High-water mark
670.8800
career-best overall
93.2% of a perfect 720
Their best day on record: 670.8800 at KTD Smokin' Gobbler Cook-off — 93.2% of a perfect 720.
- Master
- Sep 13, 2013
Red Line BBQ
Red Line BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 26 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2021. They have won 1 Grand Championship, at the Lake Country BBQ Cook-Off (BACKYARD ONLY) (). They are ranked #5458 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings. Also listed in KCBS results as “Redline BBQ”.
At a glance (the record in numbers)
Rating
1452
peak 1452 · rated over 25 contests
Contests
26
in the data
First seen
Jun 15, 2013
latest Oct 16, 2021 · 8.3 years on the trail
Grand champs
1
0 reserve · wins it all 4% of the time
Category wins
2
4 podiums
Overall top-10s
3
12% of 26 contests
Best top-10 run
2
straight overall top-10s
Avg finish
top 67%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
0
Current form
634.28 ▲
last 5 Master vs avg 632.85 (+1.43)
Walk rate
42%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±29.10
spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Chicken
avg 161.37 · weakest Brisket (154.41)
Road miles
4,388
across 25 mapped stops · furthest 766 mi
Schedule strength
44%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1557)
Purse competed for
$62K
listed at 11 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0 🏅
won from 8 state-championship entries
Master avg
632.85 / 720
19 Master contests · 0 GCs
Backyard avg
323.12 / 360
6 Backyard contests · 1 GC
Backyard (3-meat) avg
482.15 / 540
1 Backyard (3-meat) contest · 0 GCs
These overall scores sit on different scales (Master out of 720, Backyard out of 360, Backyard (3-meat) out of 540), so they're kept separate — averaging them together would be misleading.
This team cooks the Backyard series — its own boards, records and Team of the Year are here.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 ↗ | Backyard | — | #172 (140 pts) | #168 (140 pts) | — | — |
| 2021 ↗ | Master | #1236 (60 pts) | #1286 (60 pts) | #1309 (60 pts) | #1262 (60 pts) | #1245 (60 pts) |
| 2019 ↗ | Master | #1022 (254 pts) | #904 (329 pts) | #910 (339 pts) | #1046 (264 pts) | #1080 (254 pts) |
| 2018 ↗ | Master | #1452 (136 pts) | #1736 (116 pts) | #1215 (231 pts) | #1746 (116 pts) | #1479 (151 pts) |
| 2014 ↗ | Master | #849 (399 pts) | #925 (389 pts) | #577 (669 pts) | #827 (444 pts) | #798 (449 pts) |
| 2013 ↗ | Master | #864 (344 pts) | #942 (339 pts) | #817 (399 pts) | #872 (374 pts) | #920 (334 pts) |
Overall rank by season
Teams like this (closest power rating)
The teams rated closest to Red Line BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.
102 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.
#5,464 of the rated field
- Contests
- 7
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1452
1–1 in 2 shared contests (50% to Red Line BBQ)
2 contests in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team Red Line BBQ has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.
⚔ Head-to-head#5,461 of the rated field
- Contests
- 22
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1452
This is the highest they've ever been rated, 22 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.
⚔ Compare careers#5,456 of the rated field
- Contests
- 12
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1452
Fewer contests behind them than Red Line BBQ has cooked, 12 to 26, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.
⚔ Compare careers#5,459 of the rated field
- Contests
- 12
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 17%
- Peak
- 1501
Their last contest in the data was back in 2018, 3 years before Red Line BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.
⚔ Compare careers#5,468 of the rated field
- Contests
- 9
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 11%
- Peak
- 1452
Both teams' first contest in the data came in 2013.
⚔ Compare careers#5,473 of the rated field
- Contests
- 9
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1452
Level with Red Line BBQ on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.
