The heartbreaker
Came within 1.2000 points of the Grand Championship at Minnesota in May (2015-05-15).
Each card leads with the number that made it a story — read straight out of their results, no editorialising.
Came within 1.2000 points of the Grand Championship at Minnesota in May (2015-05-15).
In the top 7% of every rated team in the data
A power rating of 1684 puts them #473 of 6,413 rated teams — the top 7% of the field.
1 perfect 180 in the data — every judge at the table handing back a nine, all in pork.
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 88 times in 100
Their Grand Championship at *Mankato Cookout Day 1 (2016-06-10) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 12-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ.
Took the Grand Championship over a 71-team field at Minnesota in May.
Minnesota in May is their spot: an average finish in the top 11% across 2 visits.
They've won two or more meats on the same day 1 time — the best of them 3 category wins at *Mankato Cookout Day 1 (2016-06-10).
A call in 42 of 50 contests
A top-10 category call in 84% of their 50 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.
98.6% of a perfect 720
Their best day on record: 710.2744 at *Mankato Cookout Day 1 — 98.6% of a perfect 720.
BIG CHAIN BBQ GANG has finished one call ahead of QUETOPIA 3 times — their closest competition in the data.
2016 was the year it came together: 15 contests, 3 Grand Championships and 5 category wins, at an average finish in the top 30%.
SHIGGIN & GRINNIN ahead in 71% of their meetings
SHIGGIN & GRINNIN has come out ahead in 30 of their 42 shared contests.
Their last Grand Championship came at Ribs, Rods and Rock'n Roll on 2016-09-09 — 17 contests and 10 years ago.
Ahead in 86% of their meetings
They've finished ahead of CROIX VALLEY SAUCES in 19 of their 22 shared contests.
Off the trail for 2.3 years, then back at Ottumwa Smoketoberfest (2020-10-02).
MUSTANG SALLY BBQ has landed one call behind them 3 times.
Something about May: average finish in the top 18% across 6 contests, versus top 34% the rest of the year.
Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 7,542 miles across 50 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 358 miles to 37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue(INVITATIONAL).
Their overall lands within ±1.84% 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.
One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team QUETOPIA has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.
⚔ Head-to-headThey've been 1774 at their best, 90 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.
⚔ Head-to-headCareers of much the same size, 48 contests to 50, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.
⚔ Head-to-headTheir rating is built on 1 Grand Championship in 47 contests, alongside a 21% overall top-10 rate.
⚔ Head-to-headTheir last contest in the data was back in 2016, 4 years before QUETOPIA's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.
⚔ Head-to-headBoth teams' first contest in the data came in 2013.
