MAKIN BACON BBQ

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

Power ranking

#1831

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1545

peak 1556 · rated over 20 contests ⓘ

Best runs

straight top-10s

Contests

in the data

First seen

2013-07-19

latest 2017-10-06

Best ToY finish

#407

Master 2014

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

4 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 20 contests

Avg finish

top 46%

overall standings

Best overall

665.6804 / 720

Master · 3rd Annual Pickin' N Pullin

Perfect 180s

Current form

643.10 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 638.65 (+4.46)

Walk rate

75%

contests with a top-10 call

Top-10 streak

best run (overall)

Best single call

173.1428

Brisket · Smokin' on the Track BBQ

Consistency

±18.89

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 160.51 · weakest Pork Ribs (158.41)

Road miles

2,236

mi across 20 mapped stops · furthest 133 mi

Schedule strength

23%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1532)

Master avg

638.65 / 720

20 Master contests · 0 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (7 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

75% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 15 of 20 contests

A top-10 category call in 75% of their 20 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

665.6804 career-best overall

92.5% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 665.6804 at 3rd Annual Pickin' N Pullin — 92.5% of a perfect 720.

Master
2016-04-29

Their season

2014 their best year

2014 was the year it came together: 7 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 36%.

7 contests
4 overall top-10s
0 category wins
average top 36%

A tough matchup

12–1 behind in the head-to-head

Rocks Money Pit BBQ ahead in 92% of their meetings

Rocks Money Pit BBQ has come out ahead in 12 of their 13 shared contests.

A strong matchup

11–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 92% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of JAM'N HAMS in 11 of their 12 shared contests.

Chicken nemesis

10 of 13 shared chicken entries lost

Rocks Money Pit BBQ ahead 77% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, Rocks Money Pit BBQ has out-cooked them in 10 of 13 shared chicken entries.

A May team

Top 25% average finish in May

Something about May: average finish in the top 25% across 4 contests, versus top 46% the rest of the year.

4 May contests
top 46% the rest of the year

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.

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

SWEET N SASSY BBQ COMPANY

#1838 of the rated field

1545 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 18
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 17%
Peak: 1545

5–0 in 5 shared contests (100% to MAKIN BACON BBQ)

These two have cooked 5 of the same contests — MAKIN BACON BBQ ahead 5–0 — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.

rated over 18 contests
last seen 2017-10-13

⚔ Head-to-head

56 SMOKEHOUSE

#1841 of the rated field

1545 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 21
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 29%
Peak: 1554

No shared contest yet.

Careers of much the same size, 21 contests to 20, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 21 contests
last seen 2021-09-16

⚔ Head-to-head

1709 BBQ

#1835 of the rated field

1545 ▼ 0 power rating

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

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 21 contests
last seen 2021-08-13

⚔ Head-to-head

LATE NIGHT WHISKEY SMOKERS

#1839 of the rated field

1545 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 29
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 14%
Peak: 1566

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 29 contests
last seen 2018-07-13

⚔ Head-to-head

SMOKIN FYRPIT

#1834 of the rated field

1545 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 13
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 54%
Peak: 1555

No shared contest yet.

Level with MAKIN BACON BBQ on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 13 contests
last seen 2015-07-24

⚔ Head-to-head

MUSIC CITY PIG PALS

#1840 of the rated field

1545 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 36
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 25%
Peak: 1579

No shared contest yet.

They've been 1579 at their best, 34 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 36 contests
last seen 2017-05-19

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
Rocks Money Pit BBQ	13	1	12	8%	⚔ compare
JAM'N HAMS	12	11	1	92%	⚔ compare
Smoke-A-Holics	12	5	7	42%	⚔ compare
WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ	12	1	11	8%	⚔ compare
JD'S SMOKIN MISFITS	11	7	4	64%	⚔ compare
Serial Griller	11	3	8	27%	⚔ compare
OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE	11	2	9	18%	⚔ compare
GRAND SLAM BBQ	10	4	6	40%	⚔ compare
PAVONE BROTHERS BBQ	10	3	7	30%	⚔ compare
FRED VEGAS SMOKERS	9	0	9	0%	⚔ compare
NEW REVOLUTION Q	8	4	4	50%	⚔ compare
2 RHODIES BBQ	7	6	1	86%	⚔ compare
TAR RIVER BBQ	7	5	2	71%	⚔ compare
SULTANS OF SWINE	7	4	3	57%	⚔ compare
3 EYZ BBQ	7	1	6	14%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	20	3	0	0	170.8112	153.6800	160.51	top 50%
Pork Ribs	20	6	0	0	169.1888	137.1316	158.41	top 48%
Pork	20	7	0	1	172.5828	131.3828	159.92	top 45%
Brisket	20	8	2	3	173.1428	134.2060	159.80	top 39%

