A dynasty in the making
2×
wins at this contest
2 of 10 tracked editions
UNDER THE RADAR has won this contest 2 times across its 10 tracked editions.
- 2021
- 2022
Almost Heaven BBQ Bash 2019
Jun 7–8, 2019 · Roanoke, WV · 📍 Stonewall Resort State Park · State championship
Reps: Julie Cook, Rusty Cook · Prize money: $10,000
ROCKY TOP BARBEQUE won Grand Champion at the Almost Heaven BBQ Bash on June 7, 2019 in Roanoke, WV at Stonewall Resort State Park, scoring 691.3944 in a field of 31 teams. WHO CARES BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 686.2172. Category winners: Chicken — 270 SMOKERS (176.0000); Pork Ribs — MORT'S MEAT MAFIA (175.4172); Pork — MUTTLEY CREW BBQ (174.2628); Brisket — ROCKY TOP BARBEQUE (177.1544). The Backyard Series standings were won by NORTH MEATS / SOUTH SMOKE with 337.0744. This is the 5th of 10 editions of this contest on record; the 2018 edition was won by SPITTIN' FEATHERS BBQ; the next was held in 2021.
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.
148.02
median 650.71
691.39 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Master Series — Chicken 176
- Master Series — Pork Ribs 175.42
- Master Series — Pork 174.26
- Master Series — Brisket 177.15
- Backyard Series — Chicken 168.53
- Backyard Series — Pork Ribs 173.13
110.77
177.15
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2015 to 2025 — this edition picked out.
Entries
31
6 judged meats
Top score
691.3944
Winning margin
5.1772
GC over RC
Field average
626.20
148.02691.39
median 650.71 · last place to winner
Perfect 180s
0
Tightest race
Chicken
2.2972 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
664.4800
148.02691.39
10th place overall
Field spread
543.3716
winner to last place
Prize money
$10,000
on the line
Double threats
9
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 66%
beats 34% of 4714 Master Series wins in the data
Came back for more
24%
14 of 59 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Moderate
ρ = -0.42 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,584
avg power rating going in · stronger than 66% 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 8 calls decided inside half a point
Master Series — Chicken places 2–3: CONTAGIOUS Q and SPITTIN' FEATHERS BBQ tied on 174.2628 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Chicken places 4–5: MUTTLEY CREW BBQ and WHO CARES BBQ tied on 173.7028 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Chicken places 9–10: THREE DOGS BBQ and OUR BARK IS BETTER THAN YOUR BITE tied on 167.4172 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
- Master Series — Chicken 2–3 · tie
- Master Series — Chicken 4–5 · tie
- Master Series — Chicken 9–10 · tie
- Master Series — Pork Ribs 9–10 · tie
How the title was won
4 of 4
meats called to the stage
ROCKY TOP BARBEQUE took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was chicken at 8th.
- Chicken 8th
- Pork Ribs 2nd
- Pork 4th
- Brisket 1st
Back to defend
2
past champions back in the field
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: ROCKY TOP BARBEQUE (won 2017), SPITTIN' FEATHERS BBQ (won 2018).
- ROCKY TOP BARBEQUE · 2017
- SPITTIN' FEATHERS BBQ · 2018
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 19, 2015 | Buckhannon, WV | Buckhannon, WV 26201 | 41 | 703.4172 | 3 EYZ BBQ | CHECKERED PIG |
| Jun 17, 2016 | Buckhannon, WV | Buckhannon, WV 26201 | 42 | 699.9544 | CHECKERED PIG | SMOKIN FOOLZ |
| Jun 16, 2017 | Weston, WV | Downtown Buckhannon | 57 | 706.2972 | ROCKY TOP BARBEQUE | WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ |
| Jun 15, 2018 | Weston, WV | Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum | 59 | 690.8000 | SPITTIN' FEATHERS BBQ | WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ |
| Jun 7, 2019 ← this one | Roanoke, WV | Stonewall Resort State Park | 31 | 691.3944 | ROCKY TOP BBQ | WHO CARES BBQ |
| Jun 18, 2021 | Roanoke, WV | Stonewall Resort | 28 | 705.1428 | UNDER THE RADAR | WHO CARES BBQ |
| Jun 17, 2022 | Roanoke, WV | Stonewall Resort | 20 | 704.5600 | UNDER THE RADAR | WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ |
| Jun 16, 2023 | Buckhannon, WV | 17 Friendly Way | 28 | 702.2284 | WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ | CHUNKY BBQ |
| Jun 14, 2024 | Buckhannon, WV | Jawbone Park | 30 | 698.8228 | CHUNKY BBQ | 3 EYZ BBQ |
| Jun 13, 2025 | Buckhannon, WV | Jawbone Park | 30 | 698.2516 | Chunky BBQ | BEER TIME BBQ |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master Series — Chicken | 176 | 173.7028 | 167.4172 |
| Master Series — Pork Ribs | 175.4172 | 169.6800 | 166.8344 |
| Master Series — Pork | 174.2628 | 169.1200 | 166.8456 |
| Master Series — Brisket | 177.1544 | 171.9656 | 165.1428 |
| Backyard Series — Chicken | 168.5256 | 163.3828 | 149.0972 |
| Backyard Series — Pork Ribs | 173.1316 | 159.9772 | 145.6800 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
31 entries · top 691.3944 · median 650.7084
Chicken
30 entries · top 176 · median 166.2398
Pork Ribs
30 entries · top 175.4172 · median 161.6744
Pork
30 entries · top 174.2628 · median 163.7086
Brisket
31 entries · top 177.1544 · median 162.2628
Backyard Series
Overall
10 entries · top 337.0744 · median 316.4742
Chicken
10 entries · top 168.5256 · median 160.8056
Pork Ribs
10 entries · top 173.1316 · median 158.8230