8th Annual Covington Cork & Pork Festival
2019-06-21 – 2019-06-22 · Covington, VA · 📍 333 W Locust St · State championship
Reps: ALAN ROTHROCK, DOUG REID · Prize money: $11,000.00
Grand Champion: Checkered Flag 500 (686.8916) · 32 teams
Reserve Champion: 🥈 3N1 Q
Entries
32
4 judged meats
Top score
686.8916
Winning margin
0.0112
GC over RC
Field average
647.69
median 661.59
Perfect 180s
0
Tightest race
Brisket
2.3200 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
666.1712
10th place overall
Field spread
157.0516
winner to last place
Prize money
$11,000.00
on the line
Double threats
6
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 90%
beats 10% of 1951 Master Series wins in the data
Traveled in
41%
of the 32 teams with a home region came from outside VA
Form held
Moderate
ρ = -0.54 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1513
avg power rating going in · stronger than 18% of contests
Storylines
🪒 A razor-thin finish
The Grand Championship was decided by 0.0112 points — closer than 98% of every championship in the data.
🧳 Out-of-towners took the title
Checkered Flag 500 took the Grand Championship home to PA.
🧹 A double category winner
CHECKERED FLAG 500 BBQ won Pork Ribs, Brisket — a double, and took the Grand Championship on top of it.
📸 Photo finishes
Chicken places 8–9: SMOKEY DOG BBQ and CHECKERED FLAG 500 BBQ tied on 170.2972 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 2–3: JD'S SMOKIN MISFITS and ROLLIN' SMOKE tied on 173.1200 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork places 2–3: THE SMOKEHOUSE MAFIA and THE Q PINE NATION tied on 174.8572 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
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)
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 178.8572 | 172.5600 | 170.2744 |
| Pork Ribs | 175.4628 | 172.5716 | 166.2400 |
| Pork | 177.7028 | 174.2628 | 168.5600 |
| Brisket | 175.4400 | 173.1200 | 167.9656 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
32 entries · top 686.8916 · median 661.5884
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | CHECKERED FLAG 500 BBQ | |
| 2 | 3N1 Q | |
| 3 | THE SMOKEHOUSE MAFIA | |
| 4 | OLD COLONY SMOKEHOUSE | |
| 5 | THE Q PINE NATION | |
| 6 | JD'S SMOKIN MISFITS | |
| 7 | BIG DOG BBQ VA | |
| 8 | FRED VEGAS SMOKERS | |
| 9 | GRATE SMOKE | |
| 10 | ROLLIN' SMOKE | |
| 11 | 2 RHODIES BBQ | |
| 12 | SMOKE MONSTER BBQ | |
| 13 | BROWN LIQUOR BBQ | |
| 14 | SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS | |
| 15 | Still Working' On It | |
| 16 | 270 SMOKERS | |
| 17 | BUD WISER'S BBQ | |
| 18 | Pig Pen BBQ | |
| 19 | LAKEVIEW BBQ | |
| 20 | SMOKE-AHOLICS | |
| 21 | FIREHOUSE BAR-B-QUE | |
| 22 | SMOKEY DOG BBQ | |
| 23 | Old Man Jeff | |
| 24 | No Rush Q | |
| 25 | Two Drummer's Q-Crew | |
| 26 | STACKED | |
| 27 | Dirty Butts BBQ | |
| 28 | RUB N BUTTS VIRGINIA | |
| 29 | GRATEFUL 'QUE | |
| 30 | Hickoty Bent & Rail Bound | |
| 31 | LEM'S MEAT VARNISH | |
| 32 | Ray-Ray's Grille |
Chicken
32 entries · top 178.8572 · median 165.6742
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 RHODIES BBQ | |
| 2 | FRED VEGAS SMOKERS | |
| 3 | 3N1 Q | |
| 4 | Still Working' On It | |
| 5 | BIG DOG BBQ VA | |
| 6 | ROLLIN' SMOKE | |
| 7 | THE SMOKEHOUSE MAFIA | |
| 8 | SMOKEY DOG BBQ | |
| 9 | CHECKERED FLAG 500 BBQ | |
| 10 | JD'S SMOKIN MISFITS | |
| 11 | SMOKE-AHOLICS | |
| 12 | OLD COLONY SMOKEHOUSE | |
| 13 | Pig Pen BBQ | |
| 14 | 270 SMOKERS | |
| 15 | SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS | |
