BAREKNUCKLES BBQ

At a glance (everything the results say about this team, in numbers)

Power ranking

#737

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1635

peak 1635 · rated over 38 contests ⓘ

Contests

in the data

First seen

2013-03-01

latest 2018-05-11

Best ToY finish

#219

Master 2013

Grand champs

1 reserve

Category wins

14 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 38 contests

Avg finish

top 39%

overall standings

Best overall

694.2172 / 720

Master · Sam's Club National BBQ Tour

Perfect 180s

1 🔥

Current form

672.22 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 670.39 (+1.83)

Walk rate

71%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

180.0000 🔥

Pork Ribs · Sam's Club National BBQ Tour

Consistency

±11.97

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 168.74 · weakest Brisket (165.76)

Road miles

3,604

mi across 38 mapped stops · furthest 337 mi

Schedule strength

48%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1562)

State championships

0 🏅

GCs in 3 state-championship entries

Master avg

670.39 / 720

38 Master contests · 1 GC

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (18 found in this team's record)

Each card leads with the number that made it a story — read straight out of their results, no editorialising.

The heartbreaker

3.4282 points from the title

Came within 3.4282 points of the Grand Championship at Smokin in the Square (2013-03-01).

Perfect scores on the board

1 perfect 180s

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

23-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings

The ratings favoured the top seed the other 77 times in 100

Their Grand Championship at Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (2016-06-24) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 23-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, South Pork.

Giant slayer

30 teams beaten in one weekend

Took the Grand Championship over a 30-team field at Sam's Club National BBQ Tour.

2016-06-24

Happy hunting ground

Top 20% average finish here

SC Festival of Discovery(PALMETTO BBQ SERIES) is their spot: an average finish in the top 20% across 4 visits.

4 visits
best finish 9th
average top 20%

They almost always walk

71% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 27 of 38 contests

A top-10 category call in 71% of their 38 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

694.2172 career-best overall

96.4% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 694.2172 at Sam's Club National BBQ Tour — 96.4% of a perfect 720.

Master
2016-06-24

The one to beat

3× one call ahead of them

MIDNIGHT BURN has finished one call ahead of BAREKNUCKLES BBQ 3 times — their closest competition in the data.

A tough matchup

18–5 behind in the head-to-head

WAYLON'S WICKEDLY GOOD Q ahead in 78% of their meetings

WAYLON'S WICKEDLY GOOD Q has come out ahead in 18 of their 23 shared contests.

The drought

13 contests since the last title

Their last Grand Championship came at Sam's Club National BBQ Tour on 2016-06-24 — 13 contests and 10.2 years ago.

last GC 2016-06-24
10.2 years ago

A strong matchup

12–2 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 86% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of HOOTIE-Q in 12 of their 14 shared contests.

Chicken nemesis

15 of 23 shared chicken entries lost

WAYLON'S WICKEDLY GOOD Q ahead 65% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, WAYLON'S WICKEDLY GOOD Q has out-cooked them in 15 of 23 shared chicken entries.

Announced themselves early

2nd at their very first contest

Finished 2 of 37 at their very first tracked contest, Smokin in the Square (2013-03-01).

2013-03-01
37-team field

Looking over their shoulder

3× one call behind them

SWIGGIN PIG has landed one call behind them 3 times.

A June team

Top 30% average finish in June

Something about June: average finish in the top 30% across 3 contests, versus top 39% the rest of the year.

3 June contests
top 39% the rest of the year

The long haul

3,604 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 3,604 miles across 38 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 337 miles to Smokin in the Square.

38 mapped stops
furthest 337 mi

The metronome

±1.66% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.66% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 93.1% of a perfect score
38 contests

A standing appointment

5 years running at one contest

They've cooked Dillard Bluegrass & Barbeque Festival every year from 2013 to 2017 — the contest they never miss.

5 visits in all
best finish 11th

Teams like this (closest power rating)

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.

VICIOUS SMOKE

#734 of the rated field

1636 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 36
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 25%
Peak: 1636

No shared contest yet.

