The Ironman
2024-04-05 – 2024-04-06 · Seven Valleys, PA · 📍 35 Main St. · State championship
Reps: LOUISE WEIDNER, ROBERT MCKEE · Prize money: $4,500.00
Grand Champion: Chunky BBQ (693.0856) · 21 teams
Reserve Champion: 🥈 OFF THE RACK BBQ
Entries
21
4 judged meats
Top score
693.0856
Winning margin
8.5712
GC over RC
Field average
650.35
median 659.31
Perfect 180s
0
Tightest race
Pork Ribs
4.5828 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
659.3256
10th place overall
Field spread
128.0908
winner to last place
Prize money
$4,500.00
on the line
Double threats
6
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 78%
beats 22% of 1951 Master Series wins in the data
Traveled in
38%
of the 21 teams with a home region came from outside PA
Came back for more
33%
10 of 30 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Moderate
ρ = -0.42 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1520
avg power rating going in · stronger than 24% of contests
Storylines
💪 A statement win
The champion won by 8.5712 points — a wider margin than 85% of championships in the data.
🧳 Out-of-towners took the title
CHUNKY BBQ took the Grand Championship home to NJ.
🧹 A double category winner
CHUNKY BBQ won Chicken, Pork — a double, and took the Grand Championship on top of it.
📸 Photo finishes
Pork Ribs places 9–10: Backwooder BBQ and UNCLE PIG'S BARBEQUE PIT tied on 166.2744 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork places 1–2: CHUNKY BBQ and OFF THE RACK BBQ tied on 177.7028 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 2–3: Broomstick BBQ edged UNCLE PIG'S BARBEQUE PIT by 0.0116.
🛡️ Back to defend
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: Off The Rack BBQ (won 2023).
Score curves (score by finishing position — steep cliffs mean a spread field, flat lines a knife fight)
Category showdown (top / average / median score per meat)
Score distribution
Biggest rating movers (power-rating points won and lost at this contest)
Did form hold? (pre-contest rating vs overall finish — ratings called it if the dots climb to the right)
Where the field came from (home regions on file)
This contest over the years full contest page →
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-04-03 | Shady Grove, PA 17256 | 48 | 689.0972 | 270 SMOKERS | 3 EYZ BBQ | |
| 2016-04-01 | 1542 Buchanan Trail East | 54 | 694.7884 | 3 EYZ BBQ | BROWN LIQUOR BBQ | |
| 2017-03-31 | 1546 Buchanan Trail East | 59 | 683.9544 | DRILLING & GRILLING | THE BBQ GURU | |
| 2018-04-06 | 1546 Buchanan Trail East | 60 | 700.0116 | ROCKIN ROBYNS BBQ | 3 EYZ BBQ | |
| 2019-04-05 | Greencastle, PA | 1542 Buchanan Trail East | 42 | 686.2056 | WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ | PIGGIN' WHISKEY |
| 2021-04-09 | Greencastle, PA | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2023-04-07 | Greencastle, PA | 1546 Buchanan Trail East | 30 | 702.8460 | Off The Rack BBQ | CHUNKY BBQ |
| 2024-04-05 ← this one | Seven Valleys, PA | 35 Main St. | 21 | 693.0856 | Chunky BBQ | OFF THE RACK BBQ |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 177.1544 | 170.8228 | 162.8344 |
| Pork Ribs | 176.5716 | 171.9888 | 166.2744 |
| Pork | 177.7028 | 172.0000 | 162.8112 |
| Brisket | 179.4400 | 168.5256 | 162.8228 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
21 entries · top 693.0856 · median 659.3140
