Smoke N for the Kids
2024-08-17 – 2024-08-18 · Troy, IL · 📍 410 Wickliffe · State championship
Reps: CHARLIE BRINZA, DAVID BURSTEIN · Prize money: $10,000.00
Grand Champion: Rusty Pig BBQ (707.4288) · 27 teams
Reserve Champion: 🥈 TRIPLE H BBQ
Entries
27
6 judged meats
Top score
707.4288
Winning margin
5.7604
GC over RC
Field average
674.46
median 679.31
Perfect 180s
4 🔥
RUSTY PIG BBQ (Chicken), ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN (Chicken), ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN (Pork), MEAT ME IN ST. LOUIS (Pork Ribs)
Tightest race
Brisket
1.7372 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
685.0168
10th place overall
Field spread
209.8404
winner to last place
Prize money
$10,000.00
on the line
Double threats
6
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 12%
beats 88% of 1951 Master Series wins in the data
Traveled in
46%
of the 48 teams with a home region came from outside IL
Form held
Moderate
ρ = -0.52 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1598
avg power rating going in · stronger than 90% of contests
Storylines
🔥 A day of perfect scores
4 perfect 180s were scored at this contest.
📸 Photo finishes
Master Series — Chicken places 1–2: RUSTY PIG BBQ and ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN tied on 180.0000 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Chicken places 3–4: COMING IN HOT STL and HEFTY LEFTY BBQ tied on 177.7028 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Chicken places 5–6: Heavy Smoke BBQ and SmokinGhost BBQ tied on 176.5600 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
🏟️ A stacked field
The field averaged a 1598 power rating going in — stronger than 90% of every contest tracked.
🃏 An upset on the books
Rusty Pig BBQ came in rated below the field's top team, JANKY LEG BBQ, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 17-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-08-17 ← this one | Troy, IL | 410 Wickliffe | 27 | 707.4288 | Rusty Pig BBQ | TRIPLE H BBQ |
| 2025-08-16 | Troy, IL | 410 Wickliffe | 32 | 708.5600 | Take It Easy BBQ | Eleven Thirteen Q |
| 2026-08-14 | Troy, IL | 410 Wickliffe | 26 | 701.6456 | 1Bite Stand | Scuffletown Smokers |
| 2026-08-15 | Troy, IL | 410 Wickliffe | 32 | 705.0972 | Janky Leg BBQ | Scuffletown Smokers |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master Series — Chicken | 180.0000 | 176.5600 | 173.7144 |
| Master Series — Pork Ribs | 180.0000 | 175.4056 | 171.9656 |
| Master Series — Pork | 180.0000 | 176.5944 | 174.2628 |
| Master Series — Brisket | 178.2972 | 176.5600 | 170.8572 |
| Backyard Series — Chicken | 174.2628 | 170.8228 | 166.2400 |
| Backyard Series — Pork Ribs | 178.8572 | 167.3828 | 165.1428 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
27 entries · top 707.4288 · median 679.3144
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | RUSTY PIG BBQ | |
| 2 | TRIPLE H BBQ | |
| 3 | Mulkey's BBQ | |
| 4 | MEAT ME IN ST. LOUIS | |
