May 13–14, 2016 · Long Beach, CA · 📍 1126 Queens HWY
BIG POPPA SMOKERS won Grand Champion at the West Coast BBQ Classic on May 13, 2016 in Long Beach, CA at 1126 Queens HWY, scoring 700.5484 in a field of 44 teams. LEFT COAST Q took Reserve Grand Champion with 699.4172. Category winners: Chicken — DG FIREHOUSE BBQ (178.2972); Pork Ribs — LEFT COAST Q (176.0344); Pork — RIDGE ROUTE BOYS BBQ (178.2972); Brisket — RIDGE ROUTE BOYS BBQ (180.0000). This is the 4th of 5 editions of this contest on record; the 2015 edition was won by BIG POPPA SMOKERS; the next was held in 2017.
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 82% of the 4,714 championships in the data
The Grand Championship was decided by 1.1312 points — closer than 82% of every championship in the data.
700.5484 is the highest overall score this contest has ever produced — past the 699.3944 BIG POPPA SMOKERS set in 2015.
BIG POPPA SMOKERS won here last time out too — 2 straight editions of this contest.
BIG POPPA SMOKERS won the Grand Championship without winning a single meat — 4 calls from 4 boards, best of them 4th. Consistency beat fireworks.
2 of 5 tracked editions
BIG POPPA SMOKERS has won this contest 2 times across its 5 tracked editions.
Pork places 8–9: SMOKIN MO'S BBQ and ROOFTOP BBQ tied on 171.9772 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Brisket places 3–4: ZZYZX BAR.B.Q and LEFT COAST Q tied on 177.7028 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 3–4: SMOKE HOUND BBQ edged BIG POPPA SMOKERS by 0.0116.
RIDGE ROUTE BOYS BBQ won Pork, Brisket — a double.
RIDGE ROUTE BOYS BBQ turned in 178.2972 in pork — past the 177.7372 that had stood across 3 earlier editions.
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: LEFT COAST Q (won 2013), BIG POPPA SMOKERS (won 2015).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 10, 2013 | Long Beach, CA | Long Beach, CA | 54 | 675.9998 | LEFT COAST Q | PORKETEERS |
| May 9, 2014 | Long Beach, CA | Long Beach , CA 90802 | 59 | 680.6172 | JET COATINGS - MONKEY STYLE | ZZYZX BAR.B.Q |
| May 8, 2015 | Long Beach, CA | Long Beach, CA 90802 | 57 | 699.3944 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | MY SMOKIN GRILLFRIEND |
| May 13, 2016 ← this one | Long Beach, CA | 1126 Queens HWY | 44 | 700.5484 | BIG POPPA SMOKERS | LEFT COAST Q |
| May 12, 2017 | Long Beach, CA | The Queen Mary Events Park | 40 | 694.8800 | SHARPE GOURMET COOKING WOOD | BURNIN AND LOOTIN |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 178.2972 | 175.4172 | 173.1200 |
| Pork Ribs | 176.0344 | 171.4288 | 170.2744 |
| Pork | 178.2972 | 176.5828 | 170.8800 |
| Brisket | 180 | 177.1544 | 174.2972 |
44 entries · top 700.5484 · median 665.3714
44 entries · top 178.2972 · median 168.2744
44 entries · top 176.0344 · median 166.2458
44 entries · top 178.2972 · median 166.2800
44 entries · top 180 · median 167.9772 · 🔥 perfect 180