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 35 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 35 contests
last seen 2018-08-17

⚔ Head-to-head

ELEGANTLY VIOLENT BBQ

#732 of the rated field

1636 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 52
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 29%
Peak: 1645

No shared contest yet.

Careers of much the same size, 52 contests to 38, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 49 contests
last seen 2024-10-30

⚔ Head-to-head

NAUGHTY NURSES BBQ

#735 of the rated field

1635 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 52
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 37%
Peak: 1644

No shared contest yet.

Their rating is built on 2 Grand Championships in 52 contests, alongside a 37% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 50 contests
last seen 2017-09-01

⚔ Head-to-head

BILLY RAY BBQ

#733 of the rated field

1636 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 58
GCs: 3
Top-10s: 28%
Peak: 1681

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 51 contests
last seen 2026-03-20

⚔ Head-to-head

SMOKIN' TEX BBQ

#738 of the rated field

1635 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 75
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 21%
Peak: 1673

No shared contest yet.

Level with BAREKNUCKLES BBQ on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 75 contests
last seen 2022-07-09

⚔ Head-to-head

Rise N Swine

#736 of the rated field

1635 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 96
GCs: 3
Top-10s: 25%
Peak: 1715

No shared contest yet.

They've been 1715 at their best, 79 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 93 contests
last seen 2025-06-20

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
WAYLON'S WICKEDLY GOOD Q	23	5	18	22%	⚔ compare
WICKED QUE	20	8	12	40%	⚔ compare
Bald Hawg BBQ	20	7	13	35%	⚔ compare
SMOKE THIS	20	6	14	30%	⚔ compare
Killer B's BBQ	20	4	16	20%	⚔ compare
MIDNIGHT BURN	19	7	12	37%	⚔ compare
SAUCED! BBQ TEAM	16	3	13	19%	⚔ compare
HOOTIE-Q	14	12	2	86%	⚔ compare
THE SMOKEHOUSE MAFIA	14	7	7	50%	⚔ compare
OLD PLANTATION BBQ	14	2	12	14%	⚔ compare
SMOKING BUTT HEADS	13	6	7	46%	⚔ compare
MUTTLEY CREW BBQ	13	5	8	38%	⚔ compare
YES, DEAR BBQ	13	3	10	23%	⚔ compare
QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N	13	2	11	15%	⚔ compare
HOT WACHULA'S	13	1	12	8%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	38	15	0	4	177.7144	153.0628	168.74	top 43%
Pork Ribs	38	11	3	4	180.0000 🔥	150.7200	167.74	top 40%
Pork	38	11	0	5	176.5600	153.0628	168.15	top 37%
Brisket	38	9	0	1	178.8572	149.6340	165.76	top 46%

“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 state / province

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
GA	24	0	top 43%
NC	6	0	top 45%
SC	6	0	top 26%
AL	1	1	top 3%
FL	1	0	top 5%

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	12	1	top 39%
Large (40+)	26	0	top 38%

Contest-by-contest record (recurring contests they've cooked twice or more)

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Dillard Bluegrass & Barbeque Festival	5	11	top 39%	2017-08-04
WNC BBQ Festival(Smokin in the Valley)	4	5	top 48%	2017-07-21
SC Festival of Discovery(PALMETTO BBQ SERIES)	4	9	top 20%	2017-07-06
Boss Hog State Championship Cook-OFF	3	5	top 42%	2018-05-11
*Papa Joe's Banjo-B-Que & Music Festival (GBC Qualifier)	2	27	top 43%	2017-05-26
Jug Tavern Festival (GBC & SBBQA Qualifier)	2	3	top 28%	2014-09-12

The story so far (18 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 5.2 yrs 2013-03-01 → 2018-05-11

Busiest season 2013 10 contests

Contests a season 6.3 across 6 seasons in the data

Cooks most in GA 24 of 38 contests · 5 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 24 6 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 38 entries · 0 wins · 15 calls

Strongest meat Chicken averages 168.74 · weakest Brisket (165.76)

