The heartbreaker
Came within 4.0002 points of the Grand Championship at Lewisburg Rotary Club BBQ Cook-off (2013-05-24).
Each card leads with the number that made it a story — read straight out of their results, no editorialising.
Came within 4.0002 points of the Grand Championship at Lewisburg Rotary Club BBQ Cook-off (2013-05-24).
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 77 times in 100
Their Grand Championship at The Whistlestop Festival & Rocket City BBQ (2016-05-06) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 23-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N.
Took the Grand Championship over a 67-team field at The Whistlestop Festival & Rocket City BBQ.
The Whistlestop Festival & Rocket City BBQ is their spot: 1 Grand Championship in 4 visits.
A call in 38 of 55 contests
A top-10 category call in 69% of their 55 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.
97.5% of a perfect 720
Their best day on record: 701.6800 at The Whistlestop Festival & Rocket City BBQ — 97.5% of a perfect 720.
SMOKIN BUTT CREW has finished one call ahead of WILD BUNCH BUTT BURNERS 2 times — their closest competition in the data.
JIGGY PIGGY ahead in 71% of their meetings
JIGGY PIGGY has come out ahead in 24 of their 34 shared contests.
Pork Ribs is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 6.26 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 18% of the time against 38%.
Their last Grand Championship came at The Whistlestop Festival & Rocket City BBQ on 2016-05-06 — 12 contests and 10.3 years ago.
Ahead in 81% of their meetings
They've finished ahead of BBQR'S DELIGHT in 13 of their 16 shared contests.
Finished 5 of 29 at their very first tracked contest, Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (2013-02-22).
JOBEAZ BLAZIN' BUTTS AND WINGS has landed one call behind them 2 times.
Something about May: average finish in the top 15% across 9 contests, versus top 35% the rest of the year.
Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 9,848 miles across 55 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 602 miles to 34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open.
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.
They've cooked Smokin In the Square every year from 2013 to 2018 — the contest they never miss.
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.
Careers of much the same size, 73 contests to 55, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.
⚔ Head-to-headThese two have cooked 5 of the same contests — WILD BUNCH BUTT BURNERS ahead 5–0 — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.
⚔ Head-to-headThey've been 1721 at their best, 70 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.
⚔ Head-to-head57 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 32% top-10 finishes rather than wins.
⚔ Head-to-headLevel with WILD BUNCH BUTT BURNERS on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.
⚔ Head-to-headThey've been 1697 at their best, 47 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.
⚔ Head-to-head| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SWIGGIN PIG | 35 | 14 | 21 | 40% | ⚔ compare |