“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 contest size

Field	Contests	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	1	top 33%
Medium (20–39)	10	top 50%
Large (40+)	9	top 42%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Covington Cork & Pork Festival	2	7	0	top 43%	2015-06-26
BBQ Jamboree	2	7	0	top 20%	2015-05-08

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

On the trail 4.2 yrs 2013-07-19 → 2017-10-06

Busiest season 2014 7 contests

Contests a season 4 across 5 seasons in the data

Cooks most in VA 20 of 20 contests

Contests visited 18 2 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 20 entries · 0 wins · 3 calls

Strongest meat Chicken averages 160.51 · weakest Pork Ribs (158.41)

Walk rate 75% a top-10 call in 15 of 20 contests

Overall top-10 rate 30% 6 of 20 contests

Best top-10 run 3 straight contests

Master average 638.65 out of 720 · 20 contests · 0 GCs

Opponents faced 332 418–299 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 2,236 20 mapped stops · furthest 133 mi

Schedule strength 1532 average field rating faced — tougher than 23% of rated contests

Longest layoff 1.4 yrs 2016-04-29 → 2017-10-06

Power rating 1545 peak 1556 · #1831 of 6,413 rated

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

2013
Jul 19 First tracked contest Que & Cruz
Aug 23 First call Blue Ridge BBQ and Music Festival
Sep 6 First category win (Brisket) Recovery Fest 2013
Sep 6 First overall top-10 Recovery Fest 2013
Sep 20 Career-best single call (Brisket)173.1428 Smokin' on the Track BBQ
2014
May 9 First overall past 90% of a perfect score650.2740 BBQ Jamboree
May 16 First overall podium Chesapeake Jubilee
Jun 27 10th tracked contest Covington Cork & Pork Festival
2016
Apr 29 Career-best overall score665.6804 3rd Annual Pickin' N Pullin
Apr 29 Peak power rating (1556) 3rd Annual Pickin' N Pullin
2017
Oct 6 Most recent contest *Devon Grube Memorial BBQ Classic

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+14.1	Chesapeake Jubilee	2014-05-16
+14	BBQ Jamboree	2014-05-09
+9.8	Covington Cork & Pork Festival	2014-06-27
+7.6	2nd Annual Pickin' N' Pullin BBQ Competition	2015-04-17
+7.5	Recovery Fest 2013	2013-09-06

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-11.6	Blue Ridge BBQ and Music Festival	2013-08-23
-10.6	*Devon Grube Memorial BBQ Classic	2017-10-06
-8	Bluemont BBQ Bash & Blackberry Bonanza	2013-07-26
-5.5	Shenandoah Valley BBQ Fest	2014-10-17
-2.1	Covington Cork & Pork Festival	2015-06-26

