May 25–26, 2018 · Westmont, IL · 📍 Blackhawk Dr (TY Warner Park)
BOOMERANG BBQ won Grand Champion at the RED, WHITE and BAR-B-Q ( DAY 1) on May 25, 2018 in Westmont, IL at Blackhawk Dr (TY Warner Park), scoring 686.8344 in a field of 49 teams. GRILLS GONE WILD IOWA took Reserve Grand Champion with 686.8112. Category winners: Chicken — PORKY BUTTS BBQ (176.0000); Pork Ribs — SMOKE FREAKS (175.4172); Pork — CRASH TEST SMOKERS (173.7028); Brisket — GRILLS GONE WILD IOWA (179.4400). This is the 3rd of 4 editions of this contest on record; the 2017 edition was won by OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE; 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, 2017 to 2018 — 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 97% of the 4,714 championships in the data
The Grand Championship was decided by 0.0232 points — closer than 97% of every championship in the data.
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 80 times in 100
BOOMERANG BBQ came in rated below the field's top team, IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 20-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
BOOMERANG BBQ won the Grand Championship without winning a single meat — 4 calls from 4 boards, best of them 4th. Consistency beat fireworks.
Stronger than 90% of every rated contest
The field averaged a 1627 power rating going in — stronger than 90% of every contest tracked.
Pork Ribs places 5–6: KANAK ATTACK and STEAMBOAT BBQ-HOTDIGGITY HOG tied on 168.5600 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork places 3–4: BIG "E" BBQ and BOOMERANG BBQ tied on 172.0000 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Brisket places 3–4: ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN and BOOMERANG BBQ tied on 173.7028 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: BILLY RAY BBQ (won 2017), OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE (won 2017).
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 26, 2017 | Westmont, IL | Blackhawk Dr (TY Warner Park) | 40 | 676.5028 | BILLY RAY BBQ | OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE |
| May 27, 2017 | Westmont, IL | Blackhawk Dr (TY Warner Park) | 59 | 693.6684 | OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE | DIRT ROAD BBQ |
| May 25, 2018 ← this one | Westmont, IL | Blackhawk Dr (TY Warner Park) | 49 | 686.8344 | BOOMERANG BBQ | GRILLS GONE WILD IOWA |
| May 26, 2018 | Westmont, IL | Blackhawk Dr (TY Warner Park) | 60 | 702.8572 | ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN | BOOMERANG BBQ |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 176 | 173.1428 | 170.2972 |
| Pork Ribs | 175.4172 | 168.5600 | 167.4056 |
| Pork | 173.7028 | 171.9656 | 168.5828 |
| Brisket | 179.4400 | 171.4400 | 168.5600 |
49 entries · top 686.8344 · median 653.5432
49 entries · top 176 · median 166.2628
49 entries · top 175.4172 · median 162.8456
49 entries · top 173.7028 · median 163.9772
49 entries · top 179.4400 · median 163.4056