⚔ Head-to-head| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SHIGGIN & GRINNIN | 42 | 12 | 30 | 29% | ⚔ compare |
| SPITFIRE | 34 | 11 | 23 | 32% | ⚔ compare |
| CITY SLICKERS BBQ | 32 | 14 | 18 | 44% | ⚔ compare |
| Hogline | 31 | 10 | 21 | 32% | ⚔ compare |
| LUCKY'S Q | 29 | 7 | 22 | 24% | ⚔ compare |
| TRUE SMOKE BBQ | 25 | 14 | 11 | 56% | ⚔ compare |
| Eggspert BBQ | 24 | 11 | 13 | 46% | ⚔ compare |
| CROIX VALLEY SAUCES | 22 | 19 | 3 | 86% | ⚔ compare |
| ROLLIN' SMOKE BBQ SD | 22 | 18 | 4 | 82% | ⚔ compare |
| CASE OF RIBS | 22 | 17 | 5 | 77% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOKEY AND HIS BANDITS | 22 | 13 | 9 | 59% | ⚔ compare |
| Totally Sauced | 21 | 9 | 12 | 43% | ⚔ compare |
| NECTAR OF THE HOGS | 20 | 12 | 8 | 60% | ⚔ compare |
| IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | 20 | 1 | 19 | 5% | ⚔ compare |
| MYASSIS SMOKIN | 19 | 14 | 5 | 74% | ⚔ compare |
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 50 | 13 | 2 | 5 | 179.4400 | 157.0972 | 168.89 | top 43% |
| Pork Ribs | 50 | 18 | 1 | 2 | 177.1544 | 148.5028 | 167.14 | top 41% |
| Pork | 50 | 17 | 2 | 4 | 180.0000 🔥 | 153.1200 | 167.87 | top 41% |
| Brisket | 50 | 23 | 3 | 9 | 179.4400 | 153.6572 | 169.58 | top 32% |
“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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| MN | 30 | 2 | top 32% |
| IA | 6 | 0 | top 44% |
| SD | 6 | 1 | top 30% |
| KS | 4 | 0 | top 30% |
| WI | 2 | 0 | top 75% |
| MO | 2 | 0 | top 5% |
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medium (20–39) | 24 | 2 | top 41% |
| Large (40+) | 26 | 1 | top 27% |
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KTD Smokin ' Gobbler Cook-Off | 3 | 4 | 0 | top 35% | 2017-09-15 |
| Sam's Club National BBQ Tour | 3 | 3 | 0 | top 22% | 2016-07-22 |
| Minnesota in May | 2 | 1 | 1 | top 21% | 2016-05-13 |
| *Mankato Cookout (Day 2) | 2 | 24 | 0 | top 65% | 2018-06-09 |
| 38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) | 2 | 74 | 0 | top 39% | 2017-09-01 |
| SMSU Smokefest | 2 | 12 | 0 | top 32% | 2017-08-18 |
| Minnesota in May | 2 | 2 | 0 | top 11% | 2017-05-12 |
| 37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue(OPEN) | 2 | 17 | 0 | top 21% | 2016-10-29 |
| Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) | 2 | 19 | 0 | top 75% | 2016-09-16 |
| Smokin in Steele | 2 | 12 | 0 | top 25% | 2016-06-03 |
| Central Iowa Expo BBQ (Day 2) (Judges Full) | 2 | 21 | 0 | top 56% | 2016-04-23 |
| Ribs, Rods & Rock 'n Roll | 2 | 5 | 0 | top 33% | 2015-09-11 |
| The Madelia Blazin' Barbeque Blast | 2 | 8 | 0 | top 39% | 2014-07-11 |
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +16.1 | 35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open | 2014-10-02 |
| +15 | Minnesota in May | 2015-05-15 |
| +14.1 | *Mankato Cookout Day 1 | 2016-06-10 |
| +13.1 | Med City BBQ & Musicfest | 2015-08-07 |
| +12 | Ribs, Rods and Rock'n Roll | 2016-09-09 |
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -11.8 | *Mankato Cookout Day 1 and (BACKYARD) | 2017-06-09 |
