RED WAX BBQ

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

Power ranking

#2740

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1512

peak 1517 · rated over 18 contests ⓘ

Contests

in the data

First seen

2013-04-19

latest 2018-08-31

Best ToY finish

#658

Master 2013

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

4 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 18 contests

Avg finish

top 53%

overall standings

Best overall

658.1824 / 720

Master · Shenandoah Valley BBQ Fest

Perfect 180s

Current form

644.23 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 634.43 (+9.80)

Walk rate

50%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

171.9656

Pork Ribs · Sam's Club National BBQ Tour

Consistency

±13.56

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 160.07 · weakest Pork Ribs (157.43)

Road miles

1,330

mi across 18 mapped stops · furthest 139 mi

Schedule strength

28%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1538)

Master avg

634.43 / 720

18 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.

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

PAVONE BROTHERS BBQ has finished one call ahead of RED WAX BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

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 40%.

4 contests
1 overall top-10s
0 category wins
average top 40%

A tough matchup

11–0 behind in the head-to-head

APORKALYPSE NOW ahead in 100% of their meetings

APORKALYPSE NOW has come out ahead in 11 of their 11 shared contests.

A strong matchup

6–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of LYIN' PIGS in 6 of their 6 shared contests.

The comeback

2.1 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 2.1 years, then back at Que & Cruz (2016-09-30).

last seen 2014-08-22
back 2016-09-30

Chicken nemesis

10 of 12 shared chicken entries lost

PAVONE BROTHERS BBQ ahead 83% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, PAVONE BROTHERS BBQ has out-cooked them in 10 of 12 shared chicken entries.

The metronome

±1.88% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.88% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 88.1% of a perfect score
18 contests

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.

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

MAN VS. PIG

#2734 of the rated field

1513 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 8
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 13%
Peak: 1527

0–2 in 2 shared contests (0% to RED WAX BBQ)

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

rated over 8 contests
last seen 2021-06-11

⚔ Head-to-head

Rum Runners BBQ

#2716 of the rated field

1513 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 23
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 13%
Peak: 1515

No shared contest yet.

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 18 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 18 contests
last seen 2026-07-09

⚔ Head-to-head

RED BARN BBQ

#2741 of the rated field

1512 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 18
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 6%
Peak: 1530

No shared contest yet.

Careers of much the same size, 18 contests to 18, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 18 contests
last seen 2019-04-26

⚔ Head-to-head

MAGUIRE UNIVERSITY CULINARY INSTITUTE

#2744 of the rated field

1512 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 19
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1533

No shared contest yet.

19 contests and no Grand Championship yet.

rated over 19 contests
last seen 2019-08-16

⚔ Head-to-head

3 RIVERS BBQ

#2728 of the rated field

1513 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 17
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 6%
Peak: 1520

No shared contest yet.

They turned up 5 years after RED WAX BBQ did, first appearing in 2018.

rated over 17 contests
last seen 2025-07-10

⚔ Head-to-head

PURE SMOKE

#2742 of the rated field

1512 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 20
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 5%
Peak: 1512

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 20 contests
last seen 2026-06-05

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
PAVONE BROTHERS BBQ	12	3	9	25%	⚔ compare
JD'S SMOKIN MISFITS	11	3	8	27%	⚔ compare
APORKALYPSE NOW	11	0	11	0%	⚔ compare
OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE	10	2	8	20%	⚔ compare
FRED VEGAS SMOKERS	10	2	8	20%	⚔ compare
ROCKIN ROBYNS BBQ	10	2	8	20%	⚔ compare
3 EYZ BBQ	10	0	10	0%	⚔ compare
PEPPER MONKEY BBQ	9	3	6	33%	⚔ compare
LIFE IS GOOD BUT BBQ IS BETTER	9	3	6	33%	⚔ compare
ALQUEMY - VA	9	2	7	22%	⚔ compare
CHECKERED FLAG 500 BBQ	9	0	9	0%	⚔ compare
4:20 Q	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
BONE TO BARK BBQ	7	3	4	43%	⚔ compare
HOG-IT-UP BBQ	7	1	6	14%	⚔ compare
Rocks Money Pit BBQ	7	1	6	14%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	18	2	0	170.3084	145.6456	160.07	top 55%
Pork Ribs	18	4	1	171.9656	137.0516	157.43	top 53%
Pork	18	3	2	170.8228	145.7140	158.49	top 55%
Brisket	18	3	1	167.3828	145.6800	158.45	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
VA	9	top 55%
MD	7	top 48%
WV	1	top 73%
PA	1	top 49%

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	8	0	top 55%
Large (40+)	10	0	top 51%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
*Shenandoah Valley BBQ Fest	2	17	top 52%	2017-10-13
Que & Cruz	2	23	top 64%	2016-09-30
Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	2	5	top 29%	2014-08-22
BBQ Jamboree	2	21	top 39%	2014-05-09

The story so far (15 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 5.4 yrs 2013-04-19 → 2018-08-31

Busiest season 2013 9 contests

Contests a season 3.6 across 5 seasons in the data

Cooks most in VA 9 of 18 contests · 4 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 14 4 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 18 entries · 0 wins · 2 calls

Strongest meat Chicken averages 160.07 · weakest Pork Ribs (157.43)

Walk rate 50% a top-10 call in 9 of 18 contests

Overall top-10 rate 6% 1 of 18 contests

Master average 634.43 out of 720 · 18 contests · 0 GCs

Opponents faced 412 390–409 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 1,330 18 mapped stops · furthest 139 mi

Schedule strength 1538 average field rating faced — tougher than 28% of rated contests

