A dynasty in the making
3×
wins at this contest
3 of 8 tracked editions
MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ has won this contest 3 times across its 8 tracked editions.
- 2017
- 2018
- 2019
*Montana Pitmaster Classic
2017-08-25 – 2017-08-26 · Bozeman, MT · 📍 1243 Oak St
Grand Champion: MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ (681.6684) · 20 teams
Reserve Champion: 🥈 BEER BELLY 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.
287.49
median 604.67
681.67 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Chicken 167.99
- Pork Ribs 173.75
- Pork 174.87
- Brisket 171.41
20.00
174.87
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2017 to 2026 — this edition picked out.
Entries
20
4 judged meats
Top score
681.6684
Winning margin
2.8456
GC over RC
Field average
587.55
287.49681.67
median 604.67 · last place to winner
Perfect 180s
0
Tightest race
Chicken
3.4284 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
604.9708
287.49681.67
10th place overall
Field spread
394.1828
winner to last place
Double threats
7
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 87%
beats 13% of 4707 Master Series wins in the data
Form held
Moderate
ρ = -0.34 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1514
avg power rating going in · stronger than 9% 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
0.0112
closest of 4 calls decided inside half a point
Chicken places 1–2: CAMP HOUSE BBQ edged SMELLAQUE by 0.0112. Pork Ribs places 4–5: SMELLAQUE edged SMOKAPALOOZA by 0.0112. Brisket places 3–4: SMOKAPALOOZA edged Mountain Smoke by 0.0460.
- Chicken 1–2 · 0.0112
- Pork Ribs 4–5 · 0.0112
- Brisket 3–4 · 0.0460
- Pork Ribs 8–9 · 0.4912
How the title was won
4 of 4
meats called to the stage
MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was chicken at 5th.
- Chicken 5th
- Pork Ribs 2nd
- Pork 2nd
- Brisket 1st
This contest's own records (1 in the KCBS record book)
Records held by every edition of this contest put together, not just this one afternoon.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-08-25 ← this one | Bozeman, MT | 1243 Oak St | 20 | 681.6684 | MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ | BEER BELLY BBQ |
| 2018-08-24 | Bozeman, MT | 1243 Oak St | 26 | 698.2740 | MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ | GRATE EXPECTATIONS |
| 2019-08-23 | Bozeman, MT | 1243 Oak St | 29 | 691.9888 | MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ | CAMP HOUSE BBQ |
| 2022-08-26 | Bozeman, MT | 1243 Oak Street | 37 | 706.8688 | BEER BELLY BBQ | MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ |
| 2023-08-25 | Bozeman, MT | 1243 Oak Street | 44 | 705.2116 | Bushmaster BBQ | SMELLAQUE |
| 2024-08-23 | Bozeman, MT | 1243 Oak Street | 39 | 713.1544 | Piggin' Whiskey | BURNT TREES BBQ |
| 2025-08-22 | Bozeman, MT | 1243 Oak Street | 38 | 704.5600 | Brinkerhoff BBQ | Mountain Smoke BBQ |
| 2026-08-28 | Bozeman, MT | 1243 Oak Street | 39 | 706.8460 | Cocamoke Smoke BBQ | SmellaQue |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 167.9884 | 164.5600 | 153.6684 |
| Pork Ribs | 173.7488 | 162.8688 | 152.5600 |
| Pork | 174.8688 | 162.8460 | 153.1540 |
