A day of perfect scores
4
perfect 180s
4 perfect 180s were scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
- HABITUAL SMOKERS · Chicken
- INDIAN TERRITORY SMOKE · Chicken
- CAVEMAN CUISINE · Chicken
Biggest Buck and Best Rack 2014
Sep 12–13, 2014 · Alma, AR
CAVEMAN CUISINE won Grand Champion at the Biggest Buck and Best Rack on September 12, 2014 in Alma, AR, scoring 697.0860 in a field of 27 teams. INDIAN TERRITORY SMOKE took Reserve Grand Champion with 694.2284. Category winners: Chicken — HABITUAL SMOKERS (180.0000); Pork Ribs — HOG TIDE BAR-B-QUE (177.7144); Pork — CAVEMAN CUISINE (180.0000); Brisket — BLIND HOG BBQ (175.4056). This is the 2nd of 3 editions of this contest on record; the 2013 edition was won by PARROTHEAD SMOKERS; the next was held in 2015.
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.
515.93
median 652.45
697.09 🏆
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 177.71
- Pork 180 🔥
- Brisket 175.41
103.45
180
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2013 to 2015 — this edition picked out.
Entries
27
4 judged meats
Top score
697.0860
Winning margin
2.8576
GC over RC
Field average
643.42
515.93697.09
median 652.45 · last place to winner
Perfect 180s
4 🔥
Tightest race
Chicken
5.7372 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
663.3944
515.93697.09
10th place overall
Field spread
181.1544
winner to last place
Double threats
6
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 46%
beats 54% of 4723 Master Series wins in the data
Came back for more
41%
9 of 22 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.68 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,549
avg power rating going in · stronger than 37% of contests
Storylines (4 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 8 calls decided inside half a point
Chicken places 1–2: HABITUAL SMOKERS and INDIAN TERRITORY SMOKE tied on 180.0000 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 2–3: INDIAN TERRITORY SMOKE and CAVEMAN CUISINE tied on 180.0000 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 7–8: TROLLEY TIME BBQ and Saloon Style BBQ tied on 169.1200 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
- Chicken 1–2 · tie
- Chicken 2–3 · tie
- Pork Ribs 7–8 · tie
- Pork 5–6 · tie
How the title was won
3 of 4
meats called to the stage
CAVEMAN CUISINE took the title on 3 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was brisket at 15th.
- Chicken 3rd
- Pork Ribs 2nd
- Pork 1st
- Brisket 15th
A contest record in chicken
180.0000
best chicken ever cooked here
HABITUAL SMOKERS turned in 180.0000 in chicken — past the 177.7144 that had stood across 1 earlier editions.
- old best 177.7144
- across 1 past editions
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 4, 2013 | Alma, AR | Alma, AR | 22 | 701.1316 | PARROTHEAD SMOKERS | FIRE DANCER BBQ |
| Sep 12, 2014 ← this one | Alma, AR | Alma, AR 72921 | 27 | 697.0860 | CAVEMAN CUISINE | INDIAN TERRITORY SMOKE |
| Sep 11, 2015 | Alma, AR | Alma, AR 72921 | 25 | 701.1544 | INDIAN TERRITORY SMOKE | BUFFALO'S BBQ |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 180 | 174.2628 | 168.5716 |
| Pork Ribs | 177.7144 | 170.2628 | 165.6916 |
| Pork | 180 | 173.7028 | 165.6916 |
| Brisket | 175.4056 | 168.5600 | 166.3200 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
27 entries · top 697.0860 · median 652.4456
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | CAVEMAN CUISINE | |
| 2 | INDIAN TERRITORY SMOKE | |
| 3 | HABITUAL SMOKERS | |
| 4 | HOG TIDE BAR-B-QUE | |
| 5 | Q-BONES BBQ | |
| 6 | LOTTA BULL BBQ | |
| 7 | FIRE DANCER BBQ | |
| 8 | DAD'S GRILLIN CREW | |
| 9 | BLIND HOG BBQ | |
| 10 | BBQR'S DELIGHT | |
| 11 | SOUTHERN KRUNK BBQ SOCIETY | |
