A statement win
10.3316
points clear of the field
Wider than 89% of the 4,714 championships in the data
The champion won by 10.3316 points — a wider margin than 89% of championships in the data.
8th Annual Vista BBQ Classic (JUDGES FULL)
Jul 28–29, 2017 · Vista, CA · 📍 Downtown Vista
ZZYZX BAR.B.Q won Grand Champion at the 8th Annual Vista BBQ Classic (JUDGES FULL) on July 28, 2017 in Vista, CA at Downtown Vista, scoring 706.2860 in a field of 40 teams. BURNIN AND LOOTIN took Reserve Grand Champion with 695.9544. Category winners: Chicken — LADY OF Q (178.8572); Pork Ribs — BURNIN AND LOOTIN (177.1544); Pork — WESTCOAST 2LIVEQ (177.7144); Brisket — ZZYZX BAR.B.Q (178.8572).
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.
304.53
median 666.77
706.29 🏆
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 177.15
- Pork 177.71
- Brisket 178.86
134.77
178.86
Entries
40
4 judged meats · 2 ancillary
Top score
706.2860
Winning margin
10.3316
GC over RC
Field average
651.26
304.53706.29
median 666.77 · last place to winner
Perfect 180s
0
Tightest race
Pork
1.7028 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
683.9316
304.53706.29
10th place overall
Field spread
401.7596
winner to last place
Double threats
5
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 10%
beats 90% of 4715 Master Series wins in the data
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.7 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,553
avg power rating going in · stronger than 40% of contests
Storylines (3 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 10 calls decided inside half a point
Chicken places 2–3: SMOKIN' HART'S and HICKORY AND SPICE BBQ tied on 177.7028 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 7–8: Solo Dolo BBQ and 7 SINS BBQ tied on 173.7028 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 9–10: VEGAS GRILLBILLIES and HICKORY AND SPICE BBQ tied on 171.4172 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
- Chicken 2–3 · tie
- Chicken 7–8 · tie
- Pork Ribs 9–10 · tie
- Pork Ribs 6–7 · 0.0116
How the title was won
4 of 4
meats called to the stage
ZZYZX BAR.B.Q took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was chicken at 4th.
- Chicken 4th
- Pork Ribs 4th
- Pork 3rd
- Brisket 1st
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 | 178.8572 | 175.4400 | 172.0116 |
| Pork Ribs | 177.1544 | 172.5600 | 171.4172 |
| Pork | 177.7144 | 176.0116 | 171.4400 |
| Brisket | 178.8572 | 174.2856 | 169.7028 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
40 entries · top 706.2860 · median 666.7714
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ZZYZX BAR.B.Q | |
| 2 | BURNIN AND LOOTIN | |
| 3 | HICKORY AND SPICE BBQ | |
| 4 | DG FIREHOUSE BBQ | |
| 5 | WESTCOAST 2LIVEQ | |
| 6 | TOOT & STINKY'S CALI-Q | |
| 7 | RAD FONDO BBQ | |
| 8 | B' MACKIN BBQ | |
| 9 | Sharpe's Woodshed | |
| 10 | LADY OF Q | |
| 11 | SMOKING JOKERS AUSTRALIA | |
| 12 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 13 | SMOKIN' HART'S | |
