7-8-9 BBQ

7-8-9 BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 34 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2017 and 2020. They have won 2 Grand Championships, most recently at the Turf & Surf BBQ Championship (2019). They are ranked #416 of 6,477 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#416

of 6,477 rated · rankings

Rating

1694

peak 1694 · rated over 33 contests1 invitational or side-series contest not counted

Contests

in the data

First seen

Jun 2, 2017

latest Feb 28, 2020 · 2.7 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#89

Master 2019 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve · wins it all 6% of the time

Category wins

17 podiums

Overall top-10s

50% of 34 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 32%

overall standings

Best overall

705.7028 / 720

Master · Turf & Surf BBQ Championship

Perfect 180s

3 🔥

Current form

676.92

last 5 Master vs avg 677.13 (-0.21)

Walk rate

79%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

180 🔥

Chicken · Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge

Consistency

±12.72

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork Ribs

avg 170.45 · weakest Brisket (167.77)

Road miles

6,919

across 34 mapped stops · furthest 494 mi

Schedule strength

74%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1594)

Purse competed for

$223K

listed at 16 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

1 🏅

won from 19 state-championship entries

Master avg

677.13 / 720

34 Master contests · 2 GCs

Storylines (17 found in their record)

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

Among the elite

#416 of 6,477 rated teams

In the top 6% of every rated team in the data

A power rating of 1694 puts them #416 of 6,477 rated teams — the top 6% of the field.

rating 1694
peak 1694
33 rated contests

Perfect scores on the board

3 perfect 180s

3 perfect 180s in the data — every judge at the table handing back a nine, across 2 different meats.

Pork Ribs ×2
Chicken ×1

Against the odds

8-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings

The ratings favoured the top seed the other 92 times in 100

Their Grand Championship at Turf & Surf BBQ Championship (Aug 17, 2018) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 8-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, BIG POPPA SMOKERS.

On the rise

+77 rating points in a year

Their power rating has climbed 77 points across 16 contests since Mar 29, 2019 — from 1617 up to 1694.

16 contests since Mar 29, 2019
now 1694

Giant slayer

51 teams beaten in one weekend

Took the Grand Championship over a 51-team field at Turf & Surf BBQ Championship.

Aug 17, 2018

Happy hunting ground

2× Grand Championships here

Turf & Surf BBQ Championship is their spot: 2 Grand Championships in 2 visits.

2 visits
best finish 1st
average top 2%

A multi-meat day

1 contest with 2+ category wins

They've won two or more meats on the same day 1 time — the best of them 2 category wins at Turf & Surf BBQ Championship (Aug 16, 2019).

Chicken 1st
Pork Ribs 1st

Show 10 more storylines

They almost always walk

79% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 27 of 34 contests

A top-10 category call in 79% of their 34 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

705.7028 career-best overall

98.0% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 705.7028 at Turf & Surf BBQ Championship — 98.0% of a perfect 720.

Master
Aug 16, 2019

State champions

1 state championship won

They've taken 1 state championship from 19 entries at contests carrying the title.

19 state-championship entries

The one to beat

3× one call ahead of them

BIG POPPA SMOKERS has finished one call ahead of 7-8-9 BBQ 3 times — their closest competition in the data.

The drought

9 contests since the last title

Their last Grand Championship came at Turf & Surf BBQ Championship on Aug 16, 2019 — 9 contests and 7.1 years ago.

last GC Aug 16, 2019
7.1 years ago

A strong matchup

21–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 95% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of 7 SINS BBQ in 21 of their 22 shared contests.

Looking over their shoulder

3× one call behind them

B' Mackin BBQ has landed one call behind them 3 times.

A March team

Top 11% average finish in March

Something about March: average finish in the top 11% across 3 contests, versus top 32% the rest of the year.

3 March contests
top 32% the rest of the year

The long haul

6,919 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 6,919 miles across 34 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 494 miles to Wild West BBQ Shoot Out.

34 mapped stops
furthest 494 mi

The metronome

±1.77% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.77% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 94.0% of a perfect score
34 contests

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
2020 ↗	Master	#184 (635 pts)	#169 (705 pts)	#255 (485 pts)	#269 (470 pts)	#234 (500 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#89 (1,918 pts)	#121 (1,633 pts)	#38 (2,081 pts)	#113 (1,643 pts)	#99 (1,703 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#245 (1,261 pts)	#379 (921 pts)	#133 (1,566 pts)	#208 (1,336 pts)	#456 (796 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#1058 (305 pts)	#1026 (360 pts)	#933 (410 pts)	#1038 (345 pts)	#875 (440 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to 7-8-9 BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.