| 12 | ROYAL SMOKERS | |
| 13 | SUPER SWINE | |
| 14 | BACK NINE BBQ | |
| 15 | Smokin' Boys BBQ | |
| 16 | TROLLEY TIME BBQ | |
| 17 | Rack-N-Roll BBQ | |
| 18 | Hillbilly Q | |
| 19 | PINK FLAMINGO BBQ | |
| 20 | Saloon Style BBQ | |
| 21 | Steele Creek Smokehouse BBQ | |
| 22 | Pace BBQ | |
| 23 | Good Time Smoken BBQ | |
| 24 | Dawg Bite BBQ | |
| 25 | Staggering Chefs | |
| 26 | Finch | |
| 27 | Reggie Bear Grillers |
Chicken
27 entries · top 180 · median 166.8344 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HABITUAL SMOKERS | |
| 2 | INDIAN TERRITORY SMOKE | |
| 3 | CAVEMAN CUISINE | |
| 4 | Q-BONES BBQ | |
| 5 | FIRE DANCER BBQ | |
| 6 | LOTTA BULL BBQ | |
| 7 | Saloon Style BBQ | |
| 8 | HOG TIDE BAR-B-QUE | |
| 9 | DAD'S GRILLIN CREW | |
| 10 | BLIND HOG BBQ | |
| 11 | BBQR'S DELIGHT | |
| 12 | Hillbilly Q | |
| 13 | ROYAL SMOKERS | |
| 14 | BACK NINE BBQ | |
| 15 | SOUTHERN KRUNK BBQ SOCIETY | |
| 16 | SUPER SWINE | |
| 17 | Smokin' Boys BBQ | |
| 18 | Finch | |
| 19 | TROLLEY TIME BBQ | |
| 20 | Steele Creek Smokehouse BBQ | |
| 21 | PINK FLAMINGO BBQ | |
| 22 | Rack-N-Roll BBQ | |
| 23 | Good Time Smoken BBQ | |
| 24 | Pace BBQ | |
| 25 | Dawg Bite BBQ | |
| 26 | Staggering Chefs | |
| 27 | Reggie Bear Grillers |
Pork Ribs
27 entries · top 177.7144 · median 164.5488
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HOG TIDE BAR-B-QUE | |
| 2 | CAVEMAN CUISINE | |
| 3 | FIRE DANCER BBQ | |
| 4 | DAD'S GRILLIN CREW | |
| 5 | LOTTA BULL BBQ | |
| 6 | INDIAN TERRITORY SMOKE | |
| 7 | TROLLEY TIME BBQ | |
| 8 | Saloon Style BBQ | |
| 9 | BBQR'S DELIGHT | |
| 10 | PINK FLAMINGO BBQ | |
| 11 | BACK NINE BBQ | |
| 12 | Smokin' Boys BBQ | |
| 13 | Q-BONES BBQ | |
| 14 | Hillbilly Q | |
| 15 | Rack-N-Roll BBQ | |
| 16 | SOUTHERN KRUNK BBQ SOCIETY | |
| 17 | HABITUAL SMOKERS | |
| 18 | SUPER SWINE | |
| 19 | ROYAL SMOKERS | |
| 20 | BLIND HOG BBQ | |
| 21 | Dawg Bite BBQ | |
| 22 | Pace BBQ | |
| 23 | Reggie Bear Grillers | |
| 24 | Good Time Smoken BBQ | |
| 25 | Steele Creek Smokehouse BBQ | |
| 26 | Staggering Chefs | |
| 27 | Finch |
Pork
27 entries · top 180 · median 162.8456 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | CAVEMAN CUISINE | |
| 2 | Staggering Chefs | |
| 3 | Q-BONES BBQ | |
| 4 | HABITUAL SMOKERS | |
| 5 | INDIAN TERRITORY SMOKE | |
| 6 | SOUTHERN KRUNK BBQ SOCIETY | |
| 7 | LOTTA BULL BBQ | |
| 8 | BACK NINE BBQ | |
| 9 | BLIND HOG BBQ | |
| 10 | HOG TIDE BAR-B-QUE | |
| 11 | ROYAL SMOKERS | |
| 12 | Hillbilly Q | |
| 13 | FIRE DANCER BBQ | |
| 14 | DAD'S GRILLIN CREW | |
| 15 | SUPER SWINE | |
| 16 | Steele Creek Smokehouse BBQ | |
| 17 | BBQR'S DELIGHT | |
| 18 | Finch | |
| 19 | Good Time Smoken BBQ | |
| 20 | PINK FLAMINGO BBQ | |
| 21 | Rack-N-Roll BBQ | |
| 22 | Smokin' Boys BBQ | |
| 23 | Pace BBQ | |
| 24 | TROLLEY TIME BBQ | |
| 25 | Dawg Bite BBQ | |
| 26 | Saloon Style BBQ | |
| 27 | Reggie Bear Grillers |
Brisket
27 entries · top 175.4056 · median 162.8572
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BLIND HOG BBQ | |
| 2 | HABITUAL SMOKERS | |
| 3 | HOG TIDE BAR-B-QUE | |
| 4 | INDIAN TERRITORY SMOKE | |
| 5 | FIRE DANCER BBQ | |
| 6 | LOTTA BULL BBQ | |
| 7 | DAD'S GRILLIN CREW | |
| 8 | SUPER SWINE | |
| 9 | Q-BONES BBQ | |
| 10 | BBQR'S DELIGHT | |
| 11 | ROYAL SMOKERS | |
| 12 | TROLLEY TIME BBQ | |
| 13 | Steele Creek Smokehouse BBQ | |
| 14 | Rack-N-Roll BBQ | |
| 15 | CAVEMAN CUISINE | |
| 16 | Good Time Smoken BBQ | |
| 17 | SOUTHERN KRUNK BBQ SOCIETY | |
| 18 | Smokin' Boys BBQ | |
| 19 | Pace BBQ | |
| 20 | PINK FLAMINGO BBQ | |
| 21 | BACK NINE BBQ | |
| 22 | Saloon Style BBQ | |
| 23 | Staggering Chefs | |
| 24 | Finch | |
| 25 | Dawg Bite BBQ | |
| 26 | Hillbilly Q | |
| 27 | Reggie Bear Grillers |