| -9.1 | King Turkey Day Smokin' Gobbler Cook-Off | 2014-09-12 |
| -8.5 | *Mankato Cookout (Day 2) | 2018-06-09 |
| -6.3 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) | 2014-08-01 |
| -5.7 | *Mankato Cookout Day 2 and( Back Yard) | 2016-06-11 |
| Season | Contests | GCs | Top-10s | Category wins | Walk rate | Avg finish | Best overall (% of perfect) | Avg overall (% of perfect) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 50% | 92.8% | 92.8% |
| 2018 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% | top 65% | 94.4% | 93.3% |
| 2017 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 91% | top 38% | 94.7% | 93.5% |
| 2016 | 15 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 87% | top 30% | 98.6% | 94.1% |
| 2015 | 11 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 91% | top 18% | 96% | 94.2% |
| 2014 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 75% | top 42% | 96.1% | 92.2% |
| 2013 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50% | top 52% | 92.2% | 91.9% |
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-10-02 | Ottumwa Smoketoberfest 🏅 Ottumwa, IA | 33 / 66 (667.9428) | 51 (162.2972) | 18 (167.9772) | 27 (169.1200) | 27 (168.5484) |
| 2018-06-09 | *Mankato Cookout (Day 2) Mankato, MN | 32 / 42 (663.2796) | 37 (163.3712) | 34 (163.3828) | 33 (163.9772) | 10 (172.5484) |
| 2018-06-08 | *Mankato Cookout (Day 1) Mankato, MN | 24 / 44 (679.8972) | 35 (164.5256) | 30 (166.8344) | 4 (176.5716) | 17 (171.9656) |
| 2017-09-15 | KTD Smokin ' Gobbler Cook-Off Worthington, MN | 9 / 27 (676.4568) | 23 (162.8228) | 10 (167.9772) | 3 (175.4056) | 6 (170.2512) |
| 2017-09-08 | Ribs, Rod & Rock'n Roll Vermillion, SD | 16 / 31 (671.3252) | 25 (160.5256) | 8 (173.1200) | 4 (174.2856) | 17 (163.3940) |
| 2017-09-01 | 38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS | 88 / 407 (679.3484) | 5 (179.4400) | 170 (166.8572) | 300 (160.4912) | 52 (172.5600) |
| 2017-08-31 | 38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (INVITATIONAL) unrated Kansas City, KS | 74 / 129 (679.8856) | 88 (168.5256) | 77 (169.1200) | 9 (177.7144) | 106 (164.5256) |
| 2017-08-18 | SMSU Smokefest Marshall, MN | 12 / 41 (674.1712) | 31 (159.9428) | 4 (172.0000) | 2 (176.5600) | 19 (165.6684) |
| 2017-07-28 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Ankeny, IA | 7 / 30 (680.4684) | 12 (169.6684) | 8 (169.1316) | 14 (168.5600) | 7 (173.1084) |
| 2017-07-21 | *Up in Smoke BBQ Bash Mason City, IA | 20 / 49 (659.8624) | 30 (161.6684) | 23 (164.5600) | 21 (168.5484) | 22 (165.0856) |
| 2017-07-14 | Cookin On Kampeska Watertown, SD | 11 / 48 (681.6340) | 7 (176.5828) | 24 (167.4172) | 23 (166.8112) | 17 (170.8228) |
| 2017-06-10 | *Mankato Cookout Day 2 Mankato, MN | 11 / 33 (679.4404) | 17 (170.2972) | 21 (165.7260) | 22 (166.8572) | 5 (176.5600) |
| 2017-06-09 | *Mankato Cookout Day 1 and (BACKYARD) Mankato, MN | 29 / 35 (651.2572) | 26 (165.0856) | 24 (162.2516) | 10 (170.2628) | 33 (153.6572) |
| 2017-05-12 | Minnesota in May Falcon Heights, MN | 13 / 71 (670.7428) | 25 (165.1200) | 9 (171.4172) | 38 (162.2400) | 10 (171.9656) |
