The Ironman

2017-03-31 – 2017-04-01 · Greencastle, PA · 📍 1546 Buchanan Trail East

Grand Champion: DRILLING & GRILLING (683.9544) · 59 teams

Reserve Champion: 🥈 THE BBQ GURU

🥇

DRILLING & GRILLING

683.9544 · Master Series — Overall

🥈

THE BBQ GURU

683.3372 · Master Series — Overall

🥉

270 SMOKERS

678.9028 · 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.

479.26 median 635.37 683.95 🏆

How the meats cooked

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

Chicken 174.86
Pork Ribs 176.59
Pork 177.70
Brisket 177.74

20.00 177.74

Winning score by edition

What it has taken to win here, 2015 to 2024 — this edition picked out.

Entries

4 judged meats

Top score

683.9544

Winning margin

0.6172

GC over RC

Field average

631.72

479.26683.95

median 635.37 · last place to winner

Perfect 180s

Tightest race

Chicken

3.4288 pts across the top 5

Top-10 cutoff

665.0744

479.26683.95

10th place overall

Field spread

204.6972

winner to last place

Most consistent

DRILLING & GRILLING

avg finish 6.25 across 4 meats

Double threats

teams with 2+ top-5 calls

Widest winning margin

Pork

won by 3.9428 pts — DR. PEARL'S MEDICINAL SMOKE BBQ TEAM

How hot was the win?

Top 83%

beats 17% of 4707 Master Series wins in the data

Came back for more

54%

29 of 54 teams from the previous edition returned

Form held

Strong

ρ = -0.77 between pre-contest rating and finish

Field strength

1555

avg power rating going in · stronger than 42% of contests

Top-rated in the field

3 EYZ BBQ

rated 1880 pre-contest

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.

A razor-thin finish

0.6172 points between champion and reserve

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

The Grand Championship was decided by 0.6172 points — closer than 87% of every championship in the data.

DRILLING & GRILLING
THE BBQ GURU

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

DRILLING & GRILLING came in rated below the field's top team, 3 EYZ BBQ, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 27-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.

champion 1705
top seed 1880

Won without a category win

4 of 4 meats called to the stage

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

Chicken 7th
Pork Ribs 2nd
Pork 7th
Brisket 9th

Photo finishes

Tie closest of 11 calls decided inside half a point

Chicken places 5–6: CHECKERED FLAG 500 BBQ and J&M BBQ WE BE SMOKIN tied on 171.4284 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 2–3: DRILLING & GRILLING and LO' -N- SLO' BBQ tied on 173.7028 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 3–4: LO' -N- SLO' BBQ and 3N1 Q tied on 173.7028 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.

Chicken 5–6 · tie
Pork Ribs 2–3 · tie
Pork Ribs 3–4 · tie
Brisket 8–9 · 0.0112

A contest record in pork ribs

176.5944 best pork ribs ever cooked here

3 EYZ BBQ turned in 176.5944 in pork ribs — past the 176.0116 that had stood across 2 earlier editions.

old best 176.0116
across 2 past editions

Back to defend

2 past champions back in the field

Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: 270 SMOKERS (won 2015), 3 EYZ BBQ (won 2016).

270 SMOKERS · 2015
3 EYZ BBQ · 2016

One of the big ones

59 teams on the grounds

Bigger than 92% of the 5,410 contests in the data

59 teams made this a bigger field than 92% of every contest tracked.

The biggest field yet

59 teams — a contest high

This contest usually draws about 51 teams

59 teams is the deepest field this contest has drawn in the data, against a typical 51.

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
2015-04-03	Shady Grove, PA	Shady Grove, PA 17256	48	689.0972	270 SMOKERS	3 EYZ BBQ
2016-04-01	Greencastle, PA	1542 Buchanan Trail East	54	694.7884	3 EYZ BBQ	BROWN LIQUOR BBQ
2017-03-31 ← this one	Greencastle, PA	1546 Buchanan Trail East	59	683.9544	DRILLING & GRILLING	THE BBQ GURU
2018-04-06	Greencastle, PA	1546 Buchanan Trail East	60	700.0116	ROCKIN ROBYNS BBQ	3 EYZ BBQ
2019-04-05	Greencastle, PA	1542 Buchanan Trail East	42	686.2056	WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ	PIGGIN' WHISKEY
2021-04-09	Greencastle, PA	—	—	—	—	—
2023-04-07	Greencastle, PA	1546 Buchanan Trail East	30	702.8460	Off The Rack BBQ	CHUNKY BBQ
2024-04-05	Seven Valleys, PA	35 Main St.	21	693.0856	Chunky BBQ	OFF THE RACK BBQ

