Jun 14–15, 2019 · Kewanee, IL · 📍 605 Tenney St · State championship
Reps: Charlie Brinza, Tina Weller · Prize money: $6,000
Heavy Smoke BBQ won Grand Champion at the Hog Capital Challenge on June 14, 2019 in Kewanee, IL at 605 Tenney St, scoring 702.2400 in a field of 25 teams. THE REAL SMOKIN ACES took Reserve Grand Champion with 683.9316. Category winners: Chicken — Heavy Smoke BBQ (180.0000); Pork Ribs — BLUE ISLAND BBQ CO. (176.5716); Pork — QUE U (177.7028); Brisket — ONE2BBQ (175.4056). The Backyard Series standings were won by DB BBQ with 342.2632. This is the 3rd of 3 editions of this contest on record; the 2018 edition was won by SMOKE FREAKS.
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, 2017 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 84 times in 100
Heavy Smoke BBQ came in rated below the field's top team, One2BBQ, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 16-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
Wider than 98% of the 4,710 championships in the data
The champion won by 18.3084 points — a wider margin than 98% of championships in the data.
Master Series — Chicken places 4–5: SmokinGhost BBQ and SMOKE FREAKS tied on 171.9772 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Chicken places 5–6: SMOKE FREAKS and P.I.G. tied on 171.9772 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Pork Ribs places 7–8: QUAU and QUE U tied on 169.6800 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
Heavy Smoke BBQ took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was pork ribs at 4th.
BLUE ISLAND BBQ CO. turned in 176.5716 in pork ribs — past the 174.8572 that had stood across 2 earlier editions.
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: ONE2BBQ (won 2017), SMOKE FREAKS (won 2018).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 16, 2017 | Kewanee, IL | 605 Tenney St | 26 | 703.4172 | ONE2BBQ | BONE COLLECTOR BBQ & CATERING |
| Jun 15, 2018 | Kewanee, IL | 605 Tenney St | 25 | 683.8972 | SMOKE FREAKS | ONE2BBQ |
| Jun 14, 2019 ← this one | Kewanee, IL | 605 Tenney St | 25 | 702.2400 | Heavy Smoke STL | THE REAL SMOKIN ACES |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master Series — Chicken | 180 | 171.9772 | 166.2628 |
| Master Series — Pork Ribs | 176.5716 | 172 | 168.5600 |
| Master Series — Pork | 177.7028 | 171.4284 | 166.2400 |
| Master Series — Brisket | 175.4056 | 171.4172 | 165.1428 |
| Backyard Series — Chicken | 174.2744 | 162.8000 | 145.6920 |
| Backyard Series — Pork Ribs | 173.7028 | 162.8460 | 146.2288 |
25 entries · top 702.2400 · median 655.2800
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heavy Smoke BBQ | |
| 2 | THE REAL SMOKIN ACES | |
| 3 | BLUE ISLAND BBQ CO. | |
| 4 | ONE2BBQ | |
| 5 | SMOKE FREAKS | |
| 6 | THE BBQ BUS | |
| 7 | JaBs BBQ | |
| 8 | AWESOME RACKS COOKIN CREW | |
| 9 | CARROL LOU'S SMOKEHOUSE | |
| 10 | QUE U | |
| 11 | FIREHOUSE SMOKE | |
| 12 | PAPA'S BARBQ | |
| 13 | CHANNABILLY BBQ | |
| 14 | The Chilly Water Smokers | |
| 15 | JACKS PIT SHACK | |
| 16 | WICKED SMOKE BBQ | |
| 17 | Bigdaddyoowee Smokin Bones BBQ | |
| 18 | QUAU | |
| 19 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 20 | FIDDLIN' FATBACK | |
| 21 | Lucky 13 | |
| 22 | P.I.G. | |
| 23 | BRASS MONKEY BBQ | |
| 24 | Team 25 | |
| 25 | H & H BBQ |
25 entries · top 180 · median 165.0856 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heavy Smoke BBQ | |
| 2 | CARROL LOU'S SMOKEHOUSE | |
| 3 | THE BBQ BUS | |
| 4 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 5 | SMOKE FREAKS | |
| 6 | P.I.G. | |
| 7 | THE REAL SMOKIN ACES | |
| 8 | FIREHOUSE SMOKE | |
| 9 | BLUE ISLAND BBQ CO. | |
| 10 | JaBs BBQ | |
| 11 | ONE2BBQ | |
| 12 | WICKED SMOKE BBQ | |
| 13 | AWESOME RACKS COOKIN CREW | |
| 14 | JACKS PIT SHACK | |
| 15 | Team 25 | |
| 16 | CHANNABILLY BBQ | |
| 17 | Lucky 13 | |
