THE TWISTED TAIL

THE TWISTED TAIL is a competition barbecue team with 16 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2016 and 2018. They have won 2 Grand Championships, most recently at the Q for a Cause (2018), and finished Reserve Grand Champion twice. They are ranked #756 of 6,485 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

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At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#756

of 6,485 rated · rankings

Rating

1633

peak 1634 · rated over 16 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Jul 29, 2016

latest Oct 26, 2018 · 2.2 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#149

Master 2017 · every season

Grand champs

2 reserve · wins it all 13% of the time

Category wins

10 podiums

Overall top-10s

63% of 16 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 31%

overall standings

Best overall

700.5488 / 720

Master · Independence Fire & Ice BBQ

Perfect 180s

1 🔥

Current form

677.43 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 667.23 (+10.20)

Walk rate

75%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

180 🔥

Pork Ribs · Sam's Club National BBQ Tour

Consistency

±43.10

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork Ribs

avg 172.03 · weakest Pork (168.20)

Road miles

4,952

across 16 mapped stops · furthest 1,165 mi

Schedule strength

77%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1600)

Master avg

667.23 / 720

16 Master contests · 2 GCs

Storylines (12 found in their record)

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

The heartbreaker

1.2116 points from the title

Came within 1.2116 points of the Grand Championship at Original SD BBQ Championships (Jun 2, 2017).

Perfect scores on the board

1 perfect 180

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

7-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings

The ratings favoured the top seed the other 93 times in 100

Their Grand Championship at Q for a Cause (Apr 20, 2018) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 7-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ.

On the rise

+33 rating points in a year

Their power rating has climbed 33 points across 5 contests since Jan 26, 2018 — from 1600 up to 1633.

5 contests since Jan 26, 2018
now 1633

Giant slayer

76 teams beaten in one weekend

Took the Grand Championship over a 76-team field at Independence Fire & Ice BBQ.

Oct 6, 2017

They almost always walk

75% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 12 of 16 contests

A top-10 category call in 75% of their 16 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

700.5488 career-best overall

97.3% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 700.5488 at Independence Fire & Ice BBQ — 97.3% of a perfect 720.

Master
Oct 6, 2017

Show 5 more storylines

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

TRUE SMOKE BBQ has finished one call ahead of THE TWISTED TAIL 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

A tough matchup

7–0 behind in the head-to-head

SHIGGIN & GRINNIN ahead in 100% of their meetings

SHIGGIN & GRINNIN has come out ahead in 7 of their 7 shared contests.

A strong matchup

4–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 80% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of TIMBONE BARBECUE in 4 of their 5 shared contests.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

BERGEY BOYS BLAZING BBQ has landed one call behind them 2 times.

The long haul

4,952 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 4,952 miles across 16 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 1,165 miles to Lakeland Pig Festival.

16 mapped stops
furthest 1,165 mi

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
2018 ↗	Master	#776 (420 pts)	#908 (360 pts)	#961 (340 pts)	#1071 (275 pts)	#1241 (215 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#149 (1,725 pts)	#284 (1,180 pts)	#117 (1,739 pts)	#168 (1,520 pts)	#135 (1,665 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to THE TWISTED TAIL, each with one reason worth a look.

GRATE SMOKE

#755 of the rated field

1633 power rating

Contests: 37
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 32%
Peak: 1641

A longer road to the same neighbourhood — 37 contests to 16.

rated over 37 contests
last seen Nov 6, 2020

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BRISKET BURNERS

#758 of the rated field

1633 power rating

Contests: 39
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 31%
Peak: 1669

They've been 1669 at their best, 37 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 39 contests
last seen Jul 26, 2019

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HAROLD'S HOT MEAT SMOKERS

#757 of the rated field

1633 power rating

Contests: 44
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 16%
Peak: 1648

Their rating is built on 1 Grand Championship in 44 contests, alongside a 16% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 41 contests
last seen Sep 11, 2026

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SCORE ONE SMOKIN'

