THE BASIC BBQ TEAM

THE BASIC BBQ TEAM is a competition barbecue team with 70 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2022. They have won 4 Grand Championships, most recently at the Nostrano Garlic Festival Presents: Great Maine BBQ Challenge at Smuggler's Den Campground (2016), and finished Reserve Grand Champion twice. They are ranked #331 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#331

of 6,476 rated · rankings

Rating

1716

peak 1731 · rated over 69 contests1 invitational or side-series contest not counted

Contests

in the data

First seen

Apr 19, 2013

latest Jul 23, 2022 · 9.3 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#108

Master 2016 · every season

Grand champs

2 reserve · wins it all 6% of the time

Category wins

53 podiums

Overall top-10s

51% of 70 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 33%

overall standings

Best overall

697.1544 / 720

Master · Nostrano Garlic Festival Presents: Great Maine BBQ Challenge at Smuggler's Den Campground

Perfect 180s

Current form

665.37 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 658.24 (+7.13)

Walk rate

84%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

179.4400

Chicken · Sun BBQ Fest

Consistency

±17.18

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork

avg 166.28 · weakest Pork Ribs (162.58)

Road miles

16,109

across 70 mapped stops · furthest 1,085 mi

Schedule strength

49%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1563)

Purse competed for

$49K

listed at 5 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 5 state-championship entries

Master avg

658.24 / 720

70 Master contests · 4 GCs

Storylines (20 found in their record)

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

The heartbreaker

2.7996 points from the title

Came within 2.7996 points of the Grand Championship at Monadnock Up in Smoke BBQ Fest (May 29, 2015).

Among the elite

#331 of 6,476 rated teams

In the top 5% of every rated team in the data

A power rating of 1716 puts them #331 of 6,476 rated teams — the top 5% of the field.

rating 1716
peak 1731
69 rated contests

Against the odds

28-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings

The ratings favoured the top seed the other 72 times in 100

Their Grand Championship at Smokin at the Ballpark BBQ Fest (Jul 16, 2016) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 28-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA.

Giant slayer

35 teams beaten in one weekend

Took the Grand Championship over a 35-team field at Red, White and Que.

Sep 26, 2015

Happy hunting ground

1× Grand Championship here

Salt City BBQ Festival is their spot: 1 Grand Championship in 2 visits.

2 visits
best finish 1st
average top 4%

Multi-meat days

2 contests with 2+ category wins

They've won two or more meats on the same day 2 times — the best of them 3 category wins at Nostrano Garlic Festival Presents: Great Maine BBQ Challenge at Smuggler's Den Campground (Sep 9, 2016).

Chicken 1st
Pork Ribs 1st
Pork 1st

They almost always walk

84% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 59 of 70 contests

A top-10 category call in 84% of their 70 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

Show 13 more storylines

High-water mark

697.1544 career-best overall

96.8% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 697.1544 at Nostrano Garlic Festival Presents: Great Maine BBQ Challenge at Smuggler's Den Campground — 96.8% of a perfect 720.

Master
Sep 9, 2016

The one to beat

4× one call ahead of them

STUBBORN BULL BBQ has finished one call ahead of THE BASIC BBQ TEAM 4 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2016 3 Grand Championships

2016 was the year it came together: 16 contests, 3 Grand Championships and 5 category wins, at an average finish in the top 36%.

16 contests
8 overall top-10s
5 category wins
average top 36%

A tough matchup

41–14 behind in the head-to-head

SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA ahead in 75% of their meetings

SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA has come out ahead in 41 of their 55 shared contests.

The drought

27 contests since the last title

Their last Grand Championship came at Nostrano Garlic Festival Presents: Great Maine BBQ Challenge at Smuggler's Den Campground on Sep 9, 2016 — 27 contests and 10.1 years ago.

last GC Sep 9, 2016
10.1 years ago

A strong matchup

19–2 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 90% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of CIDER BOYS BBQ in 19 of their 21 shared contests.

The comeback

2.9 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 2.9 years, then back at The Harpoon Brewery BBQ Festival (Jul 23, 2022).

last seen Aug 24, 2019
back Jul 23, 2022

Pork nemesis

30 of 49 shared pork entries lost

INSANE SWINE BBQ ahead 61% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, INSANE SWINE BBQ has out-cooked them in 30 of 49 shared pork entries.

