LOS NERDS

LOS NERDS is a competition barbecue team with 28 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2019. Their best overall finish is 6th of 14 at the Sky's the Limit BBQ Classic (2014). They are ranked #4529 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#4,529

of 6,476 rated · rankings

Rating

1472

peak 1472 · rated over 28 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Jan 25, 2013

latest Aug 2, 2019 · 6.5 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#544

Master 2013 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

2 podiums

Overall top-10s

4% of 28 contests

Avg finish

top 63%

overall standings

Best overall

683.3256 / 720

Master · Sky's the Limit BBQ Classic

Perfect 180s

Current form

641.31 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 643.03 (-1.73)

Walk rate

36%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

176

Chicken · 23rd Annual Colorado BBQ Challenge

Consistency

±18.67

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 166.35 · weakest Brisket (153.82)

Road miles

5,523

across 28 mapped stops · furthest 585 mi

Schedule strength

39%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1551)

Purse competed for

$41K

listed at 3 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 3 state-championship entries

Master avg

643.03 / 720

28 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (8 found in their record)

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

High-water mark

683.3256 career-best overall

94.9% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 683.3256 at Sky's the Limit BBQ Classic — 94.9% of a perfect 720.

Master
Sep 5, 2014

Their season

2014 their best year

2014 was the year it came together: 4 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 53%.

4 contests
1 overall top-10
0 category wins
average top 53%

A tough matchup

23–2 behind in the head-to-head

Backdraft BBQ ahead in 92% of their meetings

Backdraft BBQ has come out ahead in 23 of their 25 shared contests.

The weak link

−12.5 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 12.54 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 4% of the time against 29%.

Brisket avg 153.82
Chicken avg 166.35
1 call in 28 entries

A strong matchup

9–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of CARNIVORES in 9 of their 9 shared contests.

Chicken nemesis

17 of 25 shared chicken entries lost

Backdraft BBQ ahead 68% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, Backdraft BBQ has out-cooked them in 17 of 25 shared chicken entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

Pig Floyd has landed one call behind them 2 times.

Show 1 more storyline

The long haul

5,523 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 5,523 miles across 28 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 585 miles to 5th Annual Lake Havasu Music Brews & BBQ Championship.

28 mapped stops
furthest 585 mi

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
2019 ↗	Master	#1226 (180 pts)	#1150 (225 pts)	#1111 (245 pts)	#1301 (180 pts)	#1277 (180 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#1104 (280 pts)	#877 (445 pts)	#1183 (280 pts)	#1066 (335 pts)	#1218 (255 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#2274 (60 pts)	#1327 (235 pts)	#2349 (60 pts)	#2326 (60 pts)	#2345 (60 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#719 (491 pts)	#599 (651 pts)	#673 (571 pts)	#782 (476 pts)	#837 (431 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#760 (451 pts)	#713 (531 pts)	#862 (426 pts)	#602 (641 pts)	#849 (406 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#544 (579 pts)	#388 (799 pts)	#423 (754 pts)	#647 (514 pts)	#603 (534 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to LOS NERDS, each with one reason worth a look.

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

SMOKIN TURTLE BBQ

#4,549 of the rated field

1472 power rating

Contests: 6
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 33%
Peak: 1472

0–2 in 2 shared contests (0% to LOS NERDS)

2 contests in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team LOS NERDS has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 6 contests
last seen Sep 3, 2016

⚔ Head-to-head

Bone Daddy's BBQ

#4,512 of the rated field

1473 power rating

Contests: 27
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 11%
Peak: 1473

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 27 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 27 contests
last seen Aug 9, 2025

⚔ Compare careers

MESS-IN-A ROUND BBQ

#4,552 of the rated field

1472 power rating

Contests: 23
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 4%
Peak: 1472

Careers of much the same size, 23 contests to 28, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 22 contests
last seen Mar 20, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

CAROLINA SMOKE

#4,526 of the rated field

1472 power rating

Contests: 36
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 6%
Peak: 1472

36 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 6% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 36 contests
last seen May 17, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

QIS - QUALITY IN SMOKE

#4,517 of the rated field

1473 power rating

Contests: 41
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 7%
Peak: 1527

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

rated over 41 contests
last seen May 8, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

FOUNDING FATHERS BBQ

#4,519 of the rated field

1473 power rating

Contests: 19
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 11%
Peak: 1505

