A statement win
12.5828
points clear of the field
Wider than 92% of the 4,742 championships in the data
The champion won by 12.5828 points — a wider margin than 92% of championships in the data.
Keystone Classic BBQ
2017-10-06 – 2017-10-07 · Harrisburg, PA · 📍 2300 North Cameron St
Grand Champion: APORKALYPSE NOW (690.2744) · 39 teams
Reserve Champion: 🥈 FUNNY BONES BBQ
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.
567.20
median 650.70
690.27 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Chicken 176.56
- Pork Ribs 173.74
- Pork 176.56
- Brisket 173.73
131.38
176.56
Entries
39
4 judged meats · 1 ancillary
Top score
690.2744
Winning margin
12.5828
GC over RC
Field average
647.03
567.20690.27
median 650.70 · last place to winner
Perfect 180s
0
Tightest race
Brisket
3.4628 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
663.9084
567.20690.27
10th place overall
Field spread
123.0744
winner to last place
Double threats
7
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 69%
beats 31% of 4707 Master Series wins in the data
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.79 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1585
avg power rating going in · stronger than 67% of contests
Storylines (4 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 8 calls decided inside half a point
Chicken places 3–4: APORKALYPSE NOW and CHRISTMAS CITY BBQ tied on 173.1200 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 2–3: CHRISTMAS CITY BBQ and SMOKESTACK REDEMPTION tied on 172.5600 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Brisket places 4–5: FUNNY BONES BBQ and DRILLING & GRILLING tied on 170.2628 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
- Chicken 3–4 · tie
- Pork Ribs 2–3 · tie
- Brisket 4–5 · tie
- Pork 9–10 · 0.0116
A double category winner
2
category wins in a day
APORKALYPSE NOW won Pork Ribs, Pork — a double, and took the Grand Championship on top of it.
- Pork Ribs 1st
- Pork 1st
How the title was won
4 of 4
meats called to the stage
APORKALYPSE NOW took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 2 outright wins — their weakest board was brisket at 9th.
- Chicken 3rd
- Pork Ribs 1st
- Pork 1st
- Brisket 9th
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)
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 176.5600 | 171.9656 | 168.5372 |
| Pork Ribs | 173.7372 | 167.9888 | 165.1432 |
| Pork | 176.5600 | 172.5484 | 169.6800 |
| Brisket | 173.7256 | 170.2628 | 166.8228 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
39 entries · top 690.2744 · median 650.6968
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | APORKALYPSE NOW | |
| 2 | FUNNY BONES BBQ | |
| 3 | 4:20 Q | |
| 4 | DRILLING & GRILLING | |
| 5 | UNCLE PIG'S BARBEQUE PIT | |
| 6 | ROCKIN ROBYNS BBQ | |
| 7 | SLOWER LOWER BBQ | |
| 8 | HAWG NATION BBQ | |
| 9 | LIFE IS GOOD BUT BBQ IS BETTER | |
| 10 | SMOKESTACK REDEMPTION | |
| 11 | BAR-B-QUE MAYHAM | |
| 12 | PULLIN' MY MONEY MUSCLE | |
| 13 | SMOKIN FOOLZ | |
