LATE NIGHT WHISKEY SMOKERS

LATE NIGHT WHISKEY SMOKERS is a competition barbecue team with 29 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2018. Their best overall finish is 2nd of 46 at the Bloomin' BBQ & Bluegrass (2016), and they have finished Reserve Grand Champion twice. They are ranked #1842 of 6,477 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#1,842

of 6,477 rated · rankings

Rating

1546

peak 1566 · rated over 29 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Mar 1, 2013

latest Jul 13, 2018 · 5.4 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#516

Master 2013 · every season

Grand champs

2 reserve

Category wins

6 podiums

Overall top-10s

14% of 29 contests

Avg finish

top 49%

overall standings

Best overall

699.3712 / 720

Master · Tony Stone-Cookeville Cookoff

Perfect 180s

Current form

661.00 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 668.58 (-7.59)

Walk rate

69%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

179.4400

Brisket · Tony Stone-Cookeville Cookoff

Consistency

±13.70

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Brisket

avg 170.47 · weakest Chicken (165.17)

Road miles

6,473

across 29 mapped stops · furthest 466 mi

Schedule strength

45%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1559)

Master avg

668.58 / 720

29 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (11 found in their record)

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

The heartbreaker

1.1084 points from the title

Came within 1.1084 points of the Grand Championship at Bourbon City BBQ Festival Cookoff (Jun 6, 2014).

Happy hunting ground

Top 14% average finish here

Bloomin' BBQ & Bluegrass is their spot: an average finish in the top 14% across 2 visits.

2 visits
best finish 2nd
average top 14%

They almost always walk

69% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 20 of 29 contests

A top-10 category call in 69% of their 29 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

699.3712 career-best overall

97.1% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 699.3712 at Tony Stone-Cookeville Cookoff — 97.1% of a perfect 720.

Master
Sep 11, 2015

Their season

2014 their best year

2014 was the year it came together: 6 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 2 category wins, at an average finish in the top 36%.

6 contests
2 overall top-10s
2 category wins
average top 36%

A tough matchup

16–2 behind in the head-to-head

SWIGGIN PIG ahead in 89% of their meetings

SWIGGIN PIG has come out ahead in 16 of their 18 shared contests.

The weak link

−5.3 points behind their best meat

Chicken is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 5.29 points below their brisket, and turns into a call 17% of the time against 55%.

Chicken avg 165.17
Brisket avg 170.47
5 calls in 29 entries

Show 4 more storylines

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

CAUGHT BY THE FIRE has landed one call behind them 2 times.

A June team

Top 39% average finish in June

Something about June: average finish in the top 39% across 4 contests, versus top 49% the rest of the year.

4 June contests
top 49% the rest of the year

The long haul

6,473 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 6,473 miles across 29 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 466 miles to 'Que at the View.

29 mapped stops
furthest 466 mi

The metronome

±1.90% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.90% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 92.9% of a perfect score
29 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
2014 ↗	Master	#519 (739 pts)	#768 (484 pts)	#610 (629 pts)	#542 (714 pts)	#449 (844 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#516 (600 pts)	#608 (540 pts)	#405 (775 pts)	#644 (515 pts)	#450 (710 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to LATE NIGHT WHISKEY SMOKERS, each with one reason worth a look.

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

1709 BBQ

#1,841 of the rated field

1546 power rating

Contests: 21
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 10%
Peak: 1556

2–2 in 4 shared contests (50% to LATE NIGHT WHISKEY SMOKERS)

These two have cooked 4 of the same contests — honours even — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.

rated over 21 contests
last seen Aug 13, 2021

⚔ Head-to-head

SMOKIN FYRPIT

#1,844 of the rated field

1546 power rating

Contests: 13
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 54%
Peak: 1556

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to LATE NIGHT WHISKEY SMOKERS)

Their last contest in the data was back in 2015, 3 years before LATE NIGHT WHISKEY SMOKERS's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 13 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

TEAM BALLINGER

#1,855 of the rated field

1545 power rating

Contests: 7
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 57%
Peak: 1545

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to LATE NIGHT WHISKEY SMOKERS)