| 5 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 6 | ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN | |
| 7 | JANKY LEG BBQ | |
| 8 | DANG GOOD BBQ | |
| 9 | Eleven Thirteen Q | |
| 10 | FIREHOUSE SMOKE | |
| 11 | LOCAL YOKELS BBQ | |
| 12 | Heavy Smoke BBQ | |
| 13 | T-Squared BBQ | |
| 14 | COMING IN HOT STL | |
| 15 | Take It Easy BBQ | |
| 16 | Can Country Outlaw BBQ | |
| 17 | SMOKE THIS BBQ MO | |
| 18 | MISSOURI PITFIRE | |
| 19 | TWISTED PIG | |
| 20 | Code 3 Spices | |
| 21 | Bourbon Barrel Barbecue | |
| 22 | The Burnt Crow | |
| 23 | HEFTY LEFTY BBQ | |
| 24 | DB BBQ | |
| 25 | OWENSBORO PORK PULLERS | |
| 26 | Bleed Blue BBQ | |
| 27 | JaBs BBQ |
Chicken
27 entries · top 180.0000 · median 171.9772 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | RUSTY PIG BBQ | |
| 2 | ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN | |
| 3 | COMING IN HOT STL | |
| 4 | HEFTY LEFTY BBQ | |
| 5 | Heavy Smoke BBQ | |
| 6 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 7 | JANKY LEG BBQ | |
| 8 | Mulkey's BBQ | |
| 9 | TRIPLE H BBQ | |
| 10 | MEAT ME IN ST. LOUIS | |
| 11 | Take It Easy BBQ | |
| 12 | JaBs BBQ | |
| 13 | TWISTED PIG | |
| 14 | SMOKE THIS BBQ MO | |
| 15 | DANG GOOD BBQ | |
| 16 | Bourbon Barrel Barbecue | |
| 17 | MISSOURI PITFIRE | |
| 18 | Can Country Outlaw BBQ | |
| 19 | The Burnt Crow | |
| 20 | T-Squared BBQ | |
| 21 | Code 3 Spices | |
| 22 | LOCAL YOKELS BBQ | |
| 23 | Eleven Thirteen Q | |
| 24 | DB BBQ | |
| 25 | Bleed Blue BBQ | |
| 26 | FIREHOUSE SMOKE | |
| 27 | OWENSBORO PORK PULLERS |
Pork Ribs
26 entries · top 180.0000 · median 169.6972 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MEAT ME IN ST. LOUIS | |
| 2 | RUSTY PIG BBQ | |
| 3 | Code 3 Spices | |
| 4 | T-Squared BBQ | |
| 5 | Eleven Thirteen Q | |
| 6 | JANKY LEG BBQ | |
| 7 | Mulkey's BBQ | |
| 8 | TRIPLE H BBQ | |
| 9 | ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN | |
| 10 | TWISTED PIG | |
| 11 | Bourbon Barrel Barbecue | |
| 12 | FIREHOUSE SMOKE | |
| 13 | OWENSBORO PORK PULLERS | |
| 14 | Can Country Outlaw BBQ | |
| 15 | Take It Easy BBQ | |
| 16 | LOCAL YOKELS BBQ | |
| 17 | DANG GOOD BBQ | |
| 18 | COMING IN HOT STL | |
| 19 | MISSOURI PITFIRE | |
| 20 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 21 | Bleed Blue BBQ | |
| 22 | The Burnt Crow | |
| 23 | SMOKE THIS BBQ MO | |
| 24 | HEFTY LEFTY BBQ | |
| 25 | Heavy Smoke BBQ | |
| 26 | DB BBQ |
Pork
27 entries · top 180.0000 · median 173.1200 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN | |
| 2 | Mulkey's BBQ | |
| 3 | Heavy Smoke BBQ | |
| 4 | TRIPLE H BBQ | |
| 5 | LOCAL YOKELS BBQ | |
| 6 | FIREHOUSE SMOKE | |
| 7 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 8 | MEAT ME IN ST. LOUIS | |
| 9 | Eleven Thirteen Q | |
| 10 | DANG GOOD BBQ | |
| 11 | JANKY LEG BBQ | |
| 12 | RUSTY PIG BBQ | |
| 13 | The Burnt Crow | |
| 14 | DB BBQ | |
| 15 | OWENSBORO PORK PULLERS | |
| 16 | SMOKE THIS BBQ MO | |
| 17 | Can Country Outlaw BBQ | |
| 18 | T-Squared BBQ | |
| 19 | MISSOURI PITFIRE | |
