National Western BBQ Throwdown

2017-01-06 – 2017-01-07 · Denver, CO · 📍 1515 E 47th Av

Grand Champion: CLARK CREW BBQ (700.5600) · 38 teams

Reserve Champion: 🥈 YOU QUE'D ME ALL NIGHT LONG

🥇

CLARK CREW BBQ

700.5600 · Master Series — Overall

🥈

YOU QUE'D ME ALL NIGHT LONG

690.7540 · Master Series — Overall

🥉

GETTIN' BASTED

689.0972 · Master Series — Overall

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.

581.66 median 651.33 700.56 🏆

How the meats cooked

Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.

Chicken 179.44
Pork Ribs 177.74
Pork 177.71
Brisket 178.30

126.21 179.44

Winning score by edition

What it has taken to win here, 2015 to 2019 — this edition picked out.

Entries

4 judged meats

Top score

700.5600

Winning margin

9.8060

GC over RC

Field average

651.54

581.66700.56

median 651.33 · last place to winner

Perfect 180s

Tightest race

Chicken

3.4400 pts across the top 5

Top-10 cutoff

665.5884

581.66700.56

10th place overall

Field spread

118.9028

winner to last place

Most consistent

CLARK CREW BBQ

avg finish 3.00 across 4 meats

Double threats

teams with 2+ top-5 calls

Widest winning margin

Brisket

won by 3.4516 pts — KEEP CALM AND BLAZE ON

How hot was the win?

Top 30%

beats 70% of 4707 Master Series wins in the data

Came back for more

50%

18 of 36 teams from the previous edition returned

Form held

Strong

ρ = -0.62 between pre-contest rating and finish

Field strength

1602

avg power rating going in · stronger than 79% of contests

Top-rated in the field

BIG POPPA SMOKERS

rated 1921 pre-contest

Storylines (7 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.

A new contest record

700.5600 highest overall ever cooked here

700.5600 is the highest overall score this contest has ever produced — past the 697.6800 JO-BAWB'S BBQ set in 2016.

old record 697.6800
set 2016 by JO-BAWB'S BBQ

Won without a category win

4 of 4 meats called to the stage

CLARK CREW BBQ won the Grand Championship without winning a single meat — 4 calls from 4 boards, best of them 2nd. Consistency beat fireworks.

Chicken 3rd
Pork Ribs 3rd
Pork 4th
Brisket 2nd

A statement win

9.8060 points clear of the field

Wider than 87% of the 4,742 championships in the data

The champion won by 9.8060 points — a wider margin than 87% of championships in the data.

A dynasty in the making

2× wins at this contest

2 of 5 tracked editions

JO-BAWB'S BBQ has won this contest 2 times across its 5 tracked editions.

2015
2016

Photo finishes

Tie closest of 9 calls decided inside half a point

Chicken places 1–2: GETTIN' BASTED and SWINESTONE COWBOYS tied on 179.4400 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork places 5–6: SWINESTONE COWBOYS and KEV'S CHEW CHEW BBQ tied on 172.5484 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 7–8: 913 BBQ edged WE'RE BURNIN DAYLIGHT BBQ by 0.0116.

Chicken 1–2 · tie
Pork 5–6 · tie
Chicken 7–8 · 0.0116
Brisket 5–6 · 0.0116

A contest record in chicken

179.4400 best chicken ever cooked here

GETTIN' BASTED turned in 179.4400 in chicken — past the 178.8572 that had stood across 2 earlier editions.

old best 178.8572
across 2 past editions

Back to defend

1 past champions back in the field

Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: JO-BAWB'S BBQ (won 2015, 2016).

