2018-09-21 – 2018-09-22 · Newton, NC · 📍 American Legion Ave
Grand Champion: SMOKE MONSTER BBQ (689.5996) · 45 teams
Reserve Champion: 🥈 CONTAGIOUS Q
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, 2014 to 2019 — 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 81 times in 100
SMOKE MONSTER BBQ came in rated below the field's top team, REDNECK SCIENTIFIC, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 19-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
SMOKE MONSTER BBQ won the Grand Championship without winning a single meat — 4 calls from 4 boards, best of them 4th. Consistency beat fireworks.
Chicken places 2–3: SAUCED! BBQ TEAM and DOCTOR CUE NC tied on 176.5828 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 7–8: BIG DOG BBQ VA and SMOKE MONSTER BBQ tied on 173.7028 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 4–5: SOUTHERN Q COMPETITION COOK TEAM and Too Sauced... tied on 171.4172 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
SMOKIN SKULLIES turned in 180.0000 in pork — past the 179.4400 that had stood across 4 earlier editions.
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: REDNECK SCIENTIFIC (won 2016), THE SMOKEHOUSE MAFIA (won 2017).
This contest usually draws about 31 teams
45 teams is the deepest field this contest has drawn in the data, against a typical 31.
1 perfect 180 was scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-09-26 | Hickory, NC | Hickory, NC 28042 | 24 | 706.2628 | KILLER B'S BBQ | ROCKY TOP BARBEQUE |
| 2015-09-25 | Newton, NC | Newton, NC 28658 | 27 | 700.5600 | SMOKE ON THIS | REDNECK SCIENTIFIC |
| 2016-09-23 | Newton, NC | 1127 US 70 | 31 | 705.6916 | REDNECK SCIENTIFIC | SMOKIN SKULLIES |
| 2017-09-22 | Newton, NC | American Legion Ave | 41 | 697.1084 | THE SMOKEHOUSE MAFIA | SMOKING BUTT HEADS |
| 2018-09-21 ← this one | Newton, NC | American Legion Ave | 45 | 689.5996 | SMOKE MONSTER BBQ | CONTAGIOUS Q |
| 2019-09-27 | Newton, NC | American Legion Ave | 37 | 701.1428 | Under the Radar | SMOKE MONSTER BBQ |
| 2021-09-24 | Newton, NC | — | — | — | — | — |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 177.7028 | 174.2744 | 172.5600 |
| Pork Ribs | 174.2972 | 171.4172 | 168.5372 |
| Pork | 180.0000 | 173.1544 | 169.7028 |
| Brisket | 174.2744 | 171.9656 | 170.2628 |
45 entries · top 689.5996 · median 658.7544
45 entries · top 177.7028 · median 164.5600
45 entries · top 174.2972 · median 161.0972
45 entries · top 180.0000 · median 163.9884 · 🔥 perfect 180
45 entries · top 174.2744 · median 163.9428