A new contest record
701.0856
highest overall ever cooked here
701.0856 is the highest overall score this contest has ever produced — past the 688.0688 BIG CHAIN BBQ GANG set in 2015.
- old record 688.0688
- set 2015 by BIG CHAIN BBQ GANG
Back to Mayberry BBQ 2016
Jul 1–2, 2016 · Whiting, IA
JO-BAWB'S BBQ won Grand Champion at the Back to Mayberry BBQ on July 1, 2016 in Whiting, IA, scoring 701.0856 in a field of 35 teams. PORKY BUTTS BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 695.3944. Category winners: Chicken — SLAPS BBQ (177.7144); Pork Ribs — IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ (174.2744); Pork — PORKY BUTTS BBQ (178.8572); Brisket — JO-BAWB'S BBQ (180.0000). This is the 2nd of 2 editions of this contest on record; the 2015 edition was won by BIG CHAIN BBQ GANG.
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.
600.37
median 671.29
701.09 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Chicken 177.71
- Pork Ribs 174.27
- Pork 178.86
- Brisket 180 🔥
143.35
180
Entries
35
4 judged meats
Top score
701.0856
Winning margin
5.6912
GC over RC
Field average
668.00
600.37701.09
median 671.29 · last place to winner
Tightest race
Pork Ribs
1.7028 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
681.0516
600.37701.09
10th place overall
Field spread
100.7200
winner to last place
Double threats
4
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 29%
beats 71% of 4715 Master Series wins in the data
Came back for more
72%
18 of 25 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.78 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,621
avg power rating going in · stronger than 88% of contests
Storylines (8 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.
An upset on the books
27-in-100
shot on pre-contest ratings
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 73 times in 100
JO-BAWB'S BBQ came in rated below the field's top team, IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 27-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
- champion 1830
- top seed 2000
Photo finishes
Tie
closest of 15 calls decided inside half a point
Chicken places 4–5: JO-BAWB'S BBQ and HELPING U BBQ tied on 174.2628 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 5–6: HELPING U BBQ and SIN CIRCLE BBQ tied on 174.2628 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 6–7: SIN CIRCLE BBQ and DIG-IN COOKERS tied on 174.2628 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
- Chicken 4–5 · tie
- Chicken 5–6 · tie
- Chicken 6–7 · tie
- Pork Ribs 3–4 · tie
How the title was won
4 of 4
meats called to the stage
JO-BAWB'S BBQ took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was pork ribs at 8th.
- Chicken 4th
- Pork Ribs 8th
- Pork 5th
- Brisket 1st
A contest record in brisket
180.0000
best brisket ever cooked here
JO-BAWB'S BBQ turned in 180.0000 in brisket — past the 173.7144 that had stood across 1 earlier editions.
- old best 173.7144
- across 1 past editions
Back to defend
1
past champions back in the field
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: BIG CHAIN BBQ GANG (won 2015).
- BIG CHAIN BBQ GANG · 2015