#753 of the rated field

1633 power rating

Contests: 63
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 21%
Peak: 1633

Level with THE TWISTED TAIL on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 61 contests
last seen Sep 25, 2026

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RIVER ROAD GRILLBILLIES

#754 of the rated field

1633 power rating

Contests: 82
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 32%
Peak: 1687

They've been 1687 at their best, 54 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 81 contests
last seen Sep 15, 2023

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GRILLIN' BEAVERS

#759 of the rated field

1633 ▼ 1 power rating

Contests: 160
GCs: 5
Top-10s: 37%
Peak: 1717

1–1 in 2 shared contests (50% to THE TWISTED TAIL)

2 contests in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team THE TWISTED TAIL has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 158 contests
last seen Jun 30, 2023

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
RUB MY RACK	8	4	4	50%	⚔ compare
KEV'S CHEW CHEW BBQ	7	4	3	57%	⚔ compare
SPITFIRE	7	3	4	43%	⚔ compare
WHEN PIGS DIE	7	3	4	43%	⚔ compare
SHIGGIN & GRINNIN	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
Hogline	6	3	3	50%	⚔ compare
TIMBONE BARBECUE	5	4	1	80%	⚔ compare
THUMP & STRUM BBQ	5	3	2	60%	⚔ compare
B-S BBQ OUTLAWS	5	3	2	60%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN' LEFTY'S BBQ	5	3	2	60%	⚔ compare
LUCKY 19 SAUCE COMPANY	5	2	3	40%	⚔ compare
TREEFROG BBQ	5	2	3	40%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	16	6	0	2	177.7028	157.6800	168.34	top 43%
Pork Ribs	15	10	3	4	180 🔥	162.8456	172.03	top 21%
Pork	16	8	0	2	178.8800	156.5372	168.20	top 39%
Brisket	16	9	0	2	175.4056	164	169.41	top 29%

“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)	2	0	top 28%
Medium (20–39)	7	0	top 39%
Large (40+)	7	2	top 24%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
IA	6	0	top 42%
SD	2	0	top 11%
MO	2	1	top 27%
MN	2	0	top 9%
TN	1	0	top 60%
NE	1	1	top 2%
FL	1	0	top 17%
WI	1	0	top 70%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Central Iowa Expo BBQ & Cruise (DAY 2)	2	19	0	top 74%	Apr 29, 2017

More numbers

Busiest season 2017 10 contests · 1 GC

Contests a season 5.3 across 3 seasons in the data

Most contests held in IA 6 of 16 contests · 8 states in all

Contests visited 15 1 of them more than once

First title Oct 6, 2017 Independence Fire & Ice BBQ

Opponents faced 479 finished ahead 466 times, behind 196

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

20182 milestones

Oct 5 Peak power rating (1634) SMOKEToBERFEST
Oct 26 Most recent contest Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitation Barbecue (JUDGES FULL)

201710 milestones

Apr 28 First call Central Iowa Expo BBQ & Cruise (Day 1)
May 12 First overall top-10 BBQ in the Bluffs
Jun 2 First overall podium Original SD BBQ Championships
Jun 2 First Reserve Championship Original SD BBQ Championships
Jul 21 First category win (Pork Ribs) Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Jul 21 First perfect 180 (Pork Ribs) Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Sep 15 10th tracked contest Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional)
Oct 6 First Grand Championship Independence Fire & Ice BBQ
Oct 6 Biggest field won (76 teams) Independence Fire & Ice BBQ
Oct 6 Career-best overall score700.5488 Independence Fire & Ice BBQ

20162 milestones

Jul 29 First tracked contest Racing for the BBQ
Jul 29 First overall past 90% of a perfect score666.7196 Racing for the BBQ

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+17.1	Original SD BBQ Championships	Jun 2, 2017
+16.4	Q for a Cause	Apr 20, 2018
+15.9	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	Jul 21, 2017
+15.1	Independence Fire & Ice BBQ	Oct 6, 2017
+14.5	10th Annual Big Island BBQ	Aug 25, 2017