Longest layoff 2.1 yrs 2014-08-22 → 2016-09-30

Power rating 1512 peak 1517 · #2740 of 6,413 rated

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

2013
Apr 19 First tracked contest Pork in the Park Barbeque Festival
May 10 First call BBQ Jamboree
Aug 16 First overall past 90% of a perfect score657.5884 Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
2014
Apr 4 10th tracked contest Rockahock's Pickin' and Pullin' Festival
Aug 22 First overall top-10 Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Aug 22 Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)171.9656 Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Aug 22 Peak power rating (1517) Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
2016
Oct 14 Career-best overall score658.1824 Shenandoah Valley BBQ Fest
2018
Aug 31 Most recent contest *West Virginia BBQ Festival (JUDGES FULL)

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+12.8	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	2014-08-22
+5.2	BBQ Jamboree	2013-05-10
+4.5	Central MD Swinetastic BBQ Festival	2013-06-14
+4.4	Shenandoah Valley BBQ Fest	2016-10-14
+4.3	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	2013-08-16

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-7.2	Bluemont BBQ Bash & Blackberry Bonanza	2013-07-26
-6	Que & Cruz	2016-09-30
-4.2	Autumnfest	2013-10-18
-3.1	Beltway BBQ Showdown	2017-06-09
-2.3	3rd Annual High Point BBQ	2013-10-11

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	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2018	1	0	0%	top 73%	88.2%	88.2%
2017	2	0	50%	top 61%	90.1%	89.7%
2016	2	0	50%	top 61%	91.4%	89.9%
2014	4	1	75%	top 40%	91.3%	88.6%
2013	9	0	44%	top 53%	91.3%	87.2%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2018-08-31	*West Virginia BBQ Festival (JUDGES FULL) Ranson, WV	29 / 40 (634.7656)	26 (162.8228)	25 (159.4172)	26 (161.7028)	36 (150.8228)
2017-10-13	*Shenandoah Valley BBQ Fest Woodstock, VA	17 / 30 (649.0632)	16 (162.2628)	11 (166.8344)	23 (158.2516)	13 (161.7144)
2017-06-09	Beltway BBQ Showdown Upper Marlboro, MD	19 / 29 (642.7652)	9 (170.3084)	21 (155.3368)	11 (165.1200)	19 (152.0000)
2016-10-14	Shenandoah Valley BBQ Fest Woodstock, VA	18 / 38 (658.1824)	11 (169.1428)	15 (162.8112)	6 (170.8228)	26 (155.4056)
2016-09-30	Que & Cruz Louisa, VA	23 / 31 (636.3884)	19 (162.2628)	25 (158.8000)	24 (158.8000)	18 (156.5256)
2014-08-22	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Laurel, MD	5 / 29 (657.5196)	20 (158.1940)	2 (171.9656)	2 (167.3828)	13 (159.9772)
2014-08-01	Southern Maryland Brew & BBQ Leonardtown, MD	33 / 59 (630.2400)	39 (158.2400)	7 (171.4856)	38 (154.8344)	43 (145.6800)
2014-05-09	BBQ Jamboree Fredericksburg, VA	27 / 64 (627.8060)	44 (153.6112)	25 (159.4060)	29 (158.8228)	23 (155.9660)
2014-04-04	Rockahock's Pickin' and Pullin' Festival Lanexa, VA	19 / 41 (634.7084)	6 (169.1200)	30 (153.0856)	36 (149.1200)	13 (163.3828)
2013-10-18	Autumnfest Woodstock, VA	27 / 40 (615.8284)	21 (159.3828)	40 (137.0516)	24 (157.7256)	14 (161.6684)
2013-10-11	3rd Annual High Point BBQ Clarksburg, MD	19 / 31 (623.3600)	19 (159.4288)	22 (150.2400)	18 (157.7256)	14 (155.9656)
2013-10-04	Keystone Classic Barbeque Harrisburg, PA	27 / 55 (625.0172)	49 (145.6456)	25 (155.9772)	11 (165.1544)	23 (158.2400)
2013-08-16	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Laurel, MD	12 / 29 (657.5884)	21 (160.5600)	8 (166.2628)	3 (170.8228)	20 (159.9428)
2013-07-26	Bluemont BBQ Bash & Blackberry Bonanza Bluemont, VA	24 / 33 (620.3772)	27 (153.0972)	31 (145.1088)	25 (154.7884)	3 (167.3828)
2013-07-19	Que & Cruz Louisa, VA	24 / 45 (628.4000)	15 (164.5944)	40 (142.7656)	31 (153.6572)	5 (167.3828)
2013-06-14	Central MD Swinetastic BBQ Festival Frederick, MD	23 / 63 (638.2850)	15 (166.2858)	32 (157.7140)	45 (151.4282)	16 (162.8570)
2013-05-10	BBQ Jamboree Fredericksburg, VA	21 / 60 (626.2854)	29 (154.2856)	8 (163.4284)	47 (145.7140)	9 (162.8574)
2013-04-19	Pork in the Park Barbeque Festival Salisbury, MD	60 / 106 (613.1420)	80 (151.9998)	41 (155.9998)	79 (150.8568)	54 (154.2856)

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	#1443 (179 pts)	#1297 (239 pts)	#1432 (199 pts)	#1453 (189 pts)	#1417 (199 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#1580 (161 pts)	#1382 (216 pts)	#1646 (166 pts)	#1341 (236 pts)	#1683 (151 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#1158 (254 pts)	#1647 (154 pts)	#847 (434 pts)	#1033 (329 pts)	#1474 (189 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#658 (469 pts)	#647 (504 pts)	#646 (514 pts)	#752 (444 pts)	#379 (819 pts)