A new contest record
706.8572
highest overall ever cooked here
706.8572 is the highest overall score this contest has ever produced — past the 704.5372 CLARK CREW BBQ set in 2016.
- old record 704.5372
- set 2016 by CLARK CREW BBQ
Grand Lake BBQ & Festival 2018
May 18–19, 2018 · Langley, OK · 📍 202 Park St.
BOOMERANG BBQ won Grand Champion at the Grand Lake BBQ & Festival on May 18, 2018 in Langley, OK at 202 Park St., scoring 706.8572 in a field of 26 teams. DIVINE SWINE took Reserve Grand Champion with 701.0856. Category winners: Chicken — RAZORRACKS (180.0000); Pork Ribs — BIG BUTTS NEED RUBBIN TOO (180.0000); Pork — DIVINE SWINE (180.0000); Brisket — BUFFALO'S BBQ (180.0000). This is the 5th of 5 editions of this contest on record; the 2017 edition was won by CLARK CREW 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.
294.87
median 687.34
706.86 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Chicken 180 🔥
- Pork Ribs 180 🔥
- Pork 180 🔥
- Brisket 180 🔥
147.42
180
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2013 to 2018 — this edition picked out.
Entries
26
4 judged meats
Top score
706.8572
Winning margin
5.7716
GC over RC
Field average
668.93
294.87706.86
median 687.34 · last place to winner
Tightest race
Chicken
2.2972 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
689.6684
294.87706.86
10th place overall
Field spread
411.9888
winner to last place
Double threats
5
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 9%
beats 91% of 4715 Master Series wins in the data
Came back for more
44%
16 of 36 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.65 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,666
avg power rating going in · stronger than 98% of contests
Storylines (7 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.
An upset on the books
32-in-100
shot on pre-contest ratings
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 68 times in 100
BOOMERANG BBQ came in rated below the field's top team, THE AMERICAN DREAM BBQ, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 32-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
- champion 1797
- top seed 1924
Won without a category win
4 of 4
meats called to the stage
BOOMERANG BBQ won the Grand Championship without winning a single meat — 4 calls from 4 boards, best of them 2nd. Consistency beat fireworks.
- Chicken 8th
- Pork Ribs 2nd
- Pork 2nd
- Brisket 10th
A day of perfect scores
5
perfect 180s
5 perfect 180s were scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
- BUFFALO'S BBQ · Brisket
- RAZORRACKS · Chicken
- BUFFALO'S BBQ · Chicken
A dynasty in the making
2×
wins at this contest
2 of 5 tracked editions
CLARK CREW BBQ has won this contest 2 times across its 5 tracked editions.
- 2016
- 2017
A stacked field
1666
average power rating going in
Stronger than 98% of every rated contest
The field averaged a 1666 power rating going in — stronger than 98% of every contest tracked.
- top seed THE AMERICAN DREAM BBQ (1924)
- 26 rated teams
Photo finishes
Tie
closest of 11 calls decided inside half a point
Chicken places 1–2: RAZORRACKS and BUFFALO'S BBQ tied on 180.0000 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 4–5: RAZORRACKS and UNCLE BUB'S BBQ, LLC tied on 173.7144 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 9–10: THE AMERICAN DREAM BBQ and PETIE'S SMOKIN PITS BBQ tied on 171.9772 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
- Chicken 1–2 · tie
- Pork Ribs 4–5 · tie
- Pork Ribs 9–10 · tie
- Pork 7–8 · tie
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 17, 2013 | Langley, OK | Langley, OK | 30 | 702.2860 | SIZZLIN' BONES BBQ | HOG TIDE BAR-B-QUE |
| May 16, 2014 | Langley, OK | Langley, OK 74340 | 33 | 702.8116 | SMOKERS WILD | THE AMERICAN DREAM BBQ |
| May 20, 2016 | Langley, OK | Langley, OK | 46 | 704.5372 | CLARK CREW BBQ | LITTLE PIG TOWN BBQ |
| May 19, 2017 | Langley, OK | 202 Park St. | 36 | 701.1656 | CLARK CREW BBQ | DIVINE SWINE |
| May 18, 2018 ← this one | Langley, OK | 202 Park St. | 26 | 706.8572 | BOOMERANG BBQ | DIVINE SWINE |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 180 | 177.7028 | 174.2628 |