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

Category	1st	5th	10th
Chicken	174.8572	171.4284	169.7372
Pork Ribs	176.5944	172.0344	167.4172
Pork	177.7028	170.2628	167.9656
Brisket	177.7372	171.9772	169.6800

Official results on kcbs.us ↗

Master Series

Overall

59 entries · top 683.9544 · median 635.3716

#	Team	Score
1	DRILLING & GRILLING	683.9544
2	THE BBQ GURU	683.3372
3	270 SMOKERS	678.9028
4	CHECKERED FLAG 500 BBQ	676.4912
5	4:20 Q	674.8688
6	3 EYZ BBQ	673.0856
7	INSANE SWINE BBQ	669.0400
8	LO' -N- SLO' BBQ	668.4456
9	DR. PEARL'S MEDICINAL SMOKE BBQ TEAM	667.8284
10	WILBUR'S REVENGE	665.0744
11	DANTE'S INFERNO	663.3368
12	BEERBEQUE	663.3144
13	BIG UGLY'S BBQ - MD	660.4456
14	SMOKEN DUDES BBQ	658.6856
15	PIGGIN' WHISKEY	657.5772
16	PHILLY BLIND PIG BBQ	656.3884
17	3N1 Q	655.8740
18	BUBBA JOE'S SMOKETOWN BBQ	655.3140
19	BROWN LIQUOR BBQ	654.7428
20	BAR-B-QUE MAYHAM	651.3712
21	LITTLE CREEK BAR B CUE COMPANY	649.6800
22	HELLBENT BBQ	644.4116
23	PAPA'S SMOKIN' AGAIN	641.6340
24	11/30 SMOKE	640.4116
25	RED BROTHERS BBQ	639.8624
26	ALLEGHENY MOUNTAIN BBQ	639.8512
27	J&M BBQ WE BE SMOKIN	637.5656
28	Q'IN BY THE FIRE	637.0972
29	DEAN'S ROCK'N REDNECKS	635.4060
30	JUST SMOKIN' AROUND	635.3716
31	DEAD ON Q	633.5084
32	WAR PIGS	632.4112
33	GRATEFUL 'QUE	632.3884
34	The Inked Pig	631.9084
35	BAD COMPANY BBQ	629.0628
36	ROCK'S MONEY PIT BBQ	628.4576
37	CHOKIN ON SMOKE	627.3828
38	A 2 Z	625.6460
39	SHACK'S Q	625.5200
40	PLUM CRAZY BBQ	624.9024
41	Pits & Giggles	620.9944
42	BENTWOOD SMOKERS	618.6400
43	HARSHMAN BBQ	618.2516
44	SHADY HORSE BBQ	615.4064
45	SMOKIN' OASIS	612.9712
46	TWINNING BBQ	612.3656
47	4 BOXERS Q	608.9716
48	50 SHADES OF PORK	608.9376
49	HERE COME THE JUDGE BBQ TEAM	604.9948
50	UNCLE'S EDDIE'S CHILI/BBQ TEAM	598.1828
51	DOAN'S BONES BARBECUE	598.1716
52	CHILLIN GRILL	595.2912
53	QUE KINGS OF QUEENS	590.7428
54	Buddhist From Mecca BBQ	590.1484
55	SMOKIN GNOME BBQ	589.4744
56	FIRST PLACE BBQ	589.1200
57	TRUCKERS CHOICE BBQ	585.0284
58	PARTY PIGS BBQ	524.2288
59	G. Henn BBQ	479.2572

