QIS - QUALITY IN SMOKE

QIS - QUALITY IN SMOKE is a competition barbecue team with 41 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2016 and 2026. Their best overall finish is 3rd of 16 at the Jesse James Barbeque Cook Out (2021). They are ranked #4519 of 6,485 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#4,519

of 6,485 rated · rankings

Rating

1473

peak 1527 · rated over 41 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Apr 8, 2016

latest May 8, 2026 · 10.1 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#347

Master 2021 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

3 podiums

Overall top-10s

7% of 41 contests

Avg finish

top 63%

overall standings

Best overall

688.4912 / 720

Master · Jesse James Barbeque Cook Out

Perfect 180s

Current form

662.53 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 658.15 (+4.38)

Walk rate

46%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

177.7372

Pork Ribs · Cedar Fest BBQ Cookoff

Consistency

±14.36

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork Ribs

avg 166.17 · weakest Pork (163.77)

Road miles

15,520

across 41 mapped stops · furthest 635 mi

Schedule strength

66%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1583)

Purse competed for

$227K

listed at 23 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 26 state-championship entries

Master avg

658.15 / 720

41 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (10 found in their record)

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

High-water mark

688.4912 career-best overall

95.6% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 688.4912 at Jesse James Barbeque Cook Out — 95.6% of a perfect 720.

Master
Sep 17, 2021

Their season

2019 their best year

2019 was the year it came together: 6 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 45%.

6 contests
1 overall top-10
0 category wins
average top 45%

A tough matchup

16–0 behind in the head-to-head

SLAPS BBQ ahead in 100% of their meetings

SLAPS BBQ has come out ahead in 16 of their 16 shared contests.

A strong matchup

6–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of PAPPO'S BBQ in 6 of their 6 shared contests.

The comeback

1.6 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 1.6 years, then back at Cedar Fest BBQ Cookoff (Mar 28, 2025).

last seen Sep 8, 2023
back Mar 28, 2025

Pork Ribs nemesis

15 of 16 shared pork ribs entries lost

SLAPS BBQ ahead 94% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, SLAPS BBQ has out-cooked them in 15 of 16 shared pork ribs entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

LA PASADITA has landed one call behind them 2 times.

Show 3 more storylines

An April team

Top 47% average finish in April

Something about April: average finish in the top 47% across 6 contests, versus top 63% the rest of the year.

6 April contests
top 63% the rest of the year

The long haul

15,520 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 15,520 miles across 41 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 635 miles to Cedar Fest BBQ Cook-Off.

41 mapped stops
furthest 635 mi

The metronome

±1.99% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.99% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 91.4% of a perfect score
41 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
2026 ↗	Master	#491 (338 pts)	#520 (368 pts)	#587 (323 pts)	#542 (318 pts)	#456 (413 pts)
2025 ↗	Master	#692 (200 pts)	#729 (225 pts)	#589 (350 pts)	#774 (180 pts)	#774 (180 pts)
2023 ↗	Master	#559 (313 pts)	#654 (273 pts)	#514 (453 pts)	#648 (263 pts)	#571 (318 pts)
2022 ↗	Master	#657 (270 pts)	#619 (320 pts)	#729 (270 pts)	#635 (310 pts)	#381 (625 pts)
2021 ↗	Master	#347 (550 pts)	#381 (520 pts)	#451 (465 pts)	#365 (555 pts)	#271 (740 pts)
2020 ↗	Master	#856 (60 pts)	#874 (70 pts)	#913 (60 pts)	#899 (60 pts)	#883 (60 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#589 (555 pts)	#297 (1,020 pts)	#720 (465 pts)	#745 (435 pts)	#632 (535 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#1041 (260 pts)	#948 (335 pts)	#1036 (300 pts)	#1028 (295 pts)	#994 (300 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#709 (531 pts)	#693 (581 pts)	#579 (696 pts)	#666 (621 pts)	#803 (481 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#1522 (174 pts)	#1581 (179 pts)	#1161 (289 pts)	#1623 (174 pts)	#1383 (219 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to QIS - QUALITY IN SMOKE, each with one reason worth a look.

