A dynasty in the making
2×
wins at this contest
2 of 3 tracked editions
Big Poppa Smokers has won this contest 2 times across its 3 tracked editions.
- 2019
- 2022
2018 Clayton BBQ Cook-off
Jul 13–14, 2018 · Clayton, CA · 📍 Main Street
Smokey and the Pirate won Grand Champion at the 2018 Clayton BBQ Cook-off on July 13, 2018 in Clayton, CA at Main Street, scoring 682.2400 in a field of 19 teams. OLD TOWN FRANKLIN BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 679.3600. Category winners: Chicken — BAR-B-CUDA BBQ (175.4056); Pork Ribs — Smokey and the Pirate (174.3088); Pork — CYNICAL BBQ (175.4056); Brisket — OLD TOWN FRANKLIN BBQ (180.0000). This is the 1st of 3 editions of this contest on record; 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.
605.60
median 658.22
682.24 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Chicken 175.41
- Pork Ribs 174.31
- Pork 175.41
- Brisket 180 🔥
131.92
180
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2018 to 2022 — this edition picked out.
Entries
19
4 judged meats · 3 ancillary
Top score
682.2400
Winning margin
2.8800
GC over RC
Field average
650.36
605.60682.24
median 658.22 · last place to winner
Tightest race
Pork
4.5600 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
658.2172
605.60682.24
10th place overall
Field spread
76.6400
winner to last place
Double threats
6
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 86%
beats 14% of 4711 Master Series wins in the data
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.72 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,528
avg power rating going in · stronger than 20% 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 7 calls decided inside half a point
Chicken places 7–8: JACK9 BBQ - CA and WEST COAST SMOKE tied on 167.3828 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Brisket places 4–5: Smokey and the Pirate and 3RD DEGREE BBQ tied on 168.5600 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 3–4: CYNICAL BBQ edged Smokin' B's by 0.0116.
- Chicken 7–8 · tie
- Brisket 4–5 · tie
- Pork Ribs 3–4 · 0.0116
- Pork Ribs 8–9 · 0.0344
How the title was won
3 of 4
meats called to the stage
Smokey and the Pirate took the title on 3 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was chicken at 11th.
- Chicken 11th
- Pork Ribs 1st
- Pork 3rd
- Brisket 4th
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.
- OLD TOWN FRANKLIN 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 13, 2018 ← this one | Clayton, CA | Main Street | 19 | 682.2400 | SMOKEY HOG ISLAND LUV | OLD TOWN FRANKLIN BBQ |
| Jul 12, 2019 | Clayton, CA | 6055 Main St | 31 | 708.0344 | Big Poppa Smokers | THE SMOKING J'S |
| Jul 8, 2022 | Clayton, CA | 6055 Main St | 27 | 704.5716 | Big Poppa Smokers | PORTERHOUSE BBQ |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 175.4056 | 168.0344 | 165.6916 |
| Pork Ribs | 174.3088 | 165.1200 | 161.6800 |
| Pork | 175.4056 | 170.8456 | 165.7600 |
| Brisket | 180 | 168.5600 | 163.9312 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
19 entries · top 682.2400 · median 658.2172