Chicken

59 entries · top 174.8572 · median 159.9656

#	Team	Score
1	4:20 Q	174.8572
2	BUBBA JOE'S SMOKETOWN BBQ	174.8456
3	270 SMOKERS	174.2972
4	BEERBEQUE	174.2628
5	CHECKERED FLAG 500 BBQ	171.4284
6	J&M BBQ WE BE SMOKIN	171.4284
7	DRILLING & GRILLING	170.8572
8	THE BBQ GURU	170.8344
9	WILBUR'S REVENGE	170.2744
10	LITTLE CREEK BAR B CUE COMPANY	169.7372
11	3 EYZ BBQ	169.7256
12	BAD COMPANY BBQ	169.7256
13	BROWN LIQUOR BBQ	169.1428
14	INSANE SWINE BBQ	168.5484
15	ALLEGHENY MOUNTAIN BBQ	165.6912
16	11/30 SMOKE	165.0972
17	DANTE'S INFERNO	164.5484
18	RED BROTHERS BBQ	164.0228
19	3N1 Q	163.9884
20	50 SHADES OF PORK	163.9772
21	CHOKIN ON SMOKE	163.4172
22	4 BOXERS Q	163.4172
23	ROCK'S MONEY PIT BBQ	163.3944
24	DOAN'S BONES BARBECUE	162.8800
25	BAR-B-QUE MAYHAM	162.2628
26	Pits & Giggles	161.6916
27	PAPA'S SMOKIN' AGAIN	161.1200
28	SMOKEN DUDES BBQ	160.5028
29	LO' -N- SLO' BBQ	160.4912
30	CHILLIN GRILL	159.9656
31	JUST SMOKIN' AROUND	159.4056
32	SHACK'S Q	159.3600
33	PLUM CRAZY BBQ	158.8112
34	DR. PEARL'S MEDICINAL SMOKE BBQ TEAM	158.7884
35	BIG UGLY'S BBQ - MD	158.7884
36	SMOKIN' OASIS	157.7028
37	DEAN'S ROCK'N REDNECKS	157.1316
38	WAR PIGS	156.5256
39	TWINNING BBQ	156.5256
40	UNCLE'S EDDIE'S CHILI/BBQ TEAM	155.9544
41	HERE COME THE JUDGE BBQ TEAM	155.9428
42	SHADY HORSE BBQ	155.4400
43	Q'IN BY THE FIRE	155.4172
44	PIGGIN' WHISKEY	154.7888
45	PHILLY BLIND PIG BBQ	154.7656
46	FIRST PLACE BBQ	154.3316
47	GRATEFUL 'QUE	154.2628
48	A 2 Z	153.6916
49	HELLBENT BBQ	153.0972
50	BENTWOOD SMOKERS	151.3828
51	The Inked Pig	149.6684
52	QUE KINGS OF QUEENS	149.1084
53	DEAD ON Q	147.8972
54	HARSHMAN BBQ	146.8460
55	Buddhist From Mecca BBQ	138.8456
56	TRUCKERS CHOICE BBQ	135.9312
57	PARTY PIGS BBQ	105.0516
58	SMOKIN GNOME BBQ	104.3772
59	G. Henn BBQ	20.0000