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

SASSY'S BBQ

#4,511 of the rated field

1473 power rating

Contests: 8
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 13%
Peak: 1473

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to QIS - QUALITY IN SMOKE)

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

rated over 8 contests
last seen May 12, 2023

⚔ Head-to-head

SPARKY'S BBQ

#4,530 of the rated field

1472 power rating

Contests: 7
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1503

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to QIS - QUALITY IN SMOKE)

They've been 1503 at their best, 30 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 7 contests
last seen Jun 4, 2021

⚔ Head-to-head

THE Q

#4,512 of the rated field

1473 power rating

Contests: 6
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 17%
Peak: 1473

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to QIS - QUALITY IN SMOKE)

Their last contest in the data was back in 2021, 5 years before QIS - QUALITY IN SMOKE's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 6 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

MEAT YOUR MAKERS

#4,545 of the rated field

1472 power rating

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

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to QIS - QUALITY IN SMOKE)

Fewer contests behind them than QIS - QUALITY IN SMOKE has cooked, 6 to 41, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.

rated over 5 contests
last seen Aug 26, 2022

⚔ Head-to-head

PORK AVENUE

#4,499 of the rated field

1473 power rating

Contests: 45
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 7%
Peak: 1520

45 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 7% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 45 contests
last seen Sep 26, 2025

⚔ Compare careers

CAROLINA SMOKE

#4,528 of the rated field

1472 power rating

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

Level with QIS - QUALITY IN SMOKE on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 36 contests
last seen May 17, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
SLAPS BBQ	16	0	16	0%	⚔ compare
MAN MEAT BBQ	12	1	11	8%	⚔ compare
GETTIN' SAUCED	11	1	10	9%	⚔ compare
GETTIN' BASTED	11	0	11	0%	⚔ compare
DIRT ROAD BBQ	11	0	11	0%	⚔ compare
SIX BUTT BBQ	10	1	9	10%	⚔ compare
HIGH i QUE	10	0	10	0%	⚔ compare
LA PASADITA	9	2	7	22%	⚔ compare
ALL FORKED UP FOR Q	9	1	8	11%	⚔ compare
ACES HIGH BBQ	9	0	9	0%	⚔ compare
IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
LUCKY 19 SAUCE COMPANY	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
RUB MY RACK	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
SHIGGIN & GRINNIN	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
MACHETE BOYS BBQ	7	2	5	29%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	41	8	0	2	177.7372	147.3828	164.10	top 61%
Pork Ribs	41	6	0	0	177.7372	157.0856	166.17	top 54%
Pork	41	3	0	0	173.7028	152.5484	163.77	top 63%
Brisket	41	6	1	1	177.7028	148.4912	164.12	top 54%

“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 19%
Medium (20–39)	16	top 75%
Large (40+)	24	top 56%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
MO	11	top 60%
KS	10	top 68%
MN	7	top 81%
TX	6	top 35%
WI	4	top 61%
OK	3	top 72%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Cedar Fest BBQ Cook Off	4	9	top 34%	Apr 10, 2026
Border War Barbeque	4	22	top 73%	Oct 21, 2022
Minnesota in May	3	41	top 86%	May 8, 2026
Puckaway Pigfest	3	20	top 68%	Sep 5, 2025
Cedar Fest BBQ Cookoff	2	10	top 38%	Mar 28, 2025
Jesse James Barbeque Cook Out	2	3	top 47%	Sep 17, 2021
Smoke Out Hunger BBQ Challenge	2	13	top 34%	Jun 7, 2019
Mankato Cookout (Day 2)	2	34	top 86%	Jun 9, 2018
The Best Damn BBQ Contest at Smithville Lake	2	36	top 69%	Apr 7, 2017

