QSS SMOKIN

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

Power ranking

#1177

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1587

peak 1595 · rated over 22 contests ⓘ

Best runs

straight top-10s

Contests

in the data

First seen

2013-04-12

latest 2019-04-12

Best ToY finish

#535

Master 2013

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

5 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 22 contests

Avg finish

top 37%

overall standings

Best overall

685.6572 / 720

Master · Apple Blossom Bar-B-Q

Perfect 180s

Current form

659.68 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 663.45 (-3.76)

Walk rate

77%

contests with a top-10 call

Top-10 streak

best run (overall)

Best single call

177.7028

Pork · Smoke in the Spring

Consistency

±13.19

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork

avg 169.80 · weakest Brisket (163.92)

Road miles

2,297

mi across 22 mapped stops · furthest 111 mi

Schedule strength

38%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1550)

State championships

0 🏅

GCs in 1 state-championship entries

Master avg

663.45 / 720

22 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

77% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 17 of 22 contests

A top-10 category call in 77% of their 22 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

685.6572 career-best overall

95.2% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 685.6572 at Apple Blossom Bar-B-Q — 95.2% of a perfect 720.

Master
2016-05-06

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

OLD STYLE BBQ has finished one call ahead of QSS SMOKIN 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2016 their best year

2016 was the year it came together: 3 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 13%.

3 contests
2 overall top-10s
0 category wins
average top 13%

A tough matchup

10–2 behind in the head-to-head

R BUTTS R SMOKIN ahead in 83% of their meetings

R BUTTS R SMOKIN has come out ahead in 10 of their 12 shared contests.

The weak link

−5.9 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 5.88 points below their pork, and turns into a call 18% of the time against 55%.

Brisket avg 163.92
Pork avg 169.80
4 calls in 22 entries

A strong matchup

7–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of F.O.M.S.B. in 7 of their 7 shared contests.

An August team

Top 20% average finish in August

Something about August: average finish in the top 20% across 3 contests, versus top 37% the rest of the year.

3 August contests
top 37% the rest of the year

The metronome

±1.83% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.83% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 92.1% of a perfect score
22 contests

A standing appointment

5 years running at one contest

They've cooked Smoke in the Spring (WFC Quilfyer) every year from 2013 to 2017 — the contest they never miss.

5 visits in all
best finish 4th

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.

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

DROP THE MIKE

#1171 of the rated field

1588 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 22
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 32%
Peak: 1601

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to QSS SMOKIN)

One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team QSS SMOKIN has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 20 contests
last seen 2022-06-10

⚔ Head-to-head

MAN VS QUE

#1186 of the rated field

1587 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 18
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 28%
Peak: 1600

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to QSS SMOKIN)

Their last contest in the data was back in 2016, 3 years before QSS SMOKIN's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 17 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

UNFAMOUS DAVE'S

#1176 of the rated field

1587 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 130
GCs: 3
Top-10s: 22%
Peak: 1725

2–2 in 4 shared contests (50% to QSS SMOKIN)

They've been 1725 at their best, 137 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 122 contests
last seen 2026-08-21

⚔ Head-to-head

HOT AND FAST BBQ

#1184 of the rated field

1587 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 23
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 35%
Peak: 1590

No shared contest yet.

Careers of much the same size, 23 contests to 22, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 22 contests
last seen 2020-04-06

⚔ Head-to-head

KEEP CALM AND BLAZE ON

#1187 of the rated field

1587 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 23
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 48%
Peak: 1587

No shared contest yet.

23 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 48% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 23 contests
last seen 2017-09-22

⚔ Head-to-head

SKYY FULL OF SMOKE

#1179 of the rated field

1587 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 24
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 4%
Peak: 1587

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 24 contests
last seen 2021-09-24

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
Theslabs.com	13	4	9	31%	⚔ compare
R BUTTS R SMOKIN	12	2	10	17%	⚔ compare
WOODWARD BARBEQUE	10	3	7	30%	⚔ compare
BLACK EYE BBQ	9	7	2	78%	⚔ compare
Lazy Butt BBQ	9	6	3	67%	⚔ compare
Four Men and A Pig	9	3	6	33%	⚔ compare
BLUE BUCKET BBQ	9	3	6	33%	⚔ compare
B & C SMOKERS	9	2	7	22%	⚔ compare
GETTIN' SAUCED	9	2	7	22%	⚔ compare
SQUEAL OF APPROVAL	8	7	1	88%	⚔ compare
PIG NEWTON	8	4	4	50%	⚔ compare
K.C. CAN CREW	8	3	5	38%	⚔ compare
PORK ME PURPLE	8	3	5	38%	⚔ compare
THE SMOKING HILLS	8	2	6	25%	⚔ compare
F.O.M.S.B.	7	7	0	100%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	22	3	0	1	176.0000	150.8116	164.85	top 50%
Pork Ribs	22	6	0	1	176.5828	151.4284	164.87	top 44%
Pork	22	12	2	3	177.7028	161.0856	169.80	top 25%
Brisket	22	4	0	0	171.4056	145.1200	163.92	top 45%