| 20 | Take It Easy BBQ | |
| 21 | HEFTY LEFTY BBQ | |
| 22 | COMING IN HOT STL | |
| 23 | JaBs BBQ | |
| 24 | Bleed Blue BBQ | |
| 25 | TWISTED PIG | |
| 26 | Bourbon Barrel Barbecue | |
| 27 | Code 3 Spices |
Brisket
27 entries · top 178.2972 · median 170.2628
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 2 | TRIPLE H BBQ | |
| 3 | FIREHOUSE SMOKE | |
| 4 | RUSTY PIG BBQ | |
| 5 | DANG GOOD BBQ | |
| 6 | JANKY LEG BBQ | |
| 7 | Code 3 Spices | |
| 8 | Mulkey's BBQ | |
| 9 | SMOKE THIS BBQ MO | |
| 10 | TWISTED PIG | |
| 11 | Bourbon Barrel Barbecue | |
| 12 | LOCAL YOKELS BBQ | |
| 13 | Heavy Smoke BBQ | |
| 14 | Eleven Thirteen Q | |
| 15 | MEAT ME IN ST. LOUIS | |
| 16 | MISSOURI PITFIRE | |
| 17 | T-Squared BBQ | |
| 18 | Take It Easy BBQ | |
| 19 | Can Country Outlaw BBQ | |
| 20 | ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN | |
| 21 | COMING IN HOT STL | |
| 22 | The Burnt Crow | |
| 23 | DB BBQ | |
| 24 | HEFTY LEFTY BBQ | |
| 25 | JaBs BBQ | |
| 26 | OWENSBORO PORK PULLERS | |
| 27 | Bleed Blue BBQ |
Backyard Series
Overall
21 entries · top 346.8344 · median 330.7772
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WEEZ'S GROOVIN' BBQ | |
| 2 | Too Sauced BBQ | |
| 3 | Must B Smokin' Somethin' BBQ Team | |
| 4 | Shmack Q | |
| 5 | Two Pigs And A Smoker | |
| 6 | HESSHOGS | |
| 7 | Three Stooges Barbeque | |
| 8 | Snake Holler BBQ | |
| 9 | Boozin Booyaa bbq | |
| 10 | 1Bite Stand | |
| 11 | Smokin Racks | |
| 12 | Salty Heifer BBQ | |
| 13 | Bumpy Pickle BBQ | |
| 14 | Rudes BBQ | |
| 15 | Rolling Smoke Q | |
| 16 | Rusty Knuckle BBQ | |
| 17 | Fire Pig | |
| 18 | Sauced Hawgs | |
| 19 | SmoQued On Main St | |
| 20 | Smokin A's | |
| 21 | TFG bbq |
Chicken
21 entries · top 174.2628 · median 166.2284
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Too Sauced BBQ | |
| 2 | HESSHOGS | |
| 3 | Must B Smokin' Somethin' BBQ Team | |
| 4 | Two Pigs And A Smoker | |
| 5 | Shmack Q | |
| 6 | Snake Holler BBQ | |
| 7 | WEEZ'S GROOVIN' BBQ | |
| 8 | Three Stooges Barbeque | |
| 9 | Smokin Racks | |
| 10 | Boozin Booyaa bbq | |
| 11 | 1Bite Stand | |
| 12 | Salty Heifer BBQ | |
| 13 | Rudes BBQ | |
| 14 | Fire Pig | |
| 15 | Bumpy Pickle BBQ | |
| 16 | SmoQued On Main St | |
| 17 | Rolling Smoke Q | |
| 18 | Smokin A's | |
| 19 | Rusty Knuckle BBQ | |
| 20 | Sauced Hawgs | |
| 21 | TFG bbq |
Pork Ribs
21 entries · top 178.8572 · median 165.0972
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WEEZ'S GROOVIN' BBQ | |
| 2 | Too Sauced BBQ | |
| 3 | Rusty Knuckle BBQ | |
| 4 | Boozin Booyaa bbq | |
| 5 | Must B Smokin' Somethin' BBQ Team | |
| 6 | Three Stooges Barbeque | |
| 7 | Shmack Q | |
| 8 | 1Bite Stand | |
| 9 | Sauced Hawgs | |
| 10 | Two Pigs And A Smoker | |
| 11 | Snake Holler BBQ | |
| 12 | Smokin Racks | |
| 13 | Rolling Smoke Q | |
| 14 | Bumpy Pickle BBQ | |
| 15 | HESSHOGS | |
| 16 | Salty Heifer BBQ | |
| 17 | Rudes BBQ | |
| 18 | Fire Pig | |
| 19 | TFG bbq | |
| 20 | SmoQued On Main St | |
| 21 | Smokin A's |