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.
- JO-BAWB'S BBQ · Brisket
They keep coming back
72%
of last edition’s field returned
18 of 25 teams from 2015-07-03 came back
18 of the 25 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 3, 2015 | Whiting, IA | Whiting, IA 51067 | 25 | 688.0688 | BIG CHAIN BBQ GANG | SPITFIRE |
| Jul 1, 2016 ← this one | Whiting, IA | Whiting , IA | 35 | 701.0856 | JO-BAWB'S BBQ | PORKY BUTTS BBQ |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 177.7144 | 174.2628 | 172.5716 |
| Pork Ribs | 174.2744 | 172.5716 | 171.4056 |
| Pork | 178.8572 | 174.8456 | 169.6800 |
| Brisket | 180 | 175.4172 | 173.7144 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
35 entries · top 701.0856 · median 671.2912
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | JO-BAWB'S BBQ | |
| 2 | PORKY BUTTS BBQ | |
| 3 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 4 | BIG CHAIN BBQ GANG | |
| 5 | SLAPS BBQ | |
| 6 | TWISTED Q | |
| 7 | DIG-IN COOKERS | |
| 8 | DIRT ROAD BBQ | |
| 9 | SIN CIRCLE BBQ | |
| 10 | SMOKIN DINGER - THE PROFESSOR OF HOGOLOGY | |
| 11 | IOWA WILD HOGS BBQ | |
| 12 | PORK PATROL BBQ | |
| 13 | LAST CALL HEROES BBQ | |
| 14 | SMOKIN' LEFTY'S BBQ | |
| 15 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 16 | 913 BBQ | |
| 17 | WOODWARD BARBEQUE | |
| 18 | TREEFROG BBQ | |
| 19 | SPITFIRE | |
| 20 | GOTHIC TOWN GRILLERS | |
| 21 | OVERSIZE LOAD BBQ | |
| 22 | 2 CASE BBQ | |
| 23 | HELPING U BBQ | |
| 24 | SMOKIN GRUMPS | |
| 25 | TRUE SMOKE BBQ | |
| 26 | SMOKEY AND HIS BANDITS | |
| 27 | TIMBONE BARBECUE | |
| 28 | KEV'S CHEW CHEW BBQ | |
| 29 | SMOKIN CRITTERS | |
| 30 | BOURBON & BONES | |
| 31 | Hill Billy Smoke BBQ | |
| 32 | SHORT CREW BBQ | |
| 33 | SPICE YOUR LIFE RUB YOUR MEAT | |
| 34 | YOU GONNA LIKE IT | |
| 35 | COPPER CUP Q |
Chicken
35 entries · top 177.7144 · median 168
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SLAPS BBQ | |
| 2 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 3 | DIRT ROAD BBQ | |
| 4 | JO-BAWB'S BBQ | |
| 5 | HELPING U BBQ | |
| 6 | SIN CIRCLE BBQ | |
| 7 | DIG-IN COOKERS | |
| 8 | BOURBON & BONES | |
| 9 | TRUE SMOKE BBQ | |
| 10 | SMOKEY AND HIS BANDITS | |
| 11 | GOTHIC TOWN GRILLERS | |
| 12 | 913 BBQ | |
| 13 | PORKY BUTTS BBQ | |
| 14 | BIG CHAIN BBQ GANG | |
| 15 | OVERSIZE LOAD BBQ | |
| 16 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 17 | TWISTED Q | |
| 18 | SMOKIN' LEFTY'S BBQ | |
| 19 | IOWA WILD HOGS BBQ | |
| 20 | SPITFIRE | |
| 21 | WOODWARD BARBEQUE | |
| 22 | TREEFROG BBQ | |
| 23 | Hill Billy Smoke BBQ | |
| 24 | SHORT CREW BBQ | |
| 25 | SMOKIN DINGER - THE PROFESSOR OF HOGOLOGY | |
| 26 | KEV'S CHEW CHEW BBQ | |
| 27 | PORK PATROL BBQ | |
| 28 | TIMBONE BARBECUE | |
| 29 | 2 CASE BBQ | |
| 30 | SMOKIN CRITTERS | |
| 31 | YOU GONNA LIKE IT | |
| 32 | SMOKIN GRUMPS | |
| 33 | LAST CALL HEROES BBQ | |
| 34 | SPICE YOUR LIFE RUB YOUR MEAT | |
| 35 | COPPER CUP Q |
Pork Ribs
35 entries · top 174.2744 · median 166.8572
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 2 | GOTHIC TOWN GRILLERS | |
| 3 | BIG CHAIN BBQ GANG | |