More numbers

Busiest season 2017 7 contests

Contests a season 4.1 across 10 seasons in the data

Most contests held in MO 11 of 41 contests · 6 states in all

Contests visited 26 9 of them more than once

Opponents faced 1,057 finished ahead 696 times, behind 1,224

Longest layoff 1.6 yrs Sep 8, 2023 → Mar 28, 2025

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

20261 milestone

May 8 Most recent contest Minnesota in May

20231 milestone

Mar 31 Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)177.7372 Cedar Fest BBQ Cookoff

20221 milestone

Apr 1 First category win (Brisket) Cedar Fest BBQ Cook-Off

20213 milestones

Aug 6 25th tracked contest Laurie Hillbilly BBQ
Sep 17 First overall podium Jesse James Barbeque Cook Out
Sep 17 Career-best overall score688.4912 Jesse James Barbeque Cook Out

20192 milestones

Apr 5 First overall top-10 Cedar Fest BBQ Cook-Off
Aug 23 Peak power rating (1527) Big Island BBQ

20172 milestones

May 19 First overall past 90% of a perfect score649.6344 22nd Annual Platte City BBQ Cook Off at Basswood Resort
Oct 27 10th tracked contest Border War Barbeque

20162 milestones

Apr 8 First tracked contest The Best Damn BBQ Contest at Smithville Lake
Jun 3 First call Smokin' on the Summit BBQ

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+13.4	Cedar Fest BBQ Cook-Off	Apr 5, 2019
+12.8	Jesse James Barbeque Cook Out	Sep 17, 2021
+11.9	Cedar Fest BBQ Cookoff	Mar 31, 2023
+10.2	Smoke Out Hunger BBQ Challenge	Jun 7, 2019
+8.2	Racing for the BBQ	Jul 27, 2018

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-11.5	Que' For a Cause	Aug 4, 2023
-11.1	Happy Basset 3rd Annual BBQ Competition	Jun 30, 2023
-11	Minnesota in May	May 9, 2025
-10.5	Minnesota in May	May 8, 2026
-10.1	KTD Smokin' Gobbler Cook-off	Jul 16, 2021

