A day of perfect scores
5
perfect 180s
5 perfect 180s were scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
- HESSHOGS · Chicken
- BrewsCue · Chicken
- Can Country Outlaw BBQ · Chicken
Kickin' It Route 66 Barbecue Challenge (Day 2) 2025
Mar 29–30, 2025 · St. Robert, MO · 📍 114 J.H. Williamson Drive · State championship
Reps: Charlie Brinza, Jeanne Titus · Prize money: $4,450
JANKY LEG BBQ won Grand Champion at the Kickin' It Route 66 Barbecue Challenge (Day 2) on March 29, 2025 in St. Robert, MO at 114 J.H. Williamson Drive, scoring 702.8116 in a field of 25 teams. Can Country Outlaw BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 700.4912. Category winners: Chicken — BrewsCue (180.0000); Pork Ribs — Can Country Outlaw BBQ (180.0000); Pork — JANKY LEG BBQ (180.0000); Brisket — ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN (177.7028). The Backyard Series standings were won by HESSHOGS with 354.2744. This is the 2nd of 7 editions of this contest on record; the 2025 edition was won by Glamping Grillers; the next was held in 2025.
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.
611.21
median 687.87
702.81 🏆
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 180 🔥
- Master Series — Pork 180 🔥
- Master Series — Brisket 177.70
- Backyard Series — Chicken 180 🔥
- Backyard Series — Pork Ribs 174.27
140.49
180
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2025 to 2026 — this edition picked out.
Entries
25
6 judged meats
Top score
702.8116
Winning margin
2.3204
GC over RC
Field average
677.10
611.21702.81
median 687.87 · last place to winner
Tightest race
Brisket
3.4400 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
691.9084
611.21702.81
10th place overall
Field spread
91.6000
winner to last place
Prize money
$4,450
on the line
Double threats
10
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 22%
beats 78% of 4711 Master Series wins in the data
Came back for more
82%
32 of 39 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Moderate
ρ = -0.5 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,622
avg power rating going in · stronger than 88% of contests
Storylines (6 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.
Photo finishes
Tie
closest of 22 calls decided inside half a point
Master Series — Chicken places 1–2: BrewsCue and Can Country Outlaw BBQ tied on 180.0000 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Chicken places 6–7: THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE SMOKE and Glamping Grillers tied on 173.1200 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Chicken places 7–8: Glamping Grillers and WHEN PIGS DIE tied on 173.1200 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
- Master Series — Chicken 1–2 · tie
- Master Series — Chicken 6–7 · tie
- Master Series — Chicken 7–8 · tie
- Master Series — Chicken 8–9 · tie
A double category winner
2
category wins in a day
HESSHOGS won Chicken, Pork Ribs — a double.
- Chicken 1st
- Pork Ribs 1st
How the title was won
4 of 4
meats called to the stage
JANKY LEG BBQ took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was chicken at 9th.
- Chicken 9th
- Pork Ribs 4th
- Pork 1st
- Brisket 8th
Back to defend
1
past champions back in the field
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: Glamping Grillers (won 2025).
