-30 | 3rd Annual Smokin' In The Bogs Warrens, WI | 19 / 37 (646.7432) | 9 (166.8344) | 18 (161.6800) | 26 (159.9888) | 24 (158.2400) |
| 2013-06-28 | Grillin' in Grafton Grafton, WI | 14 / 33 (643.4282) | 13 (161.1428) | 14 (161.1428) | 18 (159.4284) | 11 (161.7142) |
| 2013-06-07 | Poor Que Montello, WI | 3 / 39 (665.7144) | 2 (172.5714) | 11 (160.0002) | 3 (167.4286) | 7 (165.7142) |
| Year | Series | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 ↗ | Master | #81 (2018 pts) | #154 (1529 pts) | #158 (1499 pts) | #62 (1979 pts) | #126 (1662 pts) |
| 2017 ↗ | Master | #1392 (180 pts) | #1493 (180 pts) | #1166 (285 pts) | #1296 (235 pts) | #1476 (180 pts) |
| 2015 ↗ | Master | #39 (2343 pts) | #61 (1989 pts) | #91 (1873 pts) | #51 (2063 pts) | #111 (1829 pts) |
| 2014 ↗ | Master | #144 (1769 pts) | #90 (1907 pts) | #230 (1365 pts) | #231 (1306 pts) | #223 (1406 pts) |
| 2013 ↗ | Master | #704 (444 pts) | #620 (529 pts) | #916 (344 pts) | #836 (394 pts) | #863 (364 pts) |