50 SHADES OF QUE

At a glance (everything the results say about this team, in numbers)

Power ranking

#370

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1707

peak 1714 · rated over 46 contests ⓘ

Best runs

straight top-10s

Contests

in the data

First seen

2013-03-15

latest 2021-09-16

Best ToY finish

#216

Master 2013

Grand champs

1 reserve

Category wins

13 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 46 contests

Avg finish

top 30%

overall standings

Best overall

693.0740 / 720

Master · The Best Damn BBQ Contest at Smithville Lake

Perfect 180s

Current form

669.60 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 665.58 (+4.02)

Walk rate

65%

contests with a top-10 call

Top-10 streak

best run (overall)

Best single call

179.4400

Chicken · Sam's Club National BBQ Tour

Consistency

±29.96

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 169.41 · weakest Pork (166.47)

Road miles

3,020

mi across 46 mapped stops · furthest 303 mi

Schedule strength

47%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1560)

Purse competed for

$137K

listed at 3 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

GCs in 3 state-championship entries

Master avg

665.58 / 720

46 Master contests · 0 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (13 found in this team's record)

Each card leads with the number that made it a story — read straight out of their results, no editorialising.

Among the elite

#370 of 6,413 rated teams

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

A power rating of 1707 puts them #370 of 6,413 rated teams — the top 6% of the field.

rating 1707
peak 1714
46 rated contests

Happy hunting ground

Top 16% average finish here

Platte City BBQ Cook-Off is their spot: an average finish in the top 16% across 2 visits.

2 visits
best finish 6th
average top 16%

They almost always walk

65% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 30 of 46 contests

A top-10 category call in 65% of their 46 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

693.0740 career-best overall

96.3% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 693.0740 at The Best Damn BBQ Contest at Smithville Lake — 96.3% of a perfect 720.

Master
2017-04-07

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

Smoke Me Tender BBQ has finished one call ahead of 50 SHADES OF QUE 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2017 their best year

2017 was the year it came together: 3 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 1 category win, at an average finish in the top 20%.

3 contests
1 overall top-10s
1 category wins
average top 20%

A tough matchup

23–6 behind in the head-to-head

DIRT ROAD BBQ ahead in 79% of their meetings

DIRT ROAD BBQ has come out ahead in 23 of their 29 shared contests.

A strong matchup

17–7 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 71% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of Sons of a Brisket in 17 of their 24 shared contests.

The comeback

2 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 2 years, then back at American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST (2021-09-16).

last seen 2019-09-12
back 2021-09-16

Chicken nemesis

19 of 29 shared chicken entries lost

DIRT ROAD BBQ ahead 66% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, DIRT ROAD BBQ has out-cooked them in 19 of 29 shared chicken entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

BURNT AT BOTH ENDZ has landed one call behind them 2 times.

A May team

Top 15% average finish in May

Something about May: average finish in the top 15% across 3 contests, versus top 30% the rest of the year.

3 May contests
top 30% the rest of the year

The long haul

3,020 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 3,020 miles across 46 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 303 miles to Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional).

46 mapped stops
furthest 303 mi

Teams like this (closest power rating)

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.

THE CELTIC PIG

#371 of the rated field

1707 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 52
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 37%
Peak: 1723

0–3 in 3 shared contests (0% to 50 SHADES OF QUE)

These two have cooked 3 of the same contests — THE CELTIC PIG ahead 3–0 — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.

rated over 50 contests
last seen 2023-06-16

⚔ Head-to-head

TEAM AMERICA

#374 of the rated field

1707 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 38
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 63%
Peak: 1710

1–1 in 2 shared contests (50% to 50 SHADES OF QUE)

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 36 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 36 contests
last seen 2018-06-29

⚔ Head-to-head

MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ

#372 of the rated field

1707 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 71
GCs: 7
Top-10s: 52%
Peak: 1734

2–2 in 4 shared contests (50% to 50 SHADES OF QUE)

A longer road to the same neighbourhood — 71 contests to 46.

rated over 63 contests
last seen 2025-08-29

⚔ Head-to-head

THE BASIC BBQ TEAM

#368 of the rated field

1708 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 70
GCs: 4
Top-10s: 53%
Peak: 1724

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to 50 SHADES OF QUE)

Their rating is built on 4 Grand Championships in 70 contests, alongside a 53% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 69 contests
last seen 2022-07-23

⚔ Head-to-head

Up-2 BBQ

#369 of the rated field

1707 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 66
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 52%
Peak: 1707

No shared contest yet.

