KAVE DWELLERS

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

Power ranking

#1264

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1581

peak 1584 · rated over 16 contests ⓘ

Contests

in the data

First seen

2013-05-03

latest 2018-08-24

Best ToY finish

#511

Master 2013

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

9 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 16 contests

Avg finish

top 35%

overall standings

Best overall

670.8916 / 720

Master · Grill Games

Perfect 180s

Current form

655.55 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 653.44 (+2.11)

Walk rate

94%

contests with a top-10 call

Top-10 streak

best run (overall)

Best single call

177.1428

Pork · Grill Games

Consistency

±14.13

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Brisket

avg 167.49 · weakest Chicken (161.31)

Road miles

1,044

mi across 16 mapped stops · furthest 103 mi

Schedule strength

20%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1528)

Master avg

653.44 / 720

16 Master contests · 0 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (10 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.

They almost always walk

94% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 15 of 16 contests

A top-10 category call in 94% of their 16 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

670.8916 career-best overall

93.2% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 670.8916 at Grill Games — 93.2% of a perfect 720.

Master
2014-08-22

Their season

2015 their best year

2015 was the year it came together: 4 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 25%.

4 contests
3 overall top-10s
0 category wins
average top 25%

A tough matchup

9–1 behind in the head-to-head

THE SMOKE HUNTERS ahead in 90% of their meetings

THE SMOKE HUNTERS has come out ahead in 9 of their 10 shared contests.

The weak link

−6.2 points behind their best meat

Chicken is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 6.18 points below their brisket, and turns into a call 19% of the time against 69%.

Chicken avg 161.31
Brisket avg 167.49
3 calls in 16 entries

A strong matchup

8–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 89% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of KEN'S BURNT ENDS in 8 of their 9 shared contests.

The comeback

1.8 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 1.8 years, then back at Grill Games (2017-08-25).

last seen 2015-10-23
back 2017-08-25

Brisket nemesis

7 of 10 shared brisket entries lost

THE SMOKE HUNTERS ahead 70% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, THE SMOKE HUNTERS has out-cooked them in 7 of 10 shared brisket entries.

An October team

Top 20% average finish in October

Something about October: average finish in the top 20% across 4 contests, versus top 35% the rest of the year.

4 October contests
top 35% the rest of the year

The metronome

±1.96% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.96% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 90.8% of a perfect score
16 contests

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.

38 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.

TWIN OAK SMOKIN CREW

#1259 of the rated field

1581 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 18
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 28%
Peak: 1583

No shared contest yet.

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 18 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 18 contests
last seen 2017-04-21

⚔ Head-to-head

MAD DAWGZ BBQ

#1257 of the rated field

1581 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 21
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 14%
Peak: 1581

No shared contest yet.

Careers of much the same size, 21 contests to 16, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 21 contests
last seen 2016-11-11

⚔ Head-to-head

FIRE AND SMOKE SHAK

#1269 of the rated field

1581 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 12
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 67%
Peak: 1581

No shared contest yet.

Their rating is built on 1 Grand Championship in 12 contests, alongside a 67% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 12 contests
last seen 2018-11-16

⚔ Head-to-head

THE LOONEY PIT

#1258 of the rated field

1581 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 12
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 50%
Peak: 1583

No shared contest yet.

Both teams' first contest in the data came in 2013.

rated over 12 contests
last seen 2018-07-27

⚔ Head-to-head

Dirt Bag Barbeque

#1262 of the rated field

1581 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 26
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 31%
Peak: 1589

No shared contest yet.

Level with KAVE DWELLERS on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 23 contests
last seen 2026-06-13

⚔ Head-to-head

BEAUX HAWG BBQ

#1271 of the rated field

1581 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 31
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 3%
Peak: 1592

No shared contest yet.

A longer road to the same neighbourhood — 31 contests to 16.

rated over 31 contests
last seen 2026-08-28

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
THE SMOKIN' C'S BBQ	11	5	6	45%	⚔ compare
SMOKE 2 PULL	10	7	3	70%	⚔ compare
THE SMOKE HUNTERS	10	1	9	10%	⚔ compare
KEN'S BURNT ENDS	9	8	1	89%	⚔ compare
Risky Brisket	9	6	3	67%	⚔ compare
MOOSE'S BARBECUE	8	8	0	100%	⚔ compare
Mac Attack BBQ	8	4	4	50%	⚔ compare
CAPTAIN RON'S BREW-N-QUE	8	2	6	25%	⚔ compare
Q-N WITH ATTITUDE	7	7	0	100%	⚔ compare
ROLL THE BONES BBQ	7	7	0	100%	⚔ compare
TOPPGATOR BBQ	7	6	1	86%	⚔ compare
FIREWISE BBQ	7	5	2	71%	⚔ compare
FOX RIVER BBQ	7	4	3	57%	⚔ compare
D.F.G.'S BBQ	7	4	3	57%	⚔ compare
BRINGIN' THE HEAT	7	3	4	43%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	16	3	0	172.5484	150.2858	161.31	top 50%
Pork Ribs	16	5	2	170.8572	146.8570	161.88	top 41%
Pork	16	5	3	177.1428	150.2744	162.76	top 44%
Brisket	16	11	4	176.5828	157.6684	167.49	top 21%

“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	GCs	Avg finish
WI	12	0	top 37%
IL	4	0	top 28%

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	4	0	top 47%
Large (40+)	12	0	top 30%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Grill Games	5	6	top 35%	2018-08-24
Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	2	15	top 69%	2014-07-11
The Masters in May	2	8	top 41%	2014-05-02

The story so far (16 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 5.3 yrs 2013-05-03 → 2018-08-24