| JIGGY PIGGY | 34 | 10 | 24 | 29% | ⚔ compare |
| THE BLUE BLOODS | 32 | 13 | 19 | 41% | ⚔ compare |
| Organizer Portal | 24 | 9 | 15 | 38% | ⚔ compare |
| LOTTA BULL BBQ | 22 | 9 | 13 | 41% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOKE THIS | 21 | 7 | 14 | 33% | ⚔ compare |
| BOOTYQUE | 20 | 5 | 15 | 25% | ⚔ compare |
| MIDNIGHT BURN | 19 | 6 | 13 | 32% | ⚔ compare |
| BEAN BANDITS | 18 | 13 | 5 | 72% | ⚔ compare |
| GIVE IT TO GOD | 18 | 11 | 7 | 61% | ⚔ compare |
| QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N | 18 | 7 | 11 | 39% | ⚔ compare |
| South Pork | 18 | 4 | 14 | 22% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOKIN BUTT CREW | 17 | 8 | 9 | 47% | ⚔ compare |
| CHIX, SWINE & BOVINE BBQ | 17 | 7 | 10 | 41% | ⚔ compare |
| BBQR'S DELIGHT | 16 | 13 | 3 | 81% | ⚔ compare |
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 55 | 21 | 1 | 8 | 178.8572 | 162.8570 | 171.17 | top 33% |
| Pork Ribs | 55 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 176.5828 | 151.9428 | 164.91 | top 53% |
| Pork | 55 | 19 | 3 | 8 | 178.8572 | 154.7772 | 169.41 | top 37% |
| Brisket | 55 | 16 | 4 | 6 | 178.8572 | 154.8000 | 168.52 | top 39% |
“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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| AL | 18 | 1 | top 33% |
| NC | 8 | 0 | top 29% |
| TN | 8 | 0 | top 34% |
| LA | 7 | 0 | top 40% |
| FL | 6 | 0 | top 41% |
| GA | 5 | 0 | top 30% |
| MO | 2 | 0 | top 56% |
| MS | 1 | 0 | top 37% |
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medium (20–39) | 15 | 0 | top 39% |
| Large (40+) | 40 | 1 | top 34% |
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smokin In the Square | 6 | 3 | 0 | top 41% | 2018-03-16 |
| Dillard Bluegrass & Barbeque Festival | 5 | 7 | 0 | top 30% | 2017-08-04 |
| The Whistlestop Festival & Rocket City BBQ | 4 | 1 | 1 | top 13% | 2018-05-04 |
| Hammond BBQ | 4 | 8 | 0 | top 51% | 2019-03-22 |
| Sam's Club National BBQ Tour | 4 | 5 | 0 | top 54% | 2017-02-24 |
| Blue Ridge BBQ & Music Festival | 3 | 2 | 0 | top 17% | 2016-06-10 |
| WNC BBQ Festival | 2 | 12 | 0 | top 32% | 2015-07-24 |
| High on the Hog Festival | 2 | 20 | 0 | top 35% | 2014-04-18 |
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +13.4 | BBQ Championship & Hog Wild Festival | 2013-03-08 |
| +12 | Lewisburg Rotary Club BBQ Cook-off | 2013-05-24 |
| +12 | Smokin in the Square | 2014-03-07 |
| +11.9 | Bloomin' BBQ & Bluegrass | 2013-05-17 |
| +11.6 | The Whistlestop Festival & Rocket City BBQ | 2016-05-06 |
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -16.4 | Hammond BBQ | 2019-03-22 |
| -14 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour | 2015-02-27 |
| -10.7 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) | 2013-09-13 |
| -9.8 | BBQ Throw Down 2014 @ Windcreek | 2014-03-27 |
| -8.6 | Mountain High BBQ Festival & Car Show | 2013-08-09 |
| Season | Contests | GCs | Top-10s | Category wins | Walk rate | Avg finish | Best overall (% of perfect) | Avg overall (% of perfect) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 83% | 90.9% | 90.9% |