6 straight overall top-10s says this rating is a moving target.

rated over 63 contests
last seen 2026-08-15

⚔ Head-to-head

Uncle Dubby's Backyard BBQ

#373 of the rated field

1707 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 78
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 53%
Peak: 1714

No shared contest yet.

They turned up 6 years after 50 SHADES OF QUE did, first appearing in 2019.

rated over 72 contests
last seen 2026-08-21

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
DIRT ROAD BBQ	29	6	23	21%	⚔ compare
BURNT FINGER BBQ	28	9	19	32%	⚔ compare
Theslabs.com	27	14	13	52%	⚔ compare
SLAPS BBQ	26	14	12	54%	⚔ compare
GETTIN' BASTED	25	5	20	20%	⚔ compare
Sons of a Brisket	24	17	7	71%	⚔ compare
THUMP & STRUM BBQ	24	12	12	50%	⚔ compare
NICKLE BOYS BBQ	21	11	10	52%	⚔ compare
JAESTAR BBQ	21	6	15	29%	⚔ compare
SMOKE THIS BBQ MO	19	12	7	63%	⚔ compare
SMOOTH SMOKE	19	9	10	47%	⚔ compare
VALLEY OAKS STEAK COMPANY	19	6	13	32%	⚔ compare
PELLET ENVY	19	5	14	26%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN O BBQ	16	12	4	75%	⚔ compare
HUNKA HUNKA BURNIN' RUB	16	10	6	63%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	46	18	1	4	179.4400	149.1430	169.41	top 32%
Pork Ribs	46	12	1	5	176.5944	150.2744	166.72	top 38%
Pork	46	6	1	2	179.4400	154.2516	166.47	top 44%
Brisket	45	14	2	2	177.7144	144.5144	166.61	top 35%

“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 state / province

Where	Contests	Avg finish
MO	32	top 28%
KS	8	top 23%
OK	5	top 55%
AR	1	top 29%

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	11	0	top 30%
Large (40+)	35	0	top 30%

Contest-by-contest record (recurring contests they've cooked twice or more)

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Smokin' on the Summit	3	7	top 40%	2015-06-05
Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional)	2	18	top 70%	2016-09-23
BBQ and Fly In on the River	2	5	top 24%	2016-08-19
Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	2	6	top 26%	2015-09-11
Platte City BBQ Cook-Off	2	6	top 16%	2014-05-16

The story so far (18 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 8.5 yrs 2013-03-15 → 2021-09-16

Busiest season 2014 14 contests

Contests a season 5.8 across 8 seasons in the data

Cooks most in MO 32 of 46 contests · 4 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 40 5 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 46 entries · 1 win · 18 calls

Strongest meat Chicken averages 169.41 · weakest Pork (166.47)

Walk rate 65% a top-10 call in 30 of 46 contests

Overall top-10 rate 35% 16 of 46 contests

Best top-10 run 3 straight contests

Master average 665.58 out of 720 · 46 contests · 0 GCs

Opponents faced 2,362 4,269–1,660 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 3,020 46 mapped stops · furthest 303 mi

Schedule strength 1560 average field rating faced — tougher than 47% of rated contests

Purse competed for $136,975 listed at 3 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships 0 from 3 state-championship entries