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)
2026	2	0	0	50%	top 67%	94.7%	93%
2025	3	0	0	33%	top 70%	92.4%	91.4%
2023	5	1	0	20%	top 71%	95.5%	90.9%
2022	4	0	1	75%	top 62%	92.6%	91.8%
2021	6	1	0	50%	top 62%	95.6%	92%
2020	1	0	0	0%	top 83%	91.6%	91.6%
2019	6	1	0	83%	top 45%	94.4%	93%
2018	4	0	0	25%	top 63%	92.4%	91.5%
2017	7	0	0	43%	top 61%	93.4%	90.3%
2016	3	0	0	33%	top 73%	89%	88.6%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
May 8, 2026	Minnesota in May 🏅 St. Peter, MN	75 / 77 (656.9940)	52 (169.6684)	68 (163.3828)	46 (169.1428)	74 (154.8000)
Apr 10, 2026	Cedar Fest BBQ Cook Off 🏅 Cedar Park, TX	15 / 41 (681.7256)	10 (173.7028)	28 (161.7028)	14 (170.2972)	7 (176.0228)
Sep 5, 2025	Puckaway Pigfest 🏅 Montello, WI	21 / 35 (664.9600)	21 (166.2400)	4 (175.4172)	25 (162.7884)	27 (160.5144)
May 9, 2025	Minnesota in May 🏅 St. Peter, MN	53 / 58 (658.7772)	46 (165.1200)	36 (167.4172)	57 (158.2516)	34 (167.9884)
Mar 28, 2025	Cedar Fest BBQ Cookoff 🏅 Cedar Park, TX	28 / 48 (650.2052)	20 (169.1428)	21 (168.5828)	42 (152.5484)	27 (159.9312)
Sep 8, 2023	Puckaway Pigfest 🏅 Montello, WI	20 / 28 (636.4796)	20 (157.7256)	23 (157.0856)	15 (162.2628)	18 (159.4056)
Aug 4, 2023	Que' For a Cause Tahlequah, OK	36 / 36 (643.8172)	35 (156.5372)	18 (169.6800)	35 (156.5028)	33 (161.0972)
Jun 30, 2023	Happy Basset 3rd Annual BBQ Competition 🏅 Topeka, KS	32 / 33 (642.7772)	32 (147.3828)	21 (169.7144)	31 (158.2628)	24 (167.4172)
May 12, 2023	Minnesota in May 🏅 St. Peter, MN	41 / 59 (662.8116)	53 (159.4172)	23 (169.1200)	34 (166.2972)	24 (167.9772)
Mar 31, 2023	Cedar Fest BBQ Cookoff 🏅 Cedar Park, TX	10 / 57 (687.9424)	18 (169.6912)	4 (177.7372)	20 (169.6912)	11 (170.8228)
Oct 21, 2022	Border War Barbeque 🏅 Osawatomie, KS	22 / 30 (659.8624)	11 (171.9884)	24 (164.5372)	29 (155.9540)	19 (167.3828)
Sep 9, 2022	Puckaway Pigfest 🏅 Montello, WI	28 / 38 (651.3256)	33 (157.1084)	29 (161.1200)	29 (161.6800)	8 (171.4172)
May 6, 2022	Bixby BBQ'N Blues Festival 🏅 Bixby, OK	22 / 38 (666.7772)	27 (161.1428)	19 (165.6800)	10 (173.7028)	17 (166.2516)
Apr 1, 2022	Cedar Fest BBQ Cook-Off 🏅 Cedar Park, TX	24 / 56 (666.1828)	22 (167.3944)	34 (162.2628)	39 (158.8228)	1 (177.7028)
Oct 22, 2021	Border War Barbeque 🏅 Osawatomie, KS	25 / 30 (645.6684)	26 (158.8228)	25 (164.0228)	23 (161.7028)	25 (161.1200)
Sep 17, 2021	Jesse James Barbeque Cook Out 🏅 Kearney, MO	3 / 16 (688.4912)	4 (172.5484)	5 (170.8228)	8 (169.7028)	4 (175.4172)
Aug 6, 2021	Laurie Hillbilly BBQ 🏅 Laurie, MO	20 / 26 (665.6112)	23 (159.9772)	22 (161.6684)	12 (171.9656)	6 (172)
Jul 16, 2021	KTD Smokin' Gobbler Cook-off 🏅 Worthington, MN	31 / 33 (648.4912)	33 (158.8340)	31 (161.6800)	15 (169.7372)	31 (158.2400)
Jun 4, 2021	Cedar Fest BBQ Cook-off 🏅 Cedar Park, TX	20 / 48 (662.7652)	31 (161.7028)	28 (163.3712)	23 (166.8456)	4 (170.8456)
May 7, 2021	Bixby Rotary BBQ'N Blues Festival 🏅 Bixby, OK	31 / 53 (664.4680)	18 (173.1428)	27 (167.4056)	32 (163.3940)	31 (160.5256)