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

rated over 19 contests

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
Backdraft BBQ	25	2	23	8%	⚔ compare
BURNIN BOBS BUTTS N BONES	22	1	21	5%	⚔ compare
STARS AND STRIPES BBQ	17	2	15	12%	⚔ compare
BRACKEN RACKS BBQ	16	7	9	44%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN TIMBERS BBQ	16	6	10	38%	⚔ compare
THE CELTIC PIG	15	2	13	13%	⚔ compare
Lost Weekend Grill	14	7	7	50%	⚔ compare
ROCKET BOYS PYRO BBQ	14	3	11	21%	⚔ compare
PORKY'S PIT CREW	13	5	8	38%	⚔ compare
GRILLIN' BEAVERS	13	2	11	15%	⚔ compare
THE AMERICAN DREAM BBQ	12	0	12	0%	⚔ compare
FLYBOY BBQ	12	0	12	0%	⚔ compare
3 LIL' MACS BBQ	12	0	12	0%	⚔ compare
4 LEGS UP BBQ	11	0	11	0%	⚔ compare
G "QUE"	11	0	11	0%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	28	8	2	176	149.7144	166.35	top 45%
Pork Ribs	28	2	0	172.5600	148.5028	161.38	top 57%
Pork	28	4	0	171.4400	146.2628	161.49	top 60%
Brisket	28	1	0	168.5256	134.8568	153.82	top 70%

“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	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	1	top 43%
Medium (20–39)	11	top 70%
Large (40+)	16	top 59%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
CO	18	top 60%
WY	3	top 62%
KS	3	top 71%
NE	2	top 76%
SD	1	top 50%
AZ	1	top 74%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
San Luis Valley Beat the Heat BBQ	3	21	top 64%	Aug 2, 2019
Griller's Cup	3	13	top 62%	Jul 17, 2015
Smokin' Brew BBQ	2	23	top 51%	Sep 5, 2015
Sky's the Limit BBQ Classic	2	6	top 62%	Sep 5, 2014

More numbers

Busiest season 2013 8 contests

Contests a season 4 across 7 seasons in the data

Most contests held in CO 18 of 28 contests · 6 states in all

Contests visited 22 4 of them more than once

Opponents faced 507 finished ahead 442 times, behind 698

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

20191 milestone

Aug 2 Most recent contest San Luis Valley Beat the Heat BBQ

20181 milestone

Aug 3 25th tracked contest San Luis Valley Beat the Heat BBQ

20161 milestone

Jun 17 Career-best single call (Chicken)176 23rd Annual Colorado BBQ Challenge

20143 milestones

Jul 16 10th tracked contest Griller's Cup
Sep 5 First overall top-10 Sky's the Limit BBQ Classic
Sep 5 Career-best overall score683.3256 Sky's the Limit BBQ Classic

20134 milestones

Jan 25 First tracked contest 5th Annual Lake Havasu Music Brews & BBQ Championship
Jun 14 First call Colorado Barbecue Challenge
Jun 14 Peak power rating (1498) Colorado Barbecue Challenge
Aug 30 First overall past 90% of a perfect score654.1252 Smokin' Brew BBQ

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+9.3	Colorado Barbecue Challenge	Jun 14, 2013
+8	Sky's the Limit BBQ Classic	Sep 5, 2014
+6.1	National Western BBQ Throwdown	Jan 9, 2015
+4.8	Griller's Cup	Jul 17, 2015
+4.5	Smokin' Brew BBQ	Aug 30, 2013

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-11	Griller's Cup	Jul 19, 2013
-9.7	Showdown on the Plains BBQ Challenge & Air Show	Sep 6, 2013
-7.9	San Luis Valley Beat the Heat BBQ	Aug 2, 2019
-7.8	Central Plains Ribfest	Jun 15, 2018
-7.7	5th Annual Lake Havasu Music Brews & BBQ Championship	Jan 25, 2013

