Jul 26–27, 2024 · New Freedom, PA · 📍 1 Playground Alley · State championship
Reps: Bill Jones, Louise Weidner, Robert McKee · Prize money: $9,200
ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN won Grand Champion at the Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 1) on July 26, 2024 in New Freedom, PA at 1 Playground Alley, scoring 693.0512 in a field of 35 teams. BLUE EYED BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 691.9084. Category winners: Chicken — ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN (180.0000); Pork Ribs — QUE U (180.0000); Pork — WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ (176.5600); Brisket — 3 EYZ BBQ (175.4172). The Backyard Series standings were won by Better Half Barbecue with 348.5372. This is the 1st of 8 editions of this contest on record; the next was held in 2024.
Overall totals, every team on the board — tall stacks are where the pack sat.
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
What it has taken to win here, 2024 to 2026 — this edition picked out.
Everything below is read straight out of the results — the number on each card is the one that made it a story.
Closer than 81% of the 4,710 championships in the data
The Grand Championship was decided by 1.1428 points — closer than 81% of every championship in the data.
Master Series — Chicken places 3–4: TOP GUN BARBECUE and GLAZED AND INFUSED NEW JERSEY BBQ tied on 176.5600 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Chicken places 8–9: Menke Boys BBQ and DRILLING & GRILLING tied on 171.9656 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Chicken places 9–10: DRILLING & GRILLING and BLUE & GRAY BBQ tied on 171.9656 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN took the title on 3 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was brisket at 15th.
2 perfect 180s were scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 26, 2024 ← this one | New Freedom, PA | 1 Playground Alley | 35 | 693.0512 | Rooters-N-Tooters TN | BLUE EYED BBQ |
| Jul 27, 2024 | New Freedom, PA | 1 Playground Alley | 32 | 703.9544 | The Fat is Where It's At | WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ |
| Jul 25, 2025 | New Freedom, PA | 1 Playground Alley | 30 | 706.8112 | Piggy & Swine BBQ | HotMess BBQ |
| Jul 26, 2025 | New Freedom, PA | 1 Playground Alley | 27 | 704.5256 | Smokin Hoggz BBQ - MA | OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE |
| Jul 24, 2026 | New Freedom, PA | 1 Playground Alley | 43 | 710.8688 | B's Que | BBQ Maestros |
| Jul 25, 2026 | New Freedom, PA | 1 Playground Alley | 39 | 707.4172 | Boggs Hog BBQ | ELJEFE SMOKE |
| Jul 23, 2027 | New Freedom, PA | — | — | — | — | — |
| Jul 24, 2027 | New Freedom, PA | — | — | — | — | — |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master Series — Chicken | 180 | 175.4172 | 171.9656 |
| Master Series — Pork Ribs | 180 | 173.1200 | 170.2744 |
| Master Series — Pork | 176.5600 | 173.1200 | 170.8228 |
| Master Series — Brisket | 175.4172 | 171.4172 | 169.1084 |
| Backyard Series — Chicken | 179.4400 | 172.5828 | 170.8228 |
| Backyard Series — Pork Ribs | 175.4516 | 171.9656 | 168.5716 |