Longest layoff 2 yrs 2019-09-12 → 2021-09-16

Power rating 1707 peak 1714 · #370 of 6,413 rated

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

2013
Mar 15 First tracked contest NKC MO State BBQ Championship
Mar 15 First overall past 90% of a perfect score648.5712 NKC MO State BBQ Championship
Apr 26 First call Smokin' In The Creek
May 10 First overall top-10 Platte City BBQ Cook-Off
Sep 6 10th tracked contest Blue Springs Barbeque Blaze-Off
Oct 18 First category win (Pork) Fountains Blaze Off and Senior Q
Oct 18 First overall podium Fountains Blaze Off and Senior Q
Oct 18 First Reserve Championship Fountains Blaze Off and Senior Q
2014
Sep 12 25th tracked contest Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
2016
Apr 29 Career-best single call (Chicken)179.4400 Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
2017
Apr 7 Career-best overall score693.0740 The Best Damn BBQ Contest at Smithville Lake
2019
Sep 12 Peak power rating (1714) 40th American Royal World Series of Barbecue- OPEN CONTEST
2021
Sep 16 Most recent contest American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+13.6	Smokin On Big Creek BBQ Contest Benefiting Operation BBQ Relief	2016-04-01
+13.1	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	2016-04-29
+13	Fountains Blaze Off and Senior Q	2013-10-18
+11.9	SMOKIN on the Summit	2013-06-07
+10.6	BBQ and Fly In on the River	2016-08-19

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-20.6	Smokin' on the Summit	2015-06-05
-10.2	Smokin' At The Run Shootout	2014-03-14
-9.6	Smokin' On Big Creek	2013-04-05
-8.6	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional)	2014-09-19
-6.7	American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST	2021-09-16

Category scores over time

Overall finish over time (top-% of field, lower is better)

Where they finish (overall)

Best vs average (by meat)

How entries end (by meat)