| Brisket | 171.4056 | 161.7028 | 148.0340 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
20 entries · top 681.6684 · median 604.6740
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ | |
| 2 | BEER BELLY BBQ | |
| 3 | SMELLAQUE | |
| 4 | 12 BAR BLUES CUE | |
| 5 | SMOKAPALOOZA | |
| 6 | Mountain Smoke | |
| 7 | CAMP HOUSE BBQ | |
| 8 | Hot Hawgs | |
| 9 | Hells Canyon BBQ | |
| 10 | A and L BBQ | |
| 11 | BIGDADDY'S FAMILY BBQ | |
| 12 | SMOKE 'EM IF YOU GOT 'EM | |
| 13 | AKQ - Fuddruckers | |
| 14 | Blowing Smoke BBQ | |
| 15 | Kick Back BBQ | |
| 16 | Broken Barrel BBQ and Kitchen | |
| 17 | Spice Grills | |
| 18 | Mixers Smoker | |
| 19 | Que Mc B's | |
| 20 | Big Bad Smoker |
Chicken
20 entries · top 167.9884 · median 153.1314
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | CAMP HOUSE BBQ | |
| 2 | SMELLAQUE | |
| 3 | BEER BELLY BBQ | |
| 4 | Mountain Smoke | |
| 5 | MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ | |
| 6 | BIGDADDY'S FAMILY BBQ | |
| 7 | SMOKAPALOOZA | |
| 8 | Que Mc B's | |
| 9 | Kick Back BBQ | |
| 10 | A and L BBQ | |
| 11 | Hells Canyon BBQ | |
| 12 | Hot Hawgs | |
| 13 | 12 BAR BLUES CUE | |
| 14 | Blowing Smoke BBQ | |
| 15 | SMOKE 'EM IF YOU GOT 'EM | |
| 16 | AKQ - Fuddruckers | |
| 17 | Broken Barrel BBQ and Kitchen | |
| 18 | Spice Grills | |
| 19 | Big Bad Smoker | |
| 20 | Mixers Smoker |
Pork Ribs
19 entries · top 173.7488 · median 152.5600
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 BAR BLUES CUE | |
| 2 | MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ | |
| 3 | BEER BELLY BBQ | |
| 4 | SMELLAQUE | |
| 5 | SMOKAPALOOZA | |
| 6 | Mountain Smoke | |
| 7 | Hells Canyon BBQ | |
| 8 | A and L BBQ | |
| 9 | Hot Hawgs | |
| 10 | SMOKE 'EM IF YOU GOT 'EM | |
| 11 | CAMP HOUSE BBQ | |
| 12 | AKQ - Fuddruckers | |
| 13 | Spice Grills | |
| 14 | BIGDADDY'S FAMILY BBQ | |
| 15 | Broken Barrel BBQ and Kitchen | |
| 16 | Blowing Smoke BBQ | |
| 17 | Mixers Smoker | |
| 18 | Kick Back BBQ | |
| 19 | Que Mc B's |
Pork
20 entries · top 174.8688 · median 151.1484
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BEER BELLY BBQ | |
| 2 | MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ | |
| 3 | 12 BAR BLUES CUE | |
| 4 | CAMP HOUSE BBQ | |
| 5 | SMELLAQUE | |
| 6 | Hells Canyon BBQ | |
| 7 | SMOKAPALOOZA | |
| 8 | Hot Hawgs | |
| 9 | AKQ - Fuddruckers | |
| 10 | Blowing Smoke BBQ | |
| 11 | Mountain Smoke | |
| 12 | BIGDADDY'S FAMILY BBQ | |
| 13 | A and L BBQ | |
| 14 | SMOKE 'EM IF YOU GOT 'EM | |
| 15 | Big Bad Smoker | |
| 16 | Kick Back BBQ | |
| 17 | Mixers Smoker | |
| 18 | Broken Barrel BBQ and Kitchen | |
| 19 | Spice Grills | |
| 20 | Que Mc B's |
Brisket
19 entries · top 171.4056 · median 148.0340
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ | |
| 2 | BEER BELLY BBQ | |
| 3 | SMOKAPALOOZA | |
| 4 | Mountain Smoke | |
| 5 | SMELLAQUE | |
| 6 | Hot Hawgs | |
| 7 | 12 BAR BLUES CUE | |
| 8 | CAMP HOUSE BBQ | |
| 9 | BIGDADDY'S FAMILY BBQ | |
| 10 | Que Mc B's | |
| 11 | Hells Canyon BBQ | |
| 12 | A and L BBQ | |
| 13 | Kick Back BBQ | |
| 14 | SMOKE 'EM IF YOU GOT 'EM | |
| 15 | Mixers Smoker | |
| 16 | Blowing Smoke BBQ | |
| 17 | AKQ - Fuddruckers | |
| 18 | Broken Barrel BBQ and Kitchen | |
| 19 | Spice Grills |