| 2018 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 67% | top 42% | 95.2% | 94.1% |
| 2017 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 83% | top 41% | 95.1% | 93.7% |
| 2016 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 60% | top 33% | 97.5% | 94.6% |
| 2015 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 75% | top 40% | 96.3% | 93.6% |
| 2014 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 67% | top 37% | 96.3% | 93.4% |
| 2013 | 20 | 0 | 12 | 5 | 70% | top 27% | 96.2% | 93.5% |
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-03-22 | Hammond BBQ 🏅 Hammond, LA | 40 / 48 (654.6856) | 33 (165.0972) | 42 (159.3944) | 31 (166.2284) | 37 (163.9656) |
| 2018-05-04 | The Whistlestop Festival & Rocket City BBQ Huntsville, AL | 12 / 61 (685.0860) | 11 (174.2744) | 8 (175.4172) | 40 (166.2516) | 31 (169.1428) |
| 2018-03-23 | Hammond BBQ Hammond, LA | 19 / 48 (674.1600) | 8 (174.8572) | 24 (165.6916) | 2 (175.4056) | 42 (158.2056) |
| 2018-03-16 | Smokin In the Square Pensacola, FL | 33 / 49 (673.1088) | 43 (165.6800) | 15 (169.6800) | 14 (172.0344) | 32 (165.7144) |
| 2017-11-08 | World Barbecue Championship Orange Beach, AL | 59 / 93 (665.6000) | 51 (168.5372) | 64 (164.5256) | 82 (159.9544) | 18 (172.5828) |
| 2017-08-04 | Dillard Bluegrass & Barbeque Festival Dillard, GA | 27 / 57 (675.3028) | 8 (175.4056) | 44 (162.8228) | 42 (162.8000) | 4 (174.2744) |
| 2017-05-05 | The Whistlestop Festival & Rocket City BBQ Huntsville, AL | 15 / 69 (682.7312) | 17 (172.5600) | 34 (166.2284) | 7 (176.5600) | 31 (167.3828) |
| 2017-03-24 | Hammond BBQ Hammond, LA | 8 / 55 (684.4800) | 6 (176.5600) | 31 (165.6800) | 2 (177.7028) | 34 (164.5372) |
| 2017-03-17 | Smokin in the Square Pensacola, FL | 14 / 38 (678.1828) | 3 (177.7028) | 14 (167.4172) | 24 (165.6684) | 17 (167.3944) |
| 2017-02-24 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Daphne, AL | 18 / 28 (660.4684) | 14 (168.5484) | 27 (158.8000) | 8 (167.4056) | 13 (165.7144) |
| 2016-08-05 | Dillard Bluegrass & Barbeque Festival (GBC Qualifier) Dillard, GA | 26 / 56 (679.2912) | 34 (169.6800) | 45 (161.0856) | 25 (169.6684) | 2 (178.8572) |
| 2016-06-10 | Blue Ridge BBQ & Music Festival Tryon, NC | 28 / 76 (673.5884) | 36 (169.1200) | 38 (166.8344) | 21 (170.2628) | 26 (167.3712) |
| 2016-05-06 | The Whistlestop Festival & Rocket City BBQ Huntsville, AL | 1 / 67 (701.6800) | 15 (171.9772) | 2 (176.5828) | 7 (174.2628) | 1 (178.8572) |
| 2016-03-25 | Hamond BBQ Hammond, LA | 14 / 58 (681.0516) | 5 (176.5600) | 44 (162.2516) | 10 (172.5600) | 23 (169.6800) |
| 2016-03-18 | Smokin In The Square Pensacola, FL | 25 / 43 (670.1604) | 27 (168.5372) | 34 (161.6688) | 11 (170.8344) | 20 (169.1200) |
| 2015-12-04 | * Christmas on the River State Championship BBQ 🏅 Demopolis, AL | 23 / 36 (651.8172) | 17 (167.9656) | 10 (169.1200) | 35 (154.7772) | 24 (159.9544) |
| 2015-07-31 | Dillard Bluegrass & Barbeque Festival (GBC Qualifier) Dillard, GA | 7 / 55 (690.7772) | 3 (176.5600) | 41 (164.5372) | 16 (170.8228) | 1 (178.8572) |
| 2015-07-24 | WNC BBQ Festival Maggie Valley, NC | 19 / 49 (670.7312) | 24 (167.3940) | 15 (168.5600) | 27 (166.2400) | 15 (168.5372) |