Team of the Year rank by season

Season by season

Season	Contests	Top-10s	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2021	1	0	0	0%	top 32%	—	—
2019	2	0	0	50%	top 15%	93.8%	93.8%
2018	1	0	0	0%	top 40%	92.8%	92.8%
2017	3	1	1	67%	top 20%	96.3%	95.2%
2016	8	5	3	75%	top 21%	96%	95%
2015	4	1	0	50%	top 42%	94.3%	87.3%
2014	14	5	0	71%	top 34%	95.4%	92.5%
2013	13	4	1	69%	top 32%	94.8%	91.8%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2021-09-16	American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS	150 / 467 (174.8456)	376 (157.0856)	265 (165.0856)	384 (155.9200)	131 (169.1428)
2019-09-12	40th American Royal World Series of Barbecue- OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS	19 / 468 (510.8800)	11 (177.7028)	294 (162.8228)	163 (168.5600)	246 (163.3712)
2019-04-26	Smokin In The Creek BBQ Contest 🏅 Sugar Creek, MO	11 / 42 (675.3484)	8 (174.2972)	15 (167.9772)	23 (166.2628)	18 (166.8112)
2018-09-15	39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	185 / 467 (667.9084)	319 (162.2628)	222 (166.8112)	163 (168.0000)	94 (170.8344)
2017-09-01	38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	56 / 407 (685.0744)	64 (174.2628)	287 (159.9544)	36 (175.4400)	24 (175.4172)
2017-07-28	*Racing for the BBQ Lee's Summit, MO	22 / 54 (678.2056)	8 (175.4056)	34 (165.0972)	16 (170.8456)	25 (166.8572)
2017-04-07	The Best Damn BBQ Contest at Smithville Lake Smithville, MO	3 / 54 (693.0740)	7 (175.4172)	14 (171.4056)	17 (171.4056)	1 (174.8456)
2016-10-29	37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue(OPEN) Kansas City, KS	98 / 557 (676.4916)	217 (166.8344)	61 (172.5944)	137 (169.6800)	169 (167.3828)
2016-09-23	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) Midwest City, OK	18 / 30 (676.5144)	14 (171.4172)	2 (176.5944)	27 (165.6800)	28 (162.8228)
2016-09-09	*Independence Fire & Ice BBQ Independence, MO	5 / 76 (686.8116)	12 (172.5600)	4 (175.4400)	23 (170.8344)	23 (167.9772)
2016-08-19	BBQ and Fly In on the River Excelsior Springs, MO	5 / 56 (691.3484)	26 (169.1084)	20 (171.4172)	10 (173.1200)	1 (177.7028)
2016-07-22	The Kansas Smithfield Guinea Pig Desoto, KS	16 / 49 (686.2744)	12 (176.0000)	16 (173.1428)	37 (166.8572)	20 (170.2744)
2016-06-18	Smoke out in the Valley Buckner, MO	7 / 30 (679.9544)	6 (174.8800)	15 (168.5372)	17 (165.6800)	5 (170.8572)
2016-04-29	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Overland Park, KS	3 / 30 (686.1940)	1 (179.4400)	10 (169.1084)	11 (167.9656)	6 (169.6800)
2016-04-01	Smokin On Big Creek BBQ Contest Benefiting Operation BBQ Relief Pleasant Hill, MO	4 / 72 (689.7144)	6 (176.0000)	1 (176.0000)	13 (172.5944)	24 (165.1200)
2015-10-03	36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Open Kansas City, MO	66 / 606 (678.8344)	227 (166.3200)	35 (174.8572)	203 (167.3944)	117 (170.2628)
2015-09-11	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour N. Kansas City, MO	9 / 28 (676.5372)	9 (171.4284)	8 (170.2744)	16 (166.8460)	13 (167.9884)
2015-06-05	Smokin' on the Summit Lee's Summit, MO	78 / 78 (488.5144)	43 (158.8344)	16 (168.0000)	39 (161.6800)	—
2015-04-10	The Best Damn BBQ Contest Smithville, MO	13 / 52 (669.6912)	9 (172.0000)	38 (161.7256)	32 (162.8000)	4 (173.1656)
2014-10-02	35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO	186 / 552 (663.9312)	173 (168.5600)	333 (161.1084)	428 (156.5484)	10 (177.7144)
2014-09-19	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) Midwest City, OK	23 / 29 (659.9548)	21 (168.0116)	12 (168.5600)	22 (167.3944)	26 (155.9888)
2014-09-12	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour N. Kansas City, MO	6 / 30 (678.7996)	15 (169.1084)	17 (164.0000)	2 (176.0000)	8 (169.6912)
2014-08-22	Holy Smoke BBQ Contest Liberty, MO	4 / 29 (672.5028)	5 (170.8684)	5 (169.6800)	11 (163.9544)	4 (168.0000)