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)
2017	1	0	0	100%	top 87%	86.7%	86.7%
2016	1	0	0	100%	top 35%	92.5%	92.5%
2015	5	1	0	100%	top 40%	91.7%	90.1%
2014	7	4	0	57%	top 36%	92.1%	89.4%
2013	6	1	2	67%	top 57%	88.6%	86.4%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2017-10-06	*Devon Grube Memorial BBQ Classic Virginia Beach, VA	20 / 23 (624.4120)	13 (165.1200)	8 (164.5716)	17 (160.5144)	23 (134.2060)
2016-04-29	3rd Annual Pickin' N Pullin Lanexa, VA	17 / 48 (665.6804)	17 (168.5372)	9 (169.1544)	15 (168.5716)	25 (159.4172)
2015-06-26	Covington Cork & Pork Festival Covington, VA	15 / 25 (645.6340)	20 (162.2512)	23 (150.8228)	8 (165.7028)	7 (166.8572)
2015-05-15	Chesapeake Jubilee BBQ Cook-Off Chesapeake, VA	18 / 36 (635.8968)	5 (170.8112)	24 (153.1200)	15 (161.0856)	24 (150.8800)
2015-05-08	BBQ Jamboree Fredericksburg, VA	19 / 65 (643.8856)	30 (163.3828)	27 (161.6684)	9 (168.5600)	47 (150.2744)
2015-04-24	Saltwater Brew 'N' Que Chincoteague, VA	6 / 18 (658.2056)	14 (157.0740)	5 (164.5488)	8 (165.7028)	4 (170.8800)
2015-04-17	2nd Annual Pickin' N' Pullin BBQ Competition Lanexa, VA	13 / 46 (659.9312)	22 (163.9656)	25 (160.5484)	9 (167.9772)	6 (167.4400)
2014-10-17	Shenandoah Valley BBQ Fest Woodstock, VA	27 / 40 (639.9200)	32 (153.6800)	14 (165.7028)	15 (163.4056)	25 (157.1316)
2014-09-05	10th Annual Recovery Fest Richmond, VA	10 / 32 (638.2396)	15 (156.5484)	12 (161.7028)	14 (158.8456)	11 (161.1428)
2014-08-22	VA BBQ Championships Hampton, VA	22 / 43 (618.8340)	9 (162.2400)	37 (137.1316)	17 (160.0112)	18 (159.4512)
2014-06-27	Covington Cork & Pork Festival Covington, VA	7 / 26 (662.9256)	19 (160.5828)	7 (169.1888)	2 (172.5828)	16 (160.5712)
2014-05-16	Chesapeake Jubilee Chesapeake, VA	3 / 32 (663.4056)	11 (159.4284)	4 (166.8688)	4 (168.5600)	2 (168.5484)
2014-05-09	BBQ Jamboree Fredericksburg, VA	7 / 64 (650.2740)	7 (166.8456)	18 (161.7028)	8 (166.2972)	25 (155.4284)
2014-04-04	Rockahock's Pickin' and Pullin' Festival Lanexa, VA	22 / 41 (631.3024)	23 (159.9540)	28 (153.1200)	18 (159.9428)	16 (158.2856)
2013-10-18	Autumnfest Woodstock, VA	22 / 40 (627.3372)	13 (162.2856)	31 (149.0860)	29 (153.0628)	10 (162.9028)
2013-09-20	Smokin' on the Track BBQ Shenandoah, VA	11 / 26 (635.9088)	18 (155.3828)	13 (159.4288)	24 (147.9544)	1 (173.1428)
2013-09-06	Recovery Fest 2013 Richmond, VA	9 / 28 (629.1428)	16 (154.8112)	9 (158.8688)	15 (151.4056)	1 (164.0572)
2013-08-23	Blue Ridge BBQ and Music Festival Harrisonburg, VA	25 / 28 (585.0516)	14 (154.8000)	22 (143.9772)	28 (131.3828)	9 (154.8916)
2013-07-26	Bluemont BBQ Bash & Blackberry Bonanza Bluemont, VA	25 / 33 (618.7428)	16 (157.7484)	12 (158.8572)	33 (145.0400)	17 (157.0972)
2013-07-19	Que & Cruz Louisa, VA	21 / 45 (638.1828)	31 (154.8456)	22 (158.2172)	12 (161.7028)	12 (163.4172)

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	#2135 (73 pts)	#2005 (108 pts)	#1707 (143 pts)	#2109 (88 pts)	#2802 (58 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#2037 (100 pts)	#2124 (100 pts)	#1737 (145 pts)	#2061 (110 pts)	#2345 (60 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#650 (563 pts)	#751 (493 pts)	#869 (413 pts)	#565 (683 pts)	#581 (648 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#407 (929 pts)	#490 (789 pts)	#472 (849 pts)	#337 (1064 pts)	#455 (834 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#575 (540 pts)	#550 (590 pts)	#562 (590 pts)	#710 (470 pts)	#280 (1065 pts)