A new contest record
691.9772
highest overall ever cooked here
691.9772 is the highest overall score this contest has ever produced — past the 688.6060 REDNECK SCIENTIFIC set in 2016.
- old record 688.6060
- set 2016 by REDNECK SCIENTIFIC
Kings of Q BBQ cook off and Festival 2018
May 18–19, 2018 · Ayden, NC · 📍 462 second st
MUTTLEY CREW BBQ won Grand Champion at the Kings of Q BBQ cook off and Festival on May 18, 2018 in Ayden, NC at 462 second st, scoring 691.9772 in a field of 38 teams. SOUTHERN Q COMPETITION COOK TEAM took Reserve Grand Champion with 689.1428. Category winners: Chicken — MUTTLEY CREW BBQ (180.0000); Pork Ribs — OLD COLONY SMOKEHOUSE (178.8572); Pork — SOUTHERN Q COMPETITION COOK TEAM (175.4628); Brisket — SOUTHERN Q COMPETITION COOK TEAM (178.8800). This is the 3rd of 7 editions of this contest on record; the 2017 edition was won by REDNECK SCIENTIFIC; the next was held in 2019.
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.
518.85
median 659.93
691.98 🏆
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 178.86
- Pork 175.46
- Brisket 178.88
131.36
180
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2016 to 2024 — this edition picked out.
Entries
38
4 judged meats
Top score
691.9772
Winning margin
2.8344
GC over RC
Field average
652.72
518.85691.98
median 659.93 · last place to winner
Tightest race
Pork
3.4856 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
673.0968
518.85691.98
10th place overall
Field spread
173.1316
winner to last place
Double threats
4
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 64%
beats 36% of 4723 Master Series wins in the data
Came back for more
67%
24 of 36 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Moderate
ρ = -0.57 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,573
avg power rating going in · stronger than 57% of contests
Storylines (9 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 dynasty in the making
2×
wins at this contest
2 of 7 tracked editions
REDNECK SCIENTIFIC has won this contest 2 times across its 7 tracked editions.
- 2016
- 2017
Photo finishes
Tie
closest of 11 calls decided inside half a point
Pork Ribs places 6–7: KEYSTONE SMOKE and MIDNIGHT BURN tied on 172.5600 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork places 5–6: FAT HEADS BBQ and OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE tied on 171.9772 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Brisket places 6–7: FIREHOUSE BAR-B-QUE and OLE' MILLS BBQ CO. tied on 169.7028 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
- Pork Ribs 6–7 · tie
- Pork 5–6 · tie
- Brisket 6–7 · tie
- Brisket 7–8 · 0.0112
A double category winner
2
category wins in a day
SOUTHERN Q COMPETITION COOK TEAM won Pork, Brisket — a double.
- Pork 1st
- Brisket 1st
How the title was won
3 of 4
meats called to the stage
MUTTLEY CREW BBQ took the title on 3 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was pork at 30th.
- Chicken 1st
- Pork Ribs 2nd
- Pork 30th
- Brisket 2nd
A contest record in chicken
180.0000
best chicken ever cooked here
MUTTLEY CREW BBQ turned in 180.0000 in chicken — past the 175.4400 that had stood across 2 earlier editions.
- old best 175.4400
- across 2 past editions
Back to defend
1
past champions back in the field
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: REDNECK SCIENTIFIC (won 2016, 2017).
- REDNECK SCIENTIFIC · 2016, 2017
The biggest field yet
38
teams — a contest high
This contest usually draws about 33 teams
38 teams is the deepest field this contest has drawn in the data, against a typical 33.
A perfect score on the table
1
perfect 180s
1 perfect 180 was scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
- MUTTLEY CREW BBQ · Chicken
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 20, 2016 | Ayden, NC | Downtown Ayden | 30 | 688.6060 | REDNECK SCIENTIFIC | OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE |
| May 19, 2017 | Ayden, NC | 462 second st | 36 | 684.4796 | REDNECK SCIENTIFIC | MCADOO HEIGHTS BBQ |
| May 18, 2018 ← this one | Ayden, NC | 462 second st | 38 | 691.9772 | MUTTLEY CREW BBQ | SOUTHERN Q COMPETITION COOK TEAM |
| May 17, 2019 | Ayden, NC | 462 Second St | 36 | 691.3712 | Muttley Crew BBQ | 3N1 Q |
| May 20, 2022 | Ayden, NC | 462 Second St | 32 | 691.9084 | Old Virginia Smoke | Optimus Swine |
| May 19, 2023 | Ayden, NC | 462 Second St | 25 | 705.6684 | Smoke and Brew | OFF THE RACK BBQ |
| May 17, 2024 | Ayden, NC | Ayden, NC 28513 | 18 | 695.3716 | Optimus Swine | SMOKIN SKULLIES |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 180 | 174.8572 | 170.8112 |
| Pork Ribs | 178.8572 | 173.7372 | 169.6916 |
| Pork | 175.4628 | 171.9772 | 169.6800 |
| Brisket | 178.8800 | 171.4056 | 169.1312 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
38 entries · top 691.9772 · median 659.9256
Chicken
38 entries · top 180 · median 167.4286 · 🔥 perfect 180
Pork Ribs
38 entries · top 178.8572 · median 163.9828
Pork
38 entries · top 175.4628 · median 165.4286
Brisket
37 entries · top 178.8800 · median 164.5484