Up In Smoke on the Square

2019-05-31 – 2019-06-01 · Lincoln, IL · 📍 Lincoln, IL 62656 · State championship

Reps: CHARLIE BRINZA, TINA WELLER · Prize money: $9,525.00

Grand Champion: The BBQ Bus (682.8576) · 36 teams

Reserve Champion: 🥈 iBQ'n

🥇

THE BBQ BUS

682.8576 · Master Series — Overall

🥈

iBQ'n

682.7540 · Master Series — Overall

🥉

QUE U

682.7540 · Master Series — Overall

Entries

6 judged meats · 1 ancillary

Top score

682.8576

Winning margin

0.1036

GC over RC

Field average

656.30

median 663.61

Perfect 180s

Tightest race

Pork Ribs

3.4516 pts across the top 5

Top-10 cutoff

671.9084

10th place overall

Field spread

172.1260

winner to last place

Prize money

$9,525.00

on the line

Most consistent

THE BBQ BUS

avg finish 8.50 across 4 meats

Double threats

teams with 2+ top-5 calls

Widest winning margin

Brisket

won by 2.8916 pts — EXTRA MILE BBQ

How hot was the win?

Top 93%

beats 7% of 1951 Master Series wins in the data

Traveled in

25%

of the 51 teams with a home region came from outside IL

Form held

Weak

ρ = -0.11 between pre-contest rating and finish

Field strength

1507

avg power rating going in · stronger than 10% of contests

Top-rated in the field

iBQ'n

rated 1572 pre-contest

Storylines

🪒 A razor-thin finish

The Grand Championship was decided by 0.1036 points — closer than 94% of every championship in the data.

📸 Photo finishes

Master Series — Chicken places 7–8: Jugs BBQ and AWESOME RACKS COOKIN CREW tied on 171.4056 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Brisket places 9–10: Littles BBQ Co and Firehouse 51 tied on 170.8684 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Brisket places 6–7: SWEET RACKS & SMOKIN' BUTTS BBQ edged THUNDER HOG BBQ by 0.0116.

🛡️ Back to defend

Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: MONSTER-QUE (won 2014).

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)

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)

Where the field came from (home regions on file)

This contest over the years full contest page →

Date	Where	Venue	Teams	High score	Grand Champion	Reserve Champion
2013-08-23		Lincoln, IL	46	689.6916	A BOY & HIS BBQ	Twyford's BBQ & Catering
2014-08-22		Lincoln, IL 62656	50	699.4400	MONSTER-QUE	IT'S 5 O'CLOCK SOMEWHERE
2015-06-05		Lincoln, IL 62656	40	689.0740	ST. LOUIS BLACK IRON BBQ	THE CHILLY WATER SMOKERS
2016-06-03		Lincoln , IL 62656	52	685.6800	OUTSIDERS BBQ	TRUCKY'S TRUE BLU BBQ'UE
2017-06-02		Kilkapool/Plilaski	32	695.8968	IT'S 5 O'CLOCK SOMEWHERE	PORK PARADISE
2018-06-01		Kilkapool/Plilaski	40	687.3600	SMOKIN ACES@THEBBQSUPERSTORE.COM	iBQ'n
2019-05-31 ← this one	Lincoln, IL	Lincoln, IL 62656	36	682.8576	The BBQ Bus	iBQ'n
2021-06-04	Lincoln, IL	—	—	—	—	—
2023-08-25	Lincoln, IL	601 Pulaski Street	26	346.8344	309 BBQ	—
2024-08-23	Lincoln, IL	601 Pulaski Street	28	350.8688	Up From The Pits BBQ	—
2025-08-22	Lincoln, IL	601 Pulaski Street	31	357.7144	Electro-Que-ted	—
2026-08-28	Lincoln, IL	—	—	—	—	—

What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)

Category	1st	5th	10th
Master Series — Chicken	177.7600	173.7028	170.8344
Master Series — Pork Ribs	175.4744	172.0228	168.5600
Master Series — Pork	175.4172	170.8572	169.1316
Master Series — Brisket	177.1544	171.9884	170.8684
Backyard Series — Chicken	168.0000	161.0740	149.6340
Backyard Series — Pork Ribs	164.5600	150.8688	145.6572

