Sep 7–8, 2018 · Montello, WI · 📍 W 781 Fox Ct
SMOKIN HIGHWAYMEN won Grand Champion at the Puckaway Pigfest on September 7, 2018 in Montello, WI at W 781 Fox Ct, scoring 684.5144 in a field of 31 teams. BIG "E" BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 677.6688. Category winners: Chicken — CHEFS GONE GRILLIN (176.5600); Pork Ribs — PLASTERED PORK BBQ (175.4172); Pork — BIG "E" BBQ (175.4172); Brisket — CRASH TEST SMOKERS (176.5600). This is the 6th of 13 editions of this contest on record; the 2017 edition was won by TURNIN' UP THE HEAT; the next was held in 2019.
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, 2013 to 2026 — 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.
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 86 times in 100
Smokin Highwaymen came in rated below the field's top team, TIM'S FULL BELLI DELI, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 14-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
SMOKIN HIGHWAYMEN won the Grand Championship without winning a single meat — 4 calls from 4 boards, best of them 2nd. Consistency beat fireworks.
This was SMOKIN HIGHWAYMEN's first Grand Championship in the data — it arrived at their 17th tracked contest.
3 of 13 tracked editions
BIG "E" BBQ has won this contest 3 times across its 13 tracked editions.
Chicken places 2–3: SMOKIN HIGHWAYMEN and TOPPGATOR BBQ tied on 173.1428 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork places 1–2: BIG "E" BBQ and Littles BBQ Co tied on 175.4172 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork places 5–6: SMOKIN HIGHWAYMEN edged STRESS RELIEF BBQ by 0.0116.
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: BIG "E" BBQ (won 2015, 2016).
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 6, 2013 | Montello, WI | Montello, WI | 31 | 680.5144 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | BRINGIN' THE HEAT |
| Sep 5, 2014 | Montello, WI | Montello, WI 53949 | 40 | 691.4628 | BRINGIN' THE HEAT | THE SMOKIN' C'S BBQ |
| Sep 11, 2015 | Montello, WI | Montello, WI 53949 | 33 | 672.1600 | BIG "E" BBQ | A FINE SWINE |
| Sep 9, 2016 | Montello, WI | Montello , WI | 37 | 687.9428 | BIG "E" BBQ | TIM'S FULL BELLI DELI |
| Sep 8, 2017 | Montello, WI | W 781 Fox Ct | 31 | 680.5716 | TURNIN' UP THE HEAT | LEGENDS OF SMOKE - TEAM RED ARROW |
| Sep 7, 2018 ← this one | Montello, WI | W 781 Fox Ct | 31 | 684.5144 | SMOKIN HIGHWAYMEN | BIG "E" BBQ |
| Sep 6, 2019 | Montello, WI | W 781 Fox Ct | 39 | 681.0172 | Big E BBQ | THE BBQ BUS |
| Sep 10, 2021 | Montello, WI | W781 Fox Ct | 30 | 681.6228 | Que U | WICKED SMOKE BBQ |
| Sep 9, 2022 | Montello, WI | W781 Fox Ct | 38 | 700.5256 | Que U | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ |
| Sep 8, 2023 | Montello, WI | W781 Fox Ct | 28 | 684.5256 | The BBQ Bus | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ |
| Sep 6, 2024 | Montello, WI | W781 Fox Ct | 37 | 694.8000 | Janky Leg BBQ | BURNT TREES BBQ |
| Sep 5, 2025 | Montello, WI | W781 Fox Ct | 35 | 701.6688 | Can Country Outlaw BBQ | QUE U |
| Sep 11, 2026 | Montello, WI | W781 Fox Ct | 23 | 702.2284 | Hot Daddy's BBQ | Aces High BBQ |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 176.5600 | 169.1544 | 164.5600 |
| Pork Ribs | 175.4172 | 169.6800 | 166.8460 |
| Pork | 175.4172 | 170.8344 | 166.8228 |
| Brisket | 176.5600 | 168.5256 | 163.4172 |
31 entries · top 684.5144 · median 643.8636
31 entries · top 176.5600 · median 161.6456
31 entries · top 175.4172 · median 158.2744
31 entries · top 175.4172 · median 159.9428
31 entries · top 176.5600 · median 157.1084