A stacked field
1691
average power rating going in
Stronger than 99% of every rated contest
The field averaged a 1691 power rating going in — stronger than 99% of every contest tracked.
- top seed IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ (2037)
- 44 rated teams
Mankato Cookout (Day 1) 2018
Jun 8–9, 2018 · Mankato, MN · 📍 100 Amos Owen Lane
IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ won Grand Champion at the Mankato Cookout (Day 1) on June 8, 2018 in Mankato, MN at 100 Amos Owen Lane, scoring 703.4056 in a field of 44 teams. SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 701.0972. Category winners: Chicken — PELLET ENVY (177.1544); Pork Ribs — SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ (178.2972); Pork — IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ (178.8572); Brisket — SLAPS BBQ (180.0000). This is the 1st of 2 editions of this contest on record; the next was held in 2018.
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.
609.41
median 680.53
703.41 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Chicken 177.15
- Pork Ribs 178.30
- Pork 178.86
- Brisket 180 🔥
149.07
180
Entries
44
4 judged meats
Top score
703.4056
Winning margin
2.3084
GC over RC
Field average
673.15
609.41703.41
median 680.53 · last place to winner
Tightest race
Chicken
1.7488 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
686.7888
609.41703.41
10th place overall
Field spread
94
winner to last place
Double threats
5
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 20%
beats 80% of 4715 Master Series wins in the data
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.79 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,691
avg power rating going in · stronger than 99% of contests
Storylines (4 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.
Photo finishes
Tie
closest of 13 calls decided inside half a point
Chicken places 3–4: LUCKY 19 SAUCE COMPANY and SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ tied on 176.5600 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 7–8: GRILLS GONE WILD IOWA and IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ tied on 174.2972 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 9–10: SLAPS BBQ and THE DOCFATHER BBQ tied on 173.1544 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
- Chicken 3–4 · tie
- Chicken 7–8 · tie
- Pork Ribs 9–10 · tie
- Pork 6–7 · tie
How the title was won
3 of 4
meats called to the stage
IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ took the title on 3 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was pork ribs at 13th.
- Chicken 8th
- Pork Ribs 13th
- Pork 1st
- Brisket 3rd
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.
- SLAPS BBQ · Brisket
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 8, 2018 ← this one | Mankato, MN | 100 Amos Owen Lane | 44 | 703.4056 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ |
| Jun 9, 2018 | Mankato, MN | 100 Amos Owen Lane | 42 | 702.8340 | CLARK CREW BBQ | SHIGGIN & GRINNIN |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 177.1544 | 175.4056 | 173.7028 |
| Pork Ribs | 178.2972 | 175.4288 | 173.1544 |
| Pork | 178.8572 | 176.5600 | 173.1200 |
| Brisket | 180 | 176.5600 | 173.1316 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
44 entries · top 703.4056 · median 680.5256
Chicken
44 entries · top 177.1544 · median 169.1258
Pork Ribs
44 entries · top 178.2972 · median 169.7088
Pork
44 entries · top 178.8572 · median 170.2456
Brisket
44 entries · top 180 · median 169.4000 · 🔥 perfect 180