Looking over their shoulder

3× one call behind them

Smokin Aces has landed one call behind them 3 times.

An August team

Top 22% average finish in August

Something about August: average finish in the top 22% across 6 contests, versus top 33% the rest of the year.

6 August contests
top 33% the rest of the year

The long haul

16,109 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 16,109 miles across 70 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 1,085 miles to Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Championship.

70 mapped stops
furthest 1,085 mi

The metronome

±2.39% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±2.39% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 91.4% of a perfect score
70 contests

A standing appointment

5 years running at one contest

They've cooked Sun BBQ Fest every year from 2014 to 2018 — the contest they never miss.

5 visits in all
best finish 4th

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
2019 ↗	Master	#748 (402 pts)	#982 (287 pts)	#718 (467 pts)	#831 (377 pts)	#697 (482 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#483 (739 pts)	#603 (614 pts)	#591 (614 pts)	#457 (804 pts)	#421 (849 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#123 (1,826 pts)	#239 (1,280 pts)	#112 (1,786 pts)	#209 (1,375 pts)	#50 (2,120 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#108 (1,930 pts)	#110 (1,742 pts)	#148 (1,605 pts)	#59 (2,010 pts)	#245 (1,320 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#174 (1,630 pts)	#180 (1,494 pts)	#278 (1,210 pts)	#108 (1,755 pts)	#139 (1,735 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#240 (1,370 pts)	#197 (1,435 pts)	#449 (877 pts)	#80 (1,915 pts)	#283 (1,220 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#377 (807 pts)	#322 (942 pts)	#396 (787 pts)	#318 (937 pts)	#325 (942 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to THE BASIC BBQ TEAM, each with one reason worth a look.

CHIX, SWINE & BOVINE BBQ

#333 of the rated field

1716 power rating

Contests: 91
GCs: 11
Top-10s: 54%
Peak: 1802

1–4 in 5 shared contests (20% to THE BASIC BBQ TEAM)

These two have cooked 5 of the same contests — CHIX, SWINE & BOVINE BBQ ahead 4–1 — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.

rated over 89 contests
last seen Apr 9, 2021

⚔ Head-to-head

DRAGON BBQ

#332 of the rated field

1716 power rating

Contests: 61
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 72%
Peak: 1717

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 56 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 56 contests
last seen Oct 5, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

Bentley Que

#330 of the rated field

1716 power rating

Contests: 51
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 57%
Peak: 1716

Careers of much the same size, 51 contests to 70, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 44 contests
last seen Jun 12, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

GOT SMOKE BAR-B-QUE

#335 of the rated field

1715 ▼ 1 power rating

Contests: 56
GCs: 6
Top-10s: 45%
Peak: 1723

0–2 in 2 shared contests (0% to THE BASIC BBQ TEAM)

Their last contest in the data was back in 2019, 3 years before THE BASIC BBQ TEAM's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 53 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

THUMP & STRUM BBQ

#328 of the rated field

1718 ▲ 1 power rating

Contests: 117
GCs: 4
Top-10s: 49%
Peak: 1804

1–1 in 2 shared contests (50% to THE BASIC BBQ TEAM)

Their rating is built on 4 Grand Championships in 117 contests, alongside a 49% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 115 contests
last seen Sep 18, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

Bald Hawg BBQ

#334 of the rated field

1716 ▼ 1 power rating

Contests: 157
GCs: 6
Top-10s: 43%
Peak: 1803

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to THE BASIC BBQ TEAM)