| 4 | TREEFROG BBQ | |
| 5 | 2 CASE BBQ | |
| 6 | IOWA WILD HOGS BBQ | |
| 7 | PORKY BUTTS BBQ | |
| 8 | JO-BAWB'S BBQ | |
| 9 | WOODWARD BARBEQUE | |
| 10 | KEV'S CHEW CHEW BBQ | |
| 11 | TWISTED Q | |
| 12 | SMOKIN' LEFTY'S BBQ | |
| 13 | PORK PATROL BBQ | |
| 14 | LAST CALL HEROES BBQ | |
| 15 | OVERSIZE LOAD BBQ | |
| 16 | SLAPS BBQ | |
| 17 | DIG-IN COOKERS | |
| 18 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 19 | SMOKIN DINGER - THE PROFESSOR OF HOGOLOGY | |
| 20 | 913 BBQ | |
| 21 | DIRT ROAD BBQ | |
| 22 | SIN CIRCLE BBQ | |
| 23 | SMOKIN GRUMPS | |
| 24 | TIMBONE BARBECUE | |
| 25 | HELPING U BBQ | |
| 26 | SMOKIN CRITTERS | |
| 27 | SPITFIRE | |
| 28 | YOU GONNA LIKE IT | |
| 29 | BOURBON & BONES | |
| 30 | COPPER CUP Q | |
| 31 | SPICE YOUR LIFE RUB YOUR MEAT | |
| 32 | SMOKEY AND HIS BANDITS | |
| 33 | TRUE SMOKE BBQ | |
| 34 | Hill Billy Smoke BBQ | |
| 35 | SHORT CREW BBQ |
Pork
35 entries · top 178.8572 · median 166.2400
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | PORKY BUTTS BBQ | |
| 2 | LAST CALL HEROES BBQ | |
| 3 | SMOKIN DINGER - THE PROFESSOR OF HOGOLOGY | |
| 4 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 5 | JO-BAWB'S BBQ | |
| 6 | PORK PATROL BBQ | |
| 7 | SIN CIRCLE BBQ | |
| 8 | BIG CHAIN BBQ GANG | |
| 9 | TWISTED Q | |
| 10 | SMOKIN CRITTERS | |
| 11 | KEV'S CHEW CHEW BBQ | |
| 12 | DIG-IN COOKERS | |
| 13 | IOWA WILD HOGS BBQ | |
| 14 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 15 | GOTHIC TOWN GRILLERS | |
| 16 | SMOKEY AND HIS BANDITS | |
| 17 | SMOKIN GRUMPS | |
| 18 | 913 BBQ | |
| 19 | TIMBONE BARBECUE | |
| 20 | DIRT ROAD BBQ | |
| 21 | SMOKIN' LEFTY'S BBQ | |
| 22 | SLAPS BBQ | |
| 23 | SPITFIRE | |
| 24 | TRUE SMOKE BBQ | |
| 25 | HELPING U BBQ | |
| 26 | 2 CASE BBQ | |
| 27 | TREEFROG BBQ | |
| 28 | Hill Billy Smoke BBQ | |
| 29 | OVERSIZE LOAD BBQ | |
| 30 | WOODWARD BARBEQUE | |
| 31 | YOU GONNA LIKE IT | |
| 32 | SPICE YOUR LIFE RUB YOUR MEAT | |
| 33 | SHORT CREW BBQ | |
| 34 | COPPER CUP Q | |
| 35 | BOURBON & BONES |
Brisket
35 entries · top 180 · median 167.9772 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | JO-BAWB'S BBQ | |
| 2 | SMOKIN GRUMPS | |
| 3 | TWISTED Q | |
| 4 | SLAPS BBQ | |
| 5 | DIRT ROAD BBQ | |
| 6 | SPITFIRE | |
| 7 | BIG CHAIN BBQ GANG | |
| 8 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | |
| 9 | DIG-IN COOKERS | |
| 10 | SMOKIN DINGER - THE PROFESSOR OF HOGOLOGY | |
| 11 | PORKY BUTTS BBQ | |
| 12 | SIN CIRCLE BBQ | |
| 13 | SMOKIN' LEFTY'S BBQ | |
| 14 | BOURBON & BONES | |
| 15 | WOODWARD BARBEQUE | |
| 16 | PORK PATROL BBQ | |
| 17 | LAST CALL HEROES BBQ | |
| 18 | TIMBONE BARBECUE | |
| 19 | IOWA WILD HOGS BBQ | |
| 20 | 2 CASE BBQ | |
| 21 | 913 BBQ | |
| 22 | TREEFROG BBQ | |
| 23 | TRUE SMOKE BBQ | |
| 24 | HELPING U BBQ | |
| 25 | SMOKEY AND HIS BANDITS | |
| 26 | OVERSIZE LOAD BBQ | |
| 27 | SMOKIN CRITTERS | |
| 28 | WHEN PIGS DIE | |
| 29 | Hill Billy Smoke BBQ | |
| 30 | SHORT CREW BBQ | |
| 31 | SPICE YOUR LIFE RUB YOUR MEAT | |
| 32 | GOTHIC TOWN GRILLERS | |
| 33 | KEV'S CHEW CHEW BBQ | |
| 34 | YOU GONNA LIKE IT | |
| 35 | COPPER CUP Q |