| 2015-06-12 | Blue Ridge BBQ & Music Festival Tryon, NC | 10 / 78 (685.0972) | 4 (177.7028) | 9 (174.2744) | 30 (166.2972) | 29 (166.8228) |
| 2015-05-01 | The Whistlestop Festival & Rocket City BBQ Huntsville, AL | 6 / 63 (693.0972) | 3 (177.7028) | 5 (175.4056) | 2 (177.7144) | 38 (162.2744) |
| 2015-03-27 | Smokin Blues & BBQ Hammond, LA | 21 / 56 (670.1832) | 30 (166.2400) | 33 (162.8344) | 26 (167.3944) | 7 (173.7144) |
| 2015-03-06 | Smokin In The Square Pensacola, FL | 28 / 48 (668.4456) | 21 (170.8228) | 30 (165.0972) | 22 (169.1084) | 32 (163.4172) |
| 2015-02-27 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Daphne, AL | 27 / 30 (661.5428) | 10 (172.5600) | 24 (164.5372) | 20 (167.3828) | 30 (157.0628) |
| 2014-09-19 | 20th Annual Decatur Jaycee's Riverfest Decatur, AL | 26 / 75 (668.4572) | 21 (170.8228) | 49 (161.1200) | 15 (171.9772) | 37 (164.5372) |
| 2014-08-15 | Stand By Your Grill Fulton, MS | 24 / 65 (677.0284) | 23 (171.4056) | 47 (163.3828) | 46 (163.3828) | 1 (178.8572) |
| 2014-08-01 | Dillard Bluegrass & Barbeque Festival (GBC Qualifier) Dillard, GA | 8 / 56 (685.0284) | 17 (174.2628) | 19 (169.1200) | 24 (168.5256) | 11 (173.1200) |
| 2014-07-25 | WNC BBQ Festival Maggie Valley, NC | 12 / 46 (674.1484) | 7 (171.9656) | 33 (160.5028) | 19 (167.3828) | 6 (174.2972) |
| 2014-05-24 | Lewisburg Rotary Club BBQ CookOff Lewisburg, TN | 5 / 41 (687.9544) | 16 (170.8572) | 15 (171.4172) | 8 (173.1200) | 12 (172.5600) |
| 2014-05-16 | Bloomin' BBQ & Bluegrass Sevierville, TN | 27 / 56 (668.4112) | 38 (164.5372) | 12 (170.8228) | 32 (166.8112) | 25 (166.2400) |
| 2014-04-18 | High on the Hog Festival Winchester, TN | 23 / 62 (675.8744) | 45 (165.0972) | 42 (162.8116) | 10 (171.9656) | 6 (176.0000) |
| 2014-04-11 | Smoke on the Falls Noccalula BBQ Fest Gadsden, AL | 13 / 34 (671.8860) | 15 (167.9772) | 20 (164.5372) | 7 (173.1200) | 19 (166.2516) |
| 2014-03-27 | BBQ Throw Down 2014 @ Windcreek Atmore, AL | 16 / 21 (652.9596) | 16 (164.5256) | 17 (159.3828) | 19 (159.3600) | 10 (169.6912) |
| 2014-03-21 | Hammond BBQ Hammond, LA | 40 / 61 (653.5432) | 17 (170.8228) | 50 (157.6688) | 38 (162.2400) | 41 (162.8116) |
| 2014-03-07 | Smokin in the Square Pensacola, FL | 3 / 46 (693.0856) | 11 (173.7028) | 10 (172.5716) | 15 (171.9656) | 2 (174.8456) |
| 2014-02-28 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Daphne, AL | 12 / 28 (662.1944) | 11 (169.1200) | 24 (157.1088) | 15 (166.8456) | 7 (169.1200) |
| 2013-12-06 | Christmas on the River State Championship 🏅 Demopolis, AL | 4 / 29 (682.1712) | 6 (172.5600) | 14 (163.9312) | 1 (177.7028) | 10 (167.9772) |
| 2013-10-11 | Cullman Oktoberfest BBQ Challenge Cullman, AL | 4 / 32 (689.6800) | 4 (176.0000) | 13 (166.8344) | 1 (178.8572) | 16 (167.9884) |
| 2013-10-03 | 34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO | 250 / 535 (640.3652) | 146 (166.8228) | 408 (151.9428) | 229 (162.2284) | 255 (159.3712) |
| 2013-10-03 | 34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Invitational unrated Kansas City, MO | 113 / 174 (652.9712) | 77 (167.3944) | 140 (157.0740) | 21 (173.7028) | 150 (154.8000) |