| Ancillary — Pork | 177.7144 | 166.8228 | — |
35 entries · top 693.0512 · median 667.2800
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN | |
| 2 | BLUE EYED BBQ | |
| 3 | OFF THE RACK BBQ | |
| 4 | QUE U | |
| 5 | WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ | |
| 6 | OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE | |
| 7 | 3 EYZ BBQ | |
| 8 | GLAZED AND INFUSED NEW JERSEY BBQ | |
| 9 | DRILLING & GRILLING | |
| 10 | The Fat is Where It's At | |
| 11 | BEER TIME BBQ | |
| 12 | TOP GUN BARBECUE | |
| 13 | SMOKECRAFT - MD | |
| 14 | Menke Boys BBQ | |
| 15 | SUSQUEHANNA SMOKERS | |
| 16 | HARCO LOCO BBQ | |
| 17 | Meat Monarchy | |
| 18 | SWEET BELLY'S BBQ | |
| 19 | HotMess BBQ | |
| 20 | 4 BOXERS Q | |
| 21 | BLUE & GRAY BBQ | |
| 22 | SMOKESTACK REDEMPTION | |
| 23 | UP IN SMOKERS | |
| 24 | House of Que | |
| 25 | Second Helping BBQ -PA | |
| 26 | Sasquatch Inferno | |
| 27 | JIM'S PEQUEA PULLERS | |
| 28 | The Weenie Wagon | |
| 29 | Palm tree smokehouse | |
| 30 | Buckeye Blue Smoke BBQ | |
| 31 | SmoKEN Meatz | |
| 32 | BBQ Blokes | |
| 33 | Kickin' Ash BBQ | |
| 34 | Them Bones | |
| 35 | Professor Smoke |
35 entries · top 180 · median 167.4056 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN | |
| 2 | BEER TIME BBQ | |
| 3 | TOP GUN BARBECUE | |
| 4 | GLAZED AND INFUSED NEW JERSEY BBQ | |
| 5 | BLUE EYED BBQ | |
| 6 | UP IN SMOKERS | |
| 7 | House of Que | |
| 8 | Menke Boys BBQ | |
| 9 | DRILLING & GRILLING | |
| 10 | BLUE & GRAY BBQ | |
| 11 | SUSQUEHANNA SMOKERS | |
| 12 | SMOKESTACK REDEMPTION | |
| 13 | WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ | |
| 14 | Kickin' Ash BBQ | |
| 15 | 4 BOXERS Q | |
| 16 | OFF THE RACK BBQ | |
| 17 | HARCO LOCO BBQ | |
| 18 | HotMess BBQ | |
| 19 | SWEET BELLY'S BBQ | |
| 20 | QUE U | |
| 21 | OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE | |
| 22 | SmoKEN Meatz | |
| 23 | SMOKECRAFT - MD | |
| 24 | Meat Monarchy | |
| 25 | The Fat is Where It's At | |
| 26 | Sasquatch Inferno | |
| 27 | JIM'S PEQUEA PULLERS | |
| 28 | 3 EYZ BBQ | |
| 29 | Palm tree smokehouse | |
| 30 | Buckeye Blue Smoke BBQ | |
| 31 | Second Helping BBQ -PA | |
| 32 | BBQ Blokes | |
| 33 | The Weenie Wagon | |
| 34 | Professor Smoke | |
| 35 | Them Bones |
35 entries · top 180 · median 166.8344 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | QUE U | |
| 2 | OFF THE RACK BBQ | |
| 3 | The Fat is Where It's At | |
| 4 | ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN | |
| 5 | 3 EYZ BBQ | |
| 6 | SMOKECRAFT - MD | |
| 7 | OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE | |
| 8 | BLUE EYED BBQ | |
| 9 | HotMess BBQ | |
| 10 | BBQ Blokes | |
| 11 | Buckeye Blue Smoke BBQ | |
| 12 | HARCO LOCO BBQ | |
| 13 | SmoKEN Meatz | |
| 14 | SUSQUEHANNA SMOKERS | |
| 15 | Second Helping BBQ -PA | |
| 16 | WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ | |
| 17 | Meat Monarchy | |
| 18 | TOP GUN BARBECUE | |
| 19 | DRILLING & GRILLING | |
| 20 | SWEET BELLY'S BBQ | |
| 21 | GLAZED AND INFUSED NEW JERSEY BBQ | |
| 22 | BEER TIME BBQ | |
| 23 | 4 BOXERS Q | |
| 24 | BLUE & GRAY BBQ | |
| 25 | Menke Boys BBQ | |
| 26 | The Weenie Wagon | |
| 27 | Sasquatch Inferno | |