⚔ Compare careersFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | 10 | 1 | 9 | 10% | ⚔ compare |
| SHIGGIN & GRINNIN | 10 | 0 | 10 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| BIG "E" BBQ | 10 | 0 | 10 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| Hogline | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| 43RD PARALLEL BBQ | 8 | 2 | 6 | 25% | ⚔ compare |
| Smokin Highwaymen | 8 | 2 | 6 | 25% | ⚔ compare |
| SPITFIRE | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| BIG T'Z Q CRU | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| LUCKY'S Q | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| CRASH TEST SMOKERS | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| TOPPGATOR BBQ | 7 | 3 | 4 | 43% | ⚔ compare |
| Second Hand Smoke SLV | 7 | 2 | 5 | 29% | ⚔ compare |
| WICKED SMOKE BBQ | 7 | 1 | 6 | 14% | ⚔ compare |
| Pig Skin BBQ | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| BLACK DOG BBQ IA | 6 | 3 | 3 | 50% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 26 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 176.0572 | 134.8232 | 161.37 | top 59% |
| Pork Ribs | 26 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 176.0228 | 146.2400 | 159.27 | top 61% |
| Pork | 20 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 170.8456 | 147.4172 | 158.74 | top 70% |
| Brisket | 19 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 170.3200 | 123.8972 | 154.41 | top 73% |
“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) | 3 | 1 | top 55% |
| Medium (20–39) | 11 | 0 | top 68% |
| Large (40+) | 12 | 0 | top 69% |
Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Puckaway Pigfest | 3 | 21 | 0 | top 80% | Sep 6, 2019 |
| Lake Country BBQ Cook-off (BACKYARD ONLY) | 2 | 1 | 1 | top 32% | Jun 9, 2019 |
| Up in Smoke BBQ Bash | 2 | 33 | 0 | top 79% | Jul 25, 2014 |
| Central Iowa Expo BBQ, Cruise & Brew | 2 | 30 | 0 | top 81% | Apr 26, 2014 |
More numbers
Busiest season
2021
8 contests
Contests a season
3.7
across 7 seasons in the data
Most contests held in
WI
11 of 26 contests · 6 states in all
Contests visited
21
4 of them more than once
Opponents faced
528
finished ahead 337 times, behind 674
Longest layoff
3.1 yrs
Jul 25, 2014 → Sep 8, 2017
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
20213 milestones
- Career-best single call (Chicken)176.0572 Puckaway Pigfest
- 25th tracked contest Bring'n Home the Bacon II Day 1 (BACKYARD)
- Most recent contest Bring'n Home the Bacon II Day 2 (BACKYARD)
20141 milestone
- 10th tracked contest Up in Smoke BBQ Bash
20132 milestones
- Peak power rating (1494) Treasure Island International BBQ Championship
- Career-best overall score670.8800 KTD Smokin' Gobbler Cook-off
—7 milestones
- First tracked contest Lake Country BBQ Cook-Off (BACKYARD ONLY)
- First call Lake Country BBQ Cook-Off (BACKYARD ONLY)
- First category win (Chicken) Lake Country BBQ Cook-Off (BACKYARD ONLY)
- First overall top-10 Lake Country BBQ Cook-Off (BACKYARD ONLY)
- First overall podium Lake Country BBQ Cook-Off (BACKYARD ONLY)
- First Grand Championship Lake Country BBQ Cook-Off (BACKYARD ONLY)
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score345.1656 Lake Country BBQ Cook-Off (BACKYARD ONLY)
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +12.8 | Heritage Days BBQ Showdown (Day one) | Jun 25, 2021 |
| +10.8 | Puckaway Pigfest | Sep 10, 2021 |
| +8.5 | KTD Smokin' Gobbler Cook-off | Sep 13, 2013 |
| +8.3 | Bend of the River CookOut | Jun 27, 2014 |
| +6.1 | Bring'n Home the Bacon II Day 2 (BACKYARD) | Oct 16, 2021 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -13 | Puckaway Pigfest | Sep 8, 2017 |
| -12.4 | Up in Smoke BBQ Bash | Jul 26, 2013 |
| -11 | Blue Hills Bar-B-Q Fest | May 31, 2019 |
| -9.2 | Whiting 4th of July BBQ Cookoff | Jul 3, 2013 |
| -8.5 | Masters In May Day 1 | May 3, 2019 |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 100% | top 5% | 95.9% | 95.9% |
| 2021 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 63% | top 59% | 92.9% | 89.8% |