| 2016-10-29 | 37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue(OPEN) Kansas City, KS | 185 / 557 (665.6684) | 79 (172.0000) | 317 (162.8456) | 144 (169.1428) | 299 (161.6800) |
| 2016-10-28 | 37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue(INVITATIONAL) unrated Kansas City, KS | 17 / 180 (694.2512) | 61 (173.7028) | 103 (167.4056) | 1 (178.8572) | 35 (174.2856) |
| 2016-09-16 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) Madison, WI | 19 / 30 (678.7656) | 23 (167.9656) | 26 (166.2516) | 17 (170.8456) | 8 (173.7028) |
| 2016-09-09 | Ribs, Rods and Rock'n Roll Vermillion, SD | 1 / 34 (694.8344) | 2 (177.7028) | 8 (170.2744) | 11 (168.0000) | 2 (178.8572) |
| 2016-08-26 | 9th Annual Big Island BBQ Albert Lea, MN | 13 / 48 (675.8740) | 9 (173.1200) | 21 (166.2400) | 34 (162.2512) | 6 (174.2628) |
| 2016-08-19 | SMSU Smokefest Marshall, MN | 13 / 37 (671.8856) | 13 (170.8228) | 6 (172.5600) | 14 (169.1200) | 23 (159.3828) |
| 2016-07-22 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Woodbury, MN | 3 / 30 (675.3484) | 8 (170.8456) | 15 (163.3944) | 19 (163.4056) | 1 (177.7028) |
| 2016-07-15 | Cookin' on Kampeska Watertown, SD | 16 / 41 (671.3140) | 30 (161.0856) | 13 (170.2856) | 4 (173.7028) | 16 (166.2400) |
| 2016-06-24 | Smoke on the Waterfall Redwoodfalls, MN | 8 / 26 (671.4056) | 12 (167.4628) | 5 (171.9772) | 11 (166.2628) | 9 (165.7028) |
| 2016-06-11 | *Mankato Cookout Day 2 and( Back Yard) Mankato, MN | 20 / 32 (665.6340) | 15 (169.6912) | 15 (169.1200) | 32 (153.1200) | 6 (173.7028) |
| 2016-06-10 | *Mankato Cookout Day 1 Mankato, MN | 1 / 33 (710.2744) | 1 (178.8572) | 1 (177.1544) | 1 (180.0000) | 5 (174.2628) |
| 2016-06-03 | Smokin in Steele Owatonna, MN | 12 / 53 (669.6112) | 4 (174.8572) | 14 (167.3828) | 41 (158.8456) | 13 (168.5256) |
| 2016-05-13 | Minnesota in May Falcon Heights, MN | 1 / 71 (690.2056) | 8 (172.5600) | 17 (169.6800) | 10 (171.4056) | 4 (176.5600) |
| 2016-04-23 | Central Iowa Expo BBQ (Day 2) (Judges Full) Boone, IA | 22 / 36 (665.1088) | 4 (174.2972) | 23 (163.4172) | 22 (165.7028) | 30 (161.6916) |
| 2016-04-22 | Central Iowa Expo BBQ (Day 1) (Judges Full) Boone, IA | 21 / 42 (661.6000) | 12 (170.2744) | 32 (157.0856) | 18 (169.1200) | 22 (165.1200) |
| 2015-10-03 | 36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Open Kansas City, MO | 43 / 606 (682.8340) | 92 (172.0000) | 67 (172.5484) | 223 (166.2856) | 70 (172.0000) |
| 2015-09-18 | KTD Smokin' Gobbler Cook-Off Worthington, MN | 4 / 26 (686.7652) | 5 (175.4056) | 3 (174.2856) | 6 (170.8228) | 17 (166.2512) |
| 2015-09-11 | Ribs, Rods & Rock 'n Roll Vermillion, SD | 5 / 32 (680.4912) | 13 (167.9656) | 9 (169.7028) | 19 (163.3828) | 1 (179.4400) |
| 2015-08-28 | 8th Annual Big Island BBQ Albert Lea, MN | 4 / 55 (688.5028) | 1 (179.4400) | 4 (173.7028) | 15 (169.6800) | 21 (165.6800) |
| 2015-08-21 | Smokefest Marshall, MN | 5 / 42 (684.5144) | 21 (167.4172) | 8 (170.8228) | 9 (171.4172) | 3 (174.8572) |
| 2015-08-07 | Med City BBQ & Musicfest Rochester, MN | 4 / 47 (681.6344) | 2 (177.7144) | 8 (168.5716) | 6 (170.8112) | 16 (164.5372) |