Busiest season 2013 5 contests

Contests a season 3.2 across 5 seasons in the data

Cooks most in WI 12 of 16 contests · 2 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 10 3 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 16 entries · 0 wins · 3 calls

Strongest meat Brisket averages 167.49 · weakest Chicken (161.31)

Walk rate 94% a top-10 call in 15 of 16 contests

Overall top-10 rate 44% 7 of 16 contests

Best top-10 run 2 straight contests

Master average 653.44 out of 720 · 16 contests · 0 GCs

Opponents faced 310 476–234 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 1,044 16 mapped stops · furthest 103 mi

Schedule strength 1528 average field rating faced — tougher than 20% of rated contests

Longest layoff 1.8 yrs 2015-10-23 → 2017-08-25

Power rating 1581 peak 1584 · #1264 of 6,413 rated

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

2013
May 3 First tracked contest The Masters in May
May 3 First call The Masters in May
May 3 First overall top-10 The Masters in May
May 3 First overall past 90% of a perfect score651.4284 The Masters in May
2014
Aug 22 Career-best overall score670.8916 Grill Games
Aug 22 Career-best single call (Pork)177.1428 Grill Games
2015
May 1 10th tracked contest The Masters In May
2017
Oct 6 First overall podium *Harbor-Que
Oct 6 Peak power rating (1584) *Harbor-Que
2018
Aug 24 Most recent contest Grill Games

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+12.4	Grill Games	2014-08-22
+12.2	The Masters In May - The Classic	2015-05-02
+12.2	Grill Games	2013-08-23
+11.3	*Harbor-Que	2017-10-06
+11.3	The Masters in May	2013-05-03

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-11.3	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	2013-07-05
-4	The Masters in May	2014-05-02
-3.1	Grill Games	2018-08-24
-2.8	Grill Games	2015-08-28

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	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2018	1	0	100%	top 57%	90.1%	90.1%
2017	2	1	100%	top 24%	93.1%	91.6%
2015	4	3	100%	top 25%	92.7%	91.6%
2014	4	1	100%	top 39%	93.2%	90.6%
2013	5	2	80%	top 38%	93.1%	90%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2018-08-24	Grill Games Kenosha, WI	24 / 42 (648.9712)	37 (153.6684)	19 (163.9428)	22 (162.2400)	9 (169.1200)
2017-10-06	*Harbor-Que Winthrop Harbor, IL	3 / 23 (670.2060)	4 (166.8344)	12 (161.6572)	3 (171.9772)	3 (169.7372)
2017-08-25	Grill Games Kenosha, WI	14 / 39 (648.9708)	27 (157.6800)	22 (161.6912)	23 (158.7884)	3 (170.8112)
2015-10-23	Best of the Midwest BBQ Cook off Union Grove, WI	7 / 44 (667.4172)	12 (168.0000)	3 (170.8572)	18 (164.5600)	9 (164.0000)
2015-08-28	Grill Games Kenosha, WI	26 / 49 (642.1828)	5 (172.0000)	37 (151.9544)	21 (160.5600)	28 (157.6684)
2015-05-02	The Masters In May - The Classic Appleton, WI	7 / 47 (664.5256)	13 (167.4400)	19 (162.2628)	25 (161.6456)	5 (173.1772)
2015-05-01	The Masters In May Appleton, WI	10 / 57 (663.3712)	13 (166.2856)	25 (159.4056)	5 (169.1200)	11 (168.5600)
2014-10-17	9th Annual Lambs Farm Barn Burner Bar-B-Q Libertyville, IL	11 / 42 (662.7196)	5 (172.5484)	12 (167.4172)	25 (158.7884)	16 (163.9656)
2014-08-22	Grill Games Kenosha, WI	6 / 47 (670.8916)	32 (158.2972)	26 (158.8688)	2 (177.1428)	2 (176.5828)
2014-07-11	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Madison, WI	15 / 29 (648.4916)	19 (160.5600)	6 (169.6800)	27 (150.2744)	7 (167.9772)
2014-05-02	The Masters in May Fremont, WI	40 / 62 (626.8460)	47 (153.6800)	43 (153.7488)	55 (150.2744)	10 (169.1428)
2013-10-18	8th Annual Lambs Farm Barn Burner Bar-B-Q (TEAMS FULL) Libertyville, IL	14 / 54 (645.0624)	31 (156.5484)	9 (166.8456)	23 (157.0856)	7 (164.5828)
2013-08-23	Grill Games Kenosha, WI	6 / 43 (670.2172)	27 (158.8228)	3 (170.2744)	2 (176.5944)	11 (164.5256)
2013-07-05	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Madison, WI	26 / 30 (624.5708)	16 (161.1428)	26 (146.8570)	26 (153.1426)	9 (163.4284)
2013-05-24	Westmont Red, White & BBQ Westmont, IL	33 / 70 (649.1428)	50 (157.1428)	27 (161.7144)	29 (164.5714)	20 (165.7142)
2013-05-03	The Masters in May Fremont, WI	8 / 48 (651.4284)	35 (150.2858)	9 (162.8570)	4 (167.4284)	3 (170.8572)

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
2017 ↗	Master	#1246 (223 pts)	#1429 (198 pts)	#1992 (113 pts)	#1347 (223 pts)	#1345 (223 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#897 (360 pts)	#841 (430 pts)	#976 (355 pts)	#970 (360 pts)	#992 (335 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#709 (503 pts)	#854 (423 pts)	#814 (448 pts)	#799 (468 pts)	#534 (693 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#511 (611 pts)	#825 (391 pts)	#470 (691 pts)	#464 (706 pts)	#390 (806 pts)