Walk rate 71% a top-10 call in 27 of 38 contests

Overall top-10 rate 26% 10 of 38 contests

Wins it all 3% 1 Grand Championship · 1 reserve

First title 2016-06-24 Sam's Club National BBQ Tour

Master average 670.39 out of 720 · 38 contests · 1 GC

Perfect 180s 1 every judge at the table handing back a nine

Opponents faced 666 1,175–652 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 3,604 38 mapped stops · furthest 337 mi

Schedule strength 1562 average field rating faced — tougher than 48% of rated contests

State championships 0 from 3 state-championship entries

Power rating 1635 peak 1635 · #737 of 6,413 rated

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

2013
Mar 1 First tracked contest Smokin in the Square
Mar 1 First call Smokin in the Square
Mar 1 First overall top-10 Smokin in the Square
Mar 1 First overall podium Smokin in the Square
Mar 1 First Reserve Championship Smokin in the Square
Mar 1 First overall past 90% of a perfect score677.7142 Smokin in the Square
Aug 2 First category win (Pork Ribs) Dillard Bluegrass & Barbeque Festival (GBC Qualifier)
Nov 15 10th tracked contest The National BBQ Cup (GBC Qualifier)
2016
Jun 24 First Grand Championship Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Jun 24 First perfect 180 (Pork Ribs) Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Jun 24 25th tracked contest Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Jun 24 Biggest field won (30 teams) Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Jun 24 Career-best overall score694.2172 Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
2018
May 11 Peak power rating (1635) Boss Hog State Championship Cook-OFF
May 11 Most recent contest Boss Hog State Championship Cook-OFF

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+16.4	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	2016-06-24
+15.2	Smokin in the Square	2013-03-01
+13.3	WNC BBQ Festival	2014-07-25
+13.2	Jug Tavern Festival (GBC Qualifier)	2013-09-13
+11.6	SC Festival of Discovery (TEAMS AND JUDGES FULL)	2015-07-09

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-8.7	WNC BBQ Festival(Smokin in the Valley)	2017-07-21
-7.6	Dillard Bluegrass & Barbeque Festival (GBC Qualifier)	2015-07-31
-6.7	Papa Joe's Banjo-B-Que (GBC Qualifier)	2013-05-24
-6.6	Boss Hog State Championship Cook-Off (GBC Qualifier)	2016-05-13
-4	WNC BBQ Festival-	2016-07-22

Category scores over time

Overall finish over time (top-% of field, lower is better)

Where they finish (overall)

Best vs average (by meat)

How entries end (by meat)