Sep 26, 2020	West Bottoms Cameron BBQ Contest 🏅 Cameron, MO	30 / 36 (659.3028)	23 (168)	28 (165.0856)	29 (163.9772)	31 (162.2400)
Oct 25, 2019	Border War Barbeque 🏅 Osawatomie, KS	34 / 44 (654.7772)	41 (157.6800)	34 (162.2744)	30 (163.9656)	17 (170.8572)
Aug 23, 2019	Big Island BBQ 🏅 Alberta Lea, MN	20 / 50 (668.5484)	2 (175.4400)	19 (166.2856)	30 (165.6800)	24 (161.1428)
Jul 5, 2019	Johnson County BBQ Challenge 🏅 Warrensburg, MO	20 / 37 (666.8000)	13 (169.7372)	10 (170.2628)	27 (162.2744)	17 (164.5256)
Jun 7, 2019	Smoke Out Hunger BBQ Challenge 🏅 Kansas City, KS	13 / 46 (679.9316)	5 (174.8688)	25 (167.4172)	20 (167.9656)	12 (169.6800)
May 10, 2019	Grasshopper '19 🏅 DeSoto, KS	29 / 53 (672.4684)	10 (176.0228)	31 (166.2400)	37 (165.0856)	35 (165.1200)
Apr 5, 2019	Cedar Fest BBQ Cook-Off 🏅 Cedar Park, TX	9 / 61 (677.0856)	2 (177.7372)	27 (164.5372)	15 (169.1428)	20 (165.6684)
Jul 27, 2018	Racing for the BBQ Lee's Summit, MO	21 / 66 (663.3368)	8 (170.8456)	27 (163.9772)	30 (163.9884)	23 (164.5256)
Jun 9, 2018	Mankato Cookout (Day 2) Mankato, MN	40 / 42 (646.7544)	40 (160.5716)	23 (167.4056)	42 (153.0972)	30 (165.6800)
Jun 8, 2018	Mankato Cookout (Day 1) Mankato, MN	34 / 44 (659.9544)	40 (157.6800)	15 (172.0116)	24 (169.1772)	36 (161.0856)
Apr 13, 2018	The Best Dam BBQ Contest at Smithville Lake Smithville, MO	25 / 51 (665.0400)	39 (159.9888)	27 (166.2628)	15 (170.2628)	15 (168.5256)
Oct 27, 2017	Border War Barbeque Osawatomie, KS	26 / 46 (672.5256)	21 (170.8456)	18 (169.1544)	35 (162.2628)	18 (170.2628)
Sep 15, 2017	Jesse James Barbeque Cook Out Kearney, MO	28 / 37 (637.0740)	35 (150.8340)	30 (160.5372)	10 (170.2972)	26 (155.4056)
Aug 4, 2017	Badger Brews & Que Port Washington, WI	12 / 30 (646.7996)	14 (165.1428)	4 (168.5484)	15 (160.0228)	23 (153.0856)
Jul 14, 2017	Wolf Creek Wildblue BBQ Burlington, KS	21 / 26 (635.2796)	24 (154.2284)	14 (162.2972)	14 (166.2512)	23 (152.5028)
Jun 9, 2017	Smoke Out Hunger BBQ Challenge Kansas City, KS	17 / 42 (668.5144)	8 (174.2628)	22 (165.7372)	18 (167.4172)	23 (161.0972)
May 19, 2017	22nd Annual Platte City BBQ Cook Off at Basswood Resort Platte City, MO	39 / 59 (649.6344)	52 (157.7028)	27 (167.4172)	52 (157.1316)	23 (167.3828)
Apr 7, 2017	The Best Damn BBQ Contest at Smithville Lake Smithville, MO	38 / 54 (639.8968)	40 (160.5712)	18 (169.7144)	37 (161.1200)	48 (148.4912)
Aug 5, 2016	Rossville Tall Corn Festival BBQ Contest Rossville, KS	25 / 29 (634.1020)	24 (157.6912)	22 (157.6456)	27 (155.9540)	16 (162.8112)
Jun 3, 2016	Smokin' on the Summit BBQ Lee's Summit, MO	43 / 67 (639.2112)	52 (154.8000)	8 (173.1200)	43 (161.1084)	55 (150.1828)
Apr 8, 2016	The Best Damn BBQ Contest at Smithville Lake Smithville, MO	36 / 53 (640.9824)	49 (155.9884)	24 (164.5372)	42 (158.7768)	31 (161.6800)

QIS - QUALITY IN SMOKE

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 (10 found in their record)

High-water mark

Their season

A tough matchup

A strong matchup

The comeback

Pork Ribs nemesis

Looking over their shoulder

An April 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)