| 16 | BROWN LIQUOR BBQ | |
| 17 | THE Q PINE NATION | |
| 18 | SMOKE MONSTER BBQ | |
| 19 | FIREHOUSE BAR-B-QUE | |
| 20 | Old Man Jeff | |
| 21 | No Rush Q | |
| 22 | Two Drummer's Q-Crew | |
| 23 | RUB N BUTTS VIRGINIA | |
| 24 | Dirty Butts BBQ | |
| 25 | GRATEFUL 'QUE | |
| 26 | BUD WISER'S BBQ | |
| 27 | LAKEVIEW BBQ | |
| 28 | GRATE SMOKE | |
| 29 | STACKED | |
| 30 | Ray-Ray's Grille | |
| 31 | Hickoty Bent & Rail Bound | |
| 32 | LEM'S MEAT VARNISH |
Pork Ribs
32 entries · top 175.4628 · median 163.6742
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | CHECKERED FLAG 500 BBQ | |
| 2 | JD'S SMOKIN MISFITS | |
| 3 | ROLLIN' SMOKE | |
| 4 | GRATE SMOKE | |
| 5 | 3N1 Q | |
| 6 | BUD WISER'S BBQ | |
| 7 | SMOKE-AHOLICS | |
| 8 | OLD COLONY SMOKEHOUSE | |
| 9 | THE Q PINE NATION | |
| 10 | FIREHOUSE BAR-B-QUE | |
| 11 | THE SMOKEHOUSE MAFIA | |
| 12 | BIG DOG BBQ VA | |
| 13 | 270 SMOKERS | |
| 14 | Pig Pen BBQ | |
| 15 | LAKEVIEW BBQ | |
| 16 | BROWN LIQUOR BBQ | |
| 17 | SMOKE MONSTER BBQ | |
| 18 | SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS | |
| 19 | FRED VEGAS SMOKERS | |
| 20 | No Rush Q | |
| 21 | Still Working' On It | |
| 22 | Two Drummer's Q-Crew | |
| 23 | GRATEFUL 'QUE | |
| 24 | Hickoty Bent & Rail Bound | |
| 25 | Dirty Butts BBQ | |
| 26 | SMOKEY DOG BBQ | |
| 27 | LEM'S MEAT VARNISH | |
| 28 | Old Man Jeff | |
| 29 | STACKED | |
| 30 | 2 RHODIES BBQ | |
| 31 | RUB N BUTTS VIRGINIA | |
| 32 | Ray-Ray's Grille |
Pork
32 entries · top 177.7028 · median 164.8172
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | GRATE SMOKE | |
| 2 | THE SMOKEHOUSE MAFIA | |
| 3 | THE Q PINE NATION | |
| 4 | FRED VEGAS SMOKERS | |
| 5 | ROLLIN' SMOKE | |
| 6 | OLD COLONY SMOKEHOUSE | |
| 7 | BROWN LIQUOR BBQ | |
| 8 | SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS | |
| 9 | 2 RHODIES BBQ | |
| 10 | BIG DOG BBQ VA | |
| 11 | Old Man Jeff | |
| 12 | SMOKE MONSTER BBQ | |
| 13 | JD'S SMOKIN MISFITS | |
| 14 | CHECKERED FLAG 500 BBQ | |
| 15 | FIREHOUSE BAR-B-QUE | |
| 16 | Still Working' On It | |
| 17 | BUD WISER'S BBQ | |
| 18 | LAKEVIEW BBQ | |
| 19 | SMOKE-AHOLICS | |
| 20 | 3N1 Q | |
| 21 | Dirty Butts BBQ | |
| 22 | 270 SMOKERS | |
| 23 | STACKED | |
| 24 | Pig Pen BBQ | |
| 25 | No Rush Q | |
| 26 | GRATEFUL 'QUE | |
| 27 | RUB N BUTTS VIRGINIA | |
| 28 | SMOKEY DOG BBQ | |
| 29 | LEM'S MEAT VARNISH | |
| 30 | Hickoty Bent & Rail Bound | |
| 31 | Two Drummer's Q-Crew | |
| 32 | Ray-Ray's Grille |
Brisket
32 entries · top 175.4400 · median 163.1028
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | CHECKERED FLAG 500 BBQ | |
| 2 | 3N1 Q | |
| 3 | LAKEVIEW BBQ | |
| 4 | THE Q PINE NATION | |
| 5 | OLD COLONY SMOKEHOUSE | |
| 6 | THE SMOKEHOUSE MAFIA | |
| 7 | SMOKE MONSTER BBQ | |
| 8 | 2 RHODIES BBQ | |
| 9 | 270 SMOKERS | |
| 10 | BUD WISER'S BBQ | |
| 11 | BIG DOG BBQ VA | |
| 12 | JD'S SMOKIN MISFITS | |
| 13 | GRATE SMOKE | |
| 14 | Pig Pen BBQ | |
| 15 | SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS | |
| 16 | BROWN LIQUOR BBQ | |
| 17 | Still Working' On It | |
| 18 | Hickoty Bent & Rail Bound | |
| 19 | Two Drummer's Q-Crew | |
| 20 | FRED VEGAS SMOKERS | |
| 21 | FIREHOUSE BAR-B-QUE | |
| 22 | SMOKEY DOG BBQ | |
| 23 | SMOKE-AHOLICS | |
| 24 | STACKED | |
| 25 | RUB N BUTTS VIRGINIA | |
| 26 | Old Man Jeff | |
| 27 | Dirty Butts BBQ | |
| 28 | ROLLIN' SMOKE | |
| 29 | LEM'S MEAT VARNISH | |
| 30 | No Rush Q | |
| 31 | GRATEFUL 'QUE | |
| 32 | Ray-Ray's Grille |