| 2015-07-24 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Woodbury, MN | 12 / 30 (658.1828) | 13 (168.5600) | 11 (164.5600) | 9 (168.5600) | 21 (156.5028) |
| 2015-07-17 | BBQ'Loo & Blues Too! Waterloo, IA | 16 / 39 (662.6968) | 11 (170.8344) | 25 (156.4912) | 8 (169.7028) | 15 (165.6684) |
| 2015-06-12 | Bend of the River CookOut Mankato, MN | 13 / 42 (670.7084) | 24 (166.2628) | 7 (170.8228) | 35 (158.2056) | 2 (175.4172) |
| 2015-05-29 | Smokin' in Steel Owatonna, MN | 9 / 60 (675.2912) | 29 (165.0856) | 26 (165.0972) | 4 (173.1084) | 8 (172.0000) |
| 2015-05-15 | Minnesota in May St. Paul, MN | 2 / 60 (691.3600) | 2 (177.7028) | 13 (168.5372) | 28 (166.2628) | 2 (178.8572) |
| 2014-10-02 | 35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO | 16 / 552 (691.9660) | 54 (174.2744) | 183 (167.9772) | 121 (170.2744) | 6 (179.4400) |
| 2014-09-12 | King Turkey Day Smokin' Gobbler Cook-Off Worthington, MN | 29 / 36 (628.9144) | 23 (160.5256) | 34 (148.5028) | 30 (154.7888) | 16 (165.0972) |
| 2014-09-05 | Ribs, Rods & Rock 'n Roll Vermillion, SD | 13 / 26 (666.1484) | 11 (166.8228) | 18 (163.4056) | 19 (159.3484) | 1 (176.5716) |
| 2014-08-01 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) Madison, WI | 26 / 30 (655.2916) | 19 (167.3828) | 30 (154.2288) | 15 (166.2628) | 12 (167.4172) |
| 2014-07-18 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Woodbury, MN | 5 / 30 (673.6456) | 24 (159.3828) | 6 (170.8228) | 14 (165.7372) | 2 (177.7028) |
| 2014-07-11 | The Madelia Blazin' Barbeque Blast Madelia, MN | 8 / 26 (665.0740) | 12 (165.0856) | 16 (161.1200) | 13 (166.8228) | 3 (172.0456) |
| 2014-05-30 | Smokin in Steele Owatonna, MN | 19 / 67 (673.6228) | 40 (166.2516) | 10 (172.5484) | 46 (162.8228) | 16 (172.0000) |
| 2014-05-16 | Minnesota in May Falcon Heights, MN | 23 / 58 (655.2916) | 43 (157.0972) | 6 (167.9772) | 20 (166.2744) | 28 (163.9428) |
| 2013-09-13 | KTD Smokin' Gobbler Cook-off Worthington, MN | 22 / 39 (659.8972) | 13 (170.8228) | 17 (167.9772) | 20 (165.6800) | 29 (155.4172) |
| 2013-07-12 | The Madelia Blazin' Barbeque Blast Madelia, MN | 11 / 23 (663.9084) | 16 (163.4172) | 14 (164.5256) | 5 (170.2972) | 10 (165.6684) |
| Year | Series | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 ↗ | Master | #856 (60 pts) | #896 (60 pts) | #821 (95 pts) | #899 (60 pts) | #883 (60 pts) |
| 2018 ↗ | Master | #1500 (125 pts) | #1598 (120 pts) | #1614 (120 pts) | #1078 (270 pts) | #1179 (235 pts) |
| 2017 ↗ | Master | #333 (1106 pts) | #405 (930 pts) | #321 (1121 pts) | #215 (1366 pts) | #331 (1126 pts) |
| 2016 ↗ | Master | #131 (1798 pts) | #103 (1773 pts) | #207 (1415 pts) | #154 (1553 pts) | #120 (1790 pts) |
| 2015 ↗ | Master | #149 (1738 pts) | #166 (1548 pts) | #201 (1418 pts) | #225 (1308 pts) | #162 (1653 pts) |
| 2014 ↗ | Master | #446 (863 pts) | #574 (678 pts) | #447 (883 pts) | #539 (718 pts) | #244 (1368 pts) |
| 2013 ↗ | Master | #1747 (118 pts) | #1966 (93 pts) | #1901 (103 pts) | #1446 (173 pts) | #1763 (123 pts) |