| Pork Ribs | 180 | 173.7144 | 171.9772 |
| Pork | 180 | 176.5600 | 174.8456 |
| Brisket | 180 | 176 | 174.8456 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
26 entries · top 706.8572 · median 687.3428
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BOOMERANG BBQ | |
| 2 | DIVINE SWINE | |
| 3 | BIG BUTTS NEED RUBBIN TOO | |
| 4 | RAZORRACKS | |
| 5 | 4 LEGS UP BBQ | |
| 6 | SMOKIN DAN | |
| 7 | THE AMERICAN DREAM BBQ | |
| 8 | BUFFALO'S BBQ | |
| 9 | BUTCHER BBQ | |
| 10 | MOOCHEWSOOEY | |
| 11 | POPS' SMOKIN' BBQ | |
| 12 | MOVIN' THE CHAINS | |
| 13 | CAVEMAN CUISINE | |
| 14 | PETIE'S SMOKIN PITS BBQ | |
| 15 | HABITUAL SMOKERS | |
| 16 | The Yellow Rose Texas BBQ Company | |
| 17 | THREE HOG NIGHT SMOKERS | |
| 18 | THE GRISWOLDS | |
| 19 | UNCLE BUB'S BBQ, LLC | |
| 20 | SONS OF SAUCE | |
| 21 | SURVIVOR-QUE | |
| 22 | THE OUTLAWS | |
| 23 | BLOWIN' SMOKE NWA | |
| 24 | Smoke Whisperer | |
| 25 | HOT SMOKIN ASH BBQ | |
| 26 | ROLLIN' SMOKE |
Chicken
26 entries · top 180 · median 172.8342 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | RAZORRACKS | |
| 2 | BUFFALO'S BBQ | |
| 3 | CAVEMAN CUISINE | |
| 4 | THE GRISWOLDS | |
| 5 | BIG BUTTS NEED RUBBIN TOO | |
| 6 | SMOKIN DAN | |
| 7 | MOVIN' THE CHAINS | |
| 8 | BOOMERANG BBQ | |
| 9 | THE OUTLAWS | |
| 10 | DIVINE SWINE | |
| 11 | POPS' SMOKIN' BBQ | |
| 12 | THREE HOG NIGHT SMOKERS | |
| 13 | THE AMERICAN DREAM BBQ | |
| 14 | 4 LEGS UP BBQ | |
| 15 | BLOWIN' SMOKE NWA | |
| 16 | BUTCHER BBQ | |
| 17 | MOOCHEWSOOEY | |
| 18 | SONS OF SAUCE | |
| 19 | The Yellow Rose Texas BBQ Company | |
| 20 | HABITUAL SMOKERS | |
| 21 | HOT SMOKIN ASH BBQ | |
| 22 | PETIE'S SMOKIN PITS BBQ | |
| 23 | UNCLE BUB'S BBQ, LLC | |
| 24 | Smoke Whisperer | |
| 25 | SURVIVOR-QUE | |
| 26 | ROLLIN' SMOKE |
Pork Ribs
26 entries · top 180 · median 170.8228 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BIG BUTTS NEED RUBBIN TOO | |
| 2 | BOOMERANG BBQ | |
| 3 | MOOCHEWSOOEY | |
| 4 | RAZORRACKS | |
| 5 | UNCLE BUB'S BBQ, LLC | |
| 6 | BUTCHER BBQ | |
| 7 | SMOKIN DAN | |
| 8 | 4 LEGS UP BBQ | |
| 9 | THE AMERICAN DREAM BBQ | |
| 10 | PETIE'S SMOKIN PITS BBQ | |
| 11 | The Yellow Rose Texas BBQ Company | |
| 12 | SURVIVOR-QUE | |
| 13 | DIVINE SWINE | |
| 14 | Smoke Whisperer | |
| 15 | SONS OF SAUCE | |
| 16 | MOVIN' THE CHAINS | |
| 17 | HABITUAL SMOKERS | |
| 18 | POPS' SMOKIN' BBQ | |
| 19 | THREE HOG NIGHT SMOKERS | |
| 20 | CAVEMAN CUISINE | |
| 21 | THE GRISWOLDS | |
| 22 | BUFFALO'S BBQ | |
| 23 | BLOWIN' SMOKE NWA | |
| 24 | THE OUTLAWS | |
| 25 | HOT SMOKIN ASH BBQ | |
| 26 | ROLLIN' SMOKE |
Pork
25 entries · top 180 · median 172.5944 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DIVINE SWINE | |
| 2 | BOOMERANG BBQ | |
| 3 | SURVIVOR-QUE | |
| 4 | THE AMERICAN DREAM BBQ | |
| 5 | BUTCHER BBQ | |
| 6 | RAZORRACKS | |
| 7 | 4 LEGS UP BBQ | |
| 8 | PETIE'S SMOKIN PITS BBQ | |
| 9 | HABITUAL SMOKERS | |
| 10 | MOOCHEWSOOEY | |
| 11 | UNCLE BUB'S BBQ, LLC | |
| 12 | MOVIN' THE CHAINS | |
| 13 | THE GRISWOLDS | |
| 14 | HOT SMOKIN ASH BBQ | |
| 15 | SMOKIN DAN | |
| 16 | POPS' SMOKIN' BBQ | |
| 17 | BUFFALO'S BBQ | |
| 18 | CAVEMAN CUISINE | |
| 19 | THREE HOG NIGHT SMOKERS | |
| 20 | The Yellow Rose Texas BBQ Company | |
| 21 | BLOWIN' SMOKE NWA | |
| 22 | SONS OF SAUCE | |
| 23 | THE OUTLAWS | |
| 24 | BIG BUTTS NEED RUBBIN TOO | |
| 25 | Smoke Whisperer |
Brisket
25 entries · top 180 · median 173.7144 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BUFFALO'S BBQ | |
| 2 | POPS' SMOKIN' BBQ | |
| 3 | The Yellow Rose Texas BBQ Company | |
| 4 | 4 LEGS UP BBQ | |
| 5 | DIVINE SWINE | |
| 6 | BIG BUTTS NEED RUBBIN TOO | |
| 7 | THREE HOG NIGHT SMOKERS | |
| 8 | SMOKIN DAN | |
| 9 | CAVEMAN CUISINE | |
| 10 | BOOMERANG BBQ | |
| 11 | THE AMERICAN DREAM BBQ | |
| 12 | HABITUAL SMOKERS | |
| 13 | PETIE'S SMOKIN PITS BBQ | |
| 14 | SONS OF SAUCE | |
| 15 | THE OUTLAWS | |
| 16 | THE GRISWOLDS | |
| 17 | BUTCHER BBQ | |
| 18 | MOOCHEWSOOEY | |
| 19 | MOVIN' THE CHAINS | |
| 20 | SURVIVOR-QUE | |
| 21 | RAZORRACKS | |
| 22 | UNCLE BUB'S BBQ, LLC | |
| 23 | BLOWIN' SMOKE NWA | |
| 24 | HOT SMOKIN ASH BBQ | |
| 25 | Smoke Whisperer |