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	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2019	3	0	0%	top 72%	90.9%	88.5%
2018	2	0	0%	top 72%	92.3%	89.9%
2017	4	0	25%	top 62%	92.3%	89.8%
2016	1	0	100%	top 67%	88.7%	88.7%
2015	6	0	50%	top 56%	92.9%	89.8%
2014	4	1	75%	top 53%	94.9%	91.2%
2013	8	0	25%	top 66%	90.9%	88%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Aug 2, 2019	San Luis Valley Beat the Heat BBQ 🏅 Alamosa, CO	48 / 54 (607.9204)	33 (166.8800)	50 (150.2400)	52 (148.5372)	49 (142.2632)
Jun 14, 2019	26th Annual Colorado BBQ Challenge 🏅 Frisco, CO	34 / 55 (649.6116)	18 (170.2744)	29 (163.4172)	43 (152.5028)	27 (163.4172)
Apr 26, 2019	LuLu's Brew & Que 🏅 Brighton, CO	26 / 40 (654.7768)	23 (167.9656)	12 (170.3200)	36 (155.4172)	26 (161.0740)
Aug 3, 2018	San Luis Valley Beat the Heat BBQ Alamosa, CO	23 / 41 (664.4916)	11 (173.7028)	31 (161.1316)	14 (169.7028)	28 (159.9544)
Jun 15, 2018	Central Plains Ribfest Holdrege, NE	31 / 35 (629.7256)	18 (168.5944)	34 (150.2744)	26 (163.9884)	32 (146.8684)
Sep 22, 2017	BBBrew For Hope Ft.Collins, CO	19 / 25 (634.7200)	13 (167.9772)	15 (165.6800)	19 (160.5600)	23 (140.5028)
Aug 4, 2017	San Luis Valley Beat the Heat BBQ Alamosa, CO	21 / 44 (664.4228)	8 (171.9772)	32 (161.6456)	10 (170.8572)	29 (159.9428)
Jul 21, 2017	Arvada on Tap - A Craft Beer and BBQ Fest Arvada, CO	36 / 46 (639.2456)	26 (166.8344)	43 (149.0512)	35 (158.8228)	22 (164.5372)
Jun 16, 2017	24th Annual Colorado BBQ Challenge Frisco, CO	28 / 59 (647.2456)	13 (170.8456)	27 (162.2284)	33 (161.0972)	38 (153.0744)
Jun 17, 2016	23rd Annual Colorado BBQ Challenge Frisco, CO	39 / 58 (638.6856)	3 (176)	47 (150.7772)	32 (163.3828)	46 (148.5256)
Sep 18, 2015	Taste of Autumn BBQ Championships Spearfish, SD	15 / 30 (669.0740)	14 (170.8800)	10 (170.8228)	20 (167.4056)	24 (159.9656)
Sep 5, 2015	Smokin' Brew BBQ Parker, CO	29 / 49 (642.6972)	20 (167.4172)	23 (163.3828)	43 (154.2172)	28 (157.6800)
Jul 17, 2015	Griller's Cup Laramie, WY	14 / 29 (650.6740)	8 (169.7144)	13 (163.9428)	15 (161.0740)	20 (155.9428)
Jun 19, 2015	22nd Colorado BBQ Challenge Frisco, CO	30 / 58 (642.1028)	40 (155.9428)	18 (166.2400)	14 (168.5372)	39 (151.3828)
May 29, 2015	Royal Gorge Holy Smoke BBQ Showdown Canon City, CO	27 / 32 (611.8972)	6 (170.3088)	28 (150.2628)	32 (146.2628)	26 (145.0628)
Jan 9, 2015	National Western BBQ Throwdown Denver, CO	17 / 40 (663.3144)	22 (165.6684)	16 (167.9772)	25 (162.2516)	14 (167.4172)
Sep 5, 2014	Sky's the Limit BBQ Classic Garden City, KS	6 / 14 (683.3256)	4 (172.5600)	5 (172.5600)	6 (169.6800)	8 (168.5256)
Aug 30, 2014	Smokin' Brew BBQ Parker, CO	34 / 48 (630.6396)	41 (153.0744)	24 (161.6456)	7 (170.8456)	44 (145.0740)
Jul 16, 2014	Griller's Cup Laramie, WY	13 / 26 (658.1604)	11 (167.9772)	16 (163.4060)	14 (166.2400)	13 (160.5372)
Jun 20, 2014	2nd Annual South Park Kick Ass BBQ Competition Fairplay, CO	13 / 28 (654.2288)	8 (171.4172)	18 (158.8228)	4 (171.4400)	18 (152.5488)
Sep 7, 2013	Sky's the Limit BBQ Classic Garden City, KS	21 / 26 (654.1944)	7 (171.4172)	22 (161.6800)	24 (159.4288)	19 (161.6684)
Sep 6, 2013	Showdown on the Plains BBQ Challenge & Air Show Scott City, KS	25 / 28 (635.8400)	12 (169.1200)	27 (148.5028)	12 (168.5600)	27 (149.6572)
Aug 30, 2013	Smokin' Brew BBQ Parker, CO	23 / 53 (654.1252)	20 (167.4400)	18 (167.3712)	26 (161.0856)	30 (158.2284)
Jul 19, 2013	Griller's Cup Laramie, WY	29 / 33 (605.5544)	31 (153.6456)	21 (158.2744)	28 (155.9772)	31 (137.6572)
Jun 21, 2013	South Park Kick Ass BBQ Competition Fairplay, CO	16 / 23 (626.8568)	22 (150.8572)	12 (161.7144)	14 (161.1428)	15 (153.1424)
Jun 14, 2013	Colorado Barbecue Challenge Frisco, CO	15 / 68 (647.4282)	2 (174.2858)	12 (165.7142)	42 (152)	29 (155.4282)
Apr 26, 2013	Pony Express BBQ Challenge Gothenburg, NE	30 / 47 (619.9998)	35 (149.7144)	15 (164)	32 (154.2854)	34 (152)
Jan 25, 2013	5th Annual Lake Havasu Music Brews & BBQ Championship Lake Havasu City, AZ	64 / 86 (623.9998)	60 (155.4288)	15 (167.4286)	26 (166.2856)	83 (134.8568)

LOS NERDS

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

Purse competed for

State championships

Master avg

Storylines (8 found in their record)

High-water mark

Their season

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

Chicken nemesis

Looking over their shoulder

The long haul

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)