Mar 31 – Apr 1, 2017 · Greencastle, PA · 📍 1546 Buchanan Trail East
DRILLING & GRILLING won Grand Champion at The Ironman on March 31, 2017 in Greencastle, PA at 1546 Buchanan Trail East, scoring 683.9544 in a field of 59 teams. THE BBQ GURU took Reserve Grand Champion with 683.3372. Category winners: Chicken — 4:20 Q (174.8572); Pork Ribs — 3 EYZ BBQ (176.5944); Pork — DR. PEARL'S MEDICINAL SMOKE BBQ TEAM (177.7028); Brisket — HELLBENT BBQ (177.7372). This is the 3rd of 7 editions of this contest on record; the 2016 edition was won by 3 EYZ BBQ; the next was held in 2018.
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, 2015 to 2024 — 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 87% of the 4,722 championships in the data
The Grand Championship was decided by 0.6172 points — closer than 87% of every championship in the data.
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 74 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 26-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
DRILLING & GRILLING won the Grand Championship without winning a single meat — 4 calls from 4 boards, best of them 2nd. Consistency beat fireworks.
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.
3 EYZ BBQ turned in 176.5944 in pork ribs — past the 176.0116 that had stood across 2 earlier editions.
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: 270 SMOKERS (won 2015), 3 EYZ BBQ (won 2016).
Bigger than 91% of the 5,482 contests in the data
59 teams — bigger than 91% of the 5,482 contests in the data.
This contest usually draws about 51 teams
59 teams is the deepest field this contest has drawn in the data, against a typical 51.
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 3, 2015 | Shady Grove, PA | Shady Grove, PA 17256 | 48 | 689.0972 | 270 SMOKERS | 3 EYZ BBQ |
| Apr 1, 2016 | Greencastle, PA | 1542 Buchanan Trail East | 54 | 694.7884 | 3 EYZ BBQ | BROWN LIQUOR BBQ |
| Mar 31, 2017 ← this one | Greencastle, PA | 1546 Buchanan Trail East | 59 | 683.9544 | DRILLING & GRILLING | THE BBQ GURU |
| Apr 6, 2018 | Greencastle, PA | 1546 Buchanan Trail East | 60 | 700.0116 | ROCKIN ROBYNS BBQ | 3 EYZ BBQ |
| Apr 5, 2019 | Greencastle, PA | 1542 Buchanan Trail East | 42 | 686.2056 | WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ | PIGGIN' WHISKEY |
| Apr 9, 2021 | Greencastle, PA | — | — | — | — | — |
| Apr 7, 2023 | Greencastle, PA | 1546 Buchanan Trail East | 30 | 702.8460 | Off The Rack BBQ | CHUNKY BBQ |
| Apr 5, 2024 | Seven Valleys, PA | 35 Main St. | 21 | 693.0856 | Chunky BBQ | OFF THE RACK BBQ |
| 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 |
59 entries · top 683.9544 · median 635.3716
59 entries · top 174.8572 · median 159.9656
59 entries · top 176.5944 · median 159.9772
59 entries · top 177.7028 · median 158.2400
59 entries · top 177.7372 · median 159.9428