Team of the Year rank by season

Season by season

Season	Contests	GCs	Top-10s	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2018	3	0	1	1	100%	top 36%	95.2%	93.4%
2017	5	0	1	0	80%	top 39%	94.8%	93.9%
2016	9	1	2	1	78%	top 43%	96.4%	93.4%
2015	8	0	3	0	63%	top 39%	94.4%	92.7%
2014	3	0	1	0	67%	top 38%	94.9%	93.4%
2013	10	0	2	1	60%	top 36%	95.2%	92.7%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2018-05-11	Boss Hog State Championship Cook-OFF 🏅 Waynesboro, GA	5 / 42 (685.6228)	16 (168.5256)	1 (176.0000)	4 (173.1200)	17 (167.9772)
2018-04-20	*Barnesville BBQ & Blues Barnesville, GA	15 / 25 (662.7312)	3 (173.1200)	18 (163.9656)	7 (168.5256)	18 (157.1200)
2018-03-02	Sip & Swine BBQ Festival Lawrenceville, GA	22 / 59 (668.9828)	2 (177.7144)	47 (158.8000)	27 (167.3828)	29 (165.0856)
2017-08-04	Dillard Bluegrass & Barbeque Festival Dillard, GA	13 / 57 (682.7544)	4 (176.0000)	33 (167.3944)	33 (166.2400)	10 (173.1200)
2017-07-21	WNC BBQ Festival(Smokin in the Valley) Maggie Valley, NC	35 / 47 (661.0056)	35 (166.2400)	35 (164.0000)	18 (169.1200)	33 (161.6456)
2017-07-06	SC Festival of Discovery(PALMETTO BBQ SERIES) Greenwood, SC	16 / 89 (678.7772)	10 (173.7144)	19 (171.4056)	22 (170.8228)	42 (162.8344)
2017-06-16	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Alpharetta, GA	10 / 28 (679.8512)	7 (173.1200)	5 (174.2744)	16 (167.3828)	20 (165.0740)
2017-05-26	*Papa Joe's Banjo-B-Que & Music Festival (GBC Qualifier) Evans, GA	30 / 67 (678.1600)	9 (176.5600)	57 (162.8000)	37 (167.3828)	15 (171.4172)
2016-09-23	Smokin Butts & Tires (GBC Qualifier) Conyers, GA	9 / 25 (677.5996)	14 (167.3828)	3 (173.1428)	11 (167.4056)	8 (169.6684)
2016-08-05	Dillard Bluegrass & Barbeque Festival (GBC Qualifier) Dillard, GA	17 / 56 (687.9200)	10 (175.4172)	11 (173.1200)	37 (166.2628)	19 (173.1200)
2016-07-22	WNC BBQ Festival- Maggie Valley, NC	30 / 49 (668.4572)	37 (163.3944)	18 (169.1316)	5 (174.2628)	40 (161.6684)
2016-07-07	SC Festival of Discovery Greenwood, SC	15 / 82 (674.1828)	30 (167.3828)	43 (161.6800)	3 (172.0000)	5 (173.1200)
2016-07-01	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) Marietta, GA	22 / 30 (678.7316)	12 (171.9888)	13 (171.9772)	12 (171.9656)	27 (162.8000)
2016-06-24	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Birmingham, AL	1 / 30 (694.2172)	27 (162.8000)	1 (180.0000)	2 (176.5600)	5 (174.8572)
2016-05-27	Papa Joe's Banjo-B-Que & Music Festival (GBC Qualifier) Evans, GA	27 / 66 (671.8740)	33 (168.5256)	21 (170.8344)	9 (173.1428)	45 (159.3712)
2016-05-13	Boss Hog State Championship Cook-Off (GBC Qualifier) 🏅 Waynesboro, GA	28 / 41 (636.8456)	38 (153.0628)	39 (150.7200)	5 (169.6800)	16 (163.3828)
2016-03-04	Sip & Swine BBQ Festival (GBC Qualifier) Lawrenceville, GA	30 / 59 (662.1828)	41 (164.5600)	22 (167.9656)	48 (159.9428)	20 (169.7144)
2015-10-09	Rock'n Ribville Lawrenceville, GA	8 / 26 (670.1944)	17 (161.6800)	6 (170.3088)	2 (174.2628)	12 (163.9428)
2015-07-31	Dillard Bluegrass & Barbeque Festival (GBC Qualifier) Dillard, GA	40 / 55 (657.5312)	43 (166.2400)	45 (159.3828)	26 (168.5256)	33 (163.3828)
2015-07-24	WNC BBQ Festival Maggie Valley, NC	23 / 49 (666.7200)	27 (166.8228)	31 (162.8116)	20 (167.4056)	12 (169.6800)
2015-07-09	SC Festival of Discovery (TEAMS AND JUDGES FULL) Greenwood, SC	9 / 90 (679.3256)	43 (166.2400)	13 (170.2628)	13 (171.9656)	15 (170.8572)