Bohica BBQ

#414 of the rated field

1695 power rating

Contests: 60
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 28%
Peak: 1697

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 59 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 59 contests
last seen Jun 5, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

FIREHOUSE SMOKE

#413 of the rated field

1695 power rating

Contests: 86
GCs: 3
Top-10s: 50%
Peak: 1722

86 contests to 34: their number has had years to settle where 7-8-9 BBQ's is still finding its level.

rated over 85 contests
last seen Sep 13, 2024

⚔ Compare careers

Gold-N-Blue Barbecue

#415 of the rated field

1694 power rating

Contests: 91
GCs: 5
Top-10s: 69%
Peak: 1805

Their rating is built on 5 Grand Championships in 91 contests, alongside a 69% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 86 contests
last seen Aug 21, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

DRILLING & GRILLING

#417 of the rated field

1694 power rating

Contests: 130
GCs: 6
Top-10s: 52%
Peak: 1807

Level with 7-8-9 BBQ on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 128 contests
last seen Oct 2, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

GOOD GOOGLY GOO BBQ

#418 of the rated field

1694 power rating

Contests: 185
GCs: 8
Top-10s: 39%
Peak: 1733

They've been 1733 at their best, 39 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 164 contests
last seen Sep 30, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

MUTTLEY CREW BBQ

#419 of the rated field

1694 power rating

Contests: 323
GCs: 16
Top-10s: 49%
Peak: 1879

They've been 1879 at their best, 185 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 297 contests
last seen Sep 30, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
Burnin and Lootin	28	9	19	32%	⚔ compare
RAD FONDO BBQ	25	16	9	64%	⚔ compare
BIG POPPA SMOKERS	25	3	22	12%	⚔ compare
Smokin it Up BBQ	23	15	8	65%	⚔ compare
SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ	23	10	13	43%	⚔ compare
7 SINS BBQ	22	21	1	95%	⚔ compare
LADY OF Q	21	9	12	43%	⚔ compare
TEAM WOODSHED	21	8	13	38%	⚔ compare
PAPA LA RUE'S BBQ	19	17	2	89%	⚔ compare
Meat Candy Q	19	14	5	74%	⚔ compare
RIDGE ROUTE BOYS BBQ	18	7	11	39%	⚔ compare
NOTHING COMPARES 2 Q	17	12	5	71%	⚔ compare
BIG RED BBQ	16	14	2	88%	⚔ compare
TOOT & STINKY'S CALI-Q	16	5	11	31%	⚔ compare
2LiveQ	15	13	2	87%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	33	10	2	4	180 🔥	151.9428	169.02	top 46%
Pork Ribs	33	16	5	9	180 🔥	151.9768	170.45	top 32%
Pork	30	12	0	3	177.7028	159.3828	169.52	top 36%
Brisket	33	10	0	1	177.1544	152.5028	167.77	top 42%

“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
Medium (20–39)	12	1	top 35%
Large (40+)	21	1	top 31%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
CA	26	2	top 31%
AZ	5	0	top 24%
NV	2	0	top 57%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Turf & Surf BBQ Championship	2	1	2	top 2%	Aug 16, 2019
Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge	2	3	0	top 10%	Jan 17, 2020
Arizona National BBQ Stampede	2	3	0	top 36%	Dec 27, 2019
America's Finest BBQ State Championship (JUDGES FULL)	2	8	0	top 35%	Sep 13, 2019
Horse Town Brew B Que Festival	2	27	0	top 57%	Jun 1, 2018

More numbers

Busiest season 2019 14 contests · 1 GC

Contests a season 8.5 across 4 seasons in the data

Most contests held in CA 26 of 34 contests · 3 states in all

Contests visited 29 5 of them more than once

First title Aug 17, 2018 Turf & Surf BBQ Championship

Opponents faced 455 finished ahead 1,087 times, behind 453

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

20202 milestones

Feb 28 Peak power rating (1694) Best in the Desert Southwest KCBS BBQ Competition
Feb 28 Most recent contest Best in the Desert Southwest KCBS BBQ Competition

20194 milestones

Aug 16 First state championship Turf & Surf BBQ Championship
Aug 16 First multi-meat day Turf & Surf BBQ Championship
Aug 16 25th tracked contest Turf & Surf BBQ Championship
Aug 16 Career-best overall score705.7028 Turf & Surf BBQ Championship

20187 milestones

Jan 19 First overall top-10 Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge
Jun 1 10th tracked contest Horse Town Brew B Que Festival
Aug 17 First category win (Pork Ribs) Turf & Surf BBQ Championship
Aug 17 First overall podium Turf & Surf BBQ Championship
Aug 17 First Grand Championship Turf & Surf BBQ Championship
Aug 17 Biggest field won (51 teams) Turf & Surf BBQ Championship
Oct 12 First perfect 180 (Pork Ribs) Temecula State BBQ Championship

