A new contest record
704.5372
highest overall ever cooked here
704.5372 is the highest overall score this contest has ever produced — past the 701.0856 Poppa Pig? set in 2024.
- old record 701.0856
- set 2024 by Poppa Pig?
Grills Gone Wild 2025
Feb 7–8, 2025 · Davenport, FL · 📍 207 N. Blvd. West · State championship
Reps: Jeanne Titus, Mike Garretson · Prize money: $12,500
FRED VEGAS SMOKERS won Grand Champion at the Grills Gone Wild on February 7, 2025 in Davenport, FL at 207 N. Blvd. West, scoring 704.5372 in a field of 25 teams. SmokinGhost BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 702.2628. Category winners: Chicken — JANKY LEG BBQ (180.0000); Pork Ribs — Kings BBQ Team (177.7144); Pork — K & E's Little Smokers (178.8572); Brisket — Shiggin aint easy (178.8572). The Backyard Series standings were won by Dogpatch Q with 345.1200. This is the 2nd of 2 editions of this contest on record; the 2024 edition was won by Poppa Pig?.
The contest at a glance (read off the scored boards)
How the field scored
Overall totals, every team on the board — tall stacks are where the pack sat.
483.94
median 685.06
704.54 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Master Series — Chicken 180 🔥
- Master Series — Pork Ribs 177.71
- Master Series — Pork 178.86
- Master Series — Brisket 178.86
- Backyard Series — Chicken 176.58
- Backyard Series — Pork Ribs 169.12
- Ancillary — Pork 170.82
- Ancillary — Brisket 173.14
84.22
180
Entries
25
8 judged meats
Top score
704.5372
Winning margin
2.2744
GC over RC
Field average
672.77
483.94704.54
median 685.06 · last place to winner
Tightest race
Pork
1.1544 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
691.3828
483.94704.54
10th place overall
Field spread
220.5944
winner to last place
Prize money
$12,500
on the line
Double threats
12
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 16%
beats 84% of 4711 Master Series wins in the data
Came back for more
34%
12 of 35 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Moderate
ρ = -0.42 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,600
avg power rating going in · stronger than 77% of contests
Storylines (8 found in this contest's numbers)
Everything below is read straight out of the results — the number on each card is the one that made it a story.
An upset on the books
23-in-100
shot on pre-contest ratings
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 77 times in 100
FRED VEGAS SMOKERS came in rated below the field's top team, JANKY LEG BBQ, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 23-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
- champion 1739
- top seed 1949
Won without a category win
4 of 4
meats called to the stage
FRED VEGAS SMOKERS won the Grand Championship without winning a single meat — 4 calls from 4 boards, best of them 4th. Consistency beat fireworks.
- Chicken 5th
- Pork Ribs 8th
- Pork 8th
- Brisket 4th
Photo finishes
Tie
closest of 15 calls decided inside half a point
Master Series — Chicken places 3–4: K & E's Little Smokers and Shiggin aint easy tied on 176.5600 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Chicken places 4–5: Shiggin aint easy and FRED VEGAS SMOKERS tied on 176.5600 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Pork Ribs places 7–8: K & E's Little Smokers and FRED VEGAS SMOKERS tied on 174.8572 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
- Master Series — Chicken 3–4 · tie
- Master Series — Chicken 4–5 · tie
- Master Series — Pork Ribs 7–8 · tie
- Master Series — Pork 1–2 · tie
A double category winner
2
category wins in a day
Dogpatch Q won Chicken, Pork — a double.
- Chicken 1st
- Pork 1st
A contest record in brisket
178.8572
best brisket ever cooked here
Shiggin aint easy turned in 178.8572 in brisket — past the 176.5600 that had stood across 1 earlier editions.
- old best 176.5600
- across 1 past editions
Back to defend
1
past champions back in the field
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: Poppa Pig? (won 2024).