Pork Ribs

59 entries · top 176.5944 · median 159.9772

#	Team	Score
1	3 EYZ BBQ	176.5944
2	DRILLING & GRILLING	173.7028
3	LO' -N- SLO' BBQ	173.7028
4	3N1 Q	173.7028
5	270 SMOKERS	172.0344
6	CHECKERED FLAG 500 BBQ	170.8344
7	PIGGIN' WHISKEY	169.7144
8	PHILLY BLIND PIG BBQ	169.1316
9	J&M BBQ WE BE SMOKIN	168.5372
10	THE BBQ GURU	167.4172
11	WAR PIGS	167.3828
12	DEAN'S ROCK'N REDNECKS	166.8344
13	BROWN LIQUOR BBQ	165.7028
14	BIG UGLY'S BBQ - MD	165.6800
15	PAPA'S SMOKIN' AGAIN	165.1084
16	ALLEGHENY MOUNTAIN BBQ	163.9888
17	INSANE SWINE BBQ	163.9544
18	A 2 Z	163.4288
19	BEERBEQUE	163.4060
20	DANTE'S INFERNO	162.8228
21	BAR-B-QUE MAYHAM	162.8228
22	CHOKIN ON SMOKE	162.3200
23	DEAD ON Q	162.2628
24	BAD COMPANY BBQ	162.2516
25	LITTLE CREEK BAR B CUE COMPANY	161.6800
26	BENTWOOD SMOKERS	161.6684
27	RED BROTHERS BBQ	160.5484
28	ROCK'S MONEY PIT BBQ	159.9772
29	JUST SMOKIN' AROUND	159.9772
30	SHACK'S Q	159.9772
31	WILBUR'S REVENGE	159.9772
32	BUBBA JOE'S SMOKETOWN BBQ	159.9428
33	DR. PEARL'S MEDICINAL SMOKE BBQ TEAM	159.3600
34	SMOKIN' OASIS	158.8112
35	SMOKEN DUDES BBQ	158.8000
36	Q'IN BY THE FIRE	158.2744
37	G. Henn BBQ	158.2284
38	DOAN'S BONES BARBECUE	157.1084
39	HARSHMAN BBQ	156.5944
40	The Inked Pig	155.3828
41	4:20 Q	154.8460
42	HELLBENT BBQ	154.7772
43	Buddhist From Mecca BBQ	154.2628
44	SMOKIN GNOME BBQ	153.6916
45	50 SHADES OF PORK	153.6688
46	FIRST PLACE BBQ	153.1200
47	QUE KINGS OF QUEENS	152.5372
48	GRATEFUL 'QUE	151.9428
49	SHADY HORSE BBQ	151.4176
50	TRUCKERS CHOICE BBQ	150.8228
51	CHILLIN GRILL	149.7140
52	TWINNING BBQ	149.0856
53	11/30 SMOKE	148.5144
54	PLUM CRAZY BBQ	147.3712
55	Pits & Giggles	143.9656
56	HERE COME THE JUDGE BBQ TEAM	138.2632
57	4 BOXERS Q	136.4916
58	PARTY PIGS BBQ	135.3600
59	UNCLE'S EDDIE'S CHILI/BBQ TEAM	134.2628

Pork

59 entries · top 177.7028 · median 158.2400

#	Team	Score
1	DR. PEARL'S MEDICINAL SMOKE BBQ TEAM	177.7028
2	4:20 Q	173.7600
3	INSANE SWINE BBQ	171.9656
4	WILBUR'S REVENGE	170.8572
5	PIGGIN' WHISKEY	170.2628
6	SMOKEN DUDES BBQ	169.7028
7	DRILLING & GRILLING	169.6800
8	THE BBQ GURU	168.5256
9	BIG UGLY'S BBQ - MD	168.0116
10	DANTE'S INFERNO	167.9656
11	CHECKERED FLAG 500 BBQ	167.4056
12	DEAD ON Q	166.8228
13	270 SMOKERS	166.2856
14	GRATEFUL 'QUE	166.2400
15	SMOKIN GNOME BBQ	165.1428
16	PHILLY BLIND PIG BBQ	165.0856
17	Q'IN BY THE FIRE	163.9884
18	Pits & Giggles	163.4172
19	4 BOXERS Q	163.4056
20	BEERBEQUE	163.3828
21	HERE COME THE JUDGE BBQ TEAM	162.2744
22	CHOKIN ON SMOKE	161.6684
23	PAPA'S SMOKIN' AGAIN	161.1428
24	LO' -N- SLO' BBQ	161.1316
25	11/30 SMOKE	160.5256
26	TWINNING BBQ	159.9772
27	LITTLE CREEK BAR B CUE COMPANY	159.4172
28	JUST SMOKIN' AROUND	158.8344
29	HELLBENT BBQ	158.8000
30	3N1 Q	158.2400
31	G. Henn BBQ	157.6572
32	HARSHMAN BBQ	157.1200
33	PLUM CRAZY BBQ	157.0628
34	BAR-B-QUE MAYHAM	156.5600
35	3 EYZ BBQ	156.5028
36	WAR PIGS	155.9884
37	UNCLE'S EDDIE'S CHILI/BBQ TEAM	155.4400
38	50 SHADES OF PORK	155.3828
39	BUBBA JOE'S SMOKETOWN BBQ	155.3712
40	RED BROTHERS BBQ	155.3484
41	A 2 Z	154.8228
42	SMOKIN' OASIS	154.8000
43	ALLEGHENY MOUNTAIN BBQ	154.7884
44	BROWN LIQUOR BBQ	154.7772
45	QUE KINGS OF QUEENS	152.5716
46	BENTWOOD SMOKERS	152.5144
47	PARTY PIGS BBQ	152.5028
48	TRUCKERS CHOICE BBQ	151.4400
49	Buddhist From Mecca BBQ	151.3828
50	The Inked Pig	150.2744
51	ROCK'S MONEY PIT BBQ	148.5144
52	J&M BBQ WE BE SMOKIN	148.5028
53	CHILLIN GRILL	148.5028
54	BAD COMPANY BBQ	146.2628
55	DEAN'S ROCK'N REDNECKS	144.5484
56	DOAN'S BONES BARBECUE	143.4060
57	SHACK'S Q	142.7656
58	SHADY HORSE BBQ	141.0972
59	FIRST PLACE BBQ	137.7028