- Glamping Grillers · 2025
They keep coming back
82%
of last edition’s field returned
32 of 39 teams from 2025-03-28 came back
32 of the 39 teams that cooked the previous edition came back for this one — a contest people put on the calendar.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 28, 2025 | St. Robert, MO | 114 J.H. Williamson Drive | 27 | 715.4288 | Glamping Grillers | JANKY LEG BBQ |
| Mar 29, 2025 ← this one | St. Robert, MO | 114 J.H. Williamson Drive | 25 | 702.8116 | Janky Leg BBQ | Can Country Outlaw BBQ |
| Mar 29, 2025 | St. Robert, MO | 114 J.H. Williamson Drive | 15 | 180 | Shake 'n Bake BBQ | — |
| Mar 27, 2026 | St. Robert, MO | 114 J.H. Williamson Drive | 26 | 707.3828 | Kermit's Ex | Crossed Rifles BBQ |
| Mar 28, 2026 | St. Robert, MO | 114 J.H. Williamson Drive | 12 | 178.8572 | 1Bite Stand | — |
| Mar 26, 2027 | St. Robert, MO | — | — | — | — | — |
| Mar 27, 2027 | St. Robert, MO | — | — | — | — | — |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master Series — Chicken | 180 | 174.2628 | 173.1200 |
| Master Series — Pork Ribs | 180 | 175.4172 | 173.1200 |
| Master Series — Pork | 180 | 174.2744 | 173.1200 |
| Master Series — Brisket | 177.7028 | 174.2628 | 171.4172 |
| Backyard Series — Chicken | 180 | 171.9656 | — |
| Backyard Series — Pork Ribs | 174.2744 | 169.6800 | — |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
25 entries · top 702.8116 · median 687.8740
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | JANKY LEG BBQ | |
| 2 | Can Country Outlaw BBQ | |
| 3 | Kermit's Ex | |
| 4 | BrewsCue | |
| 5 | ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN | |
| 6 | WOOD HOOK BBQ | |
| 7 | MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ | |
| 8 | Glamping Grillers | |
| 9 | QUE U | |
| 10 | Smoke This Drink That BBQ | |
| 11 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 12 | Take It Easy BBQ | |
| 13 | FINGER LEIKAM GOOD | |
| 14 | MAN MEAT BBQ | |
| 15 | THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE SMOKE | |
| 16 | WE WILL ROCK QUE | |
| 17 | SOUTHINURMOUTH | |
| 18 | TAILGATE GUYS BBQ | |
| 19 | Summa Dat Que | |
| 20 | MY 3 SONS BARBEQUE MO | |
| 21 | All Up In Smoke | |
| 22 | SMOKIN' BUTTS | |
| 23 | BULLS SMOKIN BBQ | |
| 24 | Smokey G's | |
| 25 | Smokin'45 BBQ |
Chicken
25 entries · top 180 · median 171.9772 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BrewsCue | |
| 2 | Can Country Outlaw BBQ | |
| 3 | WOOD HOOK BBQ | |
| 4 | Smoke This Drink That BBQ | |
| 5 | Kermit's Ex | |
| 6 | THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE SMOKE | |
| 7 | Glamping Grillers | |
| 8 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 9 | JANKY LEG BBQ | |
| 10 | ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN | |
| 11 | MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ | |
| 12 | WE WILL ROCK QUE | |
| 13 | SOUTHINURMOUTH | |
| 14 | MAN MEAT BBQ | |
| 15 | TAILGATE GUYS BBQ | |
| 16 | Summa Dat Que | |
| 17 | FINGER LEIKAM GOOD | |
| 18 | MY 3 SONS BARBEQUE MO | |
| 19 | QUE U | |
| 20 | All Up In Smoke | |
| 21 | Take It Easy BBQ | |
| 22 | BULLS SMOKIN BBQ | |
| 23 | Smokey G's | |
| 24 | SMOKIN' BUTTS | |
| 25 | Smokin'45 BBQ |
Pork Ribs
25 entries · top 180 · median 171.9772 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Can Country Outlaw BBQ | |
| 2 | Take It Easy BBQ | |
| 3 | Glamping Grillers | |
| 4 | JANKY LEG BBQ | |