| 2013-09-13 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) Hendersonville, TN | 23 / 30 (660.4344) | 15 (168.5372) | 28 (158.2400) | 22 (163.9772) | 16 (169.6800) |
| 2013-09-06 | Cookeville Cookoff Cookeville, TN | 21 / 42 (669.0172) | 15 (170.8344) | 34 (160.5372) | 23 (166.8228) | 17 (170.8228) |
| 2013-08-09 | Mountain High BBQ Festival & Car Show Franklin, NC | 32 / 49 (654.1488) | 31 (164.5372) | 33 (162.2744) | 32 (163.9544) | 30 (163.3828) |
| 2013-08-02 | Dillard Bluegrass & Barbeque Festival (GBC Qualifier) Dillard, GA | 19 / 61 (676.4572) | 5 (175.4056) | 38 (162.8116) | 28 (168.5256) | 25 (169.7144) |
| 2013-07-26 | WNC Barbeque Festival Maggie Valley, NC | 18 / 48 (661.6228) | 6 (171.4172) | 32 (159.4172) | 30 (161.1084) | 13 (169.6800) |
| 2013-06-14 | Blue Ridge BBQ & Music Festival Tryon, NC | 2 / 97 (688.5714) | 3 (175.4286) | 5 (172.5714) | 5 (173.1428) | 21 (167.4286) |
| 2013-06-07 | Lincolnton Hog Happenin' Lincolnton, NC | 4 / 34 (673.1426) | 10 (167.9998) | 20 (154.8570) | 4 (172.0000) | 1 (178.2858) |
| 2013-05-24 | Lewisburg Rotary Club BBQ Cook-off Lewisburg, TN | 2 / 36 (686.8566) | 2 (174.2856) | 9 (167.4284) | 12 (170.2856) | 6 (174.8570) |
| 2013-05-17 | Bloomin' BBQ & Bluegrass Sevierville, TN | 3 / 47 (692.5714) | 3 (177.1428) | 7 (172.0000) | 16 (170.8572) | 12 (172.5714) |
| 2013-05-03 | The Whistle Stop Festival & Rocket City BBQ Huntsville, AL | 5 / 62 (687.4284) | 3 (174.8570) | 32 (163.4286) | 5 (175.4284) | 7 (173.7144) |
| 2013-04-19 | High on the Hog Festival Winchester, TN | 20 / 60 (667.9998) | 37 (162.8570) | 12 (169.7144) | 21 (166.8570) | 16 (168.5714) |
| 2013-04-12 | Smoke on the Falls Gadsden, AL | 5 / 34 (678.8570) | 19 (168.5714) | 26 (161.1428) | 1 (176.0000) | 5 (173.1428) |
| 2013-03-22 | Hammond Blues and BBQ Hammond, LA | 8 / 50 (674.2852) | 1 (178.8572) | 12 (168.0000) | 18 (166.2854) | 31 (161.1426) |
| 2013-03-08 | BBQ Championship & Hog Wild Festival Mobile, AL | 4 / 56 (684.5712) | 13 (171.4284) | 23 (166.2858) | 2 (176.5714) | 11 (170.2856) |
| 2013-03-01 | Smokin in the Square Pensacola, FL | 7 / 37 (670.2854) | 5 (172.5712) | 14 (164.0000) | 3 (175.4286) | 25 (158.2856) |
| 2013-02-22 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Daphne, AL | 5 / 29 (677.1426) | 12 (169.7142) | 8 (168.5714) | 4 (173.7142) | 12 (165.1428) |
| Year | Series | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 ↗ | Master | #1955 (60 pts) | #2049 (60 pts) | #2026 (60 pts) | #2029 (60 pts) | #2010 (60 pts) |
| 2018 ↗ | Master | #1011 (275 pts) | #933 (345 pts) | #977 (330 pts) | #799 (435 pts) | #1330 (180 pts) |
| 2017 ↗ | Master | #652 (588 pts) | #463 (833 pts) | #937 (408 pts) | #517 (758 pts) | #623 (638 pts) |
| 2016 ↗ | Master | #664 (580 pts) | #811 (475 pts) | #796 (500 pts) | #701 (570 pts) | #530 (760 pts) |
| 2015 ↗ | Master | #466 (830 pts) | #321 (1115 pts) | #475 (815 pts) | #510 (760 pts) | #439 (860 pts) |
| 2014 ↗ | Master | #255 (1311 pts) | #290 (1161 pts) | #384 (977 pts) | #297 (1156 pts) | #152 (1666 pts) |
| 2013 ↗ | Master | #64 (2191 pts) | #36 (2259 pts) | #181 (1380 pts) | #30 (2296 pts) | #143 (1607 pts) |