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | CHUNKY BBQ | |
| 2 | OFF THE RACK BBQ | |
| 3 | UNCLE PIG'S BARBEQUE PIT | |
| 4 | BEER TIME BBQ | |
| 5 | BAR-B-QUE MAYHAM | |
| 6 | PHILLY BLIND PIG BBQ | |
| 7 | SOUTHERN Q COMPETITION COOK TEAM | |
| 8 | NEANDERTHAL Q | |
| 9 | 4 BOXERS Q | |
| 10 | Broomstick BBQ | |
| 11 | Backwooder BBQ | |
| 12 | SOUTH BOWIE SMOKE | |
| 13 | Menke Boys BBQ | |
| 14 | Bill's Back Yard | |
| 15 | War Pigs | |
| 16 | Whiskey Damage BBQ | |
| 17 | Smokin Heart BBQ | |
| 18 | Hair of the Hog | |
| 19 | Bottom of the Barrel | |
| 20 | Tower of Smoke BBQ | |
| 21 | Professor Smoke |
Chicken
21 entries · top 177.1544 · median 161.7028
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | CHUNKY BBQ | |
| 2 | Broomstick BBQ | |
| 3 | UNCLE PIG'S BARBEQUE PIT | |
| 4 | Backwooder BBQ | |
| 5 | PHILLY BLIND PIG BBQ | |
| 6 | SOUTHERN Q COMPETITION COOK TEAM | |
| 7 | BAR-B-QUE MAYHAM | |
| 8 | SOUTH BOWIE SMOKE | |
| 9 | OFF THE RACK BBQ | |
| 10 | Bottom of the Barrel | |
| 11 | 4 BOXERS Q | |
| 12 | BEER TIME BBQ | |
| 13 | War Pigs | |
| 14 | Tower of Smoke BBQ | |
| 15 | Hair of the Hog | |
| 16 | Bill's Back Yard | |
| 17 | NEANDERTHAL Q | |
| 18 | Menke Boys BBQ | |
| 19 | Smokin Heart BBQ | |
| 20 | Whiskey Damage BBQ | |
| 21 | Professor Smoke |
Pork Ribs
21 entries · top 176.5716 · median 165.6800
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | OFF THE RACK BBQ | |
| 2 | NEANDERTHAL Q | |
| 3 | CHUNKY BBQ | |
| 4 | BEER TIME BBQ | |
| 5 | SOUTH BOWIE SMOKE | |
| 6 | War Pigs | |
| 7 | Whiskey Damage BBQ | |
| 8 | PHILLY BLIND PIG BBQ | |
| 9 | Backwooder BBQ | |
| 10 | UNCLE PIG'S BARBEQUE PIT | |
| 11 | Broomstick BBQ | |
| 12 | SOUTHERN Q COMPETITION COOK TEAM | |
| 13 | 4 BOXERS Q | |
| 14 | BAR-B-QUE MAYHAM | |
| 15 | Smokin Heart BBQ | |
| 16 | Bill's Back Yard | |
| 17 | Bottom of the Barrel | |
| 18 | Hair of the Hog | |
| 19 | Menke Boys BBQ | |
| 20 | Tower of Smoke BBQ | |
| 21 | Professor Smoke |
Pork
21 entries · top 177.7028 · median 162.2512
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | CHUNKY BBQ | |
| 2 | OFF THE RACK BBQ | |
| 3 | Menke Boys BBQ | |
| 4 | 4 BOXERS Q | |
| 5 | PHILLY BLIND PIG BBQ | |
| 6 | BEER TIME BBQ | |
| 7 | UNCLE PIG'S BARBEQUE PIT | |
| 8 | NEANDERTHAL Q | |
| 9 | SOUTHERN Q COMPETITION COOK TEAM | |
| 10 | Backwooder BBQ | |
| 11 | Broomstick BBQ | |
| 12 | BAR-B-QUE MAYHAM | |
| 13 | Whiskey Damage BBQ | |
| 14 | Smokin Heart BBQ | |
| 15 | SOUTH BOWIE SMOKE | |
| 16 | Bill's Back Yard | |
| 17 | War Pigs | |
| 18 | Tower of Smoke BBQ | |
| 19 | Hair of the Hog | |
| 20 | Bottom of the Barrel | |
| 21 | Professor Smoke |
Brisket
21 entries · top 179.4400 · median 162.8000
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BAR-B-QUE MAYHAM | |
| 2 | BEER TIME BBQ | |
| 3 | Bill's Back Yard | |
| 4 | UNCLE PIG'S BARBEQUE PIT | |
| 5 | NEANDERTHAL Q | |
| 6 | SOUTHERN Q COMPETITION COOK TEAM | |
| 7 | 4 BOXERS Q | |
| 8 | PHILLY BLIND PIG BBQ | |
| 9 | CHUNKY BBQ | |
| 10 | OFF THE RACK BBQ | |
| 11 | Menke Boys BBQ | |
| 12 | War Pigs | |
| 13 | Backwooder BBQ | |
| 14 | SOUTH BOWIE SMOKE | |
| 15 | Hair of the Hog | |
| 16 | Broomstick BBQ | |
| 17 | Whiskey Damage BBQ | |
| 18 | Professor Smoke | |
| 19 | Smokin Heart BBQ | |
| 20 | Bottom of the Barrel | |
| 21 | Tower of Smoke BBQ |