| 14 | FU MAN QUE CREW | |
| 15 | BLUE EYED BBQ | |
| 16 | THE BRISKET BROTHERS | |
| 17 | QUED UP | |
| 18 | FUNTIME BBQ | |
| 19 | Solo Dolo BBQ | |
| 20 | NOTHING COMPARES 2 Q | |
| 21 | 7 SINS BBQ | |
| 22 | The BBQ Asylum | |
| 23 | VEGAS GRILLBILLIES | |
| 24 | BOB-A-QUE | |
| 25 | JW HAYES BBQ | |
| 26 | MYA&DJ'S BBQ | |
| 27 | JD'S LIPSMAKIN SMOKERS | |
| 28 | PAPA LA RUE'S BBQ | |
| 29 | BILL'S BLUE LINE BBQ | |
| 30 | WHEN PIGS FLY | |
| 31 | SOMETHING DELICIOUS | |
| 32 | BAD DOG BBQ - DE | |
| 33 | JOLLEY'S BAD TO THE BONE BARBEQUE | |
| 34 | YARD PIRATES BBQ | |
| 35 | SIX PACK SLABS | |
| 36 | PORK BUTT BANDITS | |
| 37 | BUTT UP BBQ | |
| 38 | HOGGIN' GONE WILD BBQ | |
| 39 | THE BBQ BUS -CA | |
| 40 | GNAW |
Chicken
40 entries · top 178.8572 · median 167.9828
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | LADY OF Q | |
| 2 | SMOKIN' HART'S | |
| 3 | HICKORY AND SPICE BBQ | |
| 4 | ZZYZX BAR.B.Q | |
| 5 | FUNTIME BBQ | |
| 6 | THE BRISKET BROTHERS | |
| 7 | Solo Dolo BBQ | |
| 8 | 7 SINS BBQ | |
| 9 | WESTCOAST 2LIVEQ | |
| 10 | SMOKING JOKERS AUSTRALIA | |
| 11 | The BBQ Asylum | |
| 12 | BLUE EYED BBQ | |
| 13 | RAD FONDO BBQ | |
| 14 | Sharpe's Woodshed | |
| 15 | FU MAN QUE CREW | |
| 16 | DG FIREHOUSE BBQ | |
| 17 | BOB-A-QUE | |
| 18 | BURNIN AND LOOTIN | |
| 19 | JW HAYES BBQ | |
| 20 | B' MACKIN BBQ | |
| 21 | QUED UP | |
| 22 | JD'S LIPSMAKIN SMOKERS | |
| 23 | TOOT & STINKY'S CALI-Q | |
| 24 | MYA&DJ'S BBQ | |
| 25 | NOTHING COMPARES 2 Q | |
| 26 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 27 | BUTT UP BBQ | |
| 28 | SIX PACK SLABS | |
| 29 | PAPA LA RUE'S BBQ | |
| 30 | BILL'S BLUE LINE BBQ | |
| 31 | BAD DOG BBQ - DE | |
| 32 | JOLLEY'S BAD TO THE BONE BARBEQUE | |
| 33 | SOMETHING DELICIOUS | |
| 34 | PORK BUTT BANDITS | |
| 35 | VEGAS GRILLBILLIES | |
| 36 | YARD PIRATES BBQ | |
| 37 | WHEN PIGS FLY | |
| 38 | GNAW | |
| 39 | THE BBQ BUS -CA | |
| 40 | HOGGIN' GONE WILD BBQ |
Pork Ribs
40 entries · top 177.1544 · median 166.2572
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BURNIN AND LOOTIN | |
| 2 | DG FIREHOUSE BBQ | |
| 3 | B' MACKIN BBQ | |
| 4 | ZZYZX BAR.B.Q | |
| 5 | RAD FONDO BBQ | |
| 6 | Solo Dolo BBQ | |
| 7 | JW HAYES BBQ | |
| 8 | SMOKING JOKERS AUSTRALIA | |
| 9 | VEGAS GRILLBILLIES | |
| 10 | HICKORY AND SPICE BBQ | |
| 11 | WESTCOAST 2LIVEQ | |
| 12 | TOOT & STINKY'S CALI-Q | |
| 13 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 14 | QUED UP | |
| 15 | Sharpe's Woodshed | |
| 16 | BLUE EYED BBQ | |
| 17 | SMOKIN' HART'S | |
| 18 | NOTHING COMPARES 2 Q | |
| 19 | HOGGIN' GONE WILD BBQ | |
| 20 | BILL'S BLUE LINE BBQ | |
| 21 | JD'S LIPSMAKIN SMOKERS | |
| 22 | LADY OF Q | |
| 23 | YARD PIRATES BBQ | |
| 24 | MYA&DJ'S BBQ | |
| 25 | FUNTIME BBQ | |
| 26 | THE BRISKET BROTHERS | |
| 27 | The BBQ Asylum | |
| 28 | BOB-A-QUE | |
| 29 | FU MAN QUE CREW | |
| 30 | 7 SINS BBQ | |
| 31 | WHEN PIGS FLY | |
| 32 | PAPA LA RUE'S BBQ | |
| 33 | BUTT UP BBQ | |
| 34 | GNAW | |