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

rated over 155 contests
last seen Jul 10, 2025

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA	55	14	41	25%	⚔ compare
Rogue Hog BBQ	53	19	34	36%	⚔ compare
INSANE SWINE BBQ	49	11	38	22%	⚔ compare
Smokin Aces	33	16	17	48%	⚔ compare
A MAZIE Q	30	19	11	63%	⚔ compare
PADDY MCQ'S	29	17	12	59%	⚔ compare
BLAZIN' BUTTZ BBQ	29	11	18	38%	⚔ compare
Q HAVEN BBQ	28	12	16	43%	⚔ compare
FIRE DOWN BELOW	28	12	16	43%	⚔ compare
STUBBORN BULL BBQ	28	11	17	39%	⚔ compare
MEAT @ SLIMS	26	14	12	54%	⚔ compare
QUE AND A HALF MEN	26	13	13	50%	⚔ compare
ACK-QUE	26	11	15	42%	⚔ compare
HUMPHREY'S BBQ	24	16	8	67%	⚔ compare
Pork Butt Paradise	22	9	13	41%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	70	27	3	9	179.4400	138.8112	165.31	top 41%
Pork Ribs	70	26	3	10	178.8800	142.2056	162.58	top 45%
Pork	70	37	4	18	177.1428	145.1426	166.28	top 32%
Brisket	70	29	4	16	176.5600	141.7028	164.07	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.

By field size and state

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	1	0	top 53%
Medium (20–39)	45	4	top 33%
Large (40+)	24	0	top 33%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
NY	15	1	top 23%
VT	10	0	top 27%
ME	8	2	top 22%
CT	8	0	top 41%
NH	7	0	top 37%
MA	7	0	top 38%
RI	4	0	top 52%
VA	3	0	top 50%
MD	2	0	top 21%
KS	2	0	top 49%
NJ	2	1	top 12%
TN	1	0	top 73%
AR	1	0	top 72%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
The Harpoon Brewery BBQ Festival	5	3	0	top 25%	Jul 23, 2022
Sun BBQ Fest	5	4	0	top 34%	Jun 2, 2018
Granite State BBQ Championship	4	4	0	top 45%	Jun 8, 2019
I Love Barbecue & Music Festival	4	4	0	top 33%	Jul 6, 2018
Smokin at the Ballpark BBQ Fest	2	1	1	top 28%	Jul 15, 2017
Salt City BBQ Festival	2	1	1	top 4%	May 19, 2017
Nor'Easter BBQ Showdown (DAY 2) CAMPGROUND BBQ SEREIES	2	5	0	top 38%	Apr 21, 2018
37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN)	2	114	0	top 49%	Oct 29, 2016
Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional)	2	5	0	top 45%	Sep 4, 2015
Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	2	3	0	top 13%	Aug 14, 2015
Harpoon Championships of New England BBQ	2	13	0	top 45%	Jul 25, 2015
Roc City Rib Fest	2	4	0	top 13%	May 23, 2015

More numbers

Busiest season 2016 16 contests · 3 GCs

Contests a season 8.8 across 8 seasons in the data

Most contests held in NY 15 of 70 contests · 13 states in all

Contests visited 48 12 of them more than once

First title Sep 26, 2015 Red, White and Que

Opponents faced 1,324 finished ahead 2,205 times, behind 1,057

Longest layoff 2.9 yrs Aug 24, 2019 → Jul 23, 2022

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

20221 milestone

Jul 23 Most recent contest The Harpoon Brewery BBQ Festival

20173 milestones

May 5 50th tracked contest BBQ In the Valley
Jun 3 Career-best single call (Chicken)179.4400 Sun BBQ Fest
Sep 9 Peak power rating (1731) Green Mountain BBQ Championship

20163 milestones

Sep 9 First multi-meat day Nostrano Garlic Festival Presents: Great Maine BBQ Challenge at Smuggler's Den Campground
Sep 9 10th category win Nostrano Garlic Festival Presents: Great Maine BBQ Challenge at Smuggler's Den Campground
Sep 9 Career-best overall score697.1544 Nostrano Garlic Festival Presents: Great Maine BBQ Challenge at Smuggler's Den Campground

20154 milestones

May 29 First Reserve Championship Monadnock Up in Smoke BBQ Fest
Jul 3 25th tracked contest I Love Barbecue & Music Festival
Sep 26 First Grand Championship Red, White and Que
Sep 26 Biggest field won (35 teams) Red, White and Que