2015-06-05	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Asheville, NC	15 / 30 (672.4912)	6 (174.2628)	24 (159.4172)	17 (168.0000)	8 (170.8112)
2015-05-29	Piggin' in the Park Woodruff, SC	8 / 23 (667.9312)	7 (172.0000)	14 (161.7028)	3 (169.1428)	9 (165.0856)
2015-05-22	Papa Joe's Banjo-B-Que (GBC Qualifier) Evans, GA	11 / 65 (677.0628)	3 (177.7028)	18 (169.7372)	22 (167.3828)	48 (162.2400)
2015-05-08	Boss Hog State Championship Cook-Off (GBC Qualifier) 🏅 Waynesboro, GA	18 / 39 (645.5084)	24 (160.5028)	8 (167.9772)	28 (153.0628)	16 (163.9656)
2014-09-12	Jug Tavern Festival (GBC & SBBQA Qualifier) Winder, GA	21 / 42 (667.8860)	18 (170.8572)	18 (168.5372)	31 (162.2400)	21 (166.2516)
2014-08-01	Dillard Bluegrass & Barbeque Festival (GBC Qualifier) Dillard, GA	30 / 56 (665.5996)	6 (176.5600)	21 (167.9656)	14 (171.4400)	53 (149.6340)
2014-07-25	WNC BBQ Festival Maggie Valley, NC	5 / 46 (683.3596)	4 (172.5600)	16 (167.9884)	15 (169.1084)	8 (173.7028)
2013-11-15	The National BBQ Cup (GBC Qualifier) Cumming, GA	44 / 79 (666.1484)	55 (165.1200)	25 (170.8228)	16 (171.9656)	68 (158.2400)
2013-09-13	Jug Tavern Festival (GBC Qualifier) Winder, GA	3 / 43 (683.3140)	13 (171.9656)	7 (170.8228)	19 (166.2628)	5 (174.2628)
2013-08-02	Dillard Bluegrass & Barbeque Festival (GBC Qualifier) Dillard, GA	11 / 61 (685.6460)	52 (159.9428)	1 (177.1544)	22 (169.6916)	3 (178.8572)
2013-07-26	WNC Barbeque Festival Maggie Valley, NC	13 / 48 (668.4568)	2 (174.2628)	4 (173.7372)	41 (155.9312)	22 (164.5256)
2013-07-11	SC Festival of Discovery Greenwood, SC	25 / 78 (654.7312)	49 (158.8112)	8 (170.2744)	15 (167.3828)	41 (158.2628)
2013-05-31	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour N. Charleston, SC	12 / 27 (654.8568)	8 (170.8570)	17 (164.0000)	7 (165.7142)	18 (154.2856)
2013-05-24	Papa Joe's Banjo-B-Que (GBC Qualifier) Evans, GA	34 / 47 (656.5708)	30 (165.7140)	34 (162.8570)	27 (164.0000)	27 (163.9998)
2013-05-10	Boss Hog Cook-Off (GBC Qualifier) Waynesboro, GA	18 / 41 (656.5706)	30 (162.2856)	12 (165.7140)	26 (160.5712)	12 (167.9998)
2013-04-19	Cornelia Apple Blossom BBQ Festivals (GBC Qualifier) Cornelia, GA	19 / 36 (667.4278)	14 (168.5714)	15 (168.5712)	14 (168.5712)	25 (161.7140)
2013-03-01	Smokin in the Square Pensacola, FL	2 / 37 (677.7142)	9 (169.7144)	7 (166.8572)	2 (176.0000)	14 (165.1426)

Career map (orange GC · green top-10 · grey the rest — tap a pin)

Team of the Year standings (rank per category by season — year links to the full board on kcbs.us)

Year	Series	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2018 ↗	Master	#861 (360 pts)	#630 (590 pts)	#817 (430 pts)	#809 (425 pts)	#1139 (245 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#794 (473 pts)	#562 (708 pts)	#873 (448 pts)	#960 (388 pts)	#869 (443 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#423 (935 pts)	#565 (715 pts)	#326 (1120 pts)	#223 (1365 pts)	#416 (965 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#602 (605 pts)	#601 (650 pts)	#694 (550 pts)	#752 (495 pts)	#619 (610 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#911 (358 pts)	#735 (513 pts)	#1061 (313 pts)	#1050 (318 pts)	#1005 (328 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#219 (1314 pts)	#230 (1174 pts)	#146 (1514 pts)	#229 (1179 pts)	#255 (1149 pts)