2014-08-08	Balloons & BBQ Festival at Kansas Speedway Kansas City, KS	19 / 53 (667.3372)	13 (172.0000)	10 (170.8228)	49 (154.2516)	12 (170.2628)
2014-07-25	Racing for the BBQ Lee's Summit, MO	26 / 54 (655.9428)	6 (175.4056)	41 (157.7372)	36 (161.1200)	28 (161.6800)
2014-06-21	Buckner Smoke Out in the Valley Buckner, MO	13 / 35 (650.1600)	15 (162.8000)	12 (164.0000)	17 (163.4172)	17 (159.9428)
2014-06-06	Smokin on the Summit Lee's Summit, MO	7 / 79 (674.2284)	16 (168.5828)	21 (167.3944)	25 (163.9884)	5 (174.2628)
2014-05-16	Platte City BBQ Cook-Off Platte City, MO	6 / 50 (678.2400)	12 (169.1200)	5 (171.4400)	18 (168.0000)	15 (169.6800)
2014-05-02	Apple Blossom Barbecue Contest St. Joseph, MO	5 / 33 (671.4168)	12 (165.1084)	2 (170.8800)	8 (167.4628)	6 (167.9656)
2014-04-11	The Best Dam BBQ Contest at Smithville Lake Smithville, MO	21 / 54 (652.9708)	27 (163.4056)	25 (163.9312)	45 (157.6456)	10 (167.9884)
2014-03-28	Firelake BBQ Cook-off Shawnee, OK	12 / 43 (667.3260)	3 (175.4172)	26 (157.1088)	26 (162.2400)	6 (172.5600)
2014-03-15	Smokin' At The Run Miami, OK	18 / 72 (686.7772)	37 (171.4172)	15 (173.1316)	34 (170.2628)	21 (171.9656)
2014-03-14	Smokin' At The Run Shootout Miami, OK	35 / 43 (639.8516)	25 (166.2628)	33 (158.2516)	36 (157.6800)	35 (157.6572)
2013-10-18	Fountains Blaze Off and Senior Q Independence, MO	2 / 22 (682.8228)	12 (163.9772)	3 (168.5828)	1 (179.4400)	4 (170.8228)
2013-10-03	34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO	147 / 535 (654.2056)	250 (161.7256)	22 (173.7028)	20 (174.2628)	460 (144.5144)
2013-09-20	Bikes Blues & BBQ Fayetteville, AR	14 / 49 (679.9544)	3 (178.8572)	2 (176.5716)	33 (160.5256)	19 (164.0000)
2013-09-06	Blue Springs Barbeque Blaze-Off Blue Springs, MO	15 / 72 (673.6572)	10 (173.7028)	28 (164.5600)	12 (173.7144)	31 (161.6800)
2013-08-16	BBQ and Fly In on the River Excelsior Springs, MO	26 / 66 (656.4800)	4 (174.2628)	44 (158.2744)	44 (161.6800)	28 (162.2628)
2013-07-26	Racing For The BBQ Lee's Summit, MO	28 / 58 (657.7376)	29 (164.0116)	54 (150.2744)	4 (176.0000)	13 (167.4516)
2013-07-05	Crossroads BBQ Cook-off Cameron, MO	15 / 40 (664.5714)	2 (178.2858)	29 (157.7144)	32 (159.4284)	8 (169.1428)
2013-07-03	Liberty 4th Fest BBQ Contest Liberty, MO	10 / 30 (665.7136)	6 (169.1426)	6 (172.0002)	13 (165.1424)	16 (159.4284)
2013-06-07	SMOKIN on the Summit Lees Summit, MO	10 / 81 (663.4278)	25 (163.9998)	14 (167.9998)	13 (168.5712)	24 (162.8570)
2013-05-10	Platte City BBQ Cook-Off Platte City, MO	10 / 52 (661.1430)	9 (168.0000)	14 (166.8572)	6 (170.2858)	39 (156.0000)
2013-04-26	Smokin' In The Creek Sugar Creek, MO	12 / 41 (655.4282)	6 (168.5714)	33 (154.2856)	17 (166.2856)	14 (166.2856)
2013-04-05	Smokin' On Big Creek Pleasant Hill, MO	59 / 74 (627.4286)	71 (149.1430)	55 (154.2858)	22 (168.0000)	55 (155.9998)
2013-03-15	NKC MO State BBQ Championship N. Kansas City, MO	23 / 79 (648.5712)	30 (161.7144)	11 (169.1426)	45 (156.5714)	25 (161.1428)

Career map (orange GC · green top-10 · grey the rest — tap a pin)

Team of the Year standings (rank per category by season — year links to the full board on kcbs.us)

Year	Series	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2019 ↗	Master	#1196 (190 pts)	#988 (285 pts)	#1347 (170 pts)	#1513 (130 pts)	#1385 (155 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#282 (1225 pts)	#326 (1105 pts)	#278 (1235 pts)	#566 (720 pts)	#412 (970 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#973 (318 pts)	#987 (343 pts)	#1171 (268 pts)	#1382 (218 pts)	#914 (383 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#239 (1385 pts)	#216 (1375 pts)	#216 (1401 pts)	#311 (1117 pts)	#204 (1470 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#216 (1337 pts)	#110 (1662 pts)	#180 (1386 pts)	#158 (1448 pts)	#263 (1122 pts)