20141 milestone

Aug 8 First overall podium Sam's Club National BBQ Tour

20136 milestones

Apr 19 First tracked contest New York City BBQ Cookoff
Apr 19 First call New York City BBQ Cookoff
Jun 21 First overall top-10 Smokin @ the Ballpark BBQ Festival
Jun 21 First overall past 90% of a perfect score669.1428 Smokin @ the Ballpark BBQ Festival
Jul 20 First category win (Chicken) Wakefield Rotary Campus CookOff & State BBQ Championships
Oct 11 10th tracked contest Riverside Blues & BBQ Festival

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+13.8	Smokin at the Ballpark BBQ Fest	Jul 16, 2016
+13.6	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional)	Aug 29, 2014
+12.9	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	Aug 8, 2014
+12.8	Smokin @ the Ballpark BBQ Festival	Jun 21, 2013
+12.4	Red, White and Que	Sep 26, 2015

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-13.9	Ridgefield Gone Country BBQ Festival	Apr 30, 2016
-8.1	Sun BBQ Fest	Jun 11, 2016
-8	Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitation Barbecue (JUDGES BY INVITATION ONLY)	Oct 21, 2016
-7.3	Nor'Easter BBQ Showdown (DAY 2) CAMPGROUND BBQ SEREIES	Apr 21, 2018
-7.1	I Love Barbecue & Music Festival	Jul 6, 2018

