Sep 18–19, 2015 · Salisbury, NC
SMOKE THIS won Grand Champion at the Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic on September 18, 2015 in Salisbury, NC, scoring 697.6572 in a field of 59 teams. CHECKERED PIG took Reserve Grand Champion with 696.0000. Category winners: Chicken — K & D SMOKERS (180.0000); Pork Ribs — BUBBAJACK'S (178.8800); Pork — THE SMOKEHOUSE MAFIA (177.1428); Brisket — PALMETTO PITMASTERS (178.3200). This is the 2nd of 6 editions of this contest on record; the 2013 edition was won by KILLER B'S BBQ; the next was held in 2016.
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 2019 — 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 76% of the 4,722 championships in the data
The Grand Championship was decided by 1.6572 points — closer than 76% of every championship in the data.
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 67 times in 100
SMOKE THIS came in rated below the field's top team, CHECKERED PIG, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 33-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
SMOKE THIS won the Grand Championship without winning a single meat — 3 calls from 4 boards, best of them 2nd. Consistency beat fireworks.
Pork Ribs places 5–6: SMOKIN SKULLIES and BIG SHOW BBQ COOKIN' TEAM tied on 172.5600 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork places 6–7: REDNECK SCIENTIFIC and SMOKIN JOE'S BBQ tied on 173.7028 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork places 8–9: CAROLINA SMOKIN JOHN'S BBQ and PALMETTO PITMASTERS tied on 173.1428 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
K & D SMOKERS turned in 180.0000 in chicken — past the 176.5600 that had stood across 1 earlier editions.
Bigger than 91% of the 5,482 contests in the data
59 teams — bigger than 91% of the 5,482 contests in the data.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 20, 2013 | Salisbury, NC | Salisbury, NC | 72 | 705.7144 | KILLER B'S BBQ | 4:20 Q |
| Sep 18, 2015 ← this one | Salisbury, NC | Salisbury, NC 28146 | 59 | 697.6572 | SMOKE THIS | CHECKERED PIG |
| Sep 16, 2016 | Salisbury, NC | Salisbury, NC | 68 | 699.3716 | REDNECK SCIENTIFIC | SAUCED! BBQ TEAM |
| Sep 15, 2017 | Salisbury, NC | 653 Bendix Dr | 63 | 689.6688 | SAUCED! BBQ TEAM | NORTH MEETS SOUTH BBQ |
| Sep 14, 2018 | Salisbury, NC | 653 Bendix Dr | 29 | 691.3944 | ROCKY TOP BARBEQUE | MIDNIGHT BURN |
| Sep 20, 2019 | Salisbury, NC | 653 Bendix Dr | 56 | 691.9428 | Wolf's Revenge BBQ | K & D SMOKERS |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 180 | 174.8572 | 173.1656 |
| Pork Ribs | 178.8800 | 172.5600 | 171.9772 |
| Pork | 177.1428 | 174.2628 | 172.5944 |
| Brisket | 178.3200 | 176.5600 | 172.5944 |
59 entries · top 697.6572 · median 661.0512
59 entries · top 180 · median 166.2512 · 🔥 perfect 180
59 entries · top 178.8800 · median 163.4288
59 entries · top 177.1428 · median 166.2512
59 entries · top 178.3200 · median 165.1200