Fewer contests behind them than LATE NIGHT WHISKEY SMOKERS has cooked, 7 to 29, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.

rated over 7 contests
last seen Mar 13, 2020

⚔ Head-to-head

HD BBQ

#1,853 of the rated field

1545 power rating

Contests: 26
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 31%
Peak: 1545

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 26 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 26 contests
last seen Oct 3, 2025

⚔ Compare careers

M&G-BBQ

#1,834 of the rated field

1546 power rating

Contests: 22
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 27%
Peak: 1546

22 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 27% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 22 contests
last seen Sep 7, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

TWISTED BRISKET BBQ

#1,835 of the rated field

1546 power rating

Contests: 42
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 7%
Peak: 1567

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

rated over 42 contests
last seen Mar 30, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
SWIGGIN PIG	18	2	16	11%	⚔ compare
SMOKE ON THIS	15	2	13	13%	⚔ compare
SOGGY BOTTOM SMOKERS	14	7	7	50%	⚔ compare
QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N	14	1	13	7%	⚔ compare
Sons of Smoke	12	8	4	67%	⚔ compare
Under the Radar	12	3	9	25%	⚔ compare
Q SMOKE	11	6	5	55%	⚔ compare
DIRTY OL' BUTT SLAPPERS	11	5	6	45%	⚔ compare
BAR-B-Q 101	11	5	6	45%	⚔ compare
HOGGY BOTTOM BOYS	10	8	2	80%	⚔ compare
RIVER ROAD GRILLBILLIES	10	4	6	40%	⚔ compare
Chairman of the Boar	10	3	7	30%	⚔ compare
CONTAGIOUS Q	10	2	8	20%	⚔ compare
South Pork	10	1	9	10%	⚔ compare
Organizer Portal	10	0	10	0%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	29	5	0	0	175.4172	141.1428	165.17	top 59%
Pork Ribs	29	7	1	1	178.2858	155.9200	167.53	top 45%
Pork	29	4	1	1	174.8800	151.4282	165.41	top 58%
Brisket	29	16	2	4	179.4400	155.9998	170.47	top 33%

“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	0	top 48%
Large (40+)	17	0	top 50%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
TN	14	top 44%
MS	6	top 54%
FL	3	top 62%
KY	3	top 40%
NC	1	top 76%
GA	1	top 69%
AL	1	top 37%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Smokin in the Square	3	19	top 62%	Mar 17, 2017
Bloomin' BBQ & Bluegrass	2	27	top 62%	May 18, 2018
Bloomin' BBQ & Bluegrass	2	2	top 14%	May 20, 2016
'Que at the View	2	20	top 60%	Apr 8, 2016
Tony Stone-Cookeville Cookoff	2	5	top 23%	Sep 11, 2015
Stand By Your Grill	2	32	top 60%	Aug 14, 2015
Bourbon City BBQ Festival Cookoff	2	2	top 30%	Jun 6, 2014

More numbers

Busiest season 2013 8 contests

Contests a season 4.8 across 6 seasons in the data

Most contests held in TN 14 of 29 contests · 7 states in all

Contests visited 21 7 of them more than once

Opponents faced 567 finished ahead 649 times, behind 584

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

20181 milestone

Jul 13 Most recent contest Cumberland Plateau BBQ Cook-Off & Cruise In Day 1

20171 milestone

May 19 25th tracked contest Bloomin' BBQ & Bluegrass

20161 milestone

May 20 Peak power rating (1566) Bloomin' BBQ & Bluegrass

20152 milestones

Sep 11 Career-best overall score699.3712 Tony Stone-Cookeville Cookoff
Sep 11 Career-best single call (Brisket)179.4400 Tony Stone-Cookeville Cookoff

20144 milestones

Apr 25 10th tracked contest BBQ Boogie & Blues (SBBQA)
Jun 6 First overall top-10 Bourbon City BBQ Festival Cookoff
Jun 6 First overall podium Bourbon City BBQ Festival Cookoff
Jun 6 First Reserve Championship Bourbon City BBQ Festival Cookoff