| 14 | LO' -N- SLO' BBQ | |
| 15 | CHRISTMAS CITY BBQ | |
| 16 | PIGHEADED BBQ | |
| 17 | Bethlehem Smoke | |
| 18 | BRISKET BURNERS | |
| 19 | CAMP BACON BBQ | |
| 20 | PIG PEN BBQ | |
| 21 | SMOKIN' STUFF BBQ | |
| 22 | SMOKIN GNOME BBQ | |
| 23 | PIT"SBURGH SMOKERS | |
| 24 | REDNECK SMOKE CLUB | |
| 25 | POPPA Q-BBQ | |
| 26 | Many Moons BBQ | |
| 27 | SMOKEN DUDES BBQ | |
| 28 | CHUNKY BBQ | |
| 29 | WILLY'S Q SHACK | |
| 30 | SMOKIN' TEX BBQ | |
| 31 | CHAIN SMOKIN | |
| 32 | SWINE AND CHEESE | |
| 33 | BIKER BBQ | |
| 34 | DR. DOUG'S BLUES & Q | |
| 35 | SMOKECRAFT - MD | |
| 36 | A 2 Z | |
| 37 | J & M BAR B Q | |
| 38 | NOBLES BBQ | |
| 39 | TEAM HAM-HOCK |
Chicken
39 entries · top 176.5600 · median 164.0572
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | PIGHEADED BBQ | |
| 2 | ROCKIN ROBYNS BBQ | |
| 3 | APORKALYPSE NOW | |
| 4 | CHRISTMAS CITY BBQ | |
| 5 | 4:20 Q | |
| 6 | SMOKIN FOOLZ | |
| 7 | CAMP BACON BBQ | |
| 8 | FUNNY BONES BBQ | |
| 9 | HAWG NATION BBQ | |
| 10 | PULLIN' MY MONEY MUSCLE | |
| 11 | UNCLE PIG'S BARBEQUE PIT | |
| 12 | SLOWER LOWER BBQ | |
| 13 | CHAIN SMOKIN | |
| 14 | PIG PEN BBQ | |
| 15 | PIT"SBURGH SMOKERS | |
| 16 | DRILLING & GRILLING | |
| 17 | Bethlehem Smoke | |
| 18 | LO' -N- SLO' BBQ | |
| 19 | SMOKIN' STUFF BBQ | |
| 20 | SMOKEN DUDES BBQ | |
| 21 | CHUNKY BBQ | |
| 22 | BAR-B-QUE MAYHAM | |
| 23 | SMOKESTACK REDEMPTION | |
| 24 | Many Moons BBQ | |
| 25 | SMOKIN' TEX BBQ | |
| 26 | SWINE AND CHEESE | |
| 27 | BIKER BBQ | |
| 28 | POPPA Q-BBQ | |
| 29 | REDNECK SMOKE CLUB | |
| 30 | SMOKIN GNOME BBQ | |
| 31 | J & M BAR B Q | |
| 32 | BRISKET BURNERS | |
| 33 | LIFE IS GOOD BUT BBQ IS BETTER | |
| 34 | WILLY'S Q SHACK | |
| 35 | NOBLES BBQ | |
| 36 | DR. DOUG'S BLUES & Q | |
| 37 | A 2 Z | |
| 38 | TEAM HAM-HOCK | |
| 39 | SMOKECRAFT - MD |
Pork Ribs
39 entries · top 173.7372 · median 158.8572
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | APORKALYPSE NOW | |
| 2 | CHRISTMAS CITY BBQ | |
| 3 | SMOKESTACK REDEMPTION | |
| 4 | DRILLING & GRILLING | |
| 5 | PULLIN' MY MONEY MUSCLE | |
| 6 | BAR-B-QUE MAYHAM | |
| 7 | UNCLE PIG'S BARBEQUE PIT | |
| 8 | SLOWER LOWER BBQ | |
| 9 | BRISKET BURNERS | |
| 10 | FUNNY BONES BBQ | |
| 11 | REDNECK SMOKE CLUB | |
| 12 | PIG PEN BBQ | |
| 13 | LIFE IS GOOD BUT BBQ IS BETTER | |
| 14 | J & M BAR B Q | |
| 15 | 4:20 Q | |
| 16 | SMOKEN DUDES BBQ | |
| 17 | DR. DOUG'S BLUES & Q | |
| 18 | WILLY'S Q SHACK | |
| 19 | POPPA Q-BBQ | |
| 20 | Many Moons BBQ | |
| 21 | SMOKIN FOOLZ | |
| 22 | SMOKIN' TEX BBQ | |
| 23 | PIT"SBURGH SMOKERS | |
| 24 | A 2 Z | |
| 25 | Bethlehem Smoke | |
| 26 | CAMP BACON BBQ | |
| 27 | ROCKIN ROBYNS BBQ | |
| 28 | SMOKIN' STUFF BBQ | |
| 29 | CHUNKY BBQ | |
| 30 | CHAIN SMOKIN | |
| 31 | PIGHEADED BBQ | |
| 32 | HAWG NATION BBQ | |
| 33 | SMOKIN GNOME BBQ | |
| 34 | LO' -N- SLO' BBQ | |
| 35 | SMOKECRAFT - MD | |
| 36 | BIKER BBQ | |
| 37 | SWINE AND CHEESE | |
| 38 | NOBLES BBQ | |
| 39 | TEAM HAM-HOCK |
Pork
39 entries · top 176.5600 · median 166.2400
