A dynasty in the making
2×
wins at this contest
2 of 8 tracked editions
RAZORRACKS has won this contest 2 times across its 8 tracked editions.
- 2015
- 2017
Downtown Jonesboro BBQ Festival 2017
Sep 29–30, 2017 · Jonesboro, AR · 📍 Main St/Union St
RAZORRACKS won Grand Champion at the Downtown Jonesboro BBQ Festival on September 29, 2017 in Jonesboro, AR at Main St/Union St, scoring 694.7768 in a field of 33 teams. Higginbotham Family Dental took Reserve Grand Champion with 690.7884. Category winners: Chicken — Higginbotham Family Dental (178.8572); Pork Ribs — RAZORRACKS (176.5600); Pork — SMOKE ON THIS (171.9772); Brisket — Higginbotham Family Dental (176.5600). This is the 4th of 8 editions of this contest on record; the 2016 edition was won by TRIPLE 5 COMPETITION BBQ; the next was held in 2019.
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.
158.23
median 635.37
694.78 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Chicken 178.86
- Pork Ribs 176.56
- Pork 171.98
- Brisket 176.56
145.09
178.86
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2014 to 2025 — this edition picked out.
Entries
33
4 judged meats
Top score
694.7768
Winning margin
3.9884
GC over RC
Field average
601.17
158.23694.78
median 635.37 · last place to winner
Perfect 180s
0
Tightest race
Pork
2.2744 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
659.8400
158.23694.78
10th place overall
Field spread
536.5484
winner to last place
Double threats
4
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 56%
beats 44% of 4711 Master Series wins in the data
Came back for more
30%
13 of 44 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Moderate
ρ = -0.34 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,525
avg power rating going in · stronger than 18% of contests
Storylines (5 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 14 calls decided inside half a point
Pork places 3–4: TRIPLE 5 COMPETITION and BIG SLAB BBQ tied on 169.7144 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 7–8: SMOKES UP BBQ edged Q-BONES BBQ by 0.0116. Chicken places 4–5: SMOKIN THROUGH THE NIGHT edged RAZORRACKS by 0.0116.
- Pork 3–4 · tie
- Pork Ribs 7–8 · 0.0116
- Chicken 4–5 · 0.0116
- Chicken 7–8 · 0.0116
A double category winner
2
category wins in a day
Higginbotham Family Dental won Chicken, Brisket — a double.
- Chicken 1st
- Brisket 1st
How the title was won
4 of 4
meats called to the stage
RAZORRACKS took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was chicken at 5th.
- Chicken 5th
- Pork Ribs 1st
- Pork 5th
- Brisket 2nd
Back to defend
1
past champions back in the field
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: RAZORRACKS (won 2015).
- RAZORRACKS · 2015
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 26, 2014 | Jonesboro, AR | Jonesboro, AR 72404 | 48 | 692.5484 | HIGGINBOTHAM FAMILY DENTAL GROUP | FIRE DANCER BBQ |
| Sep 25, 2015 | Jonesboro, AR | Jonesboro, AR 72404 | 38 | 708.0456 | RAZORRACKS | KILLER HOGS |
| Sep 30, 2016 | Jonesboro, AR | Main St | 44 | 701.7488 | TRIPLE 5 COMPETITION BBQ | GETTIN' BASTED |
| Sep 29, 2017 ← this one | Jonesboro, AR | Main St/Union St | 33 | 694.7768 | RAZORRACKS | Higginbotham Family Dental |
| Sep 27, 2019 | Jonesboro, AR | Downtown Jonesboro BBQ Festival | 43 | 699.9544 | COWBOY Q | RIDGE OUTLAWS BBQ |
| Sep 29, 2023 | Jonesboro, AR | 315 Union | 25 | 703.3712 | MEMPHIS ORIGINAL BBQ | Poppa Pig |
| Sep 27, 2024 | Jonesboro, AR | 314 Union | 27 | 705.7028 | Glamping Grillers | RAZORRACKS |
| Sep 26, 2025 | Jonesboro, AR | 314 Union | 26 | 717.7028 | Bad Dog BBQ | PIGLITICALLY INCORRECT BBQ |
| Sep 25, 2026 | Jonesboro, AR | — | — | — | — | — |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 178.8572 | 173.1084 | 166.8456 |
| Pork Ribs | 176.5600 | 167.4172 | 165.6800 |
| Pork | 171.9772 | 169.7028 | 167.4172 |
| Brisket | 176.5600 | 169.1772 | 166.2284 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