20134 milestones

Mar 1 First tracked contest Smokin in the Square
Mar 1 First overall past 90% of a perfect score653.7134 Smokin in the Square
Apr 12 First call Grilling on the River '13
Jun 7 First category win (Pork Ribs) Bourbon City BBQ Festival Cookoff

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+16.3	Bourbon City BBQ Festival Cookoff	Jun 6, 2014
+15.5	Bloomin' BBQ & Bluegrass	May 20, 2016
+14.3	Foothills Country Fair BBQ Bash	Jul 25, 2014
+11.7	Tony Stone-Cookeville Cookoff	Sep 11, 2015
+9.2	Bloomin' BBQ & Bluegrass	May 17, 2013

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-7	WNC BBQ Festival-	Jul 22, 2016
-6.5	Cumberland Plateau BBQ Cook-Off & Cruise In Day 1	Jul 13, 2018
-5.5	'Que at the View	Apr 8, 2016
-4.9	Stand By Your Grill	Aug 14, 2015
-3.9	Cumberland Plateau BBQ Cook-Off & Cruise In (DAY 1)	Jul 8, 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	Top-10s	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2018	2	0	0	0%	top 74%	91.2%	90.7%
2017	4	0	0	100%	top 65%	93.1%	92.5%
2016	4	1	0	50%	top 47%	97.1%	93.7%
2015	5	1	1	80%	top 51%	97.1%	93.5%
2014	6	2	2	100%	top 36%	96.4%	94.1%
2013	8	0	1	50%	top 45%	94%	91.8%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Jul 13, 2018	Cumberland Plateau BBQ Cook-Off & Cruise In Day 1 Jamestown, TN	34 / 40 (648.4572)	36 (160.5716)	36 (160.5372)	24 (167.4056)	31 (159.9428)
May 18, 2018	Bloomin' BBQ & Bluegrass Sevierville, TN	27 / 43 (656.9600)	26 (165.0972)	31 (159.9428)	20 (166.8228)	23 (165.0972)
Sep 8, 2017	Tony Stone-Cookeville Cook-off Cookeville, TN	20 / 34 (670.1484)	19 (169.1316)	23 (164.5372)	28 (163.3712)	5 (173.1084)
Jul 8, 2017	Cumberland Plateau BBQ Cook-Off & Cruise In (DAY 1) Jamestown, TN	27 / 36 (667.3144)	6 (175.4172)	27 (165.6916)	34 (162.2628)	27 (163.9428)
May 19, 2017	Bloomin' BBQ & Bluegrass Sevierville, TN	30 / 49 (662.1028)	20 (168.5372)	42 (155.9200)	41 (159.9428)	3 (177.7028)
Mar 17, 2017	Smokin in the Square Pensacola, FL	25 / 38 (665.0172)	36 (159.9428)	10 (169.1316)	28 (163.3944)	9 (172.5484)
Sep 9, 2016	The Tony Stone Cookeville Cookoff Cookeville, TN	11 / 30 (682.7196)	21 (166.2284)	5 (174.8572)	20 (167.3712)	9 (174.2628)
Jul 22, 2016	WNC BBQ Festival- Maggie Valley, NC	37 / 49 (660.4228)	47 (155.9200)	34 (162.8228)	16 (170.2628)	18 (171.4172)
May 20, 2016	Bloomin' BBQ & Bluegrass Sevierville, TN	2 / 46 (698.8344)	10 (174.2628)	14 (171.9772)	7 (174.8800)	2 (177.7144)
Apr 8, 2016	'Que at the View Gulfport, MS	30 / 43 (656.4344)	21 (166.8344)	34 (164.5372)	34 (159.3600)	19 (165.7028)
Sep 11, 2015	Tony Stone-Cookeville Cookoff Cookeville, TN	5 / 31 (699.3712)	8 (174.8456)	5 (175.4172)	15 (169.6684)	1 (179.4400)
Aug 14, 2015	Stand By Your Grill Fulton, MS	39 / 57 (660.4456)	23 (170.8228)	29 (165.7144)	52 (157.0856)	32 (166.8228)