JO-BAWB'S BBQ · 2015, 2016

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)

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
2015-01-09	Denver, CO	Denver, CO 80216	40	695.3716	JO-BAWB'S BBQ	BACKDRAFT BBQ
2016-01-08	Denver, CO	Denver, CO 80216	36	697.6800	JO-BAWB'S BBQ	BUTCHER BBQ
2017-01-06 ← this one	Denver, CO	1515 E 47th Av	38	700.5600	CLARK CREW BBQ	YOU QUE'D ME ALL NIGHT LONG
2018-01-05	Denver, CO	1515 E 47th Ave	39	691.3712	GETTIN' BASTED	BIG POPPA SMOKERS
2019-01-11	Denver, CO	1515 E 47th Av	38	691.9084	Gettin' Basted	SMELL OUR BUTTS BAR-B-Q

What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)

Category	1st	5th	10th
Chicken	179.4400	176.0000	169.7028
Pork Ribs	177.7372	172.5600	170.2628
Pork	177.7144	172.5484	169.6684
Brisket	178.2972	170.8344	167.9656

Official results on kcbs.us ↗

Master Series

Overall

38 entries · top 700.5600 · median 651.3258

#	Team	Score
1	CLARK CREW BBQ	700.5600
2	YOU QUE'D ME ALL NIGHT LONG	690.7540
3	GETTIN' BASTED	689.0972
4	BIG POPPA SMOKERS	683.8972
5	BURNIN BOBS BUTTS N BONES	683.8968
6	Smokin Hot J's	680.4688
7	KEEP CALM AND BLAZE ON	678.2972
8	913 BBQ	675.3712
9	SWINESTONE COWBOYS	669.0168
10	JO-BAWB'S BBQ	665.5884
11	KEV'S CHEW CHEW BBQ	665.5768
12	B-S BBQ OUTLAWS	662.7656
13	SMELL OUR BUTTS BAR-B-Q	662.1372
14	BACKDRAFT BBQ	657.5544
15	4 LEGS UP BBQ	656.4112
16	BIG DADDY'S BACKYARD BBQ	655.8628
17	WE'RE BURNIN DAYLIGHT BBQ	654.2056
18	LOST WEEKEND GRILL	653.0512
19	THE MIGHTY QUINNS BBQ	651.9200
20	BELLY RUB'N BBQ	650.7316
21	SHB Customs	650.7200
22	GRILLIN' BEAVERS	650.1600
23	ROCKET BOYS PYRO BBQ	650.1600
24	Q LIVE CREW	649.6800
25	PROUD SOULS BARBECUE	648.4000
26	CRAZY COYOTE	647.7940
27	BAYOU BAR-B-QUE CO	640.4460
28	UP SAUCE CREEK	640.3888
29	SMOKIN TRIGGERS	639.8516
30	Sweet Danny's Carcass	638.6856
31	Frank's BBQ Trading Post	637.0744
32	WILD HOGS BBQ	635.8172
33	Q'TANG CLAN	624.9712
34	JERRY KING MIDLAND TX	624.4800
35	BRACKEN RACKS BBQ	620.9480
36	Melba's BBQ	600.6744
37	Thunder Snout BBQ	589.6000
38	THE FAT HOG	581.6572

Chicken

38 entries · top 179.4400 · median 164.5428

#	Team	Score
1	GETTIN' BASTED	179.4400
2	SWINESTONE COWBOYS	179.4400
3	CLARK CREW BBQ	177.7372
4	YOU QUE'D ME ALL NIGHT LONG	177.7028
5	BIG POPPA SMOKERS	176.0000
6	JO-BAWB'S BBQ	172.5600
7	913 BBQ	172.0000
8	WE'RE BURNIN DAYLIGHT BBQ	171.9884
9	CRAZY COYOTE	170.8456
10	SHB Customs	169.7028
11	UP SAUCE CREEK	169.7028
12	B-S BBQ OUTLAWS	169.6800
13	ROCKET BOYS PYRO BBQ	167.9656
14	Smokin Hot J's	167.3828
15	LOST WEEKEND GRILL	166.8456
16	KEV'S CHEW CHEW BBQ	166.2628
17	KEEP CALM AND BLAZE ON	165.7028
18	BURNIN BOBS BUTTS N BONES	165.0856
19	Q LIVE CREW	164.5484
20	4 LEGS UP BBQ	164.5372
21	BAYOU BAR-B-QUE CO	162.8688
22	THE MIGHTY QUINNS BBQ	162.8456
23	Thunder Snout BBQ	162.2972
24	SMOKIN TRIGGERS	162.2400
25	Sweet Danny's Carcass	162.2400
26	SMELL OUR BUTTS BAR-B-Q	161.6684
27	WILD HOGS BBQ	161.6572
28	BIG DADDY'S BACKYARD BBQ	161.1200
29	BRACKEN RACKS BBQ	159.3716
30	BACKDRAFT BBQ	159.3600
31	BELLY RUB'N BBQ	158.8116
32	Frank's BBQ Trading Post	154.7884
33	JERRY KING MIDLAND TX	154.2628
34	Q'TANG CLAN	153.6456
35	GRILLIN' BEAVERS	153.0972
36	THE FAT HOG	151.4172
37	PROUD SOULS BARBECUE	151.3372
38	Melba's BBQ	142.8800