Official results on kcbs.us ↗

Master Series

Overall

36 entries · top 682.8576 · median 663.6112

#	Team	Score
1	THE BBQ BUS	682.8576
2	iBQ'n	682.7540
3	QUE U	682.7540
4	Littles BBQ Co	675.9428
5	CAPTAIN RON'S BREW-N-QUE	675.3256
6	SWEET RACKS & SMOKIN' BUTTS BBQ	674.8116
7	Jugs BBQ	674.2512
8	AWW HELL	673.0968
9	CARROL LOU'S SMOKEHOUSE	672.4684
10	SmokinGhost BBQ	671.9084
11	PAPA'S BARBQ	669.0972
12	NUTTHIN BUT PORK	669.0512
13	THE REAL SMOKIN ACES	667.3488
14	EXTRA MILE BBQ	666.8340
15	BLUE ISLAND BBQ CO.	665.0284
16	Pork Paradise	664.4456
17	Chasin Chicken Barbeque	664.4340
18	The Chilly Water Smokers	663.8856
19	AWESOME RACKS COOKIN CREW	663.3368
20	WICKED SMOKE BBQ	662.2628
21	TWISTED SMOKE ADC	662.2056
22	THUNDER HOG BBQ	662.1484
23	CHANNABILLY BBQ	660.4112
24	EF-Q	658.1828
25	HEFTY LEFTY BBQ	656.9824
26	Monster-Que	655.8856
27	SQUISHY'S SMOKIN' HOT RACKS	653.6800
28	Firehouse 51	653.6572
29	HOWE ABOUT THAT BBQ	645.0056
30	SMOKY LINCS	636.4684
31	UP FROM THE PITS BBQ	632.5028
32	SAUCED N SMOKED	630.1488
33	LOADED-N-ROLLIN BBQ	630.1372
34	HATFIELD AND MCCOY BARBECUE	629.4968
35	FIDDLIN' FATBACK	627.2228
36	RUSTY PIG BBQ	510.7316

Chicken

36 entries · top 177.7600 · median 167.1256

#	Team	Score
1	TWISTED SMOKE ADC	177.7600
2	iBQ'n	177.1428
3	CAPTAIN RON'S BREW-N-QUE	176.0228
4	THE REAL SMOKIN ACES	174.2744
5	CARROL LOU'S SMOKEHOUSE	173.7028
6	Littles BBQ Co	172.5600
7	Jugs BBQ	171.4056
8	AWESOME RACKS COOKIN CREW	171.4056
9	THE BBQ BUS	170.8916
10	PAPA'S BARBQ	170.8344
11	Chasin Chicken Barbeque	170.2972
12	BLUE ISLAND BBQ CO.	169.7028
13	NUTTHIN BUT PORK	169.1656
14	The Chilly Water Smokers	169.1428
15	Pork Paradise	168.0000
16	SmokinGhost BBQ	167.9772
17	Firehouse 51	167.4516
18	HATFIELD AND MCCOY BARBECUE	167.4056
19	SWEET RACKS & SMOKIN' BUTTS BBQ	166.8456
20	QUE U	166.8112
21	EXTRA MILE BBQ	165.7484
22	AWW HELL	165.7140
23	RUSTY PIG BBQ	165.0972
24	SQUISHY'S SMOKIN' HOT RACKS	164.5944
25	Monster-Que	164.5600
26	WICKED SMOKE BBQ	163.4172
27	HEFTY LEFTY BBQ	162.8000
28	CHANNABILLY BBQ	162.2284
29	EF-Q	161.6800
30	HOWE ABOUT THAT BBQ	159.4172
31	SAUCED N SMOKED	158.2284
32	UP FROM THE PITS BBQ	157.1084
33	SMOKY LINCS	157.0856
34	THUNDER HOG BBQ	157.0628
35	FIDDLIN' FATBACK	155.3484
36	LOADED-N-ROLLIN BBQ	150.1828