- Poppa Pig? · 2024
A perfect score on the table
1
perfect 180s
1 perfect 180 was scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
- JANKY LEG BBQ · Chicken
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)
This contest over the years full contest page →
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 9, 2024 | Davenport, FL | 207 N. Blvd. West | 28 | 701.0856 | Poppa Pig? | SmokinGhost BBQ |
| Feb 7, 2025 ← this one | Davenport, FL | 207 N. Blvd. West | 25 | 704.5372 | Fred Vegas Smokers | SmokinGhost BBQ |
| Feb 6, 2026 | Davenport, FL | — | — | — | — | — |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master Series — Chicken | 180 | 176.5600 | 173.1084 |
| Master Series — Pork Ribs | 177.7144 | 176.0116 | 173.1200 |
| Master Series — Pork | 178.8572 | 177.7028 | 174.8456 |
| Master Series — Brisket | 178.8572 | 176 | 171.9772 |
| Backyard Series — Chicken | 176.5828 | 163.9544 | — |
| Backyard Series — Pork Ribs | 169.1200 | 159.3600 | — |
| Ancillary — Pork | 170.8228 | 157.1544 | — |
| Ancillary — Brisket | 173.1428 | 154.2172 | — |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
25 entries · top 704.5372 · median 685.0628
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | FRED VEGAS SMOKERS | |
| 2 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 3 | Kings BBQ Team | |
| 4 | MEMPHIS ORIGINAL BBQ | |
| 5 | JANKY LEG BBQ | |
| 6 | K & E's Little Smokers | |
| 7 | Shiggin aint easy | |
| 8 | GOOD GOOGLY GOO BBQ | |
| 9 | Mad Dog BBQ | |
| 10 | Poppa Pig | |
| 11 | Blessed Beyond BBQ | |
| 12 | Menke Boys BBQ | |
| 13 | PeachCoast BBQ | |
| 14 | KEEPIN IT SMOKIN BBQ | |
| 15 | BrewsCue | |
| 16 | Going Yard BBQ | |
| 17 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 18 | Sloppy Hogs | |
| 19 | Cockah Doodle Que | |
| 20 | Bearded Monkeys Twisted Q | |
| 21 | 2 Guys BBQ | |
| 22 | ACCUTECH BBQ | |
| 23 | Smokin-N-Pokin | |
| 24 | Henry's Kitchen | |
| 25 | Gilbert Rib King |
Chicken
25 entries · top 180 · median 171.9656 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | JANKY LEG BBQ | |
| 2 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 3 | K & E's Little Smokers | |
| 4 | Shiggin aint easy | |
| 5 | FRED VEGAS SMOKERS | |
| 6 | KEEPIN IT SMOKIN BBQ | |
| 7 | Blessed Beyond BBQ | |
| 8 | MEMPHIS ORIGINAL BBQ | |
| 9 | Poppa Pig | |
| 10 | GOOD GOOGLY GOO BBQ | |
| 11 | Kings BBQ Team | |
| 12 | Bearded Monkeys Twisted Q | |
| 13 | Mad Dog BBQ | |
| 14 | Going Yard BBQ | |
| 15 | BrewsCue | |
| 16 | Menke Boys BBQ | |
| 17 | Smokin-N-Pokin | |
| 18 | Cockah Doodle Que | |
| 19 | PeachCoast BBQ | |
| 20 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 21 | 2 Guys BBQ | |
| 22 | ACCUTECH BBQ | |
| 23 | Sloppy Hogs | |
| 24 | Gilbert Rib King | |
| 25 | Henry's Kitchen |
Pork Ribs
25 entries · top 177.7144 · median 171.9772
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kings BBQ Team | |
| 2 | PeachCoast BBQ | |
| 3 | MEMPHIS ORIGINAL BBQ | |
| 4 | Sloppy Hogs | |
| 5 | Mad Dog BBQ | |
| 6 | Cockah Doodle Que | |
| 7 | K & E's Little Smokers | |
| 8 | FRED VEGAS SMOKERS | |
| 9 | 2 Guys BBQ | |
| 10 | GOOD GOOGLY GOO BBQ | |
| 11 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 12 | Menke Boys BBQ | |
| 13 | JANKY LEG BBQ | |
| 14 | Shiggin aint easy | |
| 15 | BrewsCue | |