Pork Ribs

38 entries · top 177.7372 · median 163.9428

#	Team	Score
1	BURNIN BOBS BUTTS N BONES	177.7372
2	Smokin Hot J's	176.0000
3	CLARK CREW BBQ	175.4172
4	GRILLIN' BEAVERS	174.2628
5	YOU QUE'D ME ALL NIGHT LONG	172.5600
6	KEEP CALM AND BLAZE ON	172.0116
7	GETTIN' BASTED	171.9772
8	LOST WEEKEND GRILL	171.4172
9	4 LEGS UP BBQ	170.8228
10	913 BBQ	170.2628
11	WE'RE BURNIN DAYLIGHT BBQ	167.9772
12	SMOKIN TRIGGERS	167.3828
13	KEV'S CHEW CHEW BBQ	167.3828
14	BIG POPPA SMOKERS	166.2400
15	PROUD SOULS BARBECUE	165.6800
16	Sweet Danny's Carcass	164.5484
17	SMELL OUR BUTTS BAR-B-Q	163.9544
18	B-S BBQ OUTLAWS	163.9428
19	JO-BAWB'S BBQ	163.9428
20	SWINESTONE COWBOYS	163.9428
21	WILD HOGS BBQ	163.4172
22	BIG DADDY'S BACKYARD BBQ	162.8116
23	Q'TANG CLAN	162.3200
24	THE MIGHTY QUINNS BBQ	161.0972
25	BACKDRAFT BBQ	161.0856
26	CRAZY COYOTE	159.3600
27	BELLY RUB'N BBQ	157.6916
28	ROCKET BOYS PYRO BBQ	157.6916
29	UP SAUCE CREEK	157.6688
30	JERRY KING MIDLAND TX	157.1200
31	Q LIVE CREW	155.4172
32	SHB Customs	154.2400
33	Frank's BBQ Trading Post	152.5716
34	BAYOU BAR-B-QUE CO	150.2516
35	Thunder Snout BBQ	149.0972
36	BRACKEN RACKS BBQ	148.5140
37	THE FAT HOG	145.1544
38	Melba's BBQ	142.9028

Pork

38 entries · top 177.7144 · median 165.4058

#	Team	Score
1	Smokin Hot J's	177.7144
2	Q LIVE CREW	174.8572
3	BURNIN BOBS BUTTS N BONES	173.1084
4	CLARK CREW BBQ	172.5600
5	SWINESTONE COWBOYS	172.5484
6	KEV'S CHEW CHEW BBQ	172.5484
7	B-S BBQ OUTLAWS	172.0228
8	BIG DADDY'S BACKYARD BBQ	170.8456
9	BIG POPPA SMOKERS	170.8228
10	YOU QUE'D ME ALL NIGHT LONG	169.6684
11	Frank's BBQ Trading Post	169.1428
12	JO-BAWB'S BBQ	169.1200
13	913 BBQ	168.5600
14	BACKDRAFT BBQ	167.9888
15	SMELL OUR BUTTS BAR-B-Q	167.9772
16	GRILLIN' BEAVERS	166.2972
17	PROUD SOULS BARBECUE	166.2744
18	BELLY RUB'N BBQ	165.7028
19	SMOKIN TRIGGERS	165.6916
20	GETTIN' BASTED	165.1200
21	4 LEGS UP BBQ	164.5256
22	KEEP CALM AND BLAZE ON	162.2856
23	CRAZY COYOTE	162.2516
24	WILD HOGS BBQ	162.2400
25	BAYOU BAR-B-QUE CO	162.2400
26	SHB Customs	161.6800
27	THE MIGHTY QUINNS BBQ	161.1200
28	LOST WEEKEND GRILL	161.0972
29	WE'RE BURNIN DAYLIGHT BBQ	160.5600
30	BRACKEN RACKS BBQ	159.9884
31	Melba's BBQ	157.7716
32	JERRY KING MIDLAND TX	157.1084
33	Sweet Danny's Carcass	155.9772
34	ROCKET BOYS PYRO BBQ	153.0628
35	Thunder Snout BBQ	152.0000
36	UP SAUCE CREEK	150.7772
37	Q'TANG CLAN	143.3256
38	THE FAT HOG	140.5600

Brisket

38 entries · top 178.2972 · median 160.2686

#	Team	Score
1	KEEP CALM AND BLAZE ON	178.2972
2	CLARK CREW BBQ	174.8456
3	GETTIN' BASTED	172.5600
4	ROCKET BOYS PYRO BBQ	171.4400
5	BIG POPPA SMOKERS	170.8344
6	YOU QUE'D ME ALL NIGHT LONG	170.8228
7	BACKDRAFT BBQ	169.1200
8	SMELL OUR BUTTS BAR-B-Q	168.5372
9	BELLY RUB'N BBQ	168.5256
10	BURNIN BOBS BUTTS N BONES	167.9656
11	THE MIGHTY QUINNS BBQ	166.8572
12	Q'TANG CLAN	165.6800
13	PROUD SOULS BARBECUE	165.1084
14	SHB Customs	165.0972
15	BAYOU BAR-B-QUE CO	165.0856
16	913 BBQ	164.5484
17	UP SAUCE CREEK	162.2400
18	BIG DADDY'S BACKYARD BBQ	161.0856
19	Frank's BBQ Trading Post	160.5716
20	JO-BAWB'S BBQ	159.9656
21	KEV'S CHEW CHEW BBQ	159.3828
22	Smokin Hot J's	159.3716
23	Melba's BBQ	157.1200
24	B-S BBQ OUTLAWS	157.1200
25	4 LEGS UP BBQ	156.5256
26	GRILLIN' BEAVERS	156.5028
27	JERRY KING MIDLAND TX	155.9888
28	Sweet Danny's Carcass	155.9200
29	CRAZY COYOTE	155.3368
30	Q LIVE CREW	154.8572
31	LOST WEEKEND GRILL	153.6912
32	WE'RE BURNIN DAYLIGHT BBQ	153.6800
33	SWINESTONE COWBOYS	153.0856
34	BRACKEN RACKS BBQ	153.0740
35	WILD HOGS BBQ	148.5028
36	SMOKIN TRIGGERS	144.5372
37	THE FAT HOG	144.5256
38	Thunder Snout BBQ	126.2056

National Western BBQ Throwdown

The contest at a glance (read off the scored boards)

How the field scored

How the meats cooked

Winning score by edition

Entries

Top score

Winning margin

Field average

Perfect 180s

Tightest race

Top-10 cutoff

Field spread

Most consistent

Double threats

Widest winning margin

How hot was the win?

Came back for more

Form held

Field strength

Top-rated in the field

Storylines (7 found in this contest's numbers)

A new contest record

Won without a category win

A statement win

A dynasty in the making

Photo finishes

A contest record in chicken

Back to defend

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 →

What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)

Official results on kcbs.us ↗

Master Series

Overall

Chicken

Pork Ribs

Pork

Brisket