A dynasty in the making
4×
wins at this contest
4 of 129 tracked editions
LOOT N' BOOTY BBQ has won this contest 4 times across its 129 tracked editions.
- 2014
- 2015
- 2017
- 2017
Sam's Club National BBQ Tour 2014
Jul 11–12, 2014 · Madison, WI
IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ won Grand Champion at the Sam's Club National BBQ Tour on July 11, 2014 in Madison, WI, scoring 685.0972 in a field of 29 teams. SECOND CITY SMOKE took Reserve Grand Champion with 683.3712. Category winners: Chicken — PIGSKIN BBQ (180.0000); Pork Ribs — SECOND CITY SMOKE (176.0116); Pork — IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ (176.5944); Brisket — PORKY BUTTS BBQ (173.1428). This is the 44th of 129 editions of this contest on record; the 2014 edition was won by BUBBA-Q'S; the next was held in 2014.
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.
585.60
median 648.49
685.10 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Chicken 180 🔥
- Pork Ribs 176.01
- Pork 176.59
- Brisket 173.14
143.36
180
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2013 to 2017 — this edition picked out.
Entries
29
4 judged meats
Top score
685.0972
Winning margin
1.7260
GC over RC
Field average
643.94
585.60685.10
median 648.49 · last place to winner
Tightest race
Brisket
5.1200 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
656.4684
585.60685.10
10th place overall
Field spread
99.4972
winner to last place
Double threats
6
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 82%
beats 18% of 4723 Master Series wins in the data
Came back for more
0%
0 of 21 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.81 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,566
avg power rating going in · stronger than 51% of contests
Storylines (5 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
0.0112
closest of 6 calls decided inside half a point
Brisket places 6–7: FREEMAN BROTHERS BBQ edged KAVE DWELLERS by 0.0112. Pork places 6–7: ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN edged SECOND CITY SMOKE by 0.0116. Pork Ribs places 5–6: GRILLS GONE WILD IOWA edged KAVE DWELLERS by 0.0228.
- Brisket 6–7 · 0.0112
- Pork 6–7 · 0.0116
- Pork Ribs 5–6 · 0.0228
- Chicken 8–9 · 0.0344
How the title was won
4 of 4
meats called to the stage
IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was pork ribs at 9th.
- Chicken 5th
- Pork Ribs 9th
- Pork 1st
- Brisket 2nd
Back to defend
1
past champions back in the field
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: THE SMOKE HUNTERS (won 2013).
- THE SMOKE HUNTERS · 2013
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.
- PIGSKIN 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 →
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 180 | 170.2628 | 167.3828 |
| Pork Ribs | 176.0116 | 169.7028 | 165.1200 |
| Pork | 176.5944 | 169.1316 | 165.6684 |
| Brisket | 173.1428 | 168.0228 | 164.5256 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
29 entries · top 685.0972 · median 648.4916
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 2 | SECOND CITY SMOKE | |
| 3 | PIGSKIN BBQ | |
| 4 | GRILLS GONE WILD IOWA | |
| 5 | THE SMOKIN' C'S BBQ | |
| 6 | BRINGIN' THE HEAT | |
| 7 | ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN | |
| 8 | FREEMAN BROTHERS BBQ | |
| 9 | THE SMOKE HUNTERS | |
| 10 | PORKY BUTTS BBQ | |
| 11 | IT'S 5 O'CLOCK SOMEWHERE | |
| 12 | HACK 'N SMOKE | |
| 13 | A FINE SWINE | |
| 14 | BIG T'Z Q CRU | |
| 15 | KAVE DWELLERS | |
| 16 | MA & PA'S KETTLE | |
| 17 | HILL-BILLY BBQ | |
| 18 | SLUG BUG BBQ | |
| 19 | FIREWISE BBQ | |
| 20 | SMOKE 2 PULL | |
| 21 | SMOK'N BOOTY BBQ | |
| 22 | Risky Brisket | |
| 23 | ONE TOKE OVER THE SWINE | |
| 24 | BOONDOGGLE BBQ | |
| 25 | HOG HEADS | |
| 26 | LOG JAMMIN' BBQ | |