Jun 5, 2015	Bourbon City BBQ Festival Bardstown, KY	21 / 34 (664.5256)	34 (150.8000)	10 (170.2972)	18 (170.2856)	8 (173.1428)
May 15, 2015	Sevierville Bloomin' BBQ and Bluegrass Festival Sevierville, TN	25 / 44 (672.4340)	35 (164.5256)	21 (169.1200)	35 (164.5256)	8 (174.2628)
Apr 3, 2015	'Que at the View Gulfport, MS	20 / 40 (669.5768)	31 (159.9428)	14 (168.5600)	18 (168.5256)	9 (172.5484)
Sep 5, 2014	Tony Stone-Cookeville Cookoff Cookeville, TN	12 / 41 (683.3372)	22 (169.6800)	13 (170.2744)	8 (173.7028)	16 (169.6800)
Jul 25, 2014	Foothills Country Fair BBQ Bash Cleveland, TN	5 / 49 (685.6800)	15 (170.8228)	11 (170.2972)	1 (174.2972)	15 (170.2628)
Jun 27, 2014	Blount County BBQ Bash Maryville, TN	13 / 39 (677.6916)	13 (170.8572)	27 (162.2400)	7 (173.7028)	9 (170.8916)
Jun 6, 2014	Bourbon City BBQ Festival Cookoff Bardstown, KY	2 / 34 (693.7372)	8 (174.2972)	7 (172)	11 (172.5944)	6 (174.8456)
Apr 25, 2014	BBQ Boogie & Blues (SBBQA) Calhoun, GA	20 / 29 (663.2568)	28 (159.9428)	11 (171.9656)	28 (159.3828)	9 (171.9656)
Mar 7, 2014	Smokin in the Square Pensacola, FL	31 / 46 (660.9600)	31 (161.6572)	40 (158.2172)	36 (161.6456)	1 (179.4400)
Sep 6, 2013	Cookeville Cookoff Cookeville, TN	24 / 42 (666.7312)	32 (162.2400)	6 (174.2628)	42 (157.0856)	12 (173.1428)
Aug 16, 2013	Stand By Your Grill Fulton, MS	32 / 62 (662.7540)	54 (160.5256)	16 (170.2972)	24 (167.3828)	37 (164.5484)
Jun 7, 2013	Bourbon City BBQ Festival Cookoff Bardstown, KY	16 / 30 (642.8568)	29 (141.1428)	1 (178.2858)	17 (155.9998)	10 (167.4284)
May 17, 2013	Bloomin' BBQ & Bluegrass Sevierville, TN	11 / 47 (677.1426)	19 (167.4284)	28 (164)	22 (169.1428)	5 (176.5714)
May 3, 2013	The Whistle Stop Festival & Rocket City BBQ Huntsville, AL	23 / 62 (666.8562)	30 (166.8568)	25 (165.1428)	31 (166.2854)	17 (168.5712)
Apr 12, 2013	Grilling on the River '13 Columbus, MS	15 / 31 (659.9994)	8 (170.8572)	14 (167.4284)	29 (151.4282)	10 (170.2856)
Mar 15, 2013	Don't Be Cruel BBQ Duel Tupelo, MS	37 / 100 (659.4280)	50 (165.7142)	17 (170.2856)	59 (161.1426)	57 (162.2856)
Mar 1, 2013	Smokin in the Square Pensacola, FL	19 / 37 (653.7134)	21 (165.1426)	13 (164.5712)	12 (167.9998)	27 (155.9998)

LATE NIGHT WHISKEY SMOKERS

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

Rating

Contests

First seen

Best ToY finish

Grand champs

Category wins

Overall top-10s

Avg finish

Best overall

Perfect 180s

Current form

Walk rate

Best single call

Consistency

Strongest meat

Road miles

Schedule strength

Master avg

Storylines (11 found in their record)

The heartbreaker

Happy hunting ground

They almost always walk

High-water mark

Their season

A tough matchup

The weak link

Looking over their shoulder

A June 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)