Pork Ribs

36 entries · top 175.4744 · median 164.5486

#	Team	Score
1	SQUISHY'S SMOKIN' HOT RACKS	175.4744
2	AWW HELL	173.1544
3	QUE U	173.1428
4	Littles BBQ Co	172.5600
5	WICKED SMOKE BBQ	172.0228
6	SmokinGhost BBQ	172.0000
7	THE BBQ BUS	171.4288
8	SWEET RACKS & SMOKIN' BUTTS BBQ	170.2744
9	HEFTY LEFTY BBQ	169.1200
10	THUNDER HOG BBQ	168.5600
11	PAPA'S BARBQ	167.4172
12	Jugs BBQ	167.4172
13	iBQ'n	167.3828
14	CAPTAIN RON'S BREW-N-QUE	167.3828
15	CHANNABILLY BBQ	166.8228
16	Chasin Chicken Barbeque	166.2628
17	EF-Q	165.6800
18	HOWE ABOUT THAT BBQ	164.5716
19	Pork Paradise	164.5256
20	UP FROM THE PITS BBQ	161.7144
21	THE REAL SMOKIN ACES	161.7032
22	RUSTY PIG BBQ	161.6800
23	BLUE ISLAND BBQ CO.	161.6800
24	CARROL LOU'S SMOKEHOUSE	161.6572
25	The Chilly Water Smokers	161.6572
26	EXTRA MILE BBQ	160.5372
27	Firehouse 51	159.9544
28	NUTTHIN BUT PORK	158.2400
29	AWESOME RACKS COOKIN CREW	157.1312
30	Monster-Que	157.0972
31	FIDDLIN' FATBACK	156.5372
32	TWISTED SMOKE ADC	155.3600
33	HATFIELD AND MCCOY BARBECUE	154.2172
34	LOADED-N-ROLLIN BBQ	153.6572
35	SAUCED N SMOKED	150.8232
36	SMOKY LINCS	148.5028

Pork

36 entries · top 175.4172 · median 165.6858

#	Team	Score
1	QUE U	175.4172
2	Jugs BBQ	173.1200
3	PAPA'S BARBQ	172.5828
4	EF-Q	170.8800
5	AWESOME RACKS COOKIN CREW	170.8572
6	iBQ'n	170.8456
7	Monster-Que	170.8228
8	HEFTY LEFTY BBQ	169.7028
9	SmokinGhost BBQ	169.1544
10	THE BBQ BUS	169.1316
11	THE REAL SMOKIN ACES	169.1200
12	NUTTHIN BUT PORK	168.5256
13	SAUCED N SMOKED	167.9772
14	The Chilly Water Smokers	167.4172
15	LOADED-N-ROLLIN BBQ	167.4172
16	SMOKY LINCS	166.8572
17	BLUE ISLAND BBQ CO.	166.8228
18	SWEET RACKS & SMOKIN' BUTTS BBQ	166.2516
19	CARROL LOU'S SMOKEHOUSE	165.1200
20	THUNDER HOG BBQ	165.0972
21	EXTRA MILE BBQ	163.3940
22	Chasin Chicken Barbeque	162.7884
23	HOWE ABOUT THAT BBQ	162.7884
24	CAPTAIN RON'S BREW-N-QUE	162.2516
25	UP FROM THE PITS BBQ	161.7144
26	TWISTED SMOKE ADC	161.6684
27	CHANNABILLY BBQ	161.0972
28	AWW HELL	159.9656
29	Littles BBQ Co	159.9544
30	Pork Paradise	159.3716
31	SQUISHY'S SMOKIN' HOT RACKS	157.1084
32	WICKED SMOKE BBQ	155.9772
33	Firehouse 51	155.3828
34	HATFIELD AND MCCOY BARBECUE	153.6228
35	FIDDLIN' FATBACK	152.5144
36	RUSTY PIG BBQ	20.0000

