Feb 28 – Mar 1, 2025 · Iron Station, NC · 📍 2702 Devine Rd · State championship
Reps: Bryan Stewart, Noel Kay · Prize money: $6,520
FRED VEGAS SMOKERS won Grand Champion at the Mission Farms - King of the Farm on February 28, 2025 in Iron Station, NC at 2702 Devine Rd, scoring 695.9084 in a field of 26 teams. SMOKIN SKULLIES took Reserve Grand Champion with 694.7656. Category winners: Chicken — MF BBQ (175.4056); Pork Ribs — Smoke Central BBQ (176.5716); Pork — BROTHER IN LAW BBQ TEAM - NC (180.0000); Brisket — Two Drummers BBQ (177.7028). This is the 2nd of 3 editions of this contest on record; the 2024 edition was won by Casual Smokers; the next was held in 2026.
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.
FRED VEGAS SMOKERS won the Grand Championship without winning a single meat — 3 calls from 4 boards, best of them 3rd. Consistency beat fireworks.
First to fifth in the overall standings covered just 4.0000 points.
Chicken places 1–2: MF BBQ and Bowmans Butt & BBQ tied on 175.4056 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 4–5: MUTTLEY CREW BBQ and SMOKIN SKULLIES tied on 174.2628 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 5–6: SMOKIN SKULLIES and FRED VEGAS SMOKERS tied on 174.2628 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
Two Drummers BBQ turned in 177.7028 in brisket — past the 176.0000 that had stood across 1 earlier editions.
1 perfect 180 was scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 23, 2024 | Iron Station, NC | 2702 Devine Rd | 26 | 710.2628 | Casual Smokers | OFF THE RACK BBQ |
| Feb 28, 2025 ← this one | Iron Station, NC | 2702 Devine Rd | 26 | 695.9084 | Fred Vegas Smokers | SMOKIN SKULLIES |
| Feb 27, 2026 | Iron Station, NC | 2702 Devine Rd | 33 | 701.6688 | Rooters-N-Tooters TN | Bourbon & Blues BBQ |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 175.4056 | 174.2628 | 171.9772 |
| Pork Ribs | 176.5716 | 171.9772 | 169.6800 |
| Pork | 180 | 174.2628 | 173.1200 |
| Brisket | 177.7028 | 174.2744 | 170.8344 |
26 entries · top 695.9084 · median 679.5886
26 entries · top 175.4056 · median 171.4056
26 entries · top 176.5716 · median 168.8458
26 entries · top 180 · median 171.4114 · 🔥 perfect 180
26 entries · top 177.7028 · median 168.8228