“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	11	top 33%
KS	10	top 38%
NE	1	top 74%

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	10	0	top 41%
Large (40+)	12	0	top 34%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Smoke in the Spring (WFC Quilfyer)	5	4	top 39%	2017-04-07
Laurie Hillbilly BBQ	4	8	top 24%	2017-08-04
Apple Blossom Bar-B-Q	3	3	top 37%	2018-05-04
Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest	2	13	top 22%	2014-06-06
Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	2	8	top 37%	2014-05-02

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

On the trail 6 yrs 2013-04-12 → 2019-04-12

Busiest season 2015 5 contests

Contests a season 3.1 across 7 seasons in the data

Cooks most in MO 11 of 22 contests · 3 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 11 5 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 22 entries · 0 wins · 3 calls

Strongest meat Pork averages 169.80 · weakest Brisket (163.92)

Walk rate 77% a top-10 call in 17 of 22 contests

Overall top-10 rate 23% 5 of 22 contests

Best top-10 run 3 straight contests

Master average 663.45 out of 720 · 22 contests · 0 GCs

Opponents faced 1,020 971–776 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 2,297 22 mapped stops · furthest 111 mi

Schedule strength 1550 average field rating faced — tougher than 38% of rated contests

State championships 0 from 1 state-championship entries

Power rating 1587 peak 1595 · #1177 of 6,413 rated

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

2013
Apr 12 First tracked contest Smoke In The Spring
Apr 12 First overall past 90% of a perfect score650.2856 Smoke In The Spring
Apr 26 First call Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
May 3 First category win (Pork) Apple Blossom Barbecue Contest
Aug 2 First overall top-10 Laurie Hillbilly BBQ
2015
Apr 10 10th tracked contest Smoke in the Spring
Apr 10 Career-best single call (Pork)177.7028 Smoke in the Spring
2016
May 6 First overall podium Apple Blossom Bar-B-Q
May 6 Career-best overall score685.6572 Apple Blossom Bar-B-Q
Aug 5 Peak power rating (1595) Laurie Hillbilly BBQ
2019
Apr 12 Most recent contest Smoke In the Springs

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+14.8	Smoke In The Spring	2014-04-11
+13.4	Apple Blossom Bar-B-Q	2016-05-06
+12.5	Smoke in the Spring	2016-04-08
+11.4	Laurie Hillbilly BBQ	2013-08-02
+10.2	Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest	2013-06-07

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-7.8	Smoke in the Spring (WFC Quilfyer)	2017-04-07
-6.3	Sauce & Cycles	2015-07-10
-5.3	Smoke In the Springs	2019-04-12
-2.9	36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Open	2015-10-03
-2.5	Apple Blossom Bar-B-Q	2017-05-05