| 18 | QUAU | |
| 19 | Bigdaddyoowee Smokin Bones BBQ | |
| 20 | The Chilly Water Smokers | |
| 21 | QUE U | |
| 22 | PAPA'S BARBQ | |
| 23 | FIDDLIN' FATBACK | |
| 24 | BRASS MONKEY BBQ | |
| 25 | H & H BBQ |
25 entries · top 176.5716 · median 166.2516
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BLUE ISLAND BBQ CO. | |
| 2 | THE REAL SMOKIN ACES | |
| 3 | JaBs BBQ | |
| 4 | Heavy Smoke BBQ | |
| 5 | AWESOME RACKS COOKIN CREW | |
| 6 | FIREHOUSE SMOKE | |
| 7 | QUAU | |
| 8 | QUE U | |
| 9 | CARROL LOU'S SMOKEHOUSE | |
| 10 | THE BBQ BUS | |
| 11 | The Chilly Water Smokers | |
| 12 | CHANNABILLY BBQ | |
| 13 | WICKED SMOKE BBQ | |
| 14 | Bigdaddyoowee Smokin Bones BBQ | |
| 15 | PAPA'S BARBQ | |
| 16 | ONE2BBQ | |
| 17 | SMOKE FREAKS | |
| 18 | FIDDLIN' FATBACK | |
| 19 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 20 | BRASS MONKEY BBQ | |
| 21 | Lucky 13 | |
| 22 | JACKS PIT SHACK | |
| 23 | P.I.G. | |
| 24 | H & H BBQ | |
| 25 | Team 25 |
25 entries · top 177.7028 · median 163.3944
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | QUE U | |
| 2 | ONE2BBQ | |
| 3 | Heavy Smoke BBQ | |
| 4 | JaBs BBQ | |
| 5 | CARROL LOU'S SMOKEHOUSE | |
| 6 | FIREHOUSE SMOKE | |
| 7 | PAPA'S BARBQ | |
| 8 | SMOKE FREAKS | |
| 9 | BLUE ISLAND BBQ CO. | |
| 10 | JACKS PIT SHACK | |
| 11 | THE REAL SMOKIN ACES | |
| 12 | THE BBQ BUS | |
| 13 | WICKED SMOKE BBQ | |
| 14 | FIDDLIN' FATBACK | |
| 15 | CHANNABILLY BBQ | |
| 16 | QUAU | |
| 17 | AWESOME RACKS COOKIN CREW | |
| 18 | BRASS MONKEY BBQ | |
| 19 | H & H BBQ | |
| 20 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 21 | The Chilly Water Smokers | |
| 22 | Lucky 13 | |
| 23 | Team 25 | |
| 24 | Bigdaddyoowee Smokin Bones BBQ | |
| 25 | P.I.G. |
25 entries · top 175.4056 · median 160.5372
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ONE2BBQ | |
| 2 | THE REAL SMOKIN ACES | |
| 3 | Heavy Smoke BBQ | |
| 4 | SMOKE FREAKS | |
| 5 | AWESOME RACKS COOKIN CREW | |
| 6 | The Chilly Water Smokers | |
| 7 | BLUE ISLAND BBQ CO. | |
| 8 | JACKS PIT SHACK | |
| 9 | Bigdaddyoowee Smokin Bones BBQ | |
| 10 | CHANNABILLY BBQ | |
| 11 | PAPA'S BARBQ | |
| 12 | THE BBQ BUS | |
| 13 | QUE U | |
| 14 | Lucky 13 | |
| 15 | P.I.G. | |
| 16 | JaBs BBQ | |
| 17 | BRASS MONKEY BBQ | |
| 18 | FIDDLIN' FATBACK | |
| 19 | WICKED SMOKE BBQ | |
| 20 | QUAU | |
| 21 | FIREHOUSE SMOKE | |
| 22 | SmokinGhost BBQ | |
| 23 | CARROL LOU'S SMOKEHOUSE | |
| 24 | Team 25 | |
| 25 | H & H BBQ |
14 entries · top 342.2632 · median 312.8118
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DB BBQ | |
| 2 | Smoke, Fire & Brew | |
| 3 | Little Wolf Foods | |
| 4 | Donnie G's BBQ | |
| 5 | Country Crossroads Barbecue | |
| 6 | Smitty's Smokehouse Barbeque | |
| 7 | Big Stix Barbecue | |
| 8 | Manager's Special | |
| 9 | Farmer Smoked BBQ | |
| 10 | Daddy T Smokin BBQ | |
| 11 | Twin Maples BBQ | |
| 12 | Corkys Que | |
| 13 | TNT BBQ | |
| 14 | Little Piggy's |
13 entries · top 174.2744 · median 161.6456
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DB BBQ | |
| 2 | Smoke, Fire & Brew | |
| 3 | Country Crossroads Barbecue | |
| 4 | Manager's Special | |
| 5 | Donnie G's BBQ | |
| 6 | Smitty's Smokehouse Barbeque | |
| 7 | Little Wolf Foods | |
| 8 | Big Stix Barbecue | |
| 9 | Twin Maples BBQ | |
| 10 | Farmer Smoked BBQ | |
| 11 | Corkys Que | |
| 12 | Daddy T Smokin BBQ | |
| 13 | TNT BBQ |
14 entries · top 173.7028 · median 159.6800
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Little Wolf Foods | |
| 2 | Smoke, Fire & Brew | |
| 3 | Donnie G's BBQ | |
| 4 | DB BBQ | |
| 5 | Farmer Smoked BBQ | |
| 6 | Smitty's Smokehouse Barbeque | |
| 7 | Daddy T Smokin BBQ | |
| 8 | Big Stix Barbecue | |
| 9 | Country Crossroads Barbecue | |
| 10 | Manager's Special | |
| 11 | Twin Maples BBQ | |
| 12 | TNT BBQ | |
| 13 | Corkys Que | |
| 14 | Little Piggy's |