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smokey and the Pirate | |
| 2 | OLD TOWN FRANKLIN BBQ | |
| 3 | CYNICAL BBQ | |
| 4 | PIRATES OF THE PIG | |
| 5 | 3RD DEGREE BBQ | |
| 6 | SMOKESHOW | |
| 7 | BAR-B-CUDA BBQ | |
| 8 | JIMMY'S BACKYARD BBQ | |
| 9 | THE SMOKING J'S | |
| 10 | JACK9 BBQ - CA | |
| 11 | WEST COAST SMOKE | |
| 12 | SPITZ BROTHERS BBQ | |
| 13 | BULL MARKET BBQ | |
| 14 | Meat Harvest BBQ | |
| 15 | Rack's BBQ | |
| 16 | Smokin' B's | |
| 17 | SMOKIN' AXE BBQ | |
| 18 | LORD OF THE RIBS | |
| 19 | OLD CHICO BBQ |
Chicken
19 entries · top 175.4056 · median 165.6916
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BAR-B-CUDA BBQ | |
| 2 | SMOKESHOW | |
| 3 | PIRATES OF THE PIG | |
| 4 | OLD TOWN FRANKLIN BBQ | |
| 5 | Meat Harvest BBQ | |
| 6 | THE SMOKING J'S | |
| 7 | JACK9 BBQ - CA | |
| 8 | WEST COAST SMOKE | |
| 9 | CYNICAL BBQ | |
| 10 | BULL MARKET BBQ | |
| 11 | Smokey and the Pirate | |
| 12 | 3RD DEGREE BBQ | |
| 13 | SPITZ BROTHERS BBQ | |
| 14 | JIMMY'S BACKYARD BBQ | |
| 15 | LORD OF THE RIBS | |
| 16 | Smokin' B's | |
| 17 | SMOKIN' AXE BBQ | |
| 18 | Rack's BBQ | |
| 19 | OLD CHICO BBQ |
Pork Ribs
19 entries · top 174.3088 · median 161.6800
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smokey and the Pirate | |
| 2 | PIRATES OF THE PIG | |
| 3 | CYNICAL BBQ | |
| 4 | Smokin' B's | |
| 5 | 3RD DEGREE BBQ | |
| 6 | BULL MARKET BBQ | |
| 7 | JIMMY'S BACKYARD BBQ | |
| 8 | OLD TOWN FRANKLIN BBQ | |
| 9 | BAR-B-CUDA BBQ | |
| 10 | SMOKESHOW | |
| 11 | WEST COAST SMOKE | |
| 12 | JACK9 BBQ - CA | |
| 13 | Meat Harvest BBQ | |
| 14 | OLD CHICO BBQ | |
| 15 | LORD OF THE RIBS | |
| 16 | Rack's BBQ | |
| 17 | THE SMOKING J'S | |
| 18 | SPITZ BROTHERS BBQ | |
| 19 | SMOKIN' AXE BBQ |
Pork
19 entries · top 175.4056 · median 165.7600
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | CYNICAL BBQ | |
| 2 | SPITZ BROTHERS BBQ | |
| 3 | Smokey and the Pirate | |
| 4 | THE SMOKING J'S | |
| 5 | 3RD DEGREE BBQ | |
| 6 | Rack's BBQ | |
| 7 | JIMMY'S BACKYARD BBQ | |
| 8 | SMOKESHOW | |
| 9 | OLD TOWN FRANKLIN BBQ | |
| 10 | WEST COAST SMOKE | |
| 11 | SMOKIN' AXE BBQ | |
| 12 | JACK9 BBQ - CA | |
| 13 | PIRATES OF THE PIG | |
| 14 | BAR-B-CUDA BBQ | |
| 15 | Smokin' B's | |
| 16 | BULL MARKET BBQ | |
| 17 | Meat Harvest BBQ | |
| 18 | OLD CHICO BBQ | |
| 19 | LORD OF THE RIBS |
Brisket
19 entries · top 180 · median 163.9312 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | OLD TOWN FRANKLIN BBQ | |
| 2 | PIRATES OF THE PIG | |
| 3 | BAR-B-CUDA BBQ | |
| 4 | Smokey and the Pirate | |
| 5 | 3RD DEGREE BBQ | |
| 6 | JIMMY'S BACKYARD BBQ | |
| 7 | JACK9 BBQ - CA | |
| 8 | THE SMOKING J'S | |
| 9 | SMOKESHOW | |
| 10 | CYNICAL BBQ | |
| 11 | SMOKIN' AXE BBQ | |
| 12 | BULL MARKET BBQ | |
| 13 | Meat Harvest BBQ | |
| 14 | WEST COAST SMOKE | |
| 15 | SPITZ BROTHERS BBQ | |
| 16 | Rack's BBQ | |
| 17 | OLD CHICO BBQ | |
| 18 | Smokin' B's | |
| 19 | LORD OF THE RIBS |
Ancillary categories
Run by the organizers alongside the sanctioned contest. These are judged on their own terms and do not count toward the overall score, so they're kept out of the meat stats above.
