Aug 29–30, 2014 · Richmond, VA
CHECKERED FLAG 500 BBQ won Grand Champion at the Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) on August 29, 2014 in Richmond, VA, scoring 673.0740 in a field of 30 teams. THE BBQ GURU took Reserve Grand Champion with 673.0400. Category winners: Chicken — SMOKEN DUDES BBQ (177.1772); Pork Ribs — UNCULTURED SWINE (174.2972); Pork — INSANE SWINE BBQ (174.8800); Brisket — CHECKERED FLAG 500 BBQ (170.8800). This is the 9th of 27 editions of this contest on record; the 2014 edition was won by BIG BROTHERS BBQ; the next was held in 2014.
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, 2013 to 2017 — 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 97% of the 4,722 championships in the data
The Grand Championship was decided by 0.0340 points — closer than 97% of every championship in the data.
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 69 times in 100
CHECKERED FLAG 500 BBQ came in rated below the field's top team, 3 EYZ BBQ, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 31-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
This was CHECKERED FLAG 500 BBQ's first Grand Championship in the data — it arrived at their 24th tracked contest.
2 of 27 tracked editions
RHYTHM 'N QUE has won this contest 2 times across its 27 tracked editions.
First to fifth in the overall standings covered just 4.0572 points — 2 teams sat within a single point of the lead.
Chicken places 4–5: CHIX, SWINE & BOVINE BBQ and PORK BARREL BBQ tied on 174.2744 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 8–9: 4:20 Q and WAYLON'S WICKEDLY GOOD Q tied on 173.1084 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 9–10: SMOKEN DUDES BBQ and Sauce This BBQ tied on 167.9772 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
CHECKERED FLAG 500 BBQ took the title on 2 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was chicken at 16th.
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 19, 2013 | Las Vegas, NV | Las Vegas, NV | 30 | 667.4280 | TOMBSTONE BBQ | GQUE |
| Aug 2, 2013 | Rockford, IL | Rockford, IL | 30 | 683.9544 | TheBBQSuperStore.com | GRILLS GONE WILD IOWA |
| Aug 23, 2013 | Richmond, VA | Richmond, VA | 29 | 677.1428 | COOL SMOKE | GROG N HOGS |
| Sep 6, 2013 | Chesapeake, VA | Chesapeake, VA | 30 | 673.6796 | Rhode Hog BBQ | SMOKE THIS |
| Sep 13, 2013 | Hendersonville, TN | Hendersonville, TN | 30 | 697.0972 | MOONSWINERS | Swamp Boys |
| Oct 11, 2013 | Midwest City, OK | Midwest City, OK | 30 | 697.6684 | CAVEMAN CUISINE | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ |
| Apr 25, 2014 | Las Vegas, NV | Las Vegas, NV | 30 | 685.7140 | RHYTHM 'N QUE | SLAP YO' DADDY BBQ |
| Aug 1, 2014 | Madison, WI | Madison, WI | 30 | 689.1316 | BIG BROTHERS BBQ | iBQ'n |
| Aug 29, 2014 ← this one | Richmond, VA | Richmond, VA | 30 | 673.0740 | CHECKERED FLAG 500 BBQ | THE BBQ GURU |
| Sep 5, 2014 | Southaven, MS | Southaven, MS | 30 | 701.7144 | PIG WHISPERERS | LANG BBQ SMOKERS |
| Sep 19, 2014 | Midwest City, OK | Midwest City, OK | 29 | 694.2288 | CLARK CREW BBQ | CAVEMAN CUISINE |
| Apr 24, 2015 | Las Vegas, NV | Las Vegas, NV | 30 | 702.8576 | RHYTHM 'N QUE | BIG POPPA SMOKERS |
| Aug 7, 2015 | Madison, WI | Madison, WI | 30 | 694.8344 | THE SMOKIN' C'S BBQ | BIG T'Z Q CRU |
| Sep 4, 2015 | Richmond, VA | Richmond, VA | 30 | 688.5488 | ROCKY TOP BARBEQUE | INSANE SWINE BBQ |
| Sep 18, 2015 | Southaven, MS | Southaven, MS | 30 | 701.1200 | CAJUN BLAZE | EAT MOR BUTT BBQ |
| Sep 25, 2015 | Midwest City, OK | Midwest City, OK | 30 | 694.2632 | CLARK CREW BBQ | SMOKEAHOLICS |
| Apr 22, 2016 | Las Vegas, NV | Las Vegas, NV | 30 | 695.4172 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | SMOKIN MO'S BBQ |
| Jul 1, 2016 | Marietta, GA | Marietta, GA | 30 | 697.6572 | CONTAGIOUS Q | Organizer Portal |
| Aug 12, 2016 | Richmond, VA | Richmond, VA | 28 | 686.8456 | SAUCED! BBQ TEAM | UNCLE TOAD'S COMPETITION BBQ |
| Aug 26, 2016 | N. Charleston, SC | N. Charleston, SC | 30 | 695.3484 | WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ | SAUCED! BBQ TEAM |
| Sep 16, 2016 | Madison, WI | Madison, WI | 30 | 705.7144 | LUCKY'S Q | TOTALLY SAUCED |
| Sep 23, 2016 | Midwest City, OK | Midwest City, OK | 30 | 698.8572 | JAESTAR BBQ | SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ |
| Apr 21, 2017 | Las Vegas, NV | Las Vegas, NV | 30 | 706.8572 | BURNIN AND LOOTIN | LOOT N' BOOTY BBQ |
| Jun 30, 2017 | Bartlett, TN | Bartlett, TN | 30 | 704.5488 | SMOKIN BUTT CREW | RAZORRACKS |
| Aug 25, 2017 | Richmond, VA | Richmond, VA | 29 | 698.8228 | SMOKING BUTT HEADS | WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ |
| Sep 15, 2017 | Madison, WI | Madison, WI | 30 | 685.1432 | LUCKY 19 SAUCE COMPANY | iBQ'n |
| Sep 22, 2017 | Edmond, OK | Edmond, OK | 30 | 709.7260 | SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ | JAESTAR BBQ |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 177.1772 | 174.2744 | 172 |
| Pork Ribs | 174.2972 | 170.8572 | 167.9772 |
| Pork | 174.8800 | 167.9772 | 163.4056 |
| Brisket | 170.8800 | 166.8228 | 163.9772 |
30 entries · top 673.0740 · median 656.2058
30 entries · top 177.1772 · median 170.5428
30 entries · top 174.2972 · median 164.5772
30 entries · top 174.8800 · median 161.6514
30 entries · top 170.8800 · median 159.6742