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | APORKALYPSE NOW | |
| 2 | 4:20 Q | |
| 3 | UNCLE PIG'S BARBEQUE PIT | |
| 4 | ROCKIN ROBYNS BBQ | |
| 5 | FUNNY BONES BBQ | |
| 6 | SLOWER LOWER BBQ | |
| 7 | LO' -N- SLO' BBQ | |
| 8 | LIFE IS GOOD BUT BBQ IS BETTER | |
| 9 | PIT"SBURGH SMOKERS | |
| 10 | POPPA Q-BBQ | |
| 11 | HAWG NATION BBQ | |
| 12 | Bethlehem Smoke | |
| 13 | CHRISTMAS CITY BBQ | |
| 14 | DRILLING & GRILLING | |
| 15 | SMOKIN GNOME BBQ | |
| 16 | Many Moons BBQ | |
| 17 | PIG PEN BBQ | |
| 18 | BAR-B-QUE MAYHAM | |
| 19 | CHUNKY BBQ | |
| 20 | CHAIN SMOKIN | |
| 21 | REDNECK SMOKE CLUB | |
| 22 | SMOKESTACK REDEMPTION | |
| 23 | SMOKIN' STUFF BBQ | |
| 24 | BRISKET BURNERS | |
| 25 | SWINE AND CHEESE | |
| 26 | WILLY'S Q SHACK | |
| 27 | BIKER BBQ | |
| 28 | CAMP BACON BBQ | |
| 29 | NOBLES BBQ | |
| 30 | SMOKIN FOOLZ | |
| 31 | PIGHEADED BBQ | |
| 32 | SMOKECRAFT - MD | |
| 33 | A 2 Z | |
| 34 | DR. DOUG'S BLUES & Q | |
| 35 | SMOKEN DUDES BBQ | |
| 36 | SMOKIN' TEX BBQ | |
| 37 | PULLIN' MY MONEY MUSCLE | |
| 38 | J & M BAR B Q | |
| 39 | TEAM HAM-HOCK |
Brisket
39 entries · top 173.7256 · median 163.3944
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HAWG NATION BBQ | |
| 2 | PULLIN' MY MONEY MUSCLE | |
| 3 | LIFE IS GOOD BUT BBQ IS BETTER | |
| 4 | FUNNY BONES BBQ | |
| 5 | DRILLING & GRILLING | |
| 6 | SMOKIN GNOME BBQ | |
| 7 | SMOKIN FOOLZ | |
| 8 | LO' -N- SLO' BBQ | |
| 9 | APORKALYPSE NOW | |
| 10 | BAR-B-QUE MAYHAM | |
| 11 | ROCKIN ROBYNS BBQ | |
| 12 | 4:20 Q | |
| 13 | SMOKIN' STUFF BBQ | |
| 14 | SMOKEN DUDES BBQ | |
| 15 | PIGHEADED BBQ | |
| 16 | SLOWER LOWER BBQ | |
| 17 | BRISKET BURNERS | |
| 18 | SMOKESTACK REDEMPTION | |
| 19 | CAMP BACON BBQ | |
| 20 | SMOKIN' TEX BBQ | |
| 21 | Bethlehem Smoke | |
| 22 | UNCLE PIG'S BARBEQUE PIT | |
| 23 | SWINE AND CHEESE | |
| 24 | Many Moons BBQ | |
| 25 | CHUNKY BBQ | |
| 26 | BIKER BBQ | |
| 27 | REDNECK SMOKE CLUB | |
| 28 | POPPA Q-BBQ | |
| 29 | DR. DOUG'S BLUES & Q | |
| 30 | SMOKECRAFT - MD | |
| 31 | WILLY'S Q SHACK | |
| 32 | PIG PEN BBQ | |
| 33 | PIT"SBURGH SMOKERS | |
| 34 | A 2 Z | |
| 35 | NOBLES BBQ | |
| 36 | CHAIN SMOKIN | |
| 37 | CHRISTMAS CITY BBQ | |
| 38 | J & M BAR B Q | |
| 39 | TEAM HAM-HOCK |
Ancillary categories
Run by the organizers alongside the sanctioned contest. These are judged on their own terms and do not count toward the overall score, so they're kept out of the meat stats above.
Master Series — Better Blend Burger
16 entries · top 176.5600 · median 158.2400
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BAR-B-QUE MAYHAM | |
| 2 | PIT"SBURGH SMOKERS | |
| 3 | CHRISTMAS CITY BBQ | |
| 4 | CAMP BACON BBQ | |
| 5 | Bethlehem Smoke | |
| 6 | PIG PEN BBQ | |
| 7 | TEAM HAM-HOCK | |
| 8 | PULLIN' MY MONEY MUSCLE | |
| 9 | SMOKIN GNOME BBQ | |
| 10 | DR. DOUG'S BLUES & Q | |
| 11 | CHAIN SMOKIN | |
| 12 | Many Moons BBQ | |
| 13 | SLOWER LOWER BBQ | |
| 14 | A 2 Z | |
| 15 | CHUNKY BBQ | |
| 16 | NOBLES BBQ |