Brisket

36 entries · top 177.1544 · median 165.3770

#	Team	Score
1	EXTRA MILE BBQ	177.1544
2	AWW HELL	174.2628
3	NUTTHIN BUT PORK	173.1200
4	Pork Paradise	172.5484
5	CARROL LOU'S SMOKEHOUSE	171.9884
6	SWEET RACKS & SMOKIN' BUTTS BBQ	171.4400
7	THUNDER HOG BBQ	171.4284
8	THE BBQ BUS	171.4056
9	Littles BBQ Co	170.8684
10	Firehouse 51	170.8684
11	WICKED SMOKE BBQ	170.8456
12	CHANNABILLY BBQ	170.2628
13	CAPTAIN RON'S BREW-N-QUE	169.6684
14	TWISTED SMOKE ADC	167.4172
15	QUE U	167.3828
16	iBQ'n	167.3828
17	BLUE ISLAND BBQ CO.	166.8228
18	The Chilly Water Smokers	165.6684
19	Chasin Chicken Barbeque	165.0856
20	SMOKY LINCS	164.0228
21	RUSTY PIG BBQ	163.9544
22	AWESOME RACKS COOKIN CREW	163.9428
23	Monster-Que	163.4056
24	FIDDLIN' FATBACK	162.8228
25	SmokinGhost BBQ	162.7768
26	Jugs BBQ	162.3084
27	THE REAL SMOKIN ACES	162.2512
28	EF-Q	159.9428
29	LOADED-N-ROLLIN BBQ	158.8800
30	PAPA'S BARBQ	158.2628
31	HOWE ABOUT THAT BBQ	158.2284
32	SQUISHY'S SMOKIN' HOT RACKS	156.5028
33	HEFTY LEFTY BBQ	155.3596
34	HATFIELD AND MCCOY BARBECUE	154.2512
35	SAUCED N SMOKED	153.1200
36	UP FROM THE PITS BBQ	151.9656

Backyard Series

Overall

15 entries · top 325.6340 · median 303.3716

#	Team	Score
1	Smoke, Fire and Brew	325.6340
2	Vintage Wieners	322.8000
3	SAIQ	315.9772
4	Iron Head'Que	313.5768
5	Ruby Creek BBQ	312.9828
6	Sugar Creek BBQ	311.9316
7	Double D's BBQ	310.2632
8	Wahab & Son	303.3716
9	Dead End BBQ	298.8460
10	Basso Brothers	294.2972
11	Smoke em if ya got em	293.0284
12	TNT BBQ	287.9428
13	Mac Daddy & Sons	286.1828
14	Hardwood Smokers	263.2464
15	Westy's BBQ	163.3716

Chicken

15 entries · top 168.0000 · median 151.3256

#	Team	Score
1	Double D's BBQ	168.0000
2	SAIQ	167.9772
3	Sugar Creek BBQ	162.2628
4	Vintage Wieners	161.6800
5	Smoke, Fire and Brew	161.0740
6	Smoke em if ya got em	153.0740
7	Wahab & Son	152.5028
8	Ruby Creek BBQ	151.3256
9	Mac Daddy & Sons	150.7884
10	Iron Head'Que	149.6340
11	Dead End BBQ	148.5716
12	Basso Brothers	148.0228
13	TNT BBQ	142.2856
14	Hardwood Smokers	141.6572
15	Westy's BBQ	20.0000

Pork Ribs

15 entries · top 164.5600 · median 148.0000

#	Team	Score
1	Smoke, Fire and Brew	164.5600
2	Iron Head'Que	163.9428
3	Ruby Creek BBQ	161.6572
4	Vintage Wieners	161.1200
5	Wahab & Son	150.8688
6	Dead End BBQ	150.2744
7	Sugar Creek BBQ	149.6688
8	SAIQ	148.0000
9	Basso Brothers	146.2744
10	TNT BBQ	145.6572
11	Westy's BBQ	143.3716
12	Double D's BBQ	142.2632
13	Smoke em if ya got em	139.9544
14	Mac Daddy & Sons	135.3944
15	Hardwood Smokers	121.5892

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.

Kids-Q — Kid'S Que

5 entries · top 177.7600 · median 161.7144

#	Team	Score
1	Hoosier-Railer	177.7600
2	Grills Gone Wild	176.0344
3	Redwood	161.7144
4	Little Nuthatch Hill	160.5944
5	Team TT	160.5600

Up In Smoke on the Square

Entries

Top score

Winning margin

Field average

Perfect 180s

Tightest race

Top-10 cutoff

Field spread

Prize money

Most consistent

Double threats

Widest winning margin

How hot was the win?

Traveled in

Form held

Field strength

Top-rated in the field

Storylines

🪒 A razor-thin finish

📸 Photo finishes

🛡️ Back to defend

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)

Where the field came from (home regions on file)

This contest over the years full contest page →

What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)

Official results on kcbs.us ↗

Master Series

Overall

Chicken

Pork Ribs

Pork

Brisket

Backyard Series

Overall

Chicken

Pork Ribs

Ancillary categories

Kids-Q — Kid'S Que