| 5 | MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ | |
| 6 | SOUTHINURMOUTH | |
| 7 | ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN | |
| 8 | QUE U | |
| 9 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 10 | THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE SMOKE | |
| 11 | Kermit's Ex | |
| 12 | WOOD HOOK BBQ | |
| 13 | Summa Dat Que | |
| 14 | FINGER LEIKAM GOOD | |
| 15 | MY 3 SONS BARBEQUE MO | |
| 16 | BrewsCue | |
| 17 | WE WILL ROCK QUE | |
| 18 | MAN MEAT BBQ | |
| 19 | Smoke This Drink That BBQ | |
| 20 | TAILGATE GUYS BBQ | |
| 21 | SMOKIN' BUTTS | |
| 22 | All Up In Smoke | |
| 23 | BULLS SMOKIN BBQ | |
| 24 | Smokey G's | |
| 25 | Smokin'45 BBQ |
Pork
25 entries · top 180 · median 170.8228 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | JANKY LEG BBQ | |
| 2 | QUE U | |
| 3 | Kermit's Ex | |
| 4 | WOOD HOOK BBQ | |
| 5 | MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ | |
| 6 | WE WILL ROCK QUE | |
| 7 | BrewsCue | |
| 8 | THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE SMOKE | |
| 9 | Glamping Grillers | |
| 10 | MAN MEAT BBQ | |
| 11 | Can Country Outlaw BBQ | |
| 12 | ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN | |
| 13 | Smoke This Drink That BBQ | |
| 14 | TAILGATE GUYS BBQ | |
| 15 | FINGER LEIKAM GOOD | |
| 16 | Summa Dat Que | |
| 17 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 18 | Take It Easy BBQ | |
| 19 | MY 3 SONS BARBEQUE MO | |
| 20 | SOUTHINURMOUTH | |
| 21 | BULLS SMOKIN BBQ | |
| 22 | Smokey G's | |
| 23 | SMOKIN' BUTTS | |
| 24 | All Up In Smoke | |
| 25 | Smokin'45 BBQ |
Brisket
25 entries · top 177.7028 · median 169.6800
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN | |
| 2 | FINGER LEIKAM GOOD | |
| 3 | Kermit's Ex | |
| 4 | Smoke This Drink That BBQ | |
| 5 | QUE U | |
| 6 | Take It Easy BBQ | |
| 7 | BrewsCue | |
| 8 | JANKY LEG BBQ | |
| 9 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 10 | MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ | |
| 11 | MAN MEAT BBQ | |
| 12 | WOOD HOOK BBQ | |
| 13 | Glamping Grillers | |
| 14 | Can Country Outlaw BBQ | |
| 15 | THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE SMOKE | |
| 16 | SOUTHINURMOUTH | |
| 17 | TAILGATE GUYS BBQ | |
| 18 | SMOKIN' BUTTS | |
| 19 | WE WILL ROCK QUE | |
| 20 | MY 3 SONS BARBEQUE MO | |
| 21 | Summa Dat Que | |
| 22 | All Up In Smoke | |
| 23 | Smokin'45 BBQ | |
| 24 | Smokey G's | |
| 25 | BULLS SMOKIN BBQ |
Backyard Series
Overall
9 entries · top 354.2744 · median 335.9200
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HESSHOGS | |
| 2 | E SQUARED BBQ | |
| 3 | HORMONAL ESCAPE COMPETITION BBQ | |
| 4 | Rudes BBQ | |
| 5 | Pork-N-Go | |
| 6 | Really Damn Delicious BBQ | |
| 7 | Hillbilly Bar B Q | |
| 8 | Wapatui Smokers | |
| 9 | Rocket BBQ |
Chicken
9 entries · top 180 · median 171.9656 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HESSHOGS | |
| 2 | E SQUARED BBQ | |
| 3 | HORMONAL ESCAPE COMPETITION BBQ | |
| 4 | Wapatui Smokers | |
| 5 | Rudes BBQ | |
| 6 | Pork-N-Go | |
| 7 | Really Damn Delicious BBQ | |
| 8 | Hillbilly Bar B Q | |
| 9 | Rocket BBQ |
Pork Ribs
9 entries · top 174.2744 · median 169.6800
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HESSHOGS | |
| 2 | Rudes BBQ | |
| 3 | E SQUARED BBQ | |
| 4 | Hillbilly Bar B Q | |
| 5 | Really Damn Delicious BBQ | |
| 6 | HORMONAL ESCAPE COMPETITION BBQ | |
| 7 | Pork-N-Go | |
| 8 | Rocket BBQ | |
| 9 | Wapatui Smokers |