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)
2022	1	0	1	0	100%	top 40%	91.6%	91.6%
2019	4	0	1	0	75%	top 37%	94.6%	92.6%
2018	6	0	3	0	67%	top 37%	93%	91.2%
2017	12	0	9	4	100%	top 22%	95.4%	92.7%
2016	16	3	8	5	69%	top 36%	96.8%	91.5%
2015	11	1	6	2	82%	top 31%	94.9%	91.6%
2014	10	0	4	1	90%	top 35%	94.4%	91.4%
2013	10	0	4	2	100%	top 39%	92.9%	89.2%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Jul 23, 2022	The Harpoon Brewery BBQ Festival 🏅 Windsor, VT	10 / 25 (659.8396)	15 (166.2628)	11 (165.0856)	8 (166.8456)	14 (161.6456)
Aug 24, 2019	Kora Kare for Kids Ride-In & BBQ Competition 🏅 Hiram, ME	16 / 36 (655.3144)	21 (157.6800)	18 (163.3828)	14 (166.2744)	12 (167.9772)
Jul 27, 2019	The Harpoon Brewery BBQ Festival 🏅 Windsor, VT	3 / 33 (681.0284)	8 (171.9656)	6 (169.6800)	2 (174.2628)	9 (165.1200)
Jun 8, 2019	Granite State BBQ Championship 🏅 Hancock, NH	16 / 29 (669.6228)	21 (162.8000)	3 (175.4516)	24 (157.6684)	4 (173.7028)
Jun 1, 2019	Sun BBQFest 🏅 Uncasville, CT	23 / 61 (661.0516)	27 (165.6800)	24 (167.4172)	45 (157.1200)	10 (170.8344)
Jul 28, 2018	The Harpoon Brewery BBQ Festival Windsor, VT	6 / 34 (666.7656)	14 (165.6684)	3 (172)	19 (161.1200)	5 (167.9772)
Jul 6, 2018	I Love Barbecue & Music Festival Lake Placid, NY	22 / 39 (623.3144)	19 (159.9660)	26 (151.3940)	23 (155.3944)	16 (156.5600)
Jun 9, 2018	Granite State BBQ Championship Hancock, NH	22 / 41 (658.7084)	23 (164.5372)	17 (165.0856)	30 (159.4056)	11 (169.6800)
Jun 2, 2018	Sun BBQ Fest Uncasville, CT	10 / 59 (669.5996)	15 (169.1312)	38 (156.5140)	4 (175.4172)	7 (168.5372)
Apr 21, 2018	Nor'Easter BBQ Showdown (DAY 2) CAMPGROUND BBQ SEREIES Plymouth, MA	14 / 25 (659.8972)	16 (164.5372)	25 (154.2744)	5 (171.9772)	8 (169.1084)
Apr 20, 2018	Nor'Easter BBQ Showdown (DAY1) CAMPGROUND BBQ SEREIES Plymouth, MA	5 / 25 (661.0740)	9 (163.4056)	13 (161.7028)	4 (171.9772)	11 (163.9884)
Oct 21, 2017	Ocean Sate BBQ Championship West Kingston, RI	11 / 24 (656.4572)	13 (162.8228)	16 (155.4172)	15 (161.6572)	1 (176.5600)
Sep 22, 2017	Great Maine BBQ Challenge Bangor, ME	10 / 29 (657.0632)	17 (157.1088)	17 (158.8116)	7 (167.9772)	2 (173.1656)
Sep 9, 2017	Green Mountain BBQ Championship Randolph, VT	3 / 32 (682.8344)	14 (167.4172)	11 (165.7144)	6 (173.7028)	3 (176)
Jul 29, 2017	The Harpoon Brewery BBQ Festival Windsor, VT	5 / 30 (667.3716)	5 (170.2972)	22 (155.9888)	9 (166.2284)	1 (174.8572)
Jul 15, 2017	Smokin at the Ballpark BBQ Fest Old Orchard Beach, ME	15 / 29 (665.6800)	17 (159.9772)	2 (176)	15 (164.5256)	14 (165.1772)
Jul 7, 2017	I love Barbecue & Music Festival Lake Placid, NY	9 / 40 (650.8572)	29 (154.2744)	2 (168.5828)	3 (169.1200)	17 (158.8800)
Jun 10, 2017	Granite State BBQ Championship Hancock, NH	4 / 35 (665.0284)	10 (167.4172)	16 (163.9656)	18 (163.3828)	2 (170.2628)
Jun 3, 2017	Sun BBQ Fest Uncasville, CT	4 / 73 (686.8000)	2 (179.4400)	10 (171.9772)	31 (165.6800)	20 (169.7028)
May 19, 2017	Salt City BBQ Festival Syracuse, NY	2 / 41 (659.9544)	20 (161.1200)	1 (172.5944)	30 (152.5028)	1 (173.7372)
May 5, 2017	BBQ In the Valley Jamestown, NY	5 / 26 (675.4056)	8 (169.1544)	11 (165.7028)	9 (166.2512)	3 (174.2972)
Apr 14, 2017	Interstate BBQ Festival Hagerstown, MD	15 / 58 (674.2172)	24 (166.8572)	9 (173.1316)	12 (169.6684)	27 (164.5600)
Apr 7, 2017	Boss Frogs BBQ Hurlock, MD	7 / 45 (669.0400)	25 (163.9656)	2 (174.2628)	15 (166.8572)	17 (163.9544)
Oct 29, 2016	37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	114 / 557 (673.6344)	307 (163.4172)	220 (166.8460)	99 (171.4056)	80 (171.9656)