| 28 | House of Que | |
| 29 | Palm tree smokehouse | |
| 30 | SMOKESTACK REDEMPTION | |
| 31 | UP IN SMOKERS | |
| 32 | JIM'S PEQUEA PULLERS | |
| 33 | Professor Smoke | |
| 34 | Kickin' Ash BBQ | |
| 35 | Them Bones |
35 entries · top 176.5600 · median 167.4060
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ | |
| 2 | OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE | |
| 3 | OFF THE RACK BBQ | |
| 4 | 3 EYZ BBQ | |
| 5 | SMOKECRAFT - MD | |
| 6 | BLUE EYED BBQ | |
| 7 | The Weenie Wagon | |
| 8 | Meat Monarchy | |
| 9 | QUE U | |
| 10 | ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN | |
| 11 | Menke Boys BBQ | |
| 12 | Palm tree smokehouse | |
| 13 | 4 BOXERS Q | |
| 14 | SMOKESTACK REDEMPTION | |
| 15 | HARCO LOCO BBQ | |
| 16 | The Fat is Where It's At | |
| 17 | HotMess BBQ | |
| 18 | Second Helping BBQ -PA | |
| 19 | TOP GUN BARBECUE | |
| 20 | House of Que | |
| 21 | GLAZED AND INFUSED NEW JERSEY BBQ | |
| 22 | BEER TIME BBQ | |
| 23 | DRILLING & GRILLING | |
| 24 | Sasquatch Inferno | |
| 25 | SWEET BELLY'S BBQ | |
| 26 | JIM'S PEQUEA PULLERS | |
| 27 | Them Bones | |
| 28 | UP IN SMOKERS | |
| 29 | SUSQUEHANNA SMOKERS | |
| 30 | Buckeye Blue Smoke BBQ | |
| 31 | BLUE & GRAY BBQ | |
| 32 | SmoKEN Meatz | |
| 33 | Professor Smoke | |
| 34 | BBQ Blokes | |
| 35 | Kickin' Ash BBQ |
35 entries · top 175.4172 · median 163.9312
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 EYZ BBQ | |
| 2 | UP IN SMOKERS | |
| 3 | DRILLING & GRILLING | |
| 4 | BLUE EYED BBQ | |
| 5 | JIM'S PEQUEA PULLERS | |
| 6 | SWEET BELLY'S BBQ | |
| 7 | WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ | |
| 8 | SUSQUEHANNA SMOKERS | |
| 9 | GLAZED AND INFUSED NEW JERSEY BBQ | |
| 10 | OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE | |
| 11 | QUE U | |
| 12 | BLUE & GRAY BBQ | |
| 13 | OFF THE RACK BBQ | |
| 14 | The Fat is Where It's At | |
| 15 | ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN | |
| 16 | BEER TIME BBQ | |
| 17 | Menke Boys BBQ | |
| 18 | HARCO LOCO BBQ | |
| 19 | SMOKESTACK REDEMPTION | |
| 20 | Meat Monarchy | |
| 21 | TOP GUN BARBECUE | |
| 22 | Sasquatch Inferno | |
| 23 | SMOKECRAFT - MD | |
| 24 | 4 BOXERS Q | |
| 25 | The Weenie Wagon | |
| 26 | HotMess BBQ | |
| 27 | Second Helping BBQ -PA | |
| 28 | Palm tree smokehouse | |
| 29 | House of Que | |
| 30 | Buckeye Blue Smoke BBQ | |
| 31 | SmoKEN Meatz | |
| 32 | BBQ Blokes | |
| 33 | Them Bones | |
| 34 | Kickin' Ash BBQ | |
| 35 | Professor Smoke |
38 entries · top 348.5372 · median 332.5198
38 entries · top 179.4400 · median 166.2686
38 entries · top 175.4516 · median 165.1142
9 entries · top 177.7144 · median 166.8228
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | All About the Wood | |
| 2 | Oink N' Doink BBQ | |
| 3 | Bill's Back Yard | |
| 4 | Leaning Jowler BBQ | |
| 5 | Stroked Out Cooking Team | |
| 6 | Phat Whip BBQ | |
| 7 | Estancia | |
| 8 | Broomstick BBQ | |
| 9 | The Swine Doctor's BBQ |
Run by the organizers alongside the sanctioned contest. These are judged on their own terms and do not count toward the overall score, so they're kept out of the meat stats above.
36 entries · top 178.8572 · median 163.0972