| 2019 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20% | top 79% | 90.6% | 85.7% |
| 2018 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50% | top 84% | 87.2% | 85.1% |
| 2017 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 100% | 77.3% | 77.3% |
| 2014 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40% | top 63% | 92.7% | 90.7% |
| 2013 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25% | top 71% | 93.2% | 88.5% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 16, 2021 | Bring'n Home the Bacon II Day 2 (BACKYARD) West Salem, WI | 16 / 36 (331.4516) | 20 (163.4400) | 10 (168.0116) | — | — |
| Oct 15, 2021 | Bring'n Home the Bacon II Day 1 (BACKYARD) West Salem, WI | 26 / 40 (320.5144) | 14 (165.7028) | 33 (154.8116) | — | — |
| Sep 11, 2021 | So.Bo.Co. BBQ Showdown (BACKYARD) Ashland, MO | 6 / 10 (318.3200) | 7 (160.0228) | 7 (158.2972) | — | — |
| Sep 10, 2021 | Puckaway Pigfest 🏅 Montello, WI | 9 / 30 (668.5488) | 1 (176.0572) | 19 (157.0972) | 9 (166.2744) | 8 (169.1200) |
| Jun 25, 2021 | Heritage Days BBQ Showdown (Day one) 🏅 Belvidere, IL | 11 / 49 (321.0972) | 9 (162.8228) | 13 (158.2744) | — | — |
| May 1, 2021 | Route 66 Smoke Out 🏅 Dwight, IL | 31 / 44 (652.4572) | 26 (166.8684) | 33 (157.0972) | 16 (166.8344) | 34 (161.6572) |
| May 1, 2021 | Columbia Elks BBQ Cookoff 🏅 Columbia, MO | 38 / 39 (625.6116) | 39 (154.8112) | 35 (158.2744) | 36 (156.5716) | 37 (155.9544) |
| Apr 17, 2021 | Fire at the Foothills (BACKYARD ONLY) Chelsea, AL | 17 / 21 (482.1488) | 2 (172.5600) | 18 (157.0860) | 19 (152.5028) | — |
| Sep 6, 2019 | Puckaway Pigfest 🏅 Montello, WI | 28 / 39 (627.2572) | 16 (164.5600) | 23 (158.2400) | 29 (153.6228) | 33 (150.8344) |
| Jun 9, 2019 | Lake Country BBQ Cook-off (BACKYARD ONLY) | 13 / 22 (302.1600) | 16 (150.2400) | 10 (151.9200) | — | — |
| May 31, 2019 | Blue Hills Bar-B-Q Fest 🏅 Rice Lake, WI | 19 / 19 (597.5316) | 13 (160.5372) | 13 (155.9428) | 17 (147.4172) | 19 (133.6344) |
| May 4, 2019 | Masters in May Day 2 🏅 Bancroft, WI | 26 / 40 (651.9660) | 28 (162.8572) | 16 (169.1544) | 29 (162.2400) | 34 (157.7144) |
| May 3, 2019 | Masters In May Day 1 🏅 Bancroft, WI | 41 / 42 (604.3544) | 40 (149.0972) | 41 (148.5028) | 33 (159.9656) | 41 (146.7888) |
| Sep 7, 2018 | Puckaway Pigfest Montello, WI | 21 / 31 (627.8744) | 26 (151.3944) | 6 (169.1200) | 25 (151.9544) | 18 (155.4056) |
| May 5, 2018 | The Masters In May (DAY 2) Appleton, WI | 54 / 54 (597.6004) | 54 (145.6460) | 53 (153.0972) | 41 (158.8800) | 54 (139.9772) |
| Sep 8, 2017 | Puckaway Pigfest Montello, WI | 31 / 31 (556.9032) | 31 (134.8232) | 26 (150.2172) | 28 (147.9656) | 31 (123.8972) |
| Jul 25, 2014 | Up in Smoke BBQ Bash Mason City, IA | 33 / 52 (652.9712) | 23 (168.5600) | 44 (157.0628) | 18 (168.5256) | 36 (158.8228) |
| Jun 27, 2014 | Bend of the River CookOut Mankato, MN | 17 / 50 (667.3028) | 21 (166.8344) | 15 (168.5600) | 36 (162.8000) | 14 (169.1084) |
| May 30, 2014 | Smokin in Steele Owatonna, MN | 39 / 67 (658.2284) | 37 (166.8456) | 3 (176.0228) | 60 (155.9544) | 43 (159.4056) |
| Apr 26, 2014 | Central Iowa Expo BBQ, Cruise & Brew Boone, IA | 30 / 39 (647.9204) | 28 (165.7028) | 9 (172.5716) | 36 (151.9316) | 29 (157.7144) |
| Apr 25, 2014 | Central Iowa Expo BBQ, Cruise & Brew Boone, IA | 38 / 45 (639.2800) | 40 (158.8000) | 43 (146.2400) | 15 (168.5372) | 18 (165.7028) |
| Sep 13, 2013 | KTD Smokin' Gobbler Cook-off Worthington, MN | 13 / 39 (670.8800) | 34 (155.9772) | 5 (173.7372) | 11 (170.8456) | 15 (170.3200) |
| Jul 26, 2013 | Up in Smoke BBQ Bash Mason City, IA | 62 / 66 (612.3884) | 34 (164.5600) | 58 (151.9200) | 65 (151.3600) | 64 (144.5484) |
| Jul 3, 2013 | Whiting 4th of July BBQ Cookoff Whiting, IA | 21 / 25 (616.5714) | 19 (159.9998) | 23 (146.8574) | 17 (157.7142) | 21 (152) |
| Jun 15, 2013 | Treasure Island International BBQ Championship Welch, MN | 49 / 68 (648.5714) | 16 (171.4286) | 61 (153.1428) | 46 (162.8572) | 41 (161.1428) |
| — | Lake Country BBQ Cook-Off (BACKYARD ONLY) Okauchee, WI | 1 / 19 (345.1656) | 1 (175.4400) | 5 (169.7256) | — | — |