Oct 28, 2016	37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue (INVITATIONAL) unrated Kansas City, KS	138 / 180 (666.2172)	129 (167.4172)	149 (162.2628)	48 (171.9772)	136 (164.5600)
Oct 21, 2016	Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitation Barbecue (JUDGES BY INVITATION ONLY) Lynchburg, TN	70 / 96 (660.4228)	46 (169.6800)	91 (154.2400)	42 (168.5256)	50 (167.9772)
Oct 7, 2016	Riverside Blues, Brews & BBQ Festival Greenfield, MA	9 / 33 (654.7544)	9 (169.1200)	20 (160.5488)	6 (168)	16 (157.0856)
Sep 9, 2016	Nostrano Garlic Festival Presents: Great Maine BBQ Challenge at Smuggler's Den Campground Southwest Harbor, ME	1 / 20 (697.1544)	1 (173.1544)	1 (176)	1 (177.1428)	3 (170.8572)
Sep 3, 2016	Finger Lakes Fire & Smoke Geneva, NY	3 / 35 (669.1204)	13 (165.1544)	10 (163.4172)	2 (174.2744)	10 (166.2744)
Aug 13, 2016	New London's Best BBQ Chef Competiton New London, CT	8 / 25 (665.7032)	6 (170.2972)	9 (168.0116)	8 (165.7144)	12 (161.6800)
Jul 23, 2016	The Harpoon Brewery BBQ Festival Windsor, VT	11 / 26 (669.6572)	20 (162.2628)	2 (176.0116)	9 (168.5600)	13 (162.8228)
Jul 16, 2016	Smokin at the Ballpark BBQ Fest Old Orchard Beach, ME	1 / 26 (676.5600)	2 (171.9772)	1 (178.8800)	5 (168.5600)	19 (157.1428)
Jul 2, 2016	I love Barbecue & Music Festival Lake Placid, NY	4 / 28 (646.3088)	6 (163.9772)	18 (153.1544)	1 (172.5600)	13 (156.6172)
Jun 25, 2016	Green Mountain BBQ Championship Waterbury, VT	10 / 40 (666.2288)	3 (174.2628)	29 (154.2516)	5 (171.4400)	13 (166.2744)
Jun 11, 2016	Sun BBQ Fest Uncasville, CT	47 / 69 (639.9316)	56 (156.5028)	37 (161.7372)	11 (170.2628)	48 (151.4288)
Jun 4, 2016	Granite State BBQ Championship Hancock, NH	19 / 32 (648.4572)	10 (171.4172)	29 (151.3944)	12 (166.2400)	21 (159.4056)
May 20, 2016	Salt City BBQ Festival Syracuse, NY	1 / 32 (670.8460)	5 (170.2628)	7 (163.4288)	2 (170.2972)	4 (166.8572)
Apr 30, 2016	Ridgefield Gone Country BBQ Festival Ridgefield, CT	33 / 39 (599.8056)	38 (138.8112)	37 (142.2056)	16 (161.0972)	21 (157.6916)
Apr 8, 2016	NYC BBQ Cookoff Staten Island, NY	13 / 35 (640.9712)	22 (159.3828)	9 (163.9428)	14 (162.8228)	14 (154.8228)
Sep 26, 2015	Red, White and Que Cresskill, NJ	1 / 35 (674.8116)	18 (160.5600)	6 (167.4172)	1 (177.1428)	3 (169.6916)
Sep 19, 2015	Que by the Sea Seaside Heights, NJ	9 / 41 (649.6916)	20 (159.9428)	27 (153.7716)	6 (167.4172)	3 (168.5600)
Sep 4, 2015	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) Richmond, VA	22 / 30 (655.3260)	14 (170.8228)	13 (167.9888)	18 (163.9428)	27 (152.5716)
Aug 14, 2015	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Scarborough, ME	4 / 26 (677.0628)	2 (172.0228)	4 (169.6800)	2 (169.6800)	8 (165.6800)
Jul 25, 2015	Harpoon Championships of New England BBQ Windsor, VT	18 / 35 (656.4916)	13 (168.5944)	20 (162.2744)	24 (160.5256)	16 (165.0972)
Jul 17, 2015	Wakefield Rotary Campus Cook Off Kingston, RI	21 / 37 (652.9940)	4 (173.7144)	29 (159.9312)	34 (153.6456)	19 (165.7028)
Jul 3, 2015	I Love Barbecue & Music Festival Lake Placid, NY	12 / 31 (631.8516)	28 (146.7772)	14 (157.1088)	12 (159.3712)	2 (168.5944)
Jun 13, 2015	Sun BBQ Fest Uncasville, CT	23 / 52 (654.2056)	5 (172.5600)	36 (159.9884)	21 (166.2744)	35 (155.3828)
May 29, 2015	Monadnock Up in Smoke BBQ Fest Swanzey, NH	2 / 49 (683.4632)	11 (169.7144)	9 (166.8572)	1 (174.8916)	2 (172)
May 23, 2015	Roc City Rib Fest Rochester, NY	4 / 57 (679.9772)	5 (173.7028)	14 (165.7372)	2 (173.7144)	14 (166.8228)