Master Series — 2018 Clayton Backyard
24 entries · top 337.6800 · median 307.4288
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rob's Smokin Rub | |
| 2 | 2nd Hand Smoke Southern BBQ | |
| 3 | ZZ BBQ | |
| 4 | Hot Link & Chorizo | |
| 5 | Bob's Backyard BBQ | |
| 6 | If Looks Could Grill BBQ | |
| 7 | BC BBQ | |
| 8 | Smokey Tones | |
| 9 | Orchard Supply Hardware. | |
| 10 | CHUCK'SWAGON BBQ | |
| 11 | KEN'S BACKYARD BBQ | |
| 12 | Bad Dad's BBQ | |
| 13 | Lazy B-S BBQ | |
| 14 | NB Construction BBQ | |
| 15 | Muddy Toes | |
| 16 | SOUTHSIDE SMOKERS | |
| 17 | Bulldog BBQ | |
| 18 | HOLY SMOKE | |
| 19 | Sparky Q BBQ | |
| 20 | JW'S BBQ | |
| 21 | Slammin Ham | |
| 22 | BADDA BING BBQ | |
| 23 | Duecez's Wild BBQ | |
| 24 | Armed & Hammered |
Master Series — Backyard Chicken
24 entries · top 172.5600 · median 158.8342
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hot Link & Chorizo | |
| 2 | ZZ BBQ | |
| 3 | 2nd Hand Smoke Southern BBQ | |
| 4 | Rob's Smokin Rub | |
| 5 | If Looks Could Grill BBQ | |
| 6 | Bulldog BBQ | |
| 7 | Sparky Q BBQ | |
| 8 | CHUCK'SWAGON BBQ | |
| 9 | BC BBQ | |
| 10 | Bad Dad's BBQ | |
| 11 | BADDA BING BBQ | |
| 12 | KEN'S BACKYARD BBQ | |
| 13 | Lazy B-S BBQ | |
| 14 | Slammin Ham | |
| 15 | Bob's Backyard BBQ | |
| 16 | SOUTHSIDE SMOKERS | |
| 17 | Smokey Tones | |
| 18 | Orchard Supply Hardware. | |
| 19 | NB Construction BBQ | |
| 20 | HOLY SMOKE | |
| 21 | Duecez's Wild BBQ | |
| 22 | Muddy Toes | |
| 23 | JW'S BBQ | |
| 24 | Armed & Hammered |
Master Series — Backyard Ribs
24 entries · top 170.8572 · median 151.3828
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rob's Smokin Rub | |
| 2 | 2nd Hand Smoke Southern BBQ | |
| 3 | Bob's Backyard BBQ | |
| 4 | Orchard Supply Hardware. | |
| 5 | Smokey Tones | |
| 6 | ZZ BBQ | |
| 7 | BC BBQ | |
| 8 | Muddy Toes | |
| 9 | If Looks Could Grill BBQ | |
| 10 | JW'S BBQ | |
| 11 | Hot Link & Chorizo | |
| 12 | CHUCK'SWAGON BBQ | |
| 13 | NB Construction BBQ | |
| 14 | KEN'S BACKYARD BBQ | |
| 15 | HOLY SMOKE | |
| 16 | Lazy B-S BBQ | |
| 17 | Bad Dad's BBQ | |
| 18 | SOUTHSIDE SMOKERS | |
| 19 | Armed & Hammered | |
| 20 | Sparky Q BBQ | |
| 21 | Slammin Ham | |
| 22 | Bulldog BBQ | |
| 23 | Duecez's Wild BBQ | |
| 24 | BADDA BING BBQ |