20173 milestones

Jun 2 First tracked contest Horse Town Brew B Que Festival ( Judges Full)
Jun 2 First overall past 90% of a perfect score660.4684 Horse Town Brew B Que Festival ( Judges Full)
Aug 18 First call Del Mar BBQ Championship

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+17.2	7th Annual Santa Anita Winners Circle BBQ Championship	Mar 23, 2018
+17.2	Turf & Surf BBQ Championship	Aug 17, 2018
+16.4	Arizona National BBQ Stampede	Dec 28, 2018
+15.8	Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge	Jan 19, 2018
+13.1	Turf & Surf BBQ Championship	Aug 16, 2019

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-7.5	Arizona National BBQ Stampede	Dec 27, 2019
-6.3	The Smithfield Guinea Pig (JUDGES FULL)	Feb 23, 2018
-5	Down Town Barbecue Throw down (JUDGES FULL)	Dec 15, 2017
-3.9	California Honey Harvest Festival & BBQ Championship	Jun 9, 2017
-3.2	Horse Town Brew B Que Festival ( Judges Full)	Jun 2, 2017

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)
2020	4	0	2	1	75%	top 24%	95.4%	94.3%
2019	14	1	9	4	86%	top 26%	98%	94.6%
2018	11	1	6	2	91%	top 28%	96.6%	94.6%
2017	5	0	0	0	40%	top 63%	92.8%	91.2%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Feb 28, 2020	Best in the Desert Southwest KCBS BBQ Competition 🏅 Yuma, AZ	8 / 29 (680.4572)	17 (166.2400)	2 (176)	9 (173.1200)	18 (165.0972)
Feb 21, 2020	The Tyson Guinea Pig, Matt Dalton Memorial 🏅 Coachella, CA	16 / 50 (670.7312)	31 (165.6912)	18 (169.6800)	21 (167.9772)	18 (167.3828)
Jan 24, 2020	The Golden State Battle II 🏅 Hollister, CA	14 / 46 (678.2172)	3 (178.8572)	14 (166.8688)	32 (164.5372)	24 (167.9540)
Jan 17, 2020	Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge 🏅 Bullhead City, AZ	3 / 59 (686.8116)	1 (180)	18 (167.9888)	8 (170.8228)	17 (168)
Dec 27, 2019	Arizona National BBQ Stampede 🏅 Phoenix, AZ	29 / 44 (668.3996)	37 (162.8112)	23 (168.5372)	—	22 (166.2284)
Nov 1, 2019	Indio California State BBQ Championship & Festival 🏅 Indio, CA	13 / 37 (670.7312)	24 (166.2400)	15 (169.6800)	25 (162.8456)	7 (171.9656)
Sep 20, 2019	5th Annual Hot Q's & Cold Brews BBQ Championship 🏅	18 / 44 (670.1828)	6 (176.5828)	40 (157.0744)	6 (173.7028)	26 (162.8228)
Sep 13, 2019	America's Finest BBQ State Championship (JUDGES FULL) 🏅 San Diego, CA	8 / 30 (682.1940)	18 (164.5484)	11 (170.2744)	3 (175.4056)	9 (171.9656)
Aug 23, 2019	Wild West BBQ Shoot Out 🏅 Wendover, NV	11 / 37 (682.8000)	30 (164.5256)	6 (174.8572)	17 (168.5600)	5 (174.8572)
Aug 16, 2019	Turf & Surf BBQ Championship 🏅 Del Mar, CA	1 / 35 (705.7028)	1 (177.7028)	1 (180)	—	2 (177.1544)
Jul 5, 2019	Smoke & Hops 🏅 Harmony, CA	3 / 26 (693.6344)	3 (175.4056)	2 (174.2744)	—	6 (174.2628)
Jun 21, 2019	Silicon Valley BBQ Championship 🏅 unrated Santa Clara, CA	10 (677.1200)	7 (174.2628)	22 (164)	19 (166.2744)	6 (172.5828)
May 31, 2019	Horse Town Brew N Que Festival (JUDGES FULL) 🏅 Norco, CA	3 / 49 (686.8228)	—	—	—	—
May 24, 2019	Big Bear Grill & Chill 🏅 Big Bear Lake, CA	5 / 25 (676.4912)	15 (163.4056)	5 (171.4056)	10 (167.3828)	5 (174.2972)
May 3, 2019	Elk Grove Western Festival and BBQ Championship 🏅 Elk Grove, CA	7 / 27 (675.4288)	6 (171.4056)	14 (164.5716)	4 (174.3088)	11 (165.1428)