Brisket

59 entries · top 177.7372 · median 159.9428

#	Team	Score
1	HELLBENT BBQ	177.7372
2	The Inked Pig	176.5828
3	THE BBQ GURU	176.5600
4	LO' -N- SLO' BBQ	173.1200
5	DR. PEARL'S MEDICINAL SMOKE BBQ TEAM	171.9772
6	4:20 Q	171.4056
7	3 EYZ BBQ	170.2628
8	BAR-B-QUE MAYHAM	169.7256
9	DRILLING & GRILLING	169.7144
10	SMOKEN DUDES BBQ	169.6800
11	DANTE'S INFERNO	168.0000
12	BIG UGLY'S BBQ - MD	167.9656
13	SHADY HORSE BBQ	167.4516
14	PHILLY BLIND PIG BBQ	167.4056
15	DEAN'S ROCK'N REDNECKS	166.8916
16	CHECKERED FLAG 500 BBQ	166.8228
17	270 SMOKERS	166.2856
18	11/30 SMOKE	166.2744
19	SMOKIN GNOME BBQ	166.2628
20	BUBBA JOE'S SMOKETOWN BBQ	165.1544
21	BROWN LIQUOR BBQ	165.1200
22	INSANE SWINE BBQ	164.5716
23	WILBUR'S REVENGE	163.9656
24	SHACK'S Q	163.4172
25	PIGGIN' WHISKEY	162.8112
26	BEERBEQUE	162.2628
27	PLUM CRAZY BBQ	161.6572
28	RED BROTHERS BBQ	159.9428
29	GRATEFUL 'QUE	159.9428
30	3N1 Q	159.9428
31	Q'IN BY THE FIRE	159.4172
32	LITTLE CREEK BAR B CUE COMPANY	158.8456
33	HARSHMAN BBQ	157.6912
34	JUST SMOKIN' AROUND	157.1544
35	ROCK'S MONEY PIT BBQ	156.5716
36	DEAD ON Q	156.5256
37	ALLEGHENY MOUNTAIN BBQ	155.3828
38	PAPA'S SMOKIN' AGAIN	154.2628
39	A 2 Z	153.7028
40	BENTWOOD SMOKERS	153.0744
41	UNCLE'S EDDIE'S CHILI/BBQ TEAM	152.5256
42	WAR PIGS	152.5144
43	Pits & Giggles	151.9200
44	BAD COMPANY BBQ	150.8228
45	J&M BBQ WE BE SMOKIN	149.0972
46	HERE COME THE JUDGE BBQ TEAM	148.5144
47	TRUCKERS CHOICE BBQ	146.8344
48	TWINNING BBQ	146.7772
49	Buddhist From Mecca BBQ	145.6572
50	4 BOXERS Q	145.6572
51	FIRST PLACE BBQ	143.9656
52	G. Henn BBQ	143.3716
53	SMOKIN' OASIS	141.6572
54	CHOKIN ON SMOKE	139.9772
55	CHILLIN GRILL	137.1088
56	QUE KINGS OF QUEENS	136.5256
57	50 SHADES OF PORK	135.9088
58	DOAN'S BONES BARBECUE	134.7772
59	PARTY PIGS BBQ	131.3144

The Ironman

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 (8 found in this contest's numbers)

A razor-thin finish

An upset on the books

Won without a category win

Photo finishes

A contest record in pork ribs

Back to defend

One of the big ones

The biggest field yet

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