| 27 | NO | |
| 28 | TOPPGATOR BBQ | |
| 29 | THE GOOD OLD BASTER BOYS |
Chicken
29 entries · top 180 · median 163.3944 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | PIGSKIN BBQ | |
| 2 | GRILLS GONE WILD IOWA | |
| 3 | SECOND CITY SMOKE | |
| 4 | THE SMOKE HUNTERS | |
| 5 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 6 | IT'S 5 O'CLOCK SOMEWHERE | |
| 7 | A FINE SWINE | |
| 8 | ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN | |
| 9 | THE SMOKIN' C'S BBQ | |
| 10 | FREEMAN BROTHERS BBQ | |
| 11 | PORKY BUTTS BBQ | |
| 12 | ONE TOKE OVER THE SWINE | |
| 13 | MA & PA'S KETTLE | |
| 14 | SMOK'N BOOTY BBQ | |
| 15 | FIREWISE BBQ | |
| 16 | SLUG BUG BBQ | |
| 17 | BRINGIN' THE HEAT | |
| 18 | HACK 'N SMOKE | |
| 19 | KAVE DWELLERS | |
| 20 | BIG T'Z Q CRU | |
| 21 | HOG HEADS | |
| 22 | HILL-BILLY BBQ | |
| 23 | SMOKE 2 PULL | |
| 24 | LOG JAMMIN' BBQ | |
| 25 | Risky Brisket | |
| 26 | NO | |
| 27 | BOONDOGGLE BBQ | |
| 28 | TOPPGATOR BBQ | |
| 29 | THE GOOD OLD BASTER BOYS |
Pork Ribs
29 entries · top 176.0116 · median 163.3944
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SECOND CITY SMOKE | |
| 2 | BRINGIN' THE HEAT | |
| 3 | THE SMOKIN' C'S BBQ | |
| 4 | SLUG BUG BBQ | |
| 5 | GRILLS GONE WILD IOWA | |
| 6 | KAVE DWELLERS | |
| 7 | ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN | |
| 8 | PIGSKIN BBQ | |
| 9 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 10 | THE SMOKE HUNTERS | |
| 11 | A FINE SWINE | |
| 12 | FREEMAN BROTHERS BBQ | |
| 13 | IT'S 5 O'CLOCK SOMEWHERE | |
| 14 | BOONDOGGLE BBQ | |
| 15 | SMOK'N BOOTY BBQ | |
| 16 | BIG T'Z Q CRU | |
| 17 | HILL-BILLY BBQ | |
| 18 | TOPPGATOR BBQ | |
| 19 | HACK 'N SMOKE | |
| 20 | Risky Brisket | |
| 21 | PORKY BUTTS BBQ | |
| 22 | MA & PA'S KETTLE | |
| 23 | FIREWISE BBQ | |
| 24 | SMOKE 2 PULL | |
| 25 | THE GOOD OLD BASTER BOYS | |
| 26 | LOG JAMMIN' BBQ | |
| 27 | ONE TOKE OVER THE SWINE | |
| 28 | HOG HEADS | |
| 29 | NO |
Pork
29 entries · top 176.5944 · median 161.0856
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 2 | MA & PA'S KETTLE | |
| 3 | PIGSKIN BBQ | |
| 4 | HACK 'N SMOKE | |
| 5 | GRILLS GONE WILD IOWA | |
| 6 | ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN | |
| 7 | SECOND CITY SMOKE | |
| 8 | BRINGIN' THE HEAT | |
| 9 | IT'S 5 O'CLOCK SOMEWHERE | |
| 10 | HILL-BILLY BBQ | |
| 11 | THE SMOKE HUNTERS | |
| 12 | SMOKE 2 PULL | |
| 13 | ONE TOKE OVER THE SWINE | |
| 14 | FIREWISE BBQ | |
| 15 | PORKY BUTTS BBQ | |
| 16 | SLUG BUG BBQ | |
| 17 | A FINE SWINE | |
| 18 | FREEMAN BROTHERS BBQ | |
| 19 | THE SMOKIN' C'S BBQ | |
| 20 | BIG T'Z Q CRU | |
| 21 | LOG JAMMIN' BBQ | |
| 22 | SMOK'N BOOTY BBQ | |
| 23 | HOG HEADS | |
| 24 | BOONDOGGLE BBQ | |
| 25 | Risky Brisket | |
| 26 | NO | |
| 27 | KAVE DWELLERS | |
| 28 | THE GOOD OLD BASTER BOYS | |
| 29 | TOPPGATOR BBQ |
Brisket
29 entries · top 173.1428 · median 157.6800
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | PORKY BUTTS BBQ | |
| 2 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 3 | BIG T'Z Q CRU | |
| 4 | THE SMOKIN' C'S BBQ | |
| 5 | BRINGIN' THE HEAT | |
| 6 | FREEMAN BROTHERS BBQ | |
| 7 | KAVE DWELLERS | |
| 8 | Risky Brisket | |
| 9 | HACK 'N SMOKE | |
| 10 | SECOND CITY SMOKE | |
| 11 | GRILLS GONE WILD IOWA | |
| 12 | PIGSKIN BBQ | |
| 13 | SMOKE 2 PULL | |
| 14 | A FINE SWINE | |
| 15 | HILL-BILLY BBQ | |
| 16 | BOONDOGGLE BBQ | |
| 17 | ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN | |
| 18 | IT'S 5 O'CLOCK SOMEWHERE | |
| 19 | FIREWISE BBQ | |
| 20 | THE SMOKE HUNTERS | |
| 21 | SMOK'N BOOTY BBQ | |
| 22 | HOG HEADS | |
| 23 | ONE TOKE OVER THE SWINE | |
| 24 | MA & PA'S KETTLE | |
| 25 | NO | |
| 26 | TOPPGATOR BBQ | |
| 27 | SLUG BUG BBQ | |
| 28 | THE GOOD OLD BASTER BOYS | |
| 29 | LOG JAMMIN' BBQ |