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-10.3	Central Iowa Expo BBQ & Cruise (Day 1)	Apr 28, 2017
-1.5	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional)	Sep 15, 2017
-1.3	Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitation Barbecue (JUDGES FULL)	Oct 26, 2018

Scores over time (% of a perfect score — 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)
2018	5	1	3	1	60%	top 25%	95.7%	94.1%
2017	10	1	7	2	90%	top 32%	97.3%	92%
2016	1	0	0	0	0%	top 52%	92.6%	92.6%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Oct 26, 2018	Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitation Barbecue (JUDGES FULL) Lynchburg, TN	61 / 102 (664.5028)	70 (163.9884)	20 (173.7144)	93 (156.5372)	31 (170.2628)
Oct 5, 2018	SMOKEToBERFEST Ottumwa, IA	12 / 40 (668.5488)	14 (169.7716)	13 (167.9888)	28 (161.1084)	9 (169.6800)
Sep 7, 2018	Ribs, Rod & Rock'n Roll Vermillion, SD	4 / 25 (683.9084)	10 (167.9772)	1 (174.2628)	3 (169.7028)	8 (171.9656)
Apr 20, 2018	Q for a Cause Papillion, NE	1 / 41 (689.0856)	3 (177.7028)	4 (172)	6 (172)	14 (167.3828)
Jan 26, 2018	Lakeland Pig Festival Lakeland, FL	10 / 60 (681.0972)	12 (170.8572)	11 (170.8572)	17 (169.1200)	17 (170.2628)
Oct 6, 2017	Independence Fire & Ice BBQ Independence, MO	1 / 76 (700.5488)	6 (173.1200)	6 (174.2744)	2 (178.8800)	5 (174.2744)
Sep 15, 2017	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) Madison, WI	21 / 30 (661.7148)	21 (165.1544)	12 (167.4288)	19 (165.1316)	16 (164)
Sep 1, 2017	Smoke the Town Leon, IA	6 / 16 (661.6112)	12 (164.5600)	9 (162.8456)	5 (167.9656)	5 (166.2400)
Aug 26, 2017	First Annual Half Way to St.Pat's BBQ Contest Emmetsburg, IA	2 / 11 (675.9540)	3 (165.7028)	1 (176.5828)	4 (166.8456)	4 (166.8228)
Aug 25, 2017	10th Annual Big Island BBQ Albert Lea, MN	5 / 56 (686.7996)	32 (167.3940)	4 (174.8916)	13 (170.2512)	3 (174.2628)
Jul 21, 2017	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Eagan, MN	3 / 30 (682.2860)	19 (165.1200)	1 (180)	4 (172.0116)	12 (165.1544)
Jun 2, 2017	Original SD BBQ Championships Huron, SD	2 / 32 (697.0628)	9 (169.6800)	2 (178.8572)	8 (173.1200)	3 (175.4056)
May 12, 2017	BBQ in the Bluffs Council Bluffs, IA	8 / 39 (684.0116)	6 (175.4400)	8 (171.4172)	16 (170.2972)	14 (166.8572)
Apr 29, 2017	Central Iowa Expo BBQ & Cruise (DAY 2) Boone, IA	19 / 35 (665.0288)	32 (157.6800)	8 (169.6916)	27 (164.5372)	6 (173.1200)
Apr 28, 2017	Central Iowa Expo BBQ & Cruise (Day 1) Boone, IA	29 / 31 (506.8116)	18 (165.1084)	—	5 (171.9888)	8 (169.7144)
Jul 29, 2016	Racing for the BBQ Lee's Summit, MO	28 / 54 (666.7196)	11 (174.2628)	31 (165.6912)	42 (161.6456)	26 (165.1200)

THE TWISTED TAIL

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

Master avg

Storylines (12 found in their record)

The heartbreaker

Perfect scores on the board

Against the odds

On the rise

Giant slayer

They almost always walk

High-water mark

The one to beat

A tough matchup

A strong matchup

Looking over their shoulder

The long haul

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 — 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)