Mar 30, 2019	8th Annual Santa Anita Winners Circle BBQ Championship Day 2 🏅 Arcadia, CA	9 / 47 (686.8228)	38 (163.9772)	1 (179.4400)	30 (167.3828)	4 (176.0228)
Mar 29, 2019	8th Annual Santa Anita Winners Circle BBQ Championship Day 1 🏅 Arcadia, CA	6 / 70 (685.7144)	10 (172.5828)	1 (177.7372)	19 (171.4172)	42 (163.9772)
Jan 25, 2019	The Golden State Battle 🏅 Santa Ynez, CA	21 / 48 (670.7424)	41 (163.9656)	8 (172.5828)	13 (171.4172)	29 (162.7768)
Dec 28, 2018	Arizona National BBQ Stampede Phoenix, AZ	3 / 47 (695.3712)	8 (175.4056)	4 (176.5600)	5 (177.7028)	22 (165.7028)
Nov 3, 2018	Indio California State BBQ Championship & Festival DAY 2 (JUDGES FULL) Indio, CA	13 / 33 (682.1940)	25 (167.3828)	13 (169.1428)	9 (176)	17 (169.6684)
Nov 2, 2018	Indio California State BBQ Championship & Festival DAY 1 (JUDGES FULL) Indio, CA	13 / 33 (678.8116)	22 (167.4400)	25 (164.5372)	3 (176)	12 (170.8344)
Oct 12, 2018	Temecula State BBQ Championship Temecula, CA	7 / 46 (685.5884)	22 (168.5256)	1 (180)	9 (173.1200)	28 (163.9428)
Sep 14, 2018	America's Finest BBQ State Championship 🏅 San Diego, CA	17 / 40 (669.6228)	37 (151.9428)	2 (177.1544)	13 (171.4056)	10 (169.1200)
Aug 17, 2018	Turf & Surf BBQ Championship Del Mar, CA	1 / 51 (690.2172)	14 (168.5256)	1 (178.2972)	4 (175.4172)	14 (167.9772)
Jun 1, 2018	Horse Town Brew B Que Festival Norco, CA	27 / 57 (674.2284)	12 (173.1428)	16 (172)	3 (176.5828)	51 (152.5028)
Apr 20, 2018	Lodi Beerfest & BBQ Championship Lodi, CA	9 / 48 (670.8116)	17 (168)	4 (172.5944)	19 (164.5372)	20 (165.6800)
Mar 23, 2018	7th Annual Santa Anita Winners Circle BBQ Championship Arcadia, CA	4 / 78 (689.0972)	5 (176)	5 (174.8572)	17 (169.7028)	26 (168.5372)
Feb 23, 2018	The Smithfield Guinea Pig (JUDGES FULL) Coachella, CA	39 / 47 (667.8972)	11 (173.7372)	39 (165.1200)	42 (161.6572)	30 (167.3828)
Jan 19, 2018	Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge Bullhead City, AZ	10 / 70 (686.1940)	22 (171.9656)	2 (177.7144)	26 (169.6912)	33 (166.8228)
Dec 15, 2017	Down Town Barbecue Throw down (JUDGES FULL) Las Vegas, NV	25 / 30 (658.1940)	18 (171.4056)	26 (159.9888)	24 (160.5140)	17 (166.2856)
Oct 13, 2017	OC BBQ Competition Costa Messa, CA	23 / 56 (667.9084)	45 (161.6456)	6 (175.4400)	18 (167.3828)	33 (163.4400)
Aug 18, 2017	Del Mar BBQ Championship Del Mar, CA	25 / 52 (661.6452)	19 (167.9884)	47 (151.9768)	23 (167.4172)	7 (174.2628)
Jun 9, 2017	California Honey Harvest Festival & BBQ Championship Fillmore, CA	29 / 39 (635.2576)	33 (155.9428)	28 (159.9776)	26 (159.3828)	27 (159.9544)
Jun 2, 2017	Horse Town Brew B Que Festival ( Judges Full) Norco, CA	38 / 57 (660.4684)	31 (170.2856)	42 (164.5372)	39 (163.9656)	36 (161.6800)

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

7-8-9 BBQ

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 (17 found in their record)

Among the elite

Perfect scores on the board

Against the odds

On the rise

Giant slayer

Happy hunting ground

A multi-meat day

They almost always walk

High-water mark

State champions

The one to beat

The drought

A strong matchup

Looking over their shoulder

A March team

The long haul

The metronome

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)