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)
2019	1	0	0	0%	top 67%	90.7%	90.7%
2018	1	0	0	100%	top 46%	93.2%	93.2%
2017	3	0	0	67%	top 52%	94.5%	91.4%
2016	3	2	0	67%	top 13%	95.2%	94.8%
2015	5	0	1	80%	top 46%	93.6%	91.6%
2014	4	2	0	100%	top 24%	94.1%	92.3%
2013	5	1	1	80%	top 36%	93.5%	91.5%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2019-04-12	Smoke In the Springs 🏅 Osage City, KS	70 / 104 (653.0284)	93 (155.9428)	42 (167.4056)	34 (169.1200)	69 (160.5600)
2018-05-04	Apple Blossom Bar-B-Q St. Joseph, MO	17 / 37 (670.8344)	19 (166.2744)	7 (172.0000)	13 (168.5944)	20 (163.9656)
2017-08-04	Laurie Hillbilly BBQ Laurie, MO	11 / 40 (680.5144)	28 (164.5372)	2 (176.5828)	9 (172.0000)	22 (167.3944)
2017-05-05	Apple Blossom Bar-B-Q St. Joseph, MO	22 / 39 (650.7316)	35 (150.8116)	22 (162.2628)	8 (173.7028)	19 (163.9544)
2017-04-07	Smoke in the Spring (WFC Quilfyer) Osage City, KS	71 / 100 (643.3032)	91 (154.2632)	51 (164.5600)	71 (161.0856)	52 (163.3944)
2016-08-05	Laurie Hillbilly BBQ Laurie, MO	9 / 50 (683.9088)	13 (172.5716)	4 (175.4172)	21 (167.3828)	17 (168.5372)
2016-05-06	Apple Blossom Bar-B-Q St. Joseph, MO	3 / 31 (685.6572)	4 (173.1544)	10 (171.4172)	7 (169.6800)	10 (171.4056)
2016-04-08	Smoke in the Spring Osage City, KS	13 / 109 (678.2172)	15 (172.5828)	49 (163.9772)	21 (170.8228)	14 (170.8344)
2015-10-03	36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Open Kansas City, MO	214 / 606 (662.2976)	364 (161.7372)	302 (163.4172)	122 (169.7488)	183 (167.3944)
2015-07-31	Laurie Hillbilly BBQ Laurie, MO	13 / 38 (674.1372)	11 (173.1200)	33 (160.5028)	8 (170.8228)	12 (169.6916)
2015-07-10	Sauce & Cycles Falls City, NE	23 / 31 (642.2180)	31 (153.7032)	12 (166.2972)	7 (171.4288)	26 (150.7888)
2015-05-01	Apple Blossom BBQ Contest St. Joseph, MO	13 / 36 (669.7260)	13 (169.7488)	14 (168.5944)	8 (169.7028)	21 (161.6800)
2015-04-10	Smoke in the Spring Osage City, KS	51 / 97 (648.4456)	21 (169.7028)	77 (155.9200)	1 (177.7028)	91 (145.1200)
2014-07-11	Johnson County Fair BBQ Warrensburg, MO	14 / 36 (658.1716)	16 (166.2400)	17 (160.5600)	8 (168.5372)	18 (162.8344)
2014-06-06	Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest Mayetta, KS	13 / 54 (668.5260)	26 (165.7144)	5 (172.5944)	19 (167.4172)	24 (162.8000)
2014-05-02	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Overland Park, KS	8 / 29 (654.8228)	23 (159.4056)	23 (155.4056)	4 (172.5944)	7 (167.4172)
2014-04-11	Smoke In The Spring Osage City, KS	4 / 73 (677.6572)	2 (176.0000)	12 (169.7372)	25 (165.0972)	13 (166.8228)
2013-08-02	Laurie Hillbilly BBQ Laurie, MO	8 / 51 (673.0284)	18 (165.6800)	9 (170.8456)	6 (170.8228)	16 (165.6800)
2013-06-07	Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest Mayetta, KS	14 / 69 (665.1430)	10 (170.2858)	21 (168.0000)	23 (166.8572)	40 (160.0000)
2013-05-03	Apple Blossom Barbecue Contest St. Joseph, MO	17 / 39 (654.8570)	31 (158.2856)	30 (151.4284)	1 (176.5716)	6 (168.5714)
2013-04-26	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Overland Park, KS	14 / 30 (650.2852)	20 (160.5714)	22 (151.9998)	2 (169.7142)	7 (167.9998)
2013-04-12	Smoke In The Spring Osage City, KS	39 / 71 (650.2856)	24 (166.2858)	51 (158.2858)	26 (166.2856)	47 (159.4284)

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	#1955 (60 pts)	#2049 (60 pts)	#2026 (60 pts)	#2029 (60 pts)	#2010 (60 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#1765 (100 pts)	#1863 (90 pts)	#1433 (165 pts)	#1610 (120 pts)	#1873 (85 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#1338 (190 pts)	#1802 (120 pts)	#1084 (320 pts)	#1391 (205 pts)	#1715 (135 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#755 (496 pts)	#862 (436 pts)	#940 (401 pts)	#1097 (321 pts)	#1009 (346 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#808 (426 pts)	#812 (446 pts)	#862 (416 pts)	#483 (816 pts)	#916 (381 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#593 (625 pts)	#725 (520 pts)	#734 (505 pts)	#703 (540 pts)	#766 (470 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#535 (589 pts)	#680 (484 pts)	#717 (464 pts)	#340 (894 pts)	#524 (609 pts)