| 35 | JOLLEY'S BAD TO THE BONE BARBEQUE | |
| 36 | BAD DOG BBQ - DE | |
| 37 | SIX PACK SLABS | |
| 38 | SOMETHING DELICIOUS | |
| 39 | THE BBQ BUS -CA | |
| 40 | PORK BUTT BANDITS |
Pork
39 entries · top 177.7144 · median 165.6800
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WESTCOAST 2LIVEQ | |
| 2 | BURNIN AND LOOTIN | |
| 3 | ZZYZX BAR.B.Q | |
| 4 | HICKORY AND SPICE BBQ | |
| 5 | NOTHING COMPARES 2 Q | |
| 6 | RAD FONDO BBQ | |
| 7 | FU MAN QUE CREW | |
| 8 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 9 | TOOT & STINKY'S CALI-Q | |
| 10 | PAPA LA RUE'S BBQ | |
| 11 | VEGAS GRILLBILLIES | |
| 12 | SMOKING JOKERS AUSTRALIA | |
| 13 | DG FIREHOUSE BBQ | |
| 14 | B' MACKIN BBQ | |
| 15 | FUNTIME BBQ | |
| 16 | LADY OF Q | |
| 17 | 7 SINS BBQ | |
| 18 | BOB-A-QUE | |
| 19 | JW HAYES BBQ | |
| 20 | JD'S LIPSMAKIN SMOKERS | |
| 21 | Sharpe's Woodshed | |
| 22 | WHEN PIGS FLY | |
| 23 | BAD DOG BBQ - DE | |
| 24 | THE BRISKET BROTHERS | |
| 25 | MYA&DJ'S BBQ | |
| 26 | SIX PACK SLABS | |
| 27 | The BBQ Asylum | |
| 28 | SMOKIN' HART'S | |
| 29 | Solo Dolo BBQ | |
| 30 | PORK BUTT BANDITS | |
| 31 | QUED UP | |
| 32 | BLUE EYED BBQ | |
| 33 | SOMETHING DELICIOUS | |
| 34 | JOLLEY'S BAD TO THE BONE BARBEQUE | |
| 35 | BUTT UP BBQ | |
| 36 | BILL'S BLUE LINE BBQ | |
| 37 | YARD PIRATES BBQ | |
| 38 | HOGGIN' GONE WILD BBQ | |
| 39 | THE BBQ BUS -CA |
Brisket
39 entries · top 178.8572 · median 165.1200
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ZZYZX BAR.B.Q | |
| 2 | TOOT & STINKY'S CALI-Q | |
| 3 | Sharpe's Woodshed | |
| 4 | DG FIREHOUSE BBQ | |
| 5 | B' MACKIN BBQ | |
| 6 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 7 | LADY OF Q | |
| 8 | SMOKIN' HART'S | |
| 9 | BURNIN AND LOOTIN | |
| 10 | BLUE EYED BBQ | |
| 11 | HICKORY AND SPICE BBQ | |
| 12 | QUED UP | |
| 13 | THE BRISKET BROTHERS | |
| 14 | SMOKING JOKERS AUSTRALIA | |
| 15 | WESTCOAST 2LIVEQ | |
| 16 | RAD FONDO BBQ | |
| 17 | VEGAS GRILLBILLIES | |
| 18 | The BBQ Asylum | |
| 19 | SOMETHING DELICIOUS | |
| 20 | FU MAN QUE CREW | |
| 21 | MYA&DJ'S BBQ | |
| 22 | 7 SINS BBQ | |
| 23 | WHEN PIGS FLY | |
| 24 | FUNTIME BBQ | |
| 25 | PORK BUTT BANDITS | |
| 26 | BOB-A-QUE | |
| 27 | BILL'S BLUE LINE BBQ | |
| 28 | Solo Dolo BBQ | |
| 29 | JD'S LIPSMAKIN SMOKERS | |
| 30 | PAPA LA RUE'S BBQ | |
| 31 | NOTHING COMPARES 2 Q | |
| 32 | JOLLEY'S BAD TO THE BONE BARBEQUE | |
| 33 | JW HAYES BBQ | |
| 34 | BAD DOG BBQ - DE | |
| 35 | YARD PIRATES BBQ | |
| 36 | THE BBQ BUS -CA | |
| 37 | HOGGIN' GONE WILD BBQ | |
| 38 | SIX PACK SLABS | |
| 39 | BUTT UP BBQ |
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 — Dessert
12 entries · top 180 · median 175.7372 · 🔥 perfect 180
Master Series — Kids 11 To 15
7 entries · top 177.7028 · median 170.8344
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | .2LiveQ Jr | |
| 2 | ..Hog Wild Jayden | |
| 3 | ..Kung Fu Que | |
| 4 | ..Cardiff Cooker | |
| 5 | Smokin Brendan | |
| 6 | Smokin Jayden | |
| 7 | Ferbeque |