Apr 10, 2015	New York City BBQ Cookoff Staten Island, NY	7 / 33 (638.2168)	12 (155.4056)	9 (160.5600)	9 (158.2512)	3 (164)
Sep 26, 2014	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Championship Bentonville, AR	36 / 50 (679.3600)	20 (174.2744)	24 (171.9772)	29 (170.2628)	45 (162.8456)
Sep 13, 2014	Harvard Fall Festival BBQ Contest Harvard, MA	5 / 43 (670.1484)	10 (167.9656)	16 (161.0972)	2 (174.2628)	8 (166.8228)
Aug 29, 2014	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) Richmond, VA	5 / 30 (669.0168)	11 (171.9656)	19 (163.9772)	2 (171.4284)	13 (161.6456)
Aug 8, 2014	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Scarborough, ME	3 / 28 (664.5604)	8 (166.8460)	14 (158.8344)	3 (168.0228)	2 (170.8572)
Jul 25, 2014	Harpoon Championships of New England BBQ Windsor, VT	13 / 34 (650.1828)	3 (168.5716)	28 (150.8116)	6 (165.0856)	9 (165.7140)
Jul 18, 2014	Wakefield Rotary Campus Cook Off & State BBQ Championships Kingston, RI	18 / 33 (651.4284)	18 (163.4400)	20 (159.9772)	3 (174.9028)	28 (153.1084)
Jun 20, 2014	Sun BBQ Fest Uncasville, CT	12 / 32 (655.3028)	22 (162.2400)	9 (166.2972)	13 (165.6684)	16 (161.0972)
May 31, 2014	Monadnock Up in Smoke BBQ, Beer Fest Swanzey, NH	17 / 48 (647.9540)	1 (179.4400)	24 (159.9884)	11 (166.8228)	45 (141.7028)
May 24, 2014	Roc City Rib Fest Rochester, NY	16 / 86 (654.1832)	32 (163.4288)	56 (152.5144)	7 (170.2628)	12 (167.9772)
May 10, 2014	The Polish Hungry for Que BBQ Bash Gardner, MA	9 / 17 (637.0628)	7 (161.7372)	5 (163.9772)	2 (166.2856)	14 (145.0628)
Oct 11, 2013	Riverside Blues & BBQ Festival Greenfield, MA	9 / 21 (643.3028)	6 (165.0972)	17 (151.4172)	2 (167.9656)	14 (158.8228)
Sep 6, 2013	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) Chesapeake, VA	18 / 30 (651.3260)	12 (168.5600)	27 (155.3944)	29 (151.3600)	1 (176.0116)
Aug 9, 2013	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Medford, NY	4 / 27 (632.5028)	2 (168.5828)	10 (153.0972)	3 (163.4056)	12 (147.4172)
Jul 26, 2013	The Harpoon Championships of New England BBQ Windsor, VT	7 / 31 (661.1312)	16 (163.4056)	8 (165.7372)	2 (171.9656)	16 (160.0228)
Jul 20, 2013	Wakefield Rotary Campus CookOff & State BBQ Championships Kingston, RI	23 / 46 (637.0516)	1 (174.8916)	30 (155.3828)	26 (158.8572)	33 (147.9200)
Jun 21, 2013	Smokin @ the Ballpark BBQ Festival Old Orchard Beach, ME	4 / 28 (669.1428)	25 (155.9998)	2 (177.7144)	17 (160.5716)	2 (174.8570)
Jun 1, 2013	Monadnock Up In Smoke BBQ Fest Swanzey, NH	18 / 43 (643.4282)	21 (164)	32 (149.7142)	4 (171.4286)	19 (158.2854)
May 25, 2013	Roc City Rib Fest Rochester, NY	37 / 80 (613.7138)	65 (148.5714)	39 (151.9998)	66 (145.1426)	7 (168)
May 18, 2013	The Lexington Battle-Green BBQ Festival Lexington, MA	17 / 31 (638.2850)	24 (153.1428)	9 (165.7142)	8 (163.4282)	17 (155.9998)
Apr 19, 2013	New York City BBQ Cookoff Staten Island, NY	13 / 33 (630.8562)	4 (166.8568)	18 (153.1428)	20 (153.7140)	9 (157.1426)

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

THE BASIC BBQ TEAM

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 (20 found in their record)

The heartbreaker

Among the elite

Against the odds

Giant slayer

Happy hunting ground

Multi-meat days

They almost always walk

High-water mark

The one to beat

Their season

A tough matchup

The drought

A strong matchup

The comeback

Pork nemesis

Looking over their shoulder

An August 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)