| 16 | KEEPIN IT SMOKIN BBQ | |
| 17 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 18 | ACCUTECH BBQ | |
| 19 | Poppa Pig | |
| 20 | Blessed Beyond BBQ | |
| 21 | Bearded Monkeys Twisted Q | |
| 22 | Smokin-N-Pokin | |
| 23 | Going Yard BBQ | |
| 24 | Henry's Kitchen | |
| 25 | Gilbert Rib King |
Pork
25 entries · top 178.8572 · median 173.1428
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | K & E's Little Smokers | |
| 2 | Kings BBQ Team | |
| 3 | Menke Boys BBQ | |
| 4 | GOOD GOOGLY GOO BBQ | |
| 5 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 6 | Poppa Pig | |
| 7 | Going Yard BBQ | |
| 8 | FRED VEGAS SMOKERS | |
| 9 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 10 | BrewsCue | |
| 11 | PeachCoast BBQ | |
| 12 | Mad Dog BBQ | |
| 13 | MEMPHIS ORIGINAL BBQ | |
| 14 | Cockah Doodle Que | |
| 15 | Blessed Beyond BBQ | |
| 16 | Sloppy Hogs | |
| 17 | JANKY LEG BBQ | |
| 18 | Shiggin aint easy | |
| 19 | 2 Guys BBQ | |
| 20 | KEEPIN IT SMOKIN BBQ | |
| 21 | ACCUTECH BBQ | |
| 22 | Bearded Monkeys Twisted Q | |
| 23 | Smokin-N-Pokin | |
| 24 | Gilbert Rib King | |
| 25 | Henry's Kitchen |
Brisket
25 entries · top 178.8572 · median 170.8228
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shiggin aint easy | |
| 2 | Blessed Beyond BBQ | |
| 3 | JANKY LEG BBQ | |
| 4 | FRED VEGAS SMOKERS | |
| 5 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 6 | KEEPIN IT SMOKIN BBQ | |
| 7 | ACCUTECH BBQ | |
| 8 | MEMPHIS ORIGINAL BBQ | |
| 9 | Poppa Pig | |
| 10 | Kings BBQ Team | |
| 11 | Sloppy Hogs | |
| 12 | PeachCoast BBQ | |
| 13 | Mad Dog BBQ | |
| 14 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 15 | Menke Boys BBQ | |
| 16 | GOOD GOOGLY GOO BBQ | |
| 17 | Going Yard BBQ | |
| 18 | 2 Guys BBQ | |
| 19 | BrewsCue | |
| 20 | Bearded Monkeys Twisted Q | |
| 21 | K & E's Little Smokers | |
| 22 | Cockah Doodle Que | |
| 23 | Smokin-N-Pokin | |
| 24 | Henry's Kitchen | |
| 25 | Gilbert Rib King |
Backyard Series
Overall
7 entries · top 345.1200 · median 330.2288
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dogpatch Q | |
| 2 | Powered by Smoke | |
| 3 | Cool Guys BBQ | |
| 4 | PIPKIN CREEK BBQ CO. | |
| 5 | Amped Up | |
| 6 | Smokin Hot Strips | |
| 7 | Grande Oaks BBQ |
Chicken
7 entries · top 176.5828 · median 166.2400
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dogpatch Q | |
| 2 | Amped Up | |
| 3 | Cool Guys BBQ | |
| 4 | Powered by Smoke | |
| 5 | PIPKIN CREEK BBQ CO. | |
| 6 | Smokin Hot Strips | |
| 7 | Grande Oaks BBQ |
Pork Ribs
7 entries · top 169.1200 · median 162.8000
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Powered by Smoke | |
| 2 | Dogpatch Q | |
| 3 | PIPKIN CREEK BBQ CO. | |
| 4 | Cool Guys BBQ | |
| 5 | Amped Up | |
| 6 | Grande Oaks BBQ | |
| 7 | Smokin Hot Strips |
Ancillary
Pork
7 entries · top 170.8228 · median 159.3484
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dogpatch Q | |
| 2 | Cool Guys BBQ | |
| 3 | Powered by Smoke | |
| 4 | Grande Oaks BBQ | |
| 5 | Smokin Hot Strips | |
| 6 | Amped Up | |
| 7 | PIPKIN CREEK BBQ CO. |
Brisket
6 entries · top 173.1428 · median 161.9772
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Powered by Smoke | |
| 2 | PIPKIN CREEK BBQ CO. | |
| 3 | Grande Oaks BBQ | |
| 4 | Dogpatch Q | |
| 5 | Amped Up | |
| 6 | Smokin Hot Strips |