33 entries · top 694.7768 · median 635.3716
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | RAZORRACKS | |
| 2 | Higginbotham Family Dental | |
| 3 | SMOKE ON THIS | |
| 4 | RWQ/SKIP HIGHFILL | |
| 5 | DELTA SWINE | |
| 6 | SMOKIN THROUGH THE NIGHT | |
| 7 | Q-BONES BBQ | |
| 8 | TRIPLE 5 COMPETITION | |
| 9 | L" If I Know | |
| 10 | DownhomeQue | |
| 11 | C & J BACKYARD SMOKERS | |
| 12 | BIG SLAB BBQ | |
| 13 | SMOKES UP BBQ | |
| 14 | WHITE RIVER SMOKE | |
| 15 | The Porkchop Mafia | |
| 16 | KINFOLKS SMOKIN BUTTS | |
| 17 | CRUMMY BBQ | |
| 18 | WHAT'S THE TEMPERATURE | |
| 19 | Totally Smokin | |
| 20 | TRUMP MY RUMP BBQ CREW | |
| 21 | CANDY APPLE'S BBQ | |
| 22 | BEARDED BBQ | |
| 23 | MINORS CAUGHT SMOKIN | |
| 24 | SPARTAN WARRIOR QUE | |
| 25 | A QUE GOOD MEN | |
| 26 | PIG TEAM 6 | |
| 27 | RIDGE OUTLAWS BBQ | |
| 28 | PORK NASTY BBQ | |
| 29 | THE RACK PACK | |
| 30 | ACE BBQ | |
| 31 | OLE DRIPPY'S BUTT'S & THIGHS | |
| 32 | YARD GRILLERS | |
| 33 | EVA SUE'S BBQ |
Chicken
29 entries · top 178.8572 · median 164.5256
Pork Ribs
32 entries · top 176.5600 · median 162.2458
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | RAZORRACKS | |
| 2 | L" If I Know | |
| 3 | DELTA SWINE | |
| 4 | Higginbotham Family Dental | |
| 5 | RWQ/SKIP HIGHFILL | |
| 6 | KINFOLKS SMOKIN BUTTS | |
| 7 | SMOKES UP BBQ | |
| 8 | Q-BONES BBQ | |
| 9 | MINORS CAUGHT SMOKIN | |
| 10 | ACE BBQ | |
| 11 | SMOKE ON THIS | |
| 12 | THE RACK PACK | |
| 13 | DownhomeQue | |
| 14 | BEARDED BBQ | |
| 15 | C & J BACKYARD SMOKERS | |
| 16 | SMOKIN THROUGH THE NIGHT | |
| 17 | The Porkchop Mafia | |
| 18 | BIG SLAB BBQ | |
| 19 | TRIPLE 5 COMPETITION | |
| 20 | EVA SUE'S BBQ | |
| 21 | PORK NASTY BBQ | |
| 22 | Totally Smokin | |
| 23 | WHITE RIVER SMOKE | |
| 24 | CRUMMY BBQ | |
| 25 | A QUE GOOD MEN | |
| 26 | YARD GRILLERS | |
| 27 | CANDY APPLE'S BBQ | |
| 28 | WHAT'S THE TEMPERATURE | |
| 29 | TRUMP MY RUMP BBQ CREW | |
| 30 | PIG TEAM 6 | |
| 31 | RIDGE OUTLAWS BBQ | |
| 32 | SPARTAN WARRIOR QUE |
Pork
32 entries · top 171.9772 · median 163.9714
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SMOKE ON THIS | |
| 2 | TRUMP MY RUMP BBQ CREW | |
| 3 | TRIPLE 5 COMPETITION | |
| 4 | BIG SLAB BBQ | |
| 5 | RAZORRACKS | |
| 6 | SPARTAN WARRIOR QUE | |
| 7 | WHITE RIVER SMOKE | |
| 8 | THE RACK PACK | |
| 9 | BEARDED BBQ | |
| 10 | L" If I Know | |
| 11 | Higginbotham Family Dental | |
| 12 | ACE BBQ | |
| 13 | RWQ/SKIP HIGHFILL | |
| 14 | WHAT'S THE TEMPERATURE | |
| 15 | C & J BACKYARD SMOKERS | |
| 16 | Q-BONES BBQ | |
| 17 | DELTA SWINE | |
| 18 | SMOKIN THROUGH THE NIGHT | |
| 19 | Totally Smokin | |
| 20 | CANDY APPLE'S BBQ | |
| 21 | DownhomeQue | |
| 22 | The Porkchop Mafia | |
| 23 | RIDGE OUTLAWS BBQ | |
| 24 | KINFOLKS SMOKIN BUTTS | |
| 25 | OLE DRIPPY'S BUTT'S & THIGHS | |
| 26 | PIG TEAM 6 | |
| 27 | A QUE GOOD MEN | |
| 28 | PORK NASTY BBQ | |
| 29 | CRUMMY BBQ | |
| 30 | SMOKES UP BBQ | |
| 31 | MINORS CAUGHT SMOKIN | |
| 32 | YARD GRILLERS |
Brisket
30 entries · top 176.5600 · median 160.2458
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Higginbotham Family Dental | |
| 2 | RAZORRACKS | |
| 3 | Q-BONES BBQ | |
| 4 | SMOKE ON THIS | |
| 5 | SMOKIN THROUGH THE NIGHT | |
| 6 | TRIPLE 5 COMPETITION | |
| 7 | THE RACK PACK | |
| 8 | RWQ/SKIP HIGHFILL | |
| 9 | SMOKES UP BBQ | |
| 10 | DownhomeQue | |
| 11 | DELTA SWINE | |
| 12 | CRUMMY BBQ | |
| 13 | BIG SLAB BBQ | |
| 14 | L" If I Know | |
| 15 | C & J BACKYARD SMOKERS | |
| 16 | WHITE RIVER SMOKE | |
| 17 | TRUMP MY RUMP BBQ CREW | |
| 18 | Totally Smokin | |
| 19 | KINFOLKS SMOKIN BUTTS | |
| 20 | ACE BBQ | |
| 21 | The Porkchop Mafia | |
| 22 | SPARTAN WARRIOR QUE | |
| 23 | CANDY APPLE'S BBQ | |
| 24 | A QUE GOOD MEN | |
| 25 | PORK NASTY BBQ | |
| 26 | RIDGE OUTLAWS BBQ | |
| 27 | WHAT'S THE TEMPERATURE | |
| 28 | MINORS CAUGHT SMOKIN